Thoughts on a mil spec 1911

T

Targa

New member
Trying to decide between a Springfield and Colt Government model. If the prices were the same this would be a non issue but the Colt is roughly $100 more. Besides being a Colt, are there any other reasons that would justify the extra dough for one over the Springer? The Colt is the 80 series. Thanks, Darrin
 
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I would go with the Springfield.
If you are thinking about doing any custom work to the gun one will be just as good a choice as the other.
If you choose not to do anything to the gun Springfield is one of the best for customer service.
 
Both are fine guns.
The Colt costs $100 more now.
It will probably be worth $100 or more later all because of that little pony.
If they (Colt) shut down the price spread will be more, later.
 
"...The Colt costs $100 more..." Costs $100 for the name now?
The SA comes with a match grade barrel. The Colt does not. The Colt also has the daft firing pin block. And it's $100 more expensive.
 
T. O'Heir said:
The SA comes with a match grade barrel. The Colt does not. The Colt also has the daft firing pin block. And it's $100 more expensive.
Click to expand...
The Springfield has the even more daft ILS key lock and super-heavy main spring in the MSH. Choose your poison. Plus, you can buy some models of Colt without the firing pin safety, but I don't believe you can buy a new Springfield without the lock.

As to the barrel, just about every manufacturer of 1911s now claims to have a "match grade" barrel, but there is no standard for what constitutes "match grade," so it's just verbiage. Tinkering with 1911s as much as I do, I have no doubt that Colt's standard barrels are every bit as good as Springfield's so-called "match grade" barrels, but Colt doesn't play the semantics game. Colt knows what a true National Match barrel is. So does Springfield, and IMHO it's what we call a "clue" that they don't advertise their barrels as National Match. Instead, they use a meaningless, made-up term: "match grade."

:Meh:

Personally, for the extra $100 I'd take the Colt. If I bought the Springfield, I'd spend the hundred bucks on parts to replace the ILS MSH anyway, so to me it's a wash on price and I'd rather have the pony.
 
I get a Colt. My Colt shoot better than I can off hand .I don't shoot my guns from a rest .Their for carry and Iam not going to pack a rest around for SD. . The 80 series firing pin block Really isn't all that noticeable . I can't really tell great difference . Between mine with and with out .

Colt will be around a long time They been thru this before in their History It will hold Value and almost MIM free .

The Springer I held one time felt more square in grip than my Colts . That was end of my test . Handel and shoot both if possible. Then pick the Colt:D
 
Get the Colt. $100 spread over the next 40-50 years of ownership won't even be felt. I have several 1911 Springfields and Colts. Both are tip top firearms. Did have a Springfield Champion about ten years ago that did not thrill me. Gun was Ok just never could "cozy up to it".
 
I have a Springfield government. It is good but with a few issues.

1. The sear engagement was negative. This amount to safety, and I was awfully disappointed to find it in a brand new pistol. However their customer service is very good. Got it fixed in 2 weeks with no charge.

2. The gun was made in Brazil for Springfield. Not that it matters a whole lot, but I wish it was American made US sidearm.

3. It has parkerized finish. I'd rather to have blued finish.

Not sure a colt would be any better as I don't own one. I would pay $100 more if a colt doesn't have the above issues.

-TL
 
Pretty close to one another except one has the bs ILS and the other is an 80 series style + 100.00. Colt no longer sells parts and has handed that over to other retailers (and there seems to be a shortage of most parts during their financial struggles). Both have good CS. I'd go with the CZ 1911A1.
 
I love shooting my Colt's, my Springfields shoot just fine, my Kimber pro carry is a beaut and shoots great, really like my Remington R1S....any of the name brand pistols will treat you well if you do your part. Not to offend (but probably will) what is with all the baby talk names for firearms so common in use on the forums (Springer, Collie, elsie pea etc) just thought this was a place for adult exchange, or am i an old crumedgon ? Probably know the answer for that:)
 
Thanks all. I am not going to lie，there is a part of me that wants to pay the extra dough for the pony alone but i'll probably save the money and go with the Springfield.
 
You can't go wrong either way. Take a little breath and get exactly what you want. I too had to have me a Colt. Bought the basic blue series 70 last year. Very perdy and now sits in my closet. But I did get it out of my system and I'm good with it. Get the Colt.;)

PS: Ordered the CZ 1911 A1 moments ago.
 
Anyone who has a Series 80 Colt can revert the innards back to "Series 70" status simply by replacing the hammer, removing the two little levers, replacing them with spacers (washers), and removing the firing pin block. It sure ain't rocket science, folks.

So, to answer your question, while there is absolutely nothing wrong with a Springfield, I'd spend the extra and get the Colt.
 
I have owned four Colt 1911's. In the seventies I bought a 1911 Government Model series 70. I had intermittent failure to extract issues until a local gunsmith told me that when you take the firing pin stop out, the extractor should not just fall out. He told me how to put a bend in it and the gun functioned fine after that.

I also bought a Colt Combat Commander .45 (all steel), at about the same time...never had a problem with that.

I also bought an all steel Colt Combat Commander in .38 Super. It was a mess The locking lugs on the barrel became deformed and after changing the barrel and having it do the same thing again, a gunsmith told me that the locking lugs inside the slide were macined out of spec. I ended up buying a new slide and barrel for that one, but could not find a slide marked ".38 Super" so I ended up with a "Franken-Colt" that is .38 Super but has a slide that is marked, "Colt 9mm".

The last and worst, is an XSE Colt Combat Commander in .45 ACP. When I got it home from the gun shop, I noticed that the checkering had been done and screwed on the gun apparently by a blind man...they are checkered that bad. Also, had problems with returning to battery. Turned out that the recoil spring was so under-powered that the gun would not function correctly. Also, after replacing the recoil spring with one that is factory spec., the firing pin stop would drop down when firing the gun. That turned out to be an under-powered firing-pin spring. Evidently no one tests the springs before installing them...or looks at the checkering.

In all, out the the four Colt 1911s that I have purchased over the years, only one worked correctly. So I would say, buy the Springfield...you will save $100 and it certainly cannot be any worse than a Colt.
 
COLT

I would pay extra for the COLT, it's worth it for the brand name, the reputation, the quality, etc

I once bought a Springfield Armory that came with numerous sub standard parts to save costs

came with a weak recoil spring that needed replacement right out of the box

came with two SA magazines with soft steel un heat treated mag bodies that deformed easily with little use, unreliable

had a soft steel barrel bushing and recoil spring plug that didnt hold up, low quality to save on cost.

You wont have any of those problems with a COLT
 
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