Shooting a USGI 1911A1

[Smithhound]

Much good advice on this thread concerning shooting/collecting. Pred's especially re; the pre '24 time frame.
I both shoot and collect and have a rule I follow:
If I buy an older firearm in NIB condition, I keep it that way and try hard to find a shooter of the same type to use.
If I buy a vintage firearm that has seen use, I shoot it.
Using a fine old previously fired gun will not hurt it, abuse/neglect will kill it.
Personally tho, the thought of taking a 50 or 60 year old firearm in unfired condition out and shooting it makes me cringe. It's been in a time capsule for all those years and that, to me, is the way it should stay.
Others disagree, and that is fine, that's what makes this hobby great.
Enjoy, and post pics when you get it!
RD

 

[walnutred]

When I was last armed with a 1911A1 in the military, (about 1986) the newest pistol was 41 yrs old. What was fairly uncommon was a pistol that had a slide & frame from the same mfg. Mine had a Ithica slide and a Remington Rand frame. (internal parts? who knows)

When I was Armorer of a Headquarters battery we had 5, consecutive serial numbered, Remington 1911A1's. We had 11 1911A1's all together so I was able to swap parts around to get all the correct parts back on the Remingtons. I tried and tried to come up with a legal way to own those pistols. I even offered to do a Report of Survey, and pay the government what they said each one was worth on the property books. Heck, they were switching over to the M9 anyway and as this was the Clinton era those Remingtons probably got melted down.

Yes, I would have gladly paid the $55 each the Federal Government said they were worth. ;D ;D

 

[310Pilot]

Shoot it! I had a 1911 (all original and U.S. Property marked) built in 1915 that a friend of my Dad (and a friend of mine) carried (and used) in France during WWI, as a member of the Wis NG between the World Wars, and again through WWII when he was reactivated. Ken gave the gun to me some time in the late '70s or early '80s, along with his issue holster from WWI, and I shot it a reasonable amount, never any problems. As earlier mentioned, the pre-1924 slides were a bit prone to developing cracks, though mine never did. Sadly, that gun (along with a lot of others) was stolen and never recovered. I recently purchased a 1911 built in 1914 (serial number initially shows early 1913, but it was one of the first runs of 1911s built by the government at Springfield Armory, about 3,000 pieces, as I recall), all original frame and internal parts and original barrel, but with a well-fitted commercial slide (appears to be early 1950's construction). It shoots well, and I have no hesitation in shooting it, though I shoot my modern 1911s more. One recommendation, use ball ammo only, if it is original, the feed ramp and certain other features do not render use of hollow point, or even many semi-wadcutters, reliable. I would also recommend using only standard pressure loads. Enjoy your new gun and speculating on its history!

 

[4864]

I have a 1918 Colt 1911. It was refurbished in 1943 at Rock Island Arsenal and have been used in two world wars and who knows how many other trips around the world. It is in very good shape and loves 230gr Ball ammo. I don't shoot it as much as I use to now that I have a Springfield Armory National Match. I still have no fear of harming it by shooting it since it was given to me when I was 18. I am a firm believe that old guns should be enjoyed best by shooing them. That is why they where made.

 

[BigBill]

The new Auto-Ordnance Army WW 2 copy 1911a1 is a very close clone to the original 1911. It's an awesome 1911 and affordable.

 

[sigp220.45]

Holy thread resurrection!

I feel obligated to update this now that it has risen from the dead.

I did indeed acquire a WWII 1911A1 - an Ithaca, but actually the dreaded
"mixmaster" since the serial number indicates the frame is a Remington Rand.



Somewhere in its life it got itself reparkerized, further establishing its utter worthlessness in the eyes of the cognoscenti.



Given its absolute lack of redeeming virtues, I have been shooting it as much as possible to bring on its "paperweight" status. So far no luck, but I plan to keep trying!

 

[Lee Barner]

SHOOT IT. that's what they were made for. I have one RR that was sold thru the DCM in 1961 that doesn't look like it has been fired since it left the factory. it is in the box with all the shipping documents. I have never fired that one, but all my other A1s and my one 1911 get shot. my 1911 will be 100 when my grand son graduates high school and shooting it will be one of his presents. lee

 

[4506517]

Enjoy that 1911.

You're paying tribute to all those that carried it before you did.

 

[LostintheOzone]

A few years ago I bought my first 1911. I wanted a USGI but didn't buy one because I wanted to shoot it.....a lot.

A USGI slide is not 100% heat treated like the new ones.

Your money, your call.

 

[Bat Guano]

I had a DCM RR that I refinished back in the 60s and put decent sights on, used it for IPSC. Along about 1978 the frame cracked at the slide stop pin. I actually got Colt to replace it with a Gold Cup frame and put the original RR serial number on it. Most of the time since it has worn a 1970s Colt .22 conversion kit, so it's a dead ringer for a .22 Gold Cup. About the only original parts in the gun now are the grip screws. I think.

