New Range Toy!!

Picked up this the other weekend from a friend. It is a lightly used Springfield 1911 A1 Range Officer, in the light shooting 9mm caliber. I shot it a while back, was surprised when my friend wanted to sell it. Had to do a little fitting on the thumb safety, and will probably send it off to get the front strap serrated and the gun re finished. It is a Parkerized finish now, not sure what my finish options are, but most likely painted or just re Parkerized.

Lots O' fun to shoot, and the greed fiber optic front sight is sweet!

Luckily for me, someone found the 3 foot rattle snake before I did, and it was dispatched before we got to the range, but they left it by the gate, kept on freaking us out every time we walked by it. Should have taken a picture of it.

 

Nice! I have a 1911 A1 .45 my uncle carried during WWII. He was a full bird colonel. Can't beat it as a home defense weapon. Modern large caliber automatics have greater magazine capacity, but there is something about the feel of that 63yr old weapon that other large frame autos can't match

I'd go with Parkerized finish . . . just looks right on a 1911 frame, and IMO it's the more durable choice.

Never shot a 1911 frame in anything but .45 caliber. I'm not big on calibers smaller than .40 . . . but since my kids bought me a .380 Glock I have changedsome of my stance on that. Heck of a CC weapon.

 

Yep, most likely will be Parkerized finish, as that is how it left Springfield. Not a whole lot you can do with them once parkerized except paint... My friend has an old 1911 from the WWII era. Too bad someone chromed it, it would be worth some $ if they had not.

I have been curious about the .45 Super. Supposedly a necked down rifle casing that is the same size as the .45, but with thinker walls for higher power.

I would like to get one of the old 'war' 1911's one day. Just love the look, and possible history with them.

 

I cringe when I read someone chromed a GI 1911. I did read somewhere once a theory that a few Government Issue 1911's came out chromed or nickel plated as special issues, but I doubt that is true. It's possible, I suppose, that presentation weapons to be given to high ranking officers were given a new finish after issue but still during the active service time of the weapon. Not impossible but unlikely, and would be very rare.


I love my 1911 . . .just can't beat the GI 1911. Best semi-auto out there IMO. My Uncle carried it through the ETO I know, but I don't have a lot of information beyond that on it. It is in near pristine condition (I doubt he did a lot of mud slogging, lol). Just a little holster wear and a bit of pitting in the barrel. Those old .45 ball rounds had corrosive primers. From my research it was manufactured in 1943. I also have a WWII era holster for it, but not from my uncle. It doesn't get much range time anymore . . . it just serves as my go-to home defense weapon now.


I've replaced the recoil spring and firing pin (new old stock). Got some of those nylon recoil pads, but have not fired it yet with one of them. They are supposed to reduce the metal to metal impact of the recoil and reduce wear in that respect, but I can't speak to that point. Have a handful of orginal issue magazines for it and they function like new.


Not done a lot of research on the .45 super . . . but I do understand it doesn't take a lot of conversion to use in the 1911. Beefy recoil spring and a modified firing pin as I recall? I wouldn't want to try them in my GI 1911, but I'd think about it if I get a newer aftermarket one, or one of the Remington R1's.

 

I cherish my dad's WWII 9mm Luger he got in Germany. Original serial numbers, etc. Holster and straps a bit worn but still an heirloom for me. Nice pistol.

 

Yeah Spad, I would stay away from any but stock bullets for the old warhorse. And a story as well on yours. Some controversy on the shock buffs. Some folks like 'em, some have had them come apart in the gun and jam it.

Gensu, I love the WWII stuff as well. Yours is extra nice, since it was your Dads.

 

I had to remove some metal from the thumb safety to make it fit better. It dug into the web of my hand, so I removed a few mm of material and beveled it more like Wilson Combat makes their safeties. Plus, I want to get the front of the grip serrated, (gunsmith files lines in it for better grip). All the cuts will be down to the bare metal, so will want it refinished.

Short video if you are interested on what I am talking about. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=1911+front+strap+machine+checkering&t=opera&ia=videos&iai=8XBCVfa91-E

Guns? As in plural? Me?!? I used to have a nice collection, but then I put them on the houseboat that sunk during the last flood we had.

 

Ever fly over Louisiana? Tons of water. Lakes, bayous, rivers...