Cmp 1911's. Updated 11/19/2020 ROUND #2!!! Got Mine!!!!

[rdfact]

Originally Posted by Xplosiv3

Any recommendations on the cheapest possible instant issue CMP affiliated membership? I don't really plan on attending any club meetings or going to any shooting competitions or anything like that.

The Garand Collectors Association is an option. Online membership signup for $25/year and they send your membership info to the CMP. And if you are into Garands you also get a nice quarterly printed magazine.

https://thegca.org

[SkyHawk]

Originally Posted by rdfact

The Garand Collectors Association is an option. Online membership signup for $25/year and they send your membership info to the CMP. And if you are into Garands you also get a nice quarterly printed magazine.

https://thegca.org

Nice tip!

[Xplosiv3]

Well I'm putting my application in the mail today. I read that if you aren't selected this round, you will be put in line for the next round.

Good luck to all who applied. I joined Garand Collectors association. $25 and instant proof of membership. If CRPA's price was a bit lower I would have gone with them. Now to find a Notary open on Sunday. The CMP requires more than the ATF does to get a FFL03. I guