1911 accuracy?

[Carbon_15]

I'm thinking about buying a Springfield full size loaded and was wondering how it stacks up (accuracy wise) to the other 1911's in the $600-700 price class. I would just be using it for plinking and informal target practice, but I still want the most accuracy for the money. BTW, I know I could spend $1200-1500 and get much better accuracy, but I'm just not THAT big of a 1911 fan.
Thanks

 

[Ala Dan]

Greetings Carbon 15

While the Springfield Loaded 1911 is a very fine firearm in its own
right, have you checked out the new Para Ordnance 1911 Super
Sport Pistol (SSP)? Its a single stack 1911, with Para's all new
"Power Extractor". It has a beautiful Regal Kote finish, and a
handsome set of double diamond cocobolo wood grips with the
gold Para medallion. Its worthy of taking a look at! MSRP is set
at $749; but most shops locally are selling them NIB for $599.

Plus it comes in a niffty green hard plastic case that looks like
it ought to hold a power tool. Also, you get a barrel bushing
wrench, 3-Allen wrenches, a set of slotted stainless steel
grip screws, and of course a cable lock*; along with all the
paperwork.

*Note: The Para .45 caliber SSP does not have the built in
intergal lock design; like that of the Springfield.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[User Name]

The Para above sounds very promising, I'll have to check that out..
As far as Springers acuracy, I don't have a loaded, I bought the MilSpec and it was dead on out of the box. (well, as dead on as I can get) I'm very pleased with it.

 

[45 Fu]

I had a Springfield Loaded 1911A1 that was, by far, th most accurate handgun I have ever shot. With 230 gr. Golden Sabers it would group 1.5" or better at 25 yards all day long. I may have had an exceptional one, but it would out shoot pistols costing much more and was more accurate than most revolvers I put it up against. Now the caveat. While it would group wonderfully, reliability was spotty. It detested Hydra Shoks in any weight. It had to be C-L-E-A-N.

Since I wanted a carry gun, without having to dump a bunch of cash in it to make it 100% reliable (I also hated the two-piece guide rod) I traded it off. For a target/informal shooter I give them a definate "go." If yours is more reliable they would be great carry guns, as well.

 

[breakfast_yeti]

Springfield uses a two-piece barrel, and some contend this limits accuracy potential, but i'm not so sure this is true. Kimbers generally have better triggers, and this makes them easier to shoot accurately.

 

[Ala Dan]

The Springer

Hello Again All-

Well folk's, while I don't own a Springer Loaded 1911, I do own and
shoot a very nice WW-II .45 caliber 1911A1 G.I. Mil Spec that was
given too me by a very close friend. Its completely stock, except
for the grips; as it wears a pair of exotic smooth "bloodswood"
grips as made by the same gentleman that gave me the gun.

The only ammo I've run thru this gun so far has been my handloads,
using the Magnus 200 grain L-SWC bullet over 4.9 grains of Hodgdon
Universal. It has functioned flawlessly through about 300 rounds of
this ammo. Fit and finish (parkerized) appear to be better than the
original G.I. model from WW-II. At a price somewhere between $399
and $439, these weapons truly are the best value for the money on
an introductory 1911.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[444]

I will answer your question based on two (2) examples that I have fired personally. Obviously, this doesn't mean a whole lot since it is a very small sample size.
I bought a Springfield Armory "Loaded" 1911. The accuracy was terrible (along with other quality control issues). The first time I shot it, I was with another guy who had the same pistol, however he had got a deal on Barsto barrels and had one installed in the Springfield he was shooting that day. I fired about 100 rounds and was shooting groups of like 12" at 25 yards. This was the first time I had shot with this guy and he kept trying to make comments on how my accuracy would improve with practice and all that. I told him, not to be arrogant, but this isn't all me. This gun simply isn't accurate. To prove it, I took out my Colt 1911 and fired several groups that were a tiny fraction of the size I was getting with the Springfield. This caused him to change his tune. So, as an experiment, he took the Barsto barrel out of his Springfield and we put it in mine. My groups immediately shrunk to very respectable dimensions. To me, it was obvious that my Springfield had a serious barrel issue. So, I sent my Springfield to Clark's Custom Guns and had an accuracy job done on it including a new Barsto barrel. The price was no where near the numbers you mention: http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/scdetail.htm
Obviously, it is now super accurate, however after around 100 rounds, it starts to malfunction.
A buddy of mine bought a Springfield "loaded" 1911 and had some reliability problems with it. I asked to borrow it to see if I could find the problem. The problem was obvious: the factory magazines were horrible. When using Wilson Combat mags, it ran like a top. But, IMO the accuracy was substandard. It wasn't terrible, but it was at the low end of what I would consider acceptable. For a defensive gun, it is good enough, but that is about it.

 

[Archer1440]

I guess a fair answer, like so many things, is "it depends".

If the barrel isn't exhibiting signs of springing or motion when one presses on the barrel hood, off the shelf SA's hold their own with lots of commercial 1911 pistols. I have seen one NIB SA 1911 with such a bad barrel lockup job that the barrel literally rattled when the gun was shaken (no it wasn't the slide), but I have seen lots that will hold, say, 3"-4" offhand at 25 yards (which if more people were honest, would be revealed as a darn good group for many) and perhaps two inches with an accomplished shooter off a bench and bag.

I have also seen them with poor accuracy for the first few hundred shots, but in the voodoo of "settling in" suddenly they became tack drivers.

So, "it depends".

Personally, I'm content with "minute of cranium" at that distance.

 

[gudel]

my sa loaded was extremely accurate, but my colt was more reliable. after getting the sa back from service, accuracy wasn't as it used to be.