What model 1911 do you like/use for WB?

[Doc Holloman]

I'm currently using a Kimber Classic Custom for WB, with a RIA Rock Standard as my backup.  I was wondering whether there was a Favored Modern 1911 model out there, the way the Ruger Vaquero seems to be the favorite in CAS.  At my club the Traditional shooteres seem to favor Springfields, but there seems to be no clear consensus  on Modern.

 

DOC sends.

 

[Garrison Joe]

Could be because any 1911 that is reliable and somewhat accurate will be good enough, if that is what you like.  And there are lots of possible choices, unlike the very limited manufacturers still in the Single Action revolver market.

 

I still feel the Traditional gun to compare to is a Colt Series 70, made either in 70s or 80s.  Of course, one of those that has not been customized is hard to find.  And, it will need bigger sights.

 

A popular Traditional gun was the Remington 1911 R1, which is probably hard to find now.  And uses the Series 80 firing pin safety.  Or the Ruger 1911 with mil-spec fixed sights, which is also hard to find now.  The Ruger has no firing pin safety.  Both out of production, as far as I know. 

 

Using one of the Springfields (with their Brazilian cast frame) or Philippine guns (Rock Island, EMF, Cimarron, etc) is the choice of many folks who don't want to hunt around for a forged frame gun made to mil-specs, without lots of MIM parts (which is kind of my base line for acceptance for a reliable gun).

 

You can easily spend $500 to $5000 for a top shelf Traditional gun.  And more for a Modern category gun.  And of course, many custom makers will go to any lengths your wallet can afford. 

 

It really is your choice of "how good" a gun you want.  Not many want a Traditional gun priced north of, say, $2000.  More the realm of top Modern guns.

 

There is no clear consensus because there are lots of good (and poor) choices out there.

 

good luck, GJ

 

[Kid Rich]

Doc

With a small amount of work your RIA could become your favorite match gun.

kR

[Doc Holloman]

Doc

With a small amount of work your RIA could become your favorite match gun.

kR

 

Oh, I have put a lot of work into both guns.  Both are still problematic. 

[Boggus Deal]

Typically, both of those brands have the same issues. Both can be fixed by some one who knows them.

[VICIOUS]

HI Gang; UP north some use NORINCO 1911 due to 350 dollar price. Some gunsmiths buy them for the base of custom guns.

            They go BANG and work ok. But things from a certain country are falling from favour.

[Abilene]

I have only owned two government size 1911's, the nickled Cimarron Armscor I bought for WB and the high polish blue version I bought as a backup (that was the excuse.  I wanted both).  I bought them because of the original style 1911 frame and period slide markings.  I'm not that good of a shooter or magazine changer, but my guns never seem to malfunction other than a couple of my mags don't drop free.  The sights are okay for me but others might find them too small.

[Kid Rich]

Doc

An absolute necessity is check your ammo. If you use crappy ammo in an expensive custom gun you will not like the results.

kR

PS your mags also make a difference.

[Doc Holloman]

I replaced all my mags with new ones from Chip McCormick.  As for ammo, I have been shooting 230gr, coated, from where ever I can find it.  Have to take what I can get these days, particularly when limited to lead bullets. Just getting ramped up to reload.

[Artemus]

I would say Ruger SR1911 is as close to a standard as Modern has, they probably make up close to a third in my experience. I shot one until I changed to Traditional. I think Shell Stuffer has one, and he seems to do just fine with it.

 

Now that I shoot Traditional I have a High Standard I use. I was looking at a Springfield for a back up, but I think the CMP is about to send me a Colt I will probably be using.

 

 

 

[Doc Holloman]

I would say Ruger SR1911 is as close to a standard as Modern has, they probably make up close to a third in my experience.

 

I will give it a look.  Although my personal preference is against stainless guns.  No specific reason, just never had a stainless gun that I really liked.

[Kid Rich]

I shot with you at CD and you told me you used store bought ammo. You still should  check every round before you use it. As far as the CM mags if they are the older ones that do not have the stronger construction they will give you problems. Most of the problems I saw you having at CD I would say were mag or ammo related.

kR

[trooper]

I use an old STI Spartan that has been worked on by someone who clearly knew what they were doing.  Don't recall ANY problems with it (other than losing the rear sight screw...lol..ended up with a "tangent sight" on the first shot.)  As has already been said -  Good quality magazines that the gun likes are critical .    Good ammo too.  Gauge every round even if (like mine) your pistol "isn't fussy"    Ammo and mags are what seem to be most problematic for new WB shooters..IME. The guns seem to work fine if those two factors are taken care of.

 

[Doc Holloman]

"    Ammo and mags are what seem to be most problematic for new WB shooters..IME. The guns seem to work fine if those two factors are taken care of.

 

I took your suggestion and bought a .45ACP cartridge gauge.  I checked the 150 rounds I had set aside for our May club match and had a 5% reject rate. Surprised it was thar high. I would hope Mags aren't a problem.  After our March shoot I bought 10 new Chip McCormick mags, which were what I was using at CD. 

 

I changed out my mag release spring in the Kimber as I had a couple of times my mag came loose during CDs.  I had installed an extended mag release and the spring that came with it was pretty weak.  I also changed the recoil spring in my backup RIA.  The 12 pound spring I was running as amn experiment I think was causing it to cycle to fast.  Shooting the 1911 seems to be like flying a helicopter -- never trimmed out and always adjusting.

 

Now if I could solve the mysteries of the 1897 (mostly operator error, probably.)

