M118LR

I'm noticing what I believe is a trend?

.45 ACP 1911's:
S&W
Kimber
AMT
Taurus
Rand

9mm 1911's:
Kimber
Taurus

.22LR 1911's:
Kimber & Kimber Conversion.

Toss in a 45/22 Ruger.

I've owned/or been issued others, but these are the ones in the Sidearm Locker right now. Is this enough 1911's? or do I need to add a couple of other calibers?

Is it strange that with all the Colt 1911's I've owned/been issued none of them seem to have found a home currently in the sidearm locker?

Diamondback

"Enough"?

IS there any such thing?

M118LR

Enough, like not to few and definitely not to many.

csmkersh

How many's enough? Oh, at least 3 more than I have now.

M118LR

Any special calibers or manufacturers?
I could always be talked into perhaps two more, (one for each hand) but what are you holding the third one with?

csmkersh

Caliber will always be .45ACP but manufacturers undecided on. Only other requirement settled as of now is it must be blued, not stainless.

M118LR

Might I suggest:
SW1911SC E-Series? Round Butt Scandium Frame | Smith & Wesson

csmkersh

Thanks for the suggestion but I prefer the square butt like found on the Remington R1 Carry:

https://www.remington.com/handguns/model-1911-r1-carry

Also note it has an ambi-safety which is mandatory for this old Southpaw. Oh, I managed for years without the ambi-safety and would occasionally carry condition zero in an issue flap holster knowing the trigger was covered and the backstrap safety not depressed.

I've also considered the Rock Island and Springfield 1911s for cost reasons. Both offer standard frame and ambi-safety.

Snake45

Lessee, I have both steel and alloy 1911s in both 5" and Commander lengths, and duplicates of some configurations. One has S&W adjustable sights, one has stock 1911A1 sights, the rest have hi-viz fixed sights zeroed for 50 yards. I have three 1911s set up as .22 conversions (1 Colt Ace, two Ceiners). I have an ODI Viking (all-stainless Seecamp DA conversion, Commander length). I'm pretty well fixed 1911-wise.

csmkersh

I do need a 1911 frame for my Ceiner conversion kit but other than that I'm interested in mid-size and full size complete guns and lean toward all steel.

Snake45

Unless your specific goal is super-lightness, I'd advise getting a steel frame for your Ceiner. It has an alloy slide and with an alloy (or plastic) frame, it's WAY too light and doesn't handle anything like a "real" 1911.

I have my Colt .22 unit (which is all steel) set up on an alloy frame because on a steel frame, I thought it was tangibly heavier than a steel 1911. Now it's a little lighter. Kinda handles somewhere between a LW Commander and an all-steel 1911.

csmkersh

Thanks for that info, Snake. I'll make sure I stay with steel frames all around.

I know gun weight bothers some, but I carried a Remington or Ithica 1911 in a Bianchi shoulder rig 12 to 18 hours a day back in '87. I've also carried a 6½" barreled SAA hours at a time. Learned the hard way to tie that rig down any time I was going to get on a horse and it wasn't to play Hollywood cowboy. A holster bounces unless tied down on a galloping horse.

stand watie

sgmkersh,

YES it does & if you fail to tie it down you end up with a needlessly SORE place at end of day.

BTW, have any of you TRIED OUT a TISAS .45ACP or their 1911-style in 9x19 or .38 Super from Turkey?? - I hear that they are NICE, especially given the low price.

yours, sw

csmkersh

No, I haven't but I'm looking for a frame that already has an amby-safety. I've replaced the factory safety on a number of 1911s but parts have tripled in cost since I replaced the last one.

M118LR

SW1911TA E-Series? | Smith & Wesson

Both Models are standard with an ambi-safety.

A Long time ago I bought frames in the white, depending on the depth of your spare parts locker this may or may not be advisable.

csmkersh

It's been over a decade since I bought a frame in the white. I hate doing cold blue and don't have the facilities to hot blue.

Thanks anyway for the suggestions.

Snake45

All the aftermarket frames I've ever bought have come with finish--either a serviceable matte blue or black anodizing.

Is there a shop or smith near you who does hot bluing? If so, they might drop your frame in the next tank for a very reasonable price. Most of the price of a blue job is in disassembly, polishing/prep, and reassembly. Take all that off the table and the few bucks they charge you for bluing is nearly pure profit for them.

There are also a number of great spay-on finishes today, many available in a spray can for home use.

csmkersh

Maybe it was more than a decade, I'll pull a Dr. Ford and admit I don't remember. But at the time building 1911s was a going business around the country.

stand watie did a search for someone to hot blue his slide here and the best price he got was out of state and still over a $100 IIRC.

Some of the spray on finishes required baking to some extent or they used to. Like I said, it's been years since I bought anything in the white.

side note: Those S&W 1911s M118LR pointed to all have the 1911 backstrap that I prefer, not the A1.

M118LR

Not a fan of the 1911 arched mainspring?

Attached Images

1911 arched.jpg (12.6 KB, 1 views)

csmkersh

Nope. My Government Model was an A1 but I swapped the main spring housing for a flat one. At one time it also had a full length guide rod but took Charlie Petty's advice and put the factory rod back in. Never regretted either change.


My latest carry. Still looking for a couple more 1911s.