Springfield Champion 1911, "FI Brazil" 1999

olivehead1 · Nov 16, 2020

Picked this up this morning. Forgive the laser grips; they're going to be changed out in short order to something more appropriate. Marked "FI Brazil" on underside of dust cover. Needs a good cleaning but otherwise is in excellent shape aside from the edge wear on the front left side of the slide and some light handling marks. Interestingly (to me at least), I have yet to find a pic online of this particular model in this configuration. I've seen a few similar (different grip safety, different sights, different thumb safety) or in stainless, but none quite like this. Appears to be all factory except for the grips. Per SA Customer Service, it dates to September 1999. Came with what appears to be the original Metalform marked mag (on the base plate) from the factory.

Edit: Added a pic after a good cleaning, some edge wear touch up, RenWax, and more appropriate grips. It likely came from the factory with checkered grips of similar color, but without the double diamonds.

BigBill · Nov 16, 2020

Made in Brazil? A key switch on the spring housing? I have a SA gi mil spec 2004 made in Brazil nice 1911a1. Didnt notice the key switch till after I purchased it. Good shooter. Paid $424 nib for it. My local gun shop had these stacked up as high as the ceiling back then.

olivehead1 · Nov 16, 2020

BigBill said:
Made in Brazil? A key switch on the spring housing?

Yes, "made in Brazil" as designated by the "FI Brazil" mark from this period. "Made in Brazil" seems to be a point of contention in the community, but I think it's safe to say that the forgings are from Brazil and at least something over 50% of the finishing work was done in Brazil. Also, no ILS in the mainspring housing of these older guns.

stansdds · Nov 17, 2020

Those Brazilian forged 1911 slides and receivers are good to go. Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina made Colt 1911's under license for a long time, but these were for government uses. Until the mid-1980's, before everyone and his brother started making 1911 clones, your choice of a 1911 with a forged slide and receiver was limited to Colt. Then came Springfield Armory, starting in the mid-1970's making M1A receivers and rifles, expanded to importing Brazilian made 1911's in the mid-1980's. These quickly became a favorite of custom gunsmiths as the forgings were every bit as good a Colt's.

SPEEDGUNNER · Nov 17, 2020

If you call Springfield Armory with the serial number they will gladly provide you with the particulars of your pistol. Nice find. Enjoy!!

Maddog 521 · Nov 17, 2020

I have a FIB Mil-Spec from 1993 and a FIB Ultra Compact from 1996 and both are great guns. Well made, problem free and very accurate. Enjoy your new 1911

olivehead1 · Nov 17, 2020

SPEEDGUNNER said:
If you call Springfield Armory with the serial number they will gladly provide you with the particulars of your pistol. Nice find. Enjoy!!

Beside the date of manufacture (Sept 1999) they said it was a PX9512. Not much to be found out there about that particular item number after all these years. SA did say it was a 4" blued gun, which I could have told them.

hittman77 · Nov 18, 2020

Wood checkered grips were a good call. Beautiful pistol.

Congrats on finding it.

ContinentalOp · Nov 18, 2020

The new grips definitely elevate the gun.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the Brazilian guns made with 2-piece barrels? Or did that only apply to the Mil-Spec guns?

olivehead1 · Nov 18, 2020

ContinentalOp said:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the Brazilian guns made with 2-piece barrels? Or did that only apply to the Mil-Spec guns?

This gun has a two-piece barrel, but frankly I never noticed on my other Brazilians. But cleaning this one it did catch my eye. I think that most if not all came with two-piece barrels. Anyone have additional or different info?

Springfield Champion 1911, "FI Brazil" 1999

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