Springfield Armory 1911 but which one...

[Moss78]

Hello,

So I am planning on getting back into shooting sports and am looking for a 1911 to start shooting and practicing with...

My choice so far is a Springfield Armory 1911 RO Elite, just not sure which caliber to go with ? 9mm or .45 ACP

or

Springfield Armory 1911 in 10mm

I do plan on getting into one of the disciplines in either IPSC, IDPA or another one of my choice so I chose to.

Looking for some recommendations from guys who shoot these different calibers and what there thoughts were on the matter.

Also if someone has any other compelling reason to switch to say SIG or Ruger even COLT I would be glad to read your comments and explanations.

Cheers

Seann

[badbot]

do they still have major minor power factor?
that is why I went with 45

[smee78]

Are you a reloaded? If your going to be training a lot then ammo cost will be a big factor, if your not reloading then I would count the 10mm out right off the bat.

[Moss78]

I am not re loading as of yet, in the future once i get some rounds under my belt and more practice then, yes I will definitely consider it...

[DaleA]

When recommending 1911's came up I always used to just recommend the Springfield Armory Range Officer. It had all the things I liked (good accuracy, target sights, good customer support) and none of the bells and whistles I didn't like that just drove the price up.

Now however there are so many flavors of the RO I don't know what to recommend. There's even different flavors of the RO Elite! There's the:
SA RO Elite Compact
SA RO Elite Operator
SA RO Elite Champion
SA RO Elite Target

Sheesh! (Which one were you leaning toward?)

9mm or .45 ACP?

Well if you wait a bit you can find 9mm for $10 box of 50 (plus tax) at your local gun store....45 ACP is going to be considerably more expensive, like $17 to $22 per box of 50. The 10mm is more difficult to find and usually more expensive too. (9mm, 10mm and .45 ACP are all pretty easy to reload....personal opinion is .45 ACP is slightly easier because the .45 bullets and cases are a little larger and a little easier to handle.)

I'd still like the 1911 in the .45 ACP offering just because.

I kind of like the 10mm cartridge but I really, really like 1911 handguns and I cringe when I see a nice 1911 being abused by a 10mm cartridge. (This is kind of a joke and kind of true.) Anyway it's a personal thing and shouldn't really affect your decision. (For me personally I've often thought about getting a Glock 20 because I wouldn't care what the 10mm did to the Glock because, you know, it's a GLOCK fer pity sake.)

Good luck. In 9mm or .45 ACP I'll bet you'll enjoy ANY nice 1911.

SA's 1911 Chart
http://www.springfield-armory.com/1911-series/

[Jim Watson]

1. Full size 5".
2. 9mm is good for IDPA but at a disadvantage in USPSA. .45 fine for either. 10mm makes no sense. I know one guy who shot it a while but got tired of scrounging brass.
3. I prefer adjustable sights.

Starting with an RO, I would add a fiber optic front sight, a mag well funnel, and probably a trigger job.
RO Elite gets you the fiber optic, also ambi safety, which is not as much needed these days... unless you are a southpaw. Elite allegedly has superior trigger. I have not seen a review.

[TunnelRat]

I have an older Range Officer. I’ve been really happy with it. I did replace the front sight with a fiber optic and added some VZ grips. I have tried the triggers on the newer Elite models and honestly I don’t think they’re that much better. The nicer finish might be a step up from the parkerizing.


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[BigJimP]

I also recommend a 5" full sized gun -- it just makes the most sense to me over any compact or commander sized option.

I also recommend a 9mm.....cost of practice & match ammo make it by far, the most affordable option over .45acp.../ ...and a 10mm just makes no sense at all.

After you get 20 or so "shoots" under your belt ...you'll be able to reevaluate which competitions you like best and whether another gun, or caliber, may be of interest to you long term.

In my view, nothing wrong with Springfield...they are making solid -- and serviceable guns.

[ms6852]

I'm old school so when someone says 1911, for me it is synonymous with 45 acp. Watch this video on recoil systems for the 1911 it may help you make an educated choice. Good luck on your purchase. BTW I own Springfield's , great choice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okhExC5n_o4

[TunnelRat]

I will say that the cost of 45 ACP online has basically plummeted. I bought a case of FMJ brass cased Sellier and Belliot a month or so back for $260 before shipping. It’s still more money, no getting around that, but that price difference pales to what was the case even a few years back.


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[Kreyzhorse]

A friend of mine shoots competitively and 9mm seems to be the best choice. Considering you don't reload, it makes the most financial sense as well.

