Get the 1911A1, and shoot it all you want; it will be just fine. Like any 1911, I'd avoid a steady diet of 'hot' handloads.
Are USGI 1911A1s too fragile to shoot? (Updated - now with some pics)
- Thread starter sigp220.45
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Get the 1911A1, and shoot it all you want; it will be just fine. Like any 1911, I'd avoid a steady diet of 'hot' handloads.
In the early 60s I was on an Army pistol team. We shot National Match 45s; those accurized at Springfield Armory. They had mostly GI parts but NM barrels and bushings, and were carefully fitted. We shot them over a couple of competitive seaons (about 8 months out of each year), with nothign but hardball, probably several thousand rounds per year.. They were all WW II weapons and we had no major failures or cracked parts. About all we ever broke were extractors which only lasted about 1500-2000 rounds with the steel case ammo we were using. Magazines sometimes failed also. I have no hesitation about shooting my 5 GI 45s.
reddogge
Member
I have a '43 Remington Rand and I've shot it but not much. My shooter was a '79 Colt Series 70 but I just sold that to a friend. Truth is I don't shoot a lot lately so it's not a great loss.
What I worry about is a cracked slide thus ruining the old collector. The worst case scenario now is crack the slide, replace the slide and loose $1,000 in value. If I have to bang some .45ACP I'll use my S&W and Colt Model 1917s.
What I worry about is a cracked slide thus ruining the old collector. The worst case scenario now is crack the slide, replace the slide and loose $1,000 in value. If I have to bang some .45ACP I'll use my S&W and Colt Model 1917s.
My brother paid $37.50 for my 1943 1911A1 in 19964 or 1965. I beat it around as a carry/truck gun for years. I finally retired it to the safe some years back, probably in the middle 80s. I still shoot it occasionally. I am going to give it to my brother's son this year at Christmas. I will fire a box or so of hardball just to make sure it functions and suggest that he see about having the still-original springs replaced. It sure is a sweet shooter. Last time I shot it, I used some Wolf steel-cased ammo. I don't think I will subject it to that again, but factory brass-cased should work fine.
I have a couple of Norinco 1911A1 clones that I do most of my .45 ACP shooting with now.
Things can happen to any gun with use. Slides and frames crack and so on, so maybe what the purists mean is that once these guns are damaged, they're toast, so why not shoot something less valuable. If that's the case, then it is purely your preference. As to whether the gun can take the shooting, I think the answer is obvious and indisputable.
My Grandpa was one of those lucky guys who bought a nearly pristine Remington Rand for $35, or whatever, back when I was a youngster. We both shot it a lot. I made the handloads with LRN cast bullets and a pretty good charge of Unique, and he supplied the gun. When I last saw it (
), it looked like it did the day he received it. Of course with the next round down range, something could have failed and the gun could have been nearly worthless, in today's market.If I had Grandpa's RR right now, I would not hesitate to let my kids shoot it. It was not a particularly accurate gun, but for me, there was something special about holding it in your hand. You didn't even have to fire it.
Harrison
US Veteran
Everyone has an opinion. Personally, with all the 1911 clones available at a reasonable price, why would anyone want to go out and regularly shoot a rare collectable firearm that is becoming more and more scarce. Put the old ones out to pasture, admire them but, don't shoot them on a regular basis.
Sir, a really pristine specimen might be too valuable to shoot, but I doubt you'd hurt the value of a shooter-grade gun by actually shooting it.
In many ways, the old GI .45s are more robust than current commercial guns. GI 1911s don't have any castings or MIM in them, for example, nor any complex little firing pin safeties. You might want to drop in a new recoil spring, but I wouldn't worry much otherwise.
One thing you may find with a GI gun is that it won't reliably feed anything other than 230 ball. Having it throated to feed hollowpoints, semi-wadcutters, etc. will hurt its value, so if you want to shoot those, you might be better off with a newer gun.
Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.
Ron H.
whitecoyote
Member
An all original Ithaca 1911A1.
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Crazy K38
Member
wow whitecoyote that has to be the biggest 'new guy scratch' I have ever seen on a 1911, did you get it like that or is there a story?
The only issue I'm aware of with the WWII guns is the slides were not heated treated the same as the later commercial slides, and were a little soft. Sometimes the slide stop notch gets a little beat up because of this. On some guns you can see where the slide was heat treated around the notch to fix this.
