1911 like pistols

[gb6491]

I went to the local shop to pick up some scope rings, when I happen to espy some new pistols in the LE/Military sales cabinet. They turn out to be some Smith & Wesson 1911s with very attractive price tags. These are the first 1911 style pistols I've seen offered at a LE/MIL discount, so many thanks to S&W for doing so. I'm being a little critical/sarcastic in calling them "1911 like" because of their external extractors: shoot, one was bobtailed, another had laser grips, and the last had a rail slung underneath the dust cover:75:
These are "E" series (http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category4_750001_750051_770151_-1_757752_757751_image) Smiths and I have to say they appear well made; well enough so that I purchased the one with a rail. I've never owned a 1911 with a rail (it's probably another sacrilegious act), so who knows maybe I'll try a light on it (you know "in for penny, in for a pound"). I took it to the store's range and ran 150 rounds of aluminum case, 230 grain Blazer ball through it with nary a problem. The gun operates very smoothly, but I'd like the trigger to be a tad lighter (does break clean with no creep); then again, I've been shooting a lot of .22 from target pistols lately so perhaps I'll leave it as is for the time being.
Here are some photos:
http://i42.tinypic.com/jqsv2f.jpg
This is the first target, I shot with it. That's about a full box of ammo shot pretty evenly at 10 and 20 yds. standings. I wish I could say it got better from there, however those fliers would portend of more to follow, but that was all on me not the pistol.
http://i42.tinypic.com/2r1zuo0.jpg
I'm pretty happy with it.
Regards,
Greg

[Bawanna]

That's a sweet looking shooter right there. Those grips are amazing. I never had a 1911 with a light rail but it don't look at all bad on that one.

Front strap checkered and scalloped on the slide, it's got it all.

[TriggerMan]

The 1911SC E series is on my short list

http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=10987

[BEARDOG]

That is a beautiful pistol, congrats!
Greg don't you have a Ruger Sr1911 also??? If so how do they compare to each other?

[Ia.redneck]

Those S&W 1911's are nice pistols! Congrats!:cool:

[gb6491]

Thanks all!:)

...
Greg don't you have a Ruger Sr1911 also??? If so how do they compare to each other?
BEARDOG,
I did have a SR1911 briefly, but returned it becuase the top of the slide was machined/finished poorly (http://kahrtalk.com/showpost.php?p=113464&postcount=1 ). I liked it other than that and now wish I would have held on to it and just refinished the slide myself (we're not seeing any locally). I never even fired the puppy.:(
The SW1911 I have is well finished across the board and so far working flawlessly. Here are a couple more photos of it:
http://i43.tinypic.com/33nf32u.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/23ma9tf.jpg
Regards,
Greg

[JFootin]

Greg, those E Series pistols are nice, but expensive. You said you saw some attractive price tags. What do you call attractive?

[CJB]

Sigh... if that was an old internal extractor FN High Power, the extractor would have been scalloped to match (just like the little plate with pin was on the very old HP slide... all serrated to perfectly match, almost hard to see)

Great looking pistol. Amazing we went to war, and war again, then war again, and yet again, with such an ugly plain jane version of John Mose's classic, and it survived! I'm ok for the "new" 1911a1'a, but the tried and true, USGI is all I need. Long or short barrel, but none of the bells and doo-dads for me.

[Bawanna]

I dig it. From the side it looks normally rounded on top but from that one angle it looks flat on top and angled on the sides......

Sorry I'm gonna have to block your post GB. You constantly give me the wants and I'm about 5 guns behind. Still looking for that engraved Llama.........

[gb6491]

Greg, those E Series pistols are nice, but expensive. You said you saw some attractive price tags. What do you call attractive?
JF,
My area seems to be on the high end price wise for new guns (you can find some good deals on used ones), with that in mind the three "E" series guns I looked at were in the 850-999 dollar range. Mine was the latter, but I'm good with that as I've been waiting for a Springfield Armory TRP to come in and this pistol might quench that thirst at considerable less cost. It certainly has many of the same "bells and whistles" and shoots as well as the TRP I used to have. Speaking of "bells and whistles", CJB I like plain jane (sort of) 1911's as well:
http://i41.tinypic.com/xcq3uw.jpg

I dig it. From the side it looks normally rounded on top but from that one angle it looks flat on top and angled on the sides......

Sorry I'm gonna have to block your post GB. You constantly give me the wants and I'm about 5 guns behind. Still looking for that engraved Llama.........
LOL Bawanna, you have some toys that I'd like to have as well:)
Here's a look at how the top of the slide is done:
http://i39.tinypic.com/2qx6q9f.jpg
Regards,
Greg

[Popeye]

Greg very nice. Looks like you got a winner there.

[QuercusMax]

JF,
Speaking of "bells and whistles", CJB I like plain jane (sort of) 1911's as well:
http://i41.tinypic.com/xcq3uw.jpg

Regards,
Greg

Without a doubt, the best background I have ever seen on a gun photo!

[gb6491]

Greg very nice. Looks like you got a winner there.


Without a doubt, the best background I have ever seen on a gun photo!
Thank you kindly:)

Geez, already started replacing some of the bells and whistles:D
I'm not a big fan of the ambi-thumb safety so I've put in a new single sided one. The stainless grips screws are gone as well. I think I like this look a little better:
http://i44.tinypic.com/3145sfn.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/rrjms3.jpg
Regards,
Greg

[JFootin]

That's beautiful, Greg, and what a picture! :third:

[Bawanna]

I like your mods 100%. I'm not big on ambi safeties either. The left side of the original was kind of different looking and not bad but still ambi. I like the new one.

Looks a 1000 times nicer with the dark screws too. The stainless just stuck out too bad. Wouldn't have noticed it until the comparison but looks way better now. Not much else I can see you to fix. Pretty close to perfect.

Now we need a light huh?

[muggsy]

Just when I think I'm out you guys pull me back in again. Oh how I love my 1911s.

[gb6491]

That's beautiful, Greg, and what a picture! :third:
Thanks JF:)


I like your mods 100%. I'm not big on ambi safeties either. The left side of the original was kind of different looking and not bad but still ambi. I like the new one.

Looks a 1000 times nicer with the dark screws too. The stainless just stuck out too bad. Wouldn't have noticed it until the comparison but looks way better now. Not much else I can see you to fix. Pretty close to perfect.

Now we need a light huh?
Thanks Bawanna! I'm still debating a light (have a few good hand held ones already), but I'm finding I like the extra weight out front from the beefed up dust cover. The problem with that is it's got me thinking one of those Les Baer Monoliths (http://image.ohozaa.com/i/e7e/x3ub7.jpg) or an Infinity Single Stack (http://www.sviguns.com/largepics/203.jpg) might be worth selling one of the cars for.:eek:


Just when I think I'm out you guys pull me back in again. Oh how I love my 1911s.
Love is wonderful:Dhttp://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-violent053.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

Regards,
Greg

[Bawanna]

I've looked at the monolith many times, no clue on the Infinity, new to me.

If you got any marbles left after that fine Smith purchase I'm passing on the Alaska gun up in Wasilla. Wife quit her part time job today so I'm trying to act responsible and grown up and not spend the money I don't have. Could change tomorrow but if your interested I can send you the info.

[gb6491]

Bawanna,
Thanks, but we've a gun show in town soon and I'm holding the few dinero left for that. I'm still looking for that model 41 or 46 that I can't live without.
Regards,
Greg