[agtman]

So I am planning on getting back into shooting sports * *'*
My choice so far is a Springfield Armory 1911 RO Elite, just not sure which caliber to go with ? 9mm or .45 ACP
or
Springfield Armory 1911 in 10mm
I do plan on getting into one of the disciplines in either IPSC, IDPA or another one of my choice so I chose to.* * *

Since you mentioned the new S.A 10mm 1911, I assume you're aware you actually have two choices there.

S.A. is offering a 5" model with fixed night sights, and a 6" longslide model with adjustable sights. Both are TRP models which have rails to accommodate lights or lasers, so they're a bit heavier than a non-railed "traditional" 1911, not to mention railed 1911s require a different holster than non-railed pistols.

For shooting targets, use in IPSC, IDPA, or other Sunday afternoon gun-games, the 6" longslide will give you a longer sight radius for accuracy and the adj. rear sight will allow you to dial-in your 10mm load of choice a bit more precisely.

[Jim Watson]

Unfortunately, a 6" longslide will not fit The Box for any IDPA or for USPSA Single Stack. It could be shot in Limited but would not be competitive against the double stack guns. Maybe L-10 but I don't know how popular that is now.

And I don't know where the OP lives, but there is hardly any IPSC shot in the USA. USPSA is pretty much its own game now.

[Moss78]

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback and responses..

I am located in Ontario, Canada so we are limited to what we can and can't do the gun club I am looking into joining has IPSC and IDPA disciplines..

My final choice will be the Springfield Armory RO Elite Operator 5" in 9mm, I am not re loading as of yet and to keep cost down this is the best option and I know later down the road a nice .45 will be added to this collection.

Cheers

Seann

[Jim Watson]

Ah, so you DO get IPSC.
9mm RO will put you in IDPA ESP and IPSC probably best in Classic although you could enter Standard.

[otasan]

I have two SA M1911A1s. Both are hard-chromed beauties. Both have neat 3-lb triggers, and one has a single-port compensator, and the other has a Tg-carbide recoil spring guide. the comp gun weighs 47 ounces and the other weighs 44 ounces. I use both for pin shooting in NH and MA.

[hdbiker]

I bought my Springfield Loaded Target .45 ACP 10 or so years ago. I had to send it back at first because the trigger was out of speck. It has run like a champ over around 20,000 rounds. Love that pistol !!!!!!!!!!!!!!, hdbiker

[T. O'Heir]

"...will definitely consider it..." Jump in. Shooting factory ammo all the time gets really expensive really fast. Especially here.
Suggest you buy whichever model comes with adjustable sights and meets your budget. Do not worry about the rest of it. A 1911A1 is a 1911A1 otherwise.
"...located in Ontario, Canada..." Where? Only matters because some shops are more expensive than others. Bullseye Sports here in London has a fixed sights, Mil-Spec on sale at $949.99Cdn. Compared to an RO at $1,187.49Cdn. Epp's in Orillia wants $999.00 for a Kimber Custom II. $1,299.00 for what appears to be a used Colt Gold Cup. Used is not an ugly word.

[Seb7701]

Hi guys. Also looking at a Springfield, but can anyone tell me what IS a '1911-A1'??

Just looking at a nice 2nd hand one and can't seem to align it to any of the current models. Is it a Milspec? From what I can gather it's not a range officer and has a plain slide with no front serrations etc or rail and adjustable rear sight, so nothing fancy obviously.

[Road_Clam]

I have the RO in 9mm and absolutely LOVE that combo. I own 4 other semi handguns and the smooth light recoiling 9mm in the 1911 platform is my go to choice for high round count range days. I am brand loyal to nothing. My go to 45 acp is my second fav my FNX45T.

[Seb7701]

Well, at least I'm on the right track with the Springfield then!! Last was a Kimber custom II which I didn't mind, but this sounds good....

[Moss78]

Seb7701, Yes it seems that Springfield is the right choice... cheers and good luck with everything as well..

[Seb7701]

Thanks mate - definitely looks like you picked a winner also. Looks like the one I'm eyeballing is actually a RO, so should be a ripper!

[std7mag]

I thought it was sacrelige to chose a 1911 in anything other than 45ACP!!

[otasan]

Originally Posted by std7mag

I thought it was sacrelige to chose a 1911 in anything other than 45ACP!!

Both of my SA M1911A1s are .45 ACPs