Springfield "Loaded" 1911- a good "base" gun???

V

voodoo

New member
Well, I've taken back what I had originally posted about "building a gun from scratch". What I've decided to do now is buy a good "base" gun, and build on it. In particular, I'm looking at the Springfield "Loaded". My local dealer has them for $600, and it looks like you get a lot for that $600!
What does everyone think about the SA "Loaded" models? Am I doing the smart thing? Can anyone recommend other alternatives? I'd like to hear anything good and bad, particularly bad.

Thanks in advance!
 
Good idea, you could probably get it cheaper than $600 though. Check www.jcarmory.com . They have it for $515.00.


[This message has been edited by MusclesMcGee (edited March 10, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by MusclesMcGee (edited March 10, 2000).]
 
Voodoo,

A couple of things:

1. I'm sure you will hear from the Kimber owners any second now. ;)

2. The SA 1911 loaded pistols are teriffic base guns.

3. You can get a goverment size SA loaded pistol, parkerized, for $500, maybe less if you look.

4. Dump the cost of customization into the above gun and for under $1200, the cost of most semi-custom base models, you can get on hell of a custom pistol.

Erik




[This message has been edited by Erik (edited March 10, 2000).]
 
voodoo;

I hope you're right. I have read many of the posts and was torn between a Kimber and the SA. Went with the SA, should be able to pick it up next week. Handled several Kimbers and the SA. It seemed to me they were both fine guns, but I liked the SA a little better and it was cheaper, though not as low a price as you paid. My next 1911 may be a Kimber.

As someone on TFL says - "So many guns, so little money." - or something to that effect.

Hope we both enjoy.
 
I'll be the first Kimber owner to chime in :)

Kimbers are good guns, but so are the Springfields. Since the SA is a bit cheaper, if your going to be doing some customizing anyway I think you made a good choice.
 
How about a Para-ordnance p14-45. You can customize on a high capacity frame. :D You should also get a certificate to legally order two more high capacity magazines from the factory.
 
I'm doing exactly what you are thinking of doing. I bought a Springfield Compact for $519. It was very reliable right out of the box. Thus far I've had a trigger job done and a full length metal guide rod installed by a local smith. This cost me $100. This past Friday I sent the pistol by UPS to Wilson Combat to have them tighten the slide to frame fit ($100), Install match grade barrel(250)and put a set of their Nite Eyes
sights on($175). Can't wait to get it back.
Good Shooting!
Daddycat

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Most people seem to miss the most important differences between SA and Kimber. Kimber fits the slide to the frame and then fits the barrel to the slide. These are critical aspects of accuracy. I was a fan of SA for many years. The first thing I had to do was replace the junky two piece SA barrel with a Kart barrel and bushing, tighten the slide to frame fit and fix the trigger. If you do not know how to do these things it will cost you a lot of money. With a Kimber these things are already done for appox. the same price. Both of my Kimbers shoot under 1" @ 25yds. with cast bullets. I am not trying to be critical of you SA guys,just wanting to make you aware of the differences.
 
Joe D,
I have owned four Kimbers over the past year and a half. All of them have been more accurate than any other pistol I have shot out of the box. My problem was that three out of the four had chronic malfunction and
reliability problems which required several trips each back to the smith. This of course increased the price of these pistols. As the reliability issues continued to be a problem even after multiple trips to the smith, I traded them. I traded an Ultra Elite for the Springfield Compact I mentioned earlier. I envey your good luck with your Kimbers, and I miss the inherent accuracy of their pistols. It would seem to me that Kimber has developed some quality control problems. I hope they get it worked out. I just can't afford to gamble on their pistols any more. As I've heard that some folks had had problems with Springfield I consider myself lucky that this pistol was as good as it is. However I haven't heard as many folks complain about them as I have Kimbers. Just my .02.
Daddycat


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One thing I have noticed is when you get below Commander size in the 1911s reliability seems to suffer. I just wish Kimber made a steel frame Commander size 1911. I would buy one in a heart beat.
 
Sorry but that is not the way that it is done @Kimber, they are quite accurate, and are good values for the money,but MANY have feeding reliability problems,How do I know? I'll answer that in the replies.SC
 
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