That said, I have a 1943 vintage 1911A1, which was rebuilt into a US Army National Match by the Springfield Arsenal, probably in the late 50's or early 60's. I've shot many thousands rounds of hardball through it, it still has all the original parts, and is still accurate. Other than replacing the recoil spring, it is all original.
That said, I have a 1943 vintage 1911A1, which was rebuilt into a US Army National Match by the Springfield Arsenal, probably in the late 50's or early 60's. I've shot many thousands rounds of hardball through it, it still has all the original parts, and is still accurate. Other than replacing the recoil spring, it is all original.
bmcgilvray
Member
I hope not as I've been shooting them for years. I have a 1918 Colt and a 1943 Remington Rand.
I have a 1918 made 1911. It was sent to RIA in 1943 to be refurbished. I don't shot it a lot but do from time to time only using 230gr ball. It works fine and I don't worry about it. I have bought a High Standard 1911A1 to shoot more often. I also have my Great, great, great Uncle's 1917 S&W that was hit with a bullet in WW1. I shot that too.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
My collection of WW1 and WW2 pistols includes over two dozen specimens. The last M1911A1 pistol purchased by the military was delivered in 1945 (other than a few target/competition pistol orders).
I have fired every one of these pistols, and I would not have any hesitation to do so anytime.
Because of skyrocketing values, and the difficulty of replacing original GI-issue weapons, they reside in a safe deposit box now. My home safe serves only for the more common arms.
Most recently, I took a few WW2 and Korea-vintage weapons out to the range with several friends who served in those wars. They thoroughly enjoyed a day with M1, M1 carbine, Johnson, 1903 and A3 rifles, and M1911A1 pistols. Then they all pitched in with the field stripping and cleaning chores.
I've also put on a couple of exhibits for school classes studying WW2 history. When a 14-year old is holding a M1 Garand rifle while looking at a map of Europe showing just how far many soldiers had to go, while carrying and using that rifle to stay alive, there is a real learning moment!
I have fired every one of these pistols, and I would not have any hesitation to do so anytime.
Because of skyrocketing values, and the difficulty of replacing original GI-issue weapons, they reside in a safe deposit box now. My home safe serves only for the more common arms.
Most recently, I took a few WW2 and Korea-vintage weapons out to the range with several friends who served in those wars. They thoroughly enjoyed a day with M1, M1 carbine, Johnson, 1903 and A3 rifles, and M1911A1 pistols. Then they all pitched in with the field stripping and cleaning chores.
I've also put on a couple of exhibits for school classes studying WW2 history. When a 14-year old is holding a M1 Garand rifle while looking at a map of Europe showing just how far many soldiers had to go, while carrying and using that rifle to stay alive, there is a real learning moment!
OP
sigp220.45
US Veteran
Thanks to a great forum member here as of today I now have my very own 1911A1, so I guess I'll answer my own question.
Here it is - my Ithaca-Rand. The slide is from Ithaca, the serial number on the frame puts it in the Remington Rand production range. Its got an HS marked barrel and Frank J. Atwood's stamp of approval. Maybe with all of that and the obvious re-park the collectors will forgive me for shooting it, which I already did - fifty rounds of Winchester ball without a hitch.
Here it is - my Ithaca-Rand. The slide is from Ithaca, the serial number on the frame puts it in the Remington Rand production range. Its got an HS marked barrel and Frank J. Atwood's stamp of approval. Maybe with all of that and the obvious re-park the collectors will forgive me for shooting it, which I already did - fifty rounds of Winchester ball without a hitch.
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With a hitch, eh? You mean without a hitch, I suppose?
Great looking .45. Hammer looks a little different but otherwise, looks just like my Grandpa's old gun.
OP
sigp220.45
US Veteran
With a hitch, eh? You mean without a hitch, I suppose?
Great looking .45. Hammer looks a little different but otherwise, looks just like my Grandpa's old gun.
I was out-typing my brain.
It did gnaw a little hole in the skin at the base of my thumb. Now I know what those beavertail safeties are for.
jbcap
Member
I have a 1944 Remington Rand 1911 that I shoot quite often, never had a problem. Have several friends that also have military 1911 that they also shoot. I have never heard of any of us having problems.
Shoot Them !!!! Joe
Shoot Them !!!! Joe
