Worst trip to a gunshop, ever

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Chris_B

New member
I suggested to a couple firearm enthusiast friends at work today that we go to a gunshop near work. I needed some ammo and targets

So I get my stuff- 17 bucks for 50 9mm para. Not shabby.

89 bucks for 250 rounds of 230gr 45ACP. Not bad; that's two range trips plus 50 to stash away

While I'm getting ammo, one of them starts filling out paperwork. What the...a new S&W 1911 is now my buddy's. Then the other one looks at him, looks at his new pistol...and buys an identical S&W 1911. The clerks must have thought I was a cheapskate!

And here I am, holding what feels like 50 pounds of ammo watching all this. I was the only one in the truck that didn't have a brand new gun on the way back to work. Bummer. Worst trip to a gunshop yet

But. I own three 1911 pattern pistols, two of them Colts, one of them made in 1918, the other in 1978. The 1918 Colt gets 7 rounds through it, on the 4th of July. The 1978 Colt is a Series 70 that I would love to shoot more, and it shoots well and functions well. The third is an A-O that I have a soft spot for, it was my first 1911. I like the S&Ws OK I guess, but the thing is, one of these guys already owns one so now he's got two in the same caliber, and the other is a Colt man and has at least four Colt 1911s. These two guys were ga-ga over these S&Ws- beautiful pistols, too

I know S&W makes a good 1911. Are they the only folks putting a rail on 1911s or something? I thought that a few others were but I'm not a rail fan so I don;t pay attention

What features do the S&W 1911s have that make these stand out?
 
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Chris_B

New member
Hmmm. Well, I will be able to shoot one of them soon I'm sure. I can't get all fluttery about an extractor being external, though...
 
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tekarra

New member
You sir, displayed great intestinal fortitude by pursuing your own path when others succumbed to temptation and envy. However, I do hope you will get to shoot one.
 
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Steam Boat

New member
Just about every major 1911 manufacturer has a model or three with rails if they want to keep up with current trends and sell guns.
 
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Hoss Fly

Moderator
You sir, displayed great intestinal fortitude by pursuing your own path when others succumbed to temptation and envy. However, I do hope you will get to shoot one.
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For sure :D
They are really GREAT shooters- I was amazed at their accuracy :eek:
 
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Chris_B

New member
well, I find that easy to believe; I just don't pay attention to the rail models! So the external extractor is the big whoop?

Tekarra-

It's easy to be such a paragon of discipline. Mostly because I don't have the money to buy one :D
 
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Shane Tuttle

Staff
Don't know your buddies, but I do see "keeping up with the Jones'" syndrome quite a bit in general.

The other is the Scandium frame has had rave reviews. Makes the 1911 pretty darn light, but noticeably more felt recoil.
 
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ProjectCamaro

New member
That is awesome, I was expecting to hear something much worse but having buddies to shoot with from work is great news.

BTW other 1911 makers have rails on their guns. Kimber's TLE is what my department uses and it has a rail on it.
 
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Chris_B

New member
I actually have...let's see... nine friends at work who are firearms enthusiasts. Would be ten but he quit to go work at another place. I've been shooting with four. There are three others who are enthusiasts who are acquaintances (one I'd call a bad name but this is a polite forum!). It is a bit odd I guess, but then again, seeing somebody walk down the hallway with a shotgun at my job gets comments of "Mornin', Glenn" instead of screams and calls to 911. :D



So...what is it about the S&Ws that make them work so well?
 
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Tom Servo

Staff
The other is the Scandium frame has had rave reviews. Makes the 1911 pretty darn light, but noticeably more felt recoil.
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I noticed that, but I did like the gun. The trigger was a hair heavy, but it had the cleanest break I've felt on a 1911 in a long time.

It fed everything I ran through it, and contrary to what folks say, the external extractor does not result in stoppages, global warming, or an epidemic of out-of-wedlock pregnancy.

Experiences with several other variations confirm this. A friend has one of the stainless 9mm versions, and it shoots rings around my Colt.
 
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GeorgeF

New member
Beware a 1911 with a Scandium frame. I have a early Colt Commander with the Coltalloy frame - 27 oz empty. Maybe I need beefier hands, but after two magazines the web of my hand was beat to hell. Trying to shoot everything else the rest of the day was a complete loss as I couldnt hold anything steady.

But yes, I have heard wonderful things about the S&W 1911's.
 
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Shane Tuttle

Staff
A friend has one of the stainless 9mm versions, and it shoots rings around my Colt.
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So, you're saying the Colt shoots the X-ring and his 9mm shoots in the 9-rings? :D HAD to say it...

It fed everything I ran through it, and contrary to what folks say, the external extractor does not result in stoppages, global warming, or an epidemic of out-of-wedlock pregnancy.
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In concur. The external extracor doesn't result in stoppages in S&W 1911s....:D Yep, had to say it again. Man, I'm on a roll! Better stop before I get in deep doo-doo...
 
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kcub

New member
Look at it this way. You still have funds to look forward to scratch that itch whereas your buddies have already shot their wad.

My worst trip to the gun shop is usually my best as well. I lay down way too much hard earned money for something I just want but could easily replace with something I already have. And I leave the grinning damn fool I am.

A gun store is a place where someone with money meets someone with a gun and some knowledge and they exchange places.
 
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1911rocks

New member
S&W External Extractors

I would not hesitate for a second on a S&W 1911. I have one of the Scandium framed guns and it's a bit more "active" in recoil, but it's a compromise. I carry 7 days a week and compare the S&W to a SA TRP and you'd make the compromise too, under the same conditions.

The bugaboo with external extractors is a result of the Kimbers during the brief period of their use of external extractors. You'll notice the newer Kimbers use Internal Extractors. The Kimber External Extractors just didn't like dirt. Removing them to clean wasn't a bad job. Replacing after cleaning was another story....unless you happen to have (3) hands and do it early in the day :D I had a TLE RL II with the External Extractor. After the second FTE driven Extractor R/R I traded it for a TRP.
 
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zombieslayer

New member
Next time yall go to the gunshop, let them buy ammo and targets, and while they're busy go and buy yourself a Wilson or Ed Brown!
 
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SSgt Facebreaker

New member
It fed everything I ran through it, and contrary to what folks say, the external extractor does not result in stoppages, global warming, or an epidemic of out-of-wedlock pregnancy.
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This made me choke and almost spit coffee on my computer. Please hold any further funny comments until I am fully awake. :D
 
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cerberus65

New member
I'm a fan of the S&W 1911s too. I have two. I also have had no trouble with extraction with the external extractor. I have, on the other hand, had to re-tension the internal extractor on an A-O that I no longer own. The A-O was great but it got pushed out the door when I found a gov't length S&W. :)

The only other difference I'm aware of is that the firing pin block is done a little differently internally. Colt uses two parts - one on the sear pin and one on the hammer pin. S&W only uses one part - on the hammer pin. And the part in the slide is slightly different too although not visually. The pin will come out of the slide of a Colt without too much trouble. On the S&W you have to take the rear sight off to get it out. A little annoying but not the end of the world since you only need to get it out if it's worn out.

ETA: Forgot to mention - neither of mine has rails. I have no use for a rail.
 
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