 

 

[DUSTY BODDAMS]

Doc, years ago I had an extended mag release and was having an issue with the mag not staying in the pistol. Tore it apart checked everything out. Couldn’t find any reason. Started paying really close attention on seating the magazine. Same problem.... didn’t have problem every time just sporadically........so I got smart! Numbered all my mags and checked each one carefully I actually loaded and shot them. Everything worked great! Didn’t know what caused it but it was fixed! After all this work I decided to buckle on the old pistola and practice a little. Seating a magazine I placed the pistol in the holster heard a click ........the new holster was built exacting and stiff. Seating the pistol pushed the mag release button.........sometimes it’s not the gun!

[Artemus]

Dusty, that is a great story. Who woulda thought of that!

 

The secret to the '97 is be rough with her, or at least very intentional. Lots of lube helps too.

[Doc Holloman]

Yeah, I know now not to treat an 1897 like it is an 870.

 

I'm supposed to be getting a new Mernickle Wild Bunch rig any day.  Will see if the holster impinges on the mag release.  I went to the extended mag release because I have short fingers and it meant I didn't have to shift my grip quite as much to hit the mag release. 

[Garrison Joe]

I went to an extended mag release

 

This is allowed on a Modern category 1911.  Just don't put one on a Traditional gun.

 

good luck, GJ

[Doc Holloman]

I went to an extended mag release

 

This is allowed on a Modern category 1911.  Just don't put one on a Traditional gun.

 

good luck, GJ

 

 

Understood.  Can't really shoot one handed anyway.  Strong hand thumb has arthritis ( broke it 45years ago in college trying to bare hand catch a softball.)  My weak hand thumb braces it when I shoot.

[Artemus]

Doc you might look at different grips, such as ones with a scoop out to get to the mag release. VZ grips has some good options. Shooting traditional and hands on the small side, I changed to a thinner profile grip with a scoop out for the mag release. Huge difference.

 

I have not tried an extend mag release of course, but I will say a light mag release spring made a lot of difference.

[Doc Holloman]

Doc you might look at different grips, such as ones with a scoop out to get to the mag release.

.

Yes I have grips like that on both guns, as well as flat mainspring housing. Also go for the thinnest grips I can find.

[Baltimoreed11754]

Staying true to the movie I shoot duelist. My first WB gun had an old 1911 slide but with an Essex frame, HS bbl and GI parts. My second was one of the Colt 1918 repros, shot it in a few matches. A little too nice to shoot a lot. Currently I’m experimenting with an older Auto Ordnance 1911a1. Will shoot it next Saturday at our monthly match which will also be a WB.

 

Shot our WB match today, only had 2 misses with the AO 1911 and some ammo issues on stage 1 but clean with my Marlin 1894 and M12 trenchgun. Changed ammo and was clean for 4 stages. We had a big crowd, 18 shooters and about half shot 1911s. Thinking that I was second place WB. The rain held off until we were done putting everything away. A very enjoyable shoot. Next month is BAM with double actions. My 2 buds and I are planning on using Krags before lunch and then an ‘03 [me] and Enfields [them] after lunch. A good time.

[Doc Holloman]

Doc, years ago I had an extended mag release and was having an issue with the mag not staying in the pistol. Tore it apart checked everything out. Couldn’t find any reason. Started paying really close attention on seating the magazine. Same problem.... didn’t have problem every time just sporadically........so I got smart! Numbered all my mags and checked each one carefully I actually loaded and shot them. Everything worked great! Didn’t know what caused it but it was fixed! After all this work I decided to buckle on the old pistola and practice a little. Seating a magazine I placed the pistol in the holster heard a click ........the new holster was built exacting and stiff. Seating the pistol pushed the mag release button.........sometimes it’s not the gun!

 

Got my new Mernickle Wild Bunch rig on Thursday.  Was happy to see tha the holster is designed to avoid the mag release.

 

[Doc Holloman]

Currently I’m experimenting with an older Auto Ordnance 1911a1. Will shoot it next Saturday at our monthly match which will also be a WB.

 

Shot our WB match today, only had 2 misses with the AO 1911 and some ammo issues on stage 1 but clean with my Marlin 1894 and M12 trenchgun. Changed ammo and was clean for 4 stages. We had a big crowd, 18 shooters and about half shot 1911s. Thinking that I was second place WB. The rain held off until we were done putting everything away. A very enjoyable shoot. Next month is BAM with double actions. My 2 buds and I are planning on using Krags before lunch and then an ‘03 [me] and Enfields [them] after lunch. A good time.

 

My first 1911 (back in the 80s) was an AO.  Did not find it to be particularly reliable -- I got it then because I was a poor Navy  Lieutenant j.g. and could not afford anything better.  I imagine though that a good .45 smith can work out the issues.

 

I've been wanting to find a Krag( a major hole in my US military rifle collection).  I'd really like a carbine, but am seeing so many "fakes"  that I haven't found one that I am confident enough to buy.  But a rifle would also suit my purposes.  Do you have any loading tricks to making the Krag competitive with bolt guns that load with stripper clips?  Our BAMM matches have reloads on the  clock.

 

Doc sends.

 

[J. Frank Norfleet]

Doc,

The Krag was used extensively in Sweden and Norway in competition. They used a box type speed loader that holds 5 rounds. Bogus Deal currently has mine and I think he is going to try duplicate it.

 

You can find picture of that type of loader and another one that was made for a while in the US. Also you can find videos on YouTube of them being used in competition. Super easy to use: open the bolt, open the load gate, dump the 5 rounds in, close the load gate and chamber a round.

 

Someone needs to make them again as they are incredibly hard to find.

JFN