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rodfac · January 30, 2012, 09:07 AM

Hlds54...If it's a 1911 you're interested in, I'd recommend the new Ruger SR1911, if you can find one...they're going for $650 or so, and come with all the extras you'd expect from a more expensive piece: to whit...beveled mag well, two magazines, Novak sights, extended safety and mag release, SS construction in slide, frame and barrel, "humped" grip safety (almost a necessity if you're a "ride the safety with my thumb" grip shooter), a checkered backstrap, and lastly...and maybe this should have been first...superb accuracy right out of the box, and you won't need 200 rounds of expensive ammunition to get it or reliability either....the two pics below were taken with the first couple of magazines fired...and too, at 800+ rounds and counting, I've yet to have a FTF or FTE with factory rounds.

I read nearly every SR1911 evaluation I find on this forum, as well as the two most popular Ruger forums and have yet to find a negative on the gun's accuracy...here's how that new Ruger stacks up against some Colts and a few others that I've got experience with: at present, I've got the following in the safe or over at one of my sons: I've shot the big 1911 for almost 50 years now...here's the list...
Colt Series 70 Gold Cup .45,
Colt satin nickle Series 70 Gov't .45,
another satin nickle Combat Commander .45 (with add'l slides in 9mm, .38 Super and .22 lr),
two blued Colt Series 70 Gov't .45's,
a blued alloy frame Colt Commander .45,
a two tone Colt Gold Cup Elite 40 in .40 S&W
and finally, a blued Colt Series 70 Gov't 9mm.
Non-Colts:
Remington-Rand 1911A1 .45
a S&W first gen. 745 .45.

I hand load for all of the above, have extensive notes on what works thru all of them, both factory and hand-loaded, and have changed the bbl's on some to either Barsto or Wilson target makes with fitted bushings. On a 'good eyes' day for me (I'm 65 now), all of them will keep a full magazine inside 2" at 25 yds from a sitting position...The Gold Cup with its stock Colt barrel, and the Combat Commander with it's .45 tube will dump them into half that...1" at 25 yds....

Now the surprise: Ruger's SR1911 will beat that 2" group size with several brands of factory ammunition as well as my hand loads. It's truly a remarkable pistol and its price is half that of the Colts of Series 70 vintage with all the accurizing and barrel swapping necessary to get them to shoot sub-2" groups. It's no contest...the Ruger is the better value by far. While you can certainly pay a lot more, say with a glitzy Kimber or somebody else's "Loaded" hyped gun, you won't get anything better. Give the Ruger a try...I'll bet the farm that you'll be amazed. My only regret is that they did not bring it out in 'Commander size with a 4-1/4" barrel for easier CCW use. When and if they do, I'll be there with my wallet out.

Here's some eye candy...BTW, that's a blue/black Marvel .22 lr Conversion Slide in the right hand pic...JMHO, Rodfac

January 30, 2012, 09:07 AM	#15
rodfac Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,624	Hlds54...If it's a 1911 you're interested in, I'd recommend the new Ruger SR1911, if you can find one...they're going for $650 or so, and come with all the extras you'd expect from a more expensive piece: to whit...beveled mag well, two magazines, Novak sights, extended safety and mag release, SS construction in slide, frame and barrel, "humped" grip safety (almost a necessity if you're a "ride the safety with my thumb" grip shooter), a checkered backstrap, and lastly...and maybe this should have been first...superb accuracy right out of the box, and you won't need 200 rounds of expensive ammunition to get it or reliability either....the two pics below were taken with the first couple of magazines fired...and too, at 800+ rounds and counting, I've yet to have a FTF or FTE with factory rounds. I read nearly every SR1911 evaluation I find on this forum, as well as the two most popular Ruger forums and have yet to find a negative on the gun's accuracy...here's how that new Ruger stacks up against some Colts and a few others that I've got experience with: at present, I've got the following in the safe or over at one of my sons: I've shot the big 1911 for almost 50 years now...here's the list... Colt Series 70 Gold Cup .45, Colt satin nickle Series 70 Gov't .45, another satin nickle Combat Commander .45 (with add'l slides in 9mm, .38 Super and .22 lr), two blued Colt Series 70 Gov't .45's, a blued alloy frame Colt Commander .45, a two tone Colt Gold Cup Elite 40 in .40 S&W and finally, a blued Colt Series 70 Gov't 9mm. Non-Colts: Remington-Rand 1911A1 .45 a S&W first gen. 745 .45. I hand load for all of the above, have extensive notes on what works thru all of them, both factory and hand-loaded, and have changed the bbl's on some to either Barsto or Wilson target makes with fitted bushings. On a 'good eyes' day for me (I'm 65 now), all of them will keep a full magazine inside 2" at 25 yds from a sitting position...The Gold Cup with its stock Colt barrel, and the Combat Commander with it's .45 tube will dump them into half that...1" at 25 yds.... Now the surprise: Ruger's SR1911 will beat that 2" group size with several brands of factory ammunition as well as my hand loads. It's truly a remarkable pistol and its price is half that of the Colts of Series 70 vintage with all the accurizing and barrel swapping necessary to get them to shoot sub-2" groups. It's no contest...the Ruger is the better value by far. While you can certainly pay a lot more, say with a glitzy Kimber or somebody else's "Loaded" hyped gun, you won't get anything better. Give the Ruger a try...I'll bet the farm that you'll be amazed. My only regret is that they did not bring it out in 'Commander size with a 4-1/4" barrel for easier CCW use. When and if they do, I'll be there with my wallet out. Here's some eye candy...BTW, that's a blue/black Marvel .22 lr Conversion Slide in the right hand pic...JMHO, Rodfac __________________ Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.