[Dane Burns]

If I was looking for a basic 1911 that has a superb fit and finish and would make a great basis for a full house custom I would buy a Mil Spec Springfield gun. (Yes it will cost more to build into a F/H custom than a Kimber but you have more options while doing so)

I have had a dozen or so go through the shop in the last couple months and all have been exceptional pistols. This one I just had in the shop for some minor reliability work, add a short Vedecki and set the trigger at a crisp @ 4# and a couple of small parts changed including the hogue grips. At well under $600 retail, for the base gun, they are a excellent value.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dane Burns on 2001-07-04 20:25 ]</font>

 

[voodoo]

Nice (as usual)!!!

Dane, I was also thinking of doing a full-house conversion, but with a Colt 1991A. In my neck of the woods, they run about $100 more than the Springfield Mil-Spec. Have you had an opportunity to work on a 1991A? What are your thoughts on them??? If they were priced equally, which one do you prefer??? Since this is going to be a full-house conversion, I'm trying to decide if I should I save some $$$ and get the Mil-Spec, or spend the extra money for the Colt...

 

[Biathlonman]

Have you seen any new Springfield Armory Mil-Spec guns in .38 super? Thoughts of it as a base gun for 9x23?

I think they have ramped barrels, which I know you don't like, but was just wondering...

 

[Dane Burns]

Colt over Springfield? In both cases I'd buy Springfield and spend the extra $100 to fix the dust cover and front strap if that were important to you. (it is to me)

No Series 80 parts either which is a plus.

 

[Spackler4013]

I'd carry it just like that - a la Thomas Magnum.

 

[harley45]

Dane, can the markings be milled off the slides of these guns?

 

[Hoser]

Hi Dane,
What do you mean by fixing the dust cover and front strap on the SA?

 

[LEEMUTLEE]

>>Since this is going to be a full-house conversion, I'm trying to decide if I should I save some $$$ and get the Mil-Spec, or spend the extra money for the Colt...
---------------------------------------------

Considering how much a full house custom depreciates....get a Colt. It will pay dividends.

If it isn't a Colt, it's just a copy.





[/quote]

 

[Dane Burns]

The Springfields were redesigned from mil spec in the 80's to give a flatter front strap to checker and a heavier dust cover to hold the optic mounts on. Both are over sized compared to Colt/ Kimber, ET AL. Holsters have to be made specifically for them.

I cut down both down to original specs. Easiest place to see the extra material is the flat in front of the gips on the gun above.

A full house custom gun from a known maker is worth what you put into it. Doesn't matter if the gun is a Springfield, Colt, Kimber or spec gun from CNC or Nowlin.

Colt Series '80 would be the last of those guns I would buy given the choice if I were buying a BCP, Heinie or Garthwaite.

 

[Andy]

Dane, is that pitting on the g/s and hammer?

 

[FortyFive]

Dane did his special magic on my SA above and I can hardly wait to shoot it. Thanks Dane for your knowing what changes I needed before I did, it looks great! The plan is to shoot it for a while and send it back to Dane for more magic and comforting changes. Dane, a special thanks for the Hogue Grips gift, unexpected but very gracious of you to dress the gun up! Now to watch out for the big truck to show up with my new Dane Special 1911, cannot wait to see the grips.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: FortyFive on 2001-07-05 10:20 ]</font>

 

[Matt VDW]

A few weeks ago I was able to do a side-by-side comparison of a Mil-Spec Springfield with a similar Auto Ordnance (one of the ones built under Kahr's ownership).

The AO was clearly more "authentic" (tiny sights, lanyard loop on the MSH, mil-spec frontstrap and dustcover, wide spur hammer) and seemed to have fewer machine marks inside. Surprisingly, the AO came with a parkerized Metalform magazine with a removable base instead of something cheaper. The Springfield was better finished externally -- the slide markings on the AO looked sloppy and the MSH looked like it came from a bin of mil-surp parts.

Most interesting to me, though, was the fact that both pistols were priced exactly the same: $499. I don't see how Auto Ordnance hopes to sell many pistols when they're burdened with a bad reputation and they aren't willing to undercut the competition.

 

[Bruce]

FortyFive...congrats on a nice pistola!

Friend has one of these, loves it. He plans on sending it to Dane soon.

Now, take that thing out and shoot it 'til the slide turns red! :grin:

 

[j.w. kerens]

Other than perhaps a good dehorning (if needed), what else would be necessary for a combat firearm?

 

[Hoser]

Hi Dane,
I take it the mods you discussed above to SA were NOT done to this SA pictured?

 

[Dane Burns]

That pitting on the g/s and hammer?

Try oil :roll: No pits. And no, the mods aren't done to make the frame or dust cover smaller, neither was the gun melted.

Basic gun with a little tune-up. I like it myself :grin:

 

[Hoser]

Thanks Dane,
I'm going to do a custom project leaving it with a Mil Spec look but pop in a match barrel, reliability, dehorn and trigger job. That's about it.

I can do this on my SA Mil Spec or my Colt 1991A1 (doesn't sound like your a fan of the series 80's Colts but don't want it to go to waste either). Which would you do the above modifications on and which would you leave for a full house custom job in the future?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Hoser on 2001-07-05 23:03 ]</font>

 

[FortyFive]

My SA Mil Spec came back from Dane today and it is a beauty! The new grips really give it a touch of class. Danes attention to detail shows on the smooth trigger and just the feel of the gun. Everything he does to make a gun better is on the inside mostly. It will be shot this weekend or early next week and I am just happy than hell!
I plan to keep the gun simple on the outside with good internals, that is where it counts.

 

[Dane Burns]

I forgot to mention :grin: This may be a mil spec gun but at 10 yards they'll go into the same hole and at 50 yards bowling pins were falling a majority of the time.

The more I shoot this one, as is, the more I want one :grin:

 

[Nathan]

How about the 2001 loaded models?