However my 1943 parkerized DCM RR is stock, and gets fired about once a year with hardball on its "anniversary".

My stock 1913 one gets fired a few rounds every time I watch "The Wild Bunch".

The young whippersnapper of the bunch is a SA Milspec in stainless. Good shooter,too.

 

[Cyrano]

I have a Colt 1911, a Springfield 1911, a Colt 1911A1, Rem Rand and Ithaca. I have shot them all and wouldn't hesitate to shoot them again. I don't think I'd want to put 1000 rounds of +P through them,but a moderate amount of hardball or cast bullet handlaods will do no damage.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I would get new springs, perhaps an extra barrel or two.

 

[alwslate]

My first .45 auto was a Remington Rand that I bought from a guy who
had gotten it through the DCM. This was about 1967 and he had two
.45s so he said he would sell me one of them for what he had in it,
$22.50. Needless to say I didn't hesitate. I shot a few hundred
hardball rounds and a couple hundred cast bullet RN handloads through
it before foolishly trading it in on a satin nickel Colt Combat
Commander .45 in 1974. The Commander taught me a lesson about
accuracy, or lack of, compared to the Government model. I sold it and
bought a Series 70 Government model which I still have. I have always
regretted trading off the Remington Rand. Back then most of the .45s
floating around were ex GIs and people shot them regularly. I don't
see any reason you can't shoot your gun but they aren't going for
$22.50 these days so I wouldn't try to wear it out if it were mine.

 

[reddogge]

Since this thread originated in 2010 I'm assuming the gun was bought and shot so that's that.

Information I've picked up on the 1911 forum indicates the weak point is the slide cracking due to the heat treating processes used thoughout their history.

They give a general lifetime of slides of approx. 1,000 shots for WW1, 10,000 shots for WW2, 100,000 shots for modern.

Once a slide is cracked it is toast so if the gun is an historical piece it's best not to shoot it. If you must replace your recoil spring and don't do a lot of shooting with it. You are rolling the dice.

 

[da gimp]

still have a couple of 1911A1's...... A C-series Colt (precedes the series 70's) & an old USGI US&S that for some strange reason was sent to RIA for a park job....... it's all US&S and is in near mint from "rebuild"& is so proofed on the frame below & behind the serial number (if that's the word I want to use) a knowledgeable friend said it was all US&S as far as he could tell......... We shoot & carry the C-series...... the US&S remains in the safe.

 

[johngalt]

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot one. The only potential issue is the slides are only spot heat treated around the slide stop notch, they aren't entirely heat treated. They may also be heat treated around the muzzle end where the bushing goes, I don't remember.

Keep the standard 16.5# recoil spring and all should be good. With standard pressure ammo, 16.5# is the correct spring weight and anything heavier is unnecessary and batters the slide when it returns.

As others have mentioned, they have all been shot a lot already and probably have been through multiple rebuilds.

 

[gunfish]

I bought one with a filed off property mark as the price was right and collector value nil for the frame. The frame is 1917 and the slide is 1918. Using the tiny sights gives the experience of what the guys used "back in the day". New main, recoil, and firing pin springs were added. If the slide cracks it is a small loss to the world. The enjoyment of shooting it remains.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I bought this old Ithaca M1911A1 just before I entered the Army in 1961. While in the Army, I had a master gunsmith accurize it and re-blue it. I shot it in competition and carried it occasionally on active duty. In the National Guard I shot it and carried it. The Patridge front sight flew off unexpectedly during a string of fire (try getting a sight picture without a front sight!), so I replaced it with a ramp style that was both staked and silver-soldered in place. I have certainly put thousands of rounds through this particular pistol, and who knows how many rounds had been fired through it in the course of two wars before I got it. I've replaced some springs and kept it well lubed, but that's about it. It will still shoot rings around any other .45 I own. With prudent maintenance, replacement of springs and proper lubrication, these guns will last a long time.

I have shot this one a lot, because it was a dog that has been resurrected, but my other GI guns in good shape have become collector's items and have been retired from shooting to maintain their great condition for future generations. I'm certain that they also would take a lot of shooting without serious problems, but I choose not to do that.

John

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I would buy a spare slide or two. A modern one will fit nicely and function properly.

 

[Cyrano]

My match pistol is serial numbered C 33. I bought it in the 1960s from a police lieutenant who had accurized it, installed Micro sights and fired it in competition for almost 20 years. He had shortened the recoil spring for wadcutter loads; I never heard about the slides cracking so I put in a GI 45 recoil spring and in the two years I was on an Army pistol tem, I must have put 10,000 rounds of hardball down it. I still shoot it occasionally, with wadcutter loads.