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Old May 2, 2013, 03:11 AM   #1
Stuckless
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Join Date: February 15, 2013
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Newb's review of Sig 1911 scorpion carry

The Sig Sauer 1911 Carry Scorpion

Finally.

After much debate with several people that really know pistols (and dozens that didn't know squat), I picked out the Sig 1911 carry scorpion.

My goal was to get a handgun that shot a .45 round, was reliable, was accurate, and would make a good nightstand gun and a good IDPA gun, and was in stock locally.

That last part is a big deal. With Bass Pro ten minutes from my house, I've been very used to being able to fondle a hundred handguns without a problem every time I was shopping for one. Nowadays, Bass Pro has less than 20 handguns usually, and you have to take a number and wait for the staff to get to you.

My choices were down to the Sig 220 and this, and I chose this (despite the color) because of the fact that it was such a departure from what I've always owned (Glock's, M&P's, few revolvers, one H&K). This Cerakote makes me nervous. Should I really consider hanging a light/laser on this?? It's beautiful and unblemished! Despite my "guns are black" mindset, it's growing on me. Kinda.


Paid the 1090 dollars (the cost of TWO of my normal purchases) and walked out on cloud 9!! Straight home for a little cleaning, a little lube, and a once-over so I could light it up!!

First impressions were all summed up in one word. TIGHT! Beaver tail safety is different-feeling, but I've never had a 1911, so I'm sure it'll grow on me. The front strap under the trigger feels good, if not a bit sharp and toothy, in my right hand. I'm still not sure where to put my left hand exactly..

Trigger has just a hint of play in it, but its by far the lightest trigger I've ever owned or even played with. Cocked and locked makes me nervous, but with no de-cocker and the idea of thumbing the hammer down on a live round sounding only slightly more appealing than getting punched by Mike Tyson (the original one, not this nicer, smarter, more self-introspective one. Although he seems like he hits pretty hard, too). Could i try carrying Israeli?? No way. Not while I'm stuck living in the real world.

On to disassembly.

This 1911 is so different from all the normal black guns I've been used to. Disassembly was fairly straightforward after watching a YouTube video, and cleaning was simple, and I made sure to use LESS-LUBE-THAN-I-THINK-I-NEED. I tend to overlube. Reassembly?

-pause-

It should NEVER take 45 minutes to put a gun back together. I avoided the idiot scratch, but only by chance. Jeez oh Pete's what did I get myself into??!!

-unpause-

After watching several YouTube vids I discovered the info I needed (or it finally sank in) , I got her back together, and we were on our way to the range.

By the way, I ordered the slide guard from HIGH NOON holsters. Doesn't have a thumb strap that would make cocked and locked feel a bit more safe, but it is a Beautiful holster. Interestingly, I think the thumb safety impression inside the holster might be out of place... This holster will take a long time to grow on me, and until I started shopping, I had no idea how hard finding a holster for a Sig 1911 (with rail) would be. Anyways, since I started buying .45 rounds long before I bought the gun, lets shoot, eh? 200 rounds should warm it up!!

3rd round.. And the world stopped turning.

Of the 10 handguns I've owned, I've only had one fail to feed, and it only did it once. On every magazine, this Sig would fail to feed at least one round, and when that round was recycled into the next magazine, it would fail to feed the same round again because of the gouge in the casing left from the first FTF.

After a 120 rounds, a thorough cleaning, reassembly (only took 15 minutes to re-assemble), and then another range trip a different day (80 rounds) with the same problem (albeit slightly less frequently), it was time for a phone call to Sig.

I took some pictures of the FTF, the feed ramp, the barrel, and my 3 yr old and my 4 yr old, so that I could "make my case" to Sig.

No need.

A number, an email, and all I had to do was go find a box.

Less than 3 weeks later, gun makes it back, and 200 rounds with just 2 ftf's.

I've gotten advice since (send it back again, sell it to some schlep who you don't know, and my favorite "take a hone and start grinding the feed ramp a little at a time...") but I'm sticking with my gut, and shooting a hundred more rounds before I do part 2 of this review.

