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- Path: sparky!uunet!paladin.american.edu!darwin.sura.net!dtix!mimsy!uunet.UU.NET
- From: wa3wbu!john@uunet.UU.NET (John Gayman)
- Newsgroups: rec.guns
- Subject: Re: .45 caliber handguns
- Message-ID: <1553@wa3wbu.UUCP>
- Date: 19 Nov 92 15:15:43 GMT
- Sender: magnum@mimsy.umd.edu
- Organization: @ WA3WBU, Marysville, PA
- Lines: 69
- Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu
-
-
- In article <1992Nov17.023032.19198@igor.tamri.com>, donb@igor.tamri.com (Don Baldwin) writes:
- # At this point, I'm considering various .45 caliber handguns, with an
- # eye towards purchasing one of them within the next few months. Unfortunately,
- # purchasing all of them is not an option. :(
- #
- #
- # Last weekend, I visited Trader's gun shop in San Leandro (CA) and I thought
- # I saw a better alternative. They had a Springfield Armory clone going
- # for $700, the salesguy promised target gun level accuracy...however, when
- # I slid the empty magazine in and tried to work the slide release, it
- # didn't work; we had to pop the magazine out a little, release the slide
- # and then slide the magazine back in. Is that a Springfield Armory quirk,
- # a 1911 Colt/clone quirk or a quirk of that particular gun? If it's a
- # Colt/clone quirk, that would tend to rule out my getting a 1911 COlt/clone.
-
-
- I wouldn't be concerned at all by this characteristic. How many times
- do you want to drop the slide on an empty magazine ? :-) Seriously, it
- has to do with the shape of the follower in the magazine. Some of the
- metal followers can move forward slightly when they are completely empty.
- So when you press the slide release the magazine follower bottoms out on the
- front edge of the magazine and keeps the slide release from working. If
- you ensure that the follower is in the proper position and THEN insert
- it, you'll be able to release the slide with ease. With even ONE
- cartridge inserted this will NOT happen. And it doesn't happen at all with
- plastic followers like the Wilson mags. I've noticed the same thing with all
- of my McCormick magazines for both .38 Super and .45 ACP.
-
- # Is it possible for me to get an accurate 1911 Colt/clone for less
- # than the price of a Gold Cup (about $800) and STILL have it be a
- # versatile combat handgun?
-
- This can be very subjective. What do you call "accurate" and how do you
- classify a "combat handgun". Unless you get a real dud, most factory Colt
- barrels are capable of very good accuracy, I presume the same applies to
- Springfield Armory. The only thing you'll really want/need to do to a
- new gun would be a trigger job and throat job. The trigger job will do
- more for accuracy than you can emagine. Unless you get a dud, the typical
- 1911 (Colt/Springfield) should shoot ~2" groups at 25 yards with good
- ammunition. The throat job will enable it to feed most anything. Total
- cost for both jobs is usually under $100. This should put you in well
- under the $800 mark. You will also end up with a very accurate, reliable
- combat handgun which can also hold it's own for plinking and non-world
- class target/combat shooting....and be VERY easy to maintain.
-
- #
- # If the answer is NO, I will have to consider my next two choices (Sig P220
- # or Glock 21 (both excellent guns but I LIKE the Colt) more seriously OR save
- # a long time and get the Gold Cup.
-
- Having all three of the aformentioned pistols you really can't go
- wrong with any of them. My personal favorites are the P-220 for carry
- and the 1911 for competition. Keep in mind that the Gold Cup is designed
- for mild target loads. It can be beefed up with a stiffer recoil spring
- for full-power loads but the rear slight retaining pin WILL eventually
- shear off. Virtually every one I've seen used in IPSC has eventually
- either sheared off the sight pin or had the sight fall off.
-
-
-
- -- John
-
-
-
- --
- John Gayman, WA3WBU
- UUCP: uunet!wa3wbu!john
- Packet: WA3WBU @ WB3EAH
-