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Old 03-22-2009, 07:28 PM
haggis haggis is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Aiken, SC
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I don't have any experience with the 3" S&W, but there is an article about it in this month's American Handgunner. In the disassembled view, it appears to have a single recoil spring, which can be a problem in these small 1911's. The single spring doesn't last as long or handle recoil as well as a double captured recoil spring like the Kimber has. Colt's short gun with a single spring had a recommended change frequency of 300 rounds. Kimber's goes 2000 rounds. The dual spring handles recoil well. My Ultra CDP (and my Glock 36 with dual springs) have much more even recoil (less sharpness) than short Colts I have fired. The only advantage to the single spring is that the springs are easier to change out than the captured variety.

I don't think of the internal extractor as a bad feature on a 1911. Controlled feed and easy adjustment are good features (witness Mauser style bolt rifles). Every semiauto change to an external extractor that I know of was done for cost reasons, not performance. But, to each his own.

Smith makes a good 1911. I don't see any reason why the small version should not be as well made. You can always change out the recoil system to a two spring aftermarket if you want to.

Buck
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