Will be shooting it IDPA, so it'll be a little bit more real world-ish.

The holster thing is on the back burner... I can't bring myself to carry it until it shows a bit more reliability.
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Old May 2, 2013, 03:37 AM   #2
Haz251
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Join Date: January 26, 2013
Posts: 97
Are you worried the light will rough up the finish? Cerakote is a VERY strong finish. Unless you do nothing but put it on take it off all day over the next year it should be fine. I wouldn't worry about it. Why would you be thumbing the hammer down? If its live then it should be condition 1: cocked and locked with the safety on. 1911s will NOT go off unless that grip safety is depressed. Pretty safe IMO. If you need to put the hammer down then empty the chamber first. I would do a lot of draw and dry fire drys before you employ this gun for anything other than range. The 1911 is a breed all its own. It scares a lot of people (cocked and locked) and if you're not used to SAO then that trigger may just surprise you when you're going for your first shot with speed. As for reliability.... You said it was tight. I've heard (and lord knows not all sources are creditable) that the tighter a slide to frame fit is the more you have to worry bout something getting in there to mess it up. And yea due to Sig's funky lines holsters may be a little uncommon. I wouldn't carry it or use it for a nightstand gun till you were comfy with cocked and locked. But in any manner keep us posted with your progress. Here in about 2.5 months (maybe 2) ill be picking up a Colt Rail Gun if I can find one. We'll have to compare the two cause those Sig's sure are tempting.
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Old May 2, 2013, 10:16 AM   #3
lantern2814
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Join Date: April 26, 2013
Posts: 42
Before I got my Sig 1911 these kind of reviews scared me to no end. However it seemed that they were mostly(not all) from owners of scorpions and in particular the carry models.


Does anyone here think the tightness of the fit plus the coating plus a shorter slide is causing a longer break-in on some of these models that happen to have a tighter than usual sig fit?


I say if you're not sending it back in then tear her back down and lay some good lube to her. I don't believe theres such thing as over lubing so long as it doesn't run and sling all over the place. Maybe she'll loosen up for ya and run like she's supposed to.
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Old May 3, 2013, 07:42 AM   #4
ac700wildcat
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Join Date: September 11, 2008
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I got a Sig Carry Nightmare not too long ago and haven't had any problems with it yet, although I haven't tried the factory mags in it yet either. It will be my new carry gun, so I've just been using the mags that I will carry with it. I bought a few flush fit Tripp Cobra mags and have used a couple Chip Mccormick Powermags in it and they work well. I would suggest trying some different mags and see how it does with them.
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Old May 3, 2013, 07:54 AM   #5
Noreaster
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Location: New England
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My advice is more lube, really grease up the rails, outside of barrel and all the other spots a 1911 needs it. This isn't a loose 1911a1 from the Korean war, that Sig is probably real tight. Next buy a Chip McCormick or Wilson mag and then see if there are any problems, (I know you shouldn't need to buy new mags but just try it, my S&W mags aren't the best either.) On a side note don't ever ride the hammer down on a 1911. Make sure it's unloaded and dry fire down range.
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Old May 3, 2013, 11:26 AM   #6
MLeake
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Join Date: November 15, 2007
Location: Outside KC, MO
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Bob Hunter advised me to use Gunslick graphite grease on my 1911s, and that has worked very well.

Magazines are often the problem. Most recommend Wilson Combat. My Dan Wesson loved those. My Les Baer runs better on Tripp Cobras. I have had good results from Chip McCormick. For hardball, USGI mags are hard to beat.

My personal favorites are the Tripps, but YMMV.

Edit: You also might check your slide for rub marks from your thumb. Depending on the angle of the safety lever, if you rest your thumb on top it may press against and interfere with the slide. I had this problem with my Baer, so switched to a Mil-Spec safety and low thumb - problem solved. My Hunter Custom has a Mil-Spec thumb safety.

My DW had an Ed Brown safety, that held a high thumb off the slide.

Little things can make huge differences.

Last edited by MLeake; May 3, 2013 at 11:33 AM.
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