Works for Easter too...
Works for Easter too...
Earlyish Kimber Classic Custom. My first 1911 was a Springfield 1911-a1, circa 1991. Plenty accurate and reliable, but it was missing all of the parts that make (for me) a 1911 shootable. I was dreaming and drooling over those glossy Wilson Custom catalogs. It was sold and Kimber came out with their offering -- it just seemed to make sense to me. I think I paid ~$550 for it, which was ~$1500 less than a comparable Wilson (I know, I know, they're not actually "comparable," but you get my point). I couldn't stand the cheap phosphate finish so I had a guy (BEAST Enterprises from the old IDPA listserve, where I first encountered TLG) paint it for me.
This Kimber has done good duty for me. I can't say it's never had a bobble, but they are few and far between--and always with (my primary diet of) handloads. It's been through a couple of sets of Heinie Straight 8s and the front is due for a replacement (I no longer prefer tritium in the rear, and may end up going with FO). The best IWB I've ever used is the Ky-Tac Braveheart, and it makes carrying this heavy beast a breeze--even if it does wear off the paint on some of the edges. I keep meaning to buy it a respectable set of grips but I've never gotten around to it...
I say this is my only real 1911 because I just purchased a Wilson EDCx9. I think I saw Tamara state that "real" 1911's are .45, 5" and steel, so there you have it! The jury is still out on the EDC. I only have 100 rds through it.
I'm close friends with the owner of Combat Precision, based in Atlanta, GA. I got to meet him & 1 of his customers at the range yesterday for a little tuning he was doing on a few of the customers pistols, plus some friendly competitive shooting like "best 3 rounds at 25yds", or "9 rounds in 3 rounds of 3, each shot is SHO, WHO, or Freestyle and changing shot type between each round", etc. Super fun to get to shoot great guns, laugh a lot with good friends, all while trying not to blow our entire ammo inventory in one range trip.
Full disclosure: I am a freelance professional photographer/cinematographer for the firearms and defense industry, among others.
My partner and I are teaching another 1911 certification course this week. I don’t pull my 1911s out as often as I used to, but when I do, it’s like backing that classic muscle car out of the garage.
This particular example came in a multi-gun trade and started as a very plain Springfield Loaded. The only change when I got it was a GI recoil spring setup, which I’m all for. I added an 18.5lb Wolff recoil spring, 10-8 rear sight, S&A mag well and our department Armorer, who is rad with a 1911, fitted a short trigger, commander ring hammer, and single-side thumb safety. I added the old-style sandpaper grips from a Springfield TRP.
It’s one of the tightest locking 1911s I have owned and shoots great. It’s my “Inspired by” old school MEUSOC gun.
Chuck Rogers
www.RogersPrecision.com
Cheap-Fast-Good............pick any two.
Back on February 25th, I sent the Colt Custom Shop this:
What I got back today, was this...fresh from the box, just wiping off the preservative:
After I stripped it and cleaned all the preservative, relubed and now ready to go:
I had them do their Tactical Package, 25lpi checkering all around, and the only additions/changes were asking them to fit, and then cut/crown a NM barrel, and the ball cuts in the slide. Standard service blue, as I prefer blue...and I plan on shooting/carrying this thing a lot, so I didn't necessarily want to spring for some super pretty finish that would just have to be redone in a couple of years. I'll see how it holds up, and maybe look into DLC in the future if I need to...
Super, super happy with it, and I almost literally cannot wait to get it to the range! I've got a JRC Watson for it on order as well, so I'll be even more superer happier when this all congeals and comes together in one big awesome holster/blaster combination...