For those with the interest, I’ll just leave this here:
https://www.springfield-armory.com/p...enders-series/
LGS price of 5 bills or so = lots of dough left over to have Harrison tune it up. FWIW.
For those with the interest, I’ll just leave this here:
https://www.springfield-armory.com/p...enders-series/
LGS price of 5 bills or so = lots of dough left over to have Harrison tune it up. FWIW.
”But in the end all of these ideas just manufacture new criminals when the problem isn't a lack of criminals.” -JRB
No experience on these, so I’m genuinely wondering. How’s the slide to frame, barrel, etc. fitting typically on these? I get that most parts will be gutted by the smith, but if the fitting isn’t great to begin with on certain parts, is it generally worth it to go with these lower cost guns? I know a good smith can re-fit the slide and frame, but then it seems like the cost advantage for the cheapest base gun option starts to be moot as opposed to a better fitted gun (if these aren’t fit well that is).
Springfield Armory 1911 pistols make great base guns. The slides and frames are good quality, well machined, and decently fit. The barrels usually are quite accurate once a barrel bushing is fitted. Bullseye accurate no, but service accuracy (less than two-inch groups at twenty-five yards) is doable. If I was going to build another custom, I would likely start with one of the discounted Mil-Spec pistols as the ones that John Harrison built for me have served me quite well.
Really dislike the new roll mark.
"When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."
Agreed, what a shame.
I bought a milspec when I was 16. I shot it twice a week, every week for 2 years before I enlisted. Then I carried it when I got out.
I unfortunately let it get away but it was a reliable, accurate gun. It never heard about how high maintenance 1911s were either. Actually, non of my 1911s have.
I know the more expensive 1911 builders make some great guns but I've always been very content with the 4 Springfields I've had.
I had good experience with a Loaded that I built into a MEUSOC clone.
The Springers were good base guns for such projects, but I don’t see sinking custom money into guns with ‘Loaded’ and ‘Mil-Spec’ printer across the slides. Colt is the way to go with a base gun now.
"When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."
Some pictures of an older Mil-Spec that John did for me and finished with the briefly offered EGW E-Treat finish. It has the factory slide, frame, titanium firing pin, and barrel; the rest was replaced by John. It was made when the idea of "Bobtail-ing" a five-inch gun was not popular. The idea was a simple, no-frills, easy-to-conceal 1911 with minimal cosmetics.
Last edited by farscott; 08-23-2019 at 08:22 AM.
The Mil-Spec Defender is a lot of gun for the money. Nothing wrong with using it as is. I rather like the basic wood stocks it comes with, though I prefer stocks that support the plunger tube. It would make an okay base gun, but will probably not be as valuable as a custom build on a Colt base.
I owned a Mil-Spec a bunch of years ago and it was good to go for a basic model.
Last edited by Robinson; 08-23-2019 at 10:11 AM.
Well, the good news about the new rollmarks is a bit of time with a surface grinder and the marks are gone. As for Colt base guns, I do like them and have more than a few customs that started with Colt guns. But the SA guns offer a greater than $200 price advantage, which can be used for ammo and/or new parts.