cmort666,

If I may. You stated you do not like stainless...but...

A quality nickel, 1911 clone or Colt, might be hard to find.

Nickel will scratch easy and will require a bit more care as to what cleaning agents you use, some will lift the nickel.

You have to find a nickel, arched mainspring housing.

You can...buy a stainless, arched mainspring housing and polish it well enough to match a nickel finish quite close.

Does it have to be a .38 Super?

I wanted a nickel, but cheaper than Colt, M1911A1 in .45 Auto. This meant a RIA but I do not like the huge, oversize slide logos. Then a Norinco if I could find one (kinda rare).

I then looked at the Remington M1911RS (stainless). I bought it and polished it to a point that it almost matches my nickel Colt MarkIV/Series 70, which I lucked into after I bought the Remington.

Good luck on your quest.

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Have guns...will shoot'em.