JimLob65
01-29-2020, 09:28 PM
I haven’t owned a 1911 since I sold off my Kimber Target Match well over a decade ago. I got the itch to buy another after shooting my brothers SA a few weeks ago. I didn’t want another caliber, which ruled out .45, which left me with either 9mm or 10mm, and although there is a SIG Emperor Scorpion in 10mm at my nearby Sportsman’s Warehouse for a really good price I decided that the much cheaper to shoot 9mm would be the way to go.
I had a good amount of $$ stashed in the safe and was on the waiting list for a Beretta 92X Performance for a couple of months but being told there had been none that had come in as of a few days before I made the 100 mile round trip I decided to buy a 1911. After doing some research I decided on a Springfield Armory Range Officer Elite Operator. It comes with combat sights, a rail, forward cocking serrations and all the other expected upgrades in a higher end production 1911. The gun shop had one so after checking it out I did the paperwork. While waiting for the shop to do the rest I wandered down to the counter where the Berettas are on display, and what do you think was in the counter?? Yup...a 92X Performance!! Didn’t have the cash to buy both (EEEK) I went ahead with the purchase of the 1911.
First range day was not the smoothest. Trigger was kind of gritty but more significantly there were a few instances of the slide not locking back on an empty magazine, and several FTRB. It just required a nudge with my thumb to close the slide, which was working noticeably sluggish, which I noticed after cleaning and lubing it up the day before. Evidently the fit was too tight and the recoil spring too weak to work well with the grease I had applied to the slide rails. The thing locks up like a bank vault and there is almost no movement of the barrel in the bushing or the chamber area. Pistol shot pretty darn accurately though I have to say! Once I got home I stripped the grease and used a much lighter oil with just a trace of grease where there was wear on the frame rails. Next trip to the range resulted in the SA running at 100%!! That firstly range trip had me experiencing the first failures of a 9mm pistol that wasn’t ammo related ever, after almost 30 years of shooting many different pistols!!
The Range Officer is capable of more accuracy than I am, that’s for sure. With repeated dry firing the grittiness of the trigger is much better also. It is very crisp but a bit heavier than I would like. In comparison the trigger on my SIG P226 Legion SAO is much lighter, although with a bit of a rolling let off. Still, I am very happy with the new 1911.
BTW.....The Beretta.....I went back the next day and bought it:cool::cool:!
I had a good amount of $$ stashed in the safe and was on the waiting list for a Beretta 92X Performance for a couple of months but being told there had been none that had come in as of a few days before I made the 100 mile round trip I decided to buy a 1911. After doing some research I decided on a Springfield Armory Range Officer Elite Operator. It comes with combat sights, a rail, forward cocking serrations and all the other expected upgrades in a higher end production 1911. The gun shop had one so after checking it out I did the paperwork. While waiting for the shop to do the rest I wandered down to the counter where the Berettas are on display, and what do you think was in the counter?? Yup...a 92X Performance!! Didn’t have the cash to buy both (EEEK) I went ahead with the purchase of the 1911.
First range day was not the smoothest. Trigger was kind of gritty but more significantly there were a few instances of the slide not locking back on an empty magazine, and several FTRB. It just required a nudge with my thumb to close the slide, which was working noticeably sluggish, which I noticed after cleaning and lubing it up the day before. Evidently the fit was too tight and the recoil spring too weak to work well with the grease I had applied to the slide rails. The thing locks up like a bank vault and there is almost no movement of the barrel in the bushing or the chamber area. Pistol shot pretty darn accurately though I have to say! Once I got home I stripped the grease and used a much lighter oil with just a trace of grease where there was wear on the frame rails. Next trip to the range resulted in the SA running at 100%!! That firstly range trip had me experiencing the first failures of a 9mm pistol that wasn’t ammo related ever, after almost 30 years of shooting many different pistols!!
The Range Officer is capable of more accuracy than I am, that’s for sure. With repeated dry firing the grittiness of the trigger is much better also. It is very crisp but a bit heavier than I would like. In comparison the trigger on my SIG P226 Legion SAO is much lighter, although with a bit of a rolling let off. Still, I am very happy with the new 1911.
BTW.....The Beretta.....I went back the next day and bought it:cool::cool:!