My first 1911

[Arik 565]

Ok so technically its not my first. I had Para Ord for like a week a while ago.

 

 

$350 + tax/bg check

 

Yesterday I finally got a chance to take my 1911 to the range. The manual said the gun was designed to be used with fmj so that's what I stuck to. Also as a first test I wanted to be able to rule out as much as possible if there was a problem.

 

Everything on the gun was tight, there was nothing loose or any rattle. All 3 mags fit nicely and were drop free with a touch of the mag release. I used PMC, Tula and Blazer fmj. All ammo fed, fired and ejected without any problems.

 

The target was about 12 feet away (I put it between the 10 and 15ft markings). The gun was very accurate. The black sights and the black pistol target gave me some trouble aiming at first but once I got used to it I was anble to make one ragged hole in the center using the first 3 mags. This is a very accurate gun! I can't say much for the trigger because I've never really fired a 1911 before so I have nothing to compare to. But it felt nice and crisp.

 

I did have one minor problem. As I was shooting the impact holes started to drift down and right and with no consistency. Just all over the place. I realized my rear sight had moved about 1/4 of the way off the slide! WTF!! I promptly went home (only 2 miles away) and unscrewd the screw holding the sight in. At first it looked like the screw had snapped in half but after I took out the sight I realized that everything was fine it was just not screwed in tight.

 

IMO this is a great gun for the money. A no thrills shooter. Something that I wont be afraid to take out of the safe and it wont break the bank. I don't count the sight problem as a problem because it was bought used and that could have been from the previous owner. And since I was planning on changing out the sights anyway they would have been coming off sooner or later.

 

Now a question about the sights. I want just regular 3 white dot sights. Maybe night sights, depending on the price difference. How do I figure out what sights fit my gun? And this would since this would be my first time swapping sights should I just let a gunsmith do the installation and sighting in?

 

I only wish the range would let me take a pic of the target but they hve a strict no camera policy and I left abruptly and didn't wait for a cease fire to take the target down.

[stnls1911 55]

Now a question about the sights. I want just regular 3 white dot sights. Maybe night sights, depending on the price difference. How do I figure out what sights fit my gun? And this would since this would be my first time swapping sights should I just let a gunsmith do the installation and sighting in?

 

1911's are very addictive

I'm not 100% sure, but your sights look like they are dove-tailed. I think Trijicon and Meprolight make night sights for the 1911. I definitely recommend having a gunsmith install them.

[ShadowFire 220]

There are different shapes of dovetails on different 1911s. So I would not just go by that. Upon research, It has the Novak style dovetail sights. Get a set in that style and install them. Bare in mind, These are 1911s and these sights don't really just "Drop in". They may need a sliver here or there taken off to fit in there. Go slow with removing metal and take your time, you can take metal off better than you can put it back on. Use some loktite once you get it all perfectly aligned and it won't move.

[patriot 7,197]

Great find! Dad and I love our 1911s. Mr. Browning knew his stuff 100 years ago when he designed the thing.

[ShadowFire 220]

Great find! Dad and I love our 1911s. Mr. Browning knew his stuff 100 years ago when he designed the thing.

 

Don't get me started, I own three 1911s myself.

[Arik 565]

I think im just going to give it to a gunsmith and let him do the installation.

 

Yea I've been looking at 1911s for a while and most were out of my price range or if they were they wouldnt have a ambi safety (im a lefty). The ones that had it I couldn't justify paying that much for a handgun. I always try to find a happy medium between price, quality and use-ability. I read lots of good things about RIA being a very solid entry level 1911 I started looking around. A store bear me had brand new RIAs with everything I wanted for $515 but I wasn't crazy about the two tone look so I drove around to a few more semi local shops and one had this for sale. Knowing that they were made by RIA I jumped on it.

[ShadowFire 220]

I think im just going to give it to a gunsmith and let him do the installation.

 

Yea I've been looking at 1911s for a while and most were out of my price range or if they were they wouldnt have a ambi safety (im a lefty). The ones that had it I couldn't justify paying that much for a handgun. I always try to find a happy medium between price, quality and use-ability. I read lots of good things about RIA being a very solid entry level 1911 I started looking around. A store bear me had brand new RIAs with everything I wanted for $515 but I wasn't crazy about the two tone look so I drove around to a few more semi local shops and one had this for sale. Knowing that they were made by RIA I jumped on it.

 

Oh you can do it yourself, just gotta be honest ya know? A set of micro files and a sense of good old American ingenuity is about all you need.

 

I hear you about the Ambi safety. I'm not lefty but I'm an ambidextrous shooter, I shoot equally well with either hand. If your finances improve in the future, you will likely find out why people pay that much for one, I know I did.

[magsite20 1,664]

[David Mark 2,452]

Since getting my Remington R1 I am thoroughly bit by the 1911 bug.

I will definitely be getting a couple more in the future.

 

It amazing how well designed and ergonomic the pistol is for being a 100 year old design.

I love everything about it.

 

Best of luck with your new acquisition. I fear they are like Saiga's and potato chips, you can't have just one.

[magsite20 1,664]

[ktcm7271 999]

Gotta love the 1911. I got a Taurus for $474, and I hate the Heine sights. Probably gonna get some standard low-pro combat sights or some nice night sights, not sure yet. Sarco inc. has been a great supplier of parts for all things 1911 for years. You will get very acquainted with them soon enough! I think my next one will be a from start build from the frame up just to see if I can.

[kresk 10,063]

My first 1911 will be on a Caspian frame and slide with a custom serial number and custom engraving on the slide as a tribute to my dad who was in WWII, meticulously lapped for fit, with the tactical mag well and rail, full sized, tactical trigger and combat hammer and mag release, fiberoptic/tritium sights, ambi safety (my son is left handed), a Kart match barrel, gun parkerized, with thin grips to suit my hands. Built by a master gunsmith with lots of competition shooting experience, and a custom compensator at the far end that matches the contour of the rest of the gun. Drool. Ain't gonna be cheap, but guaranteed it's gonna be good. This guy invented the hi-cap 1911.

[ktcm7271 999]

My first 1911 will be on a Caspian frame and slide with a custom serial number and custom engraving on the slide as a tribute to my dad who was in WWII, meticulously lapped for fit, with the tactical mag well and rail, full sized, tactical trigger and combat hammer and mag release, fiberoptic/tritium sights, ambi safety (my son is left handed), a Kart match barrel, gun parkerized, with thin grips to suit my hands. Built by a master gunsmith with lots of competition shooting experience, and a custom compensator at the far end that matches the contour of the rest of the gun. Drool. Ain't gonna be cheap, but guaranteed it's gonna be good. This guy invented the hi-cap 1911.

 

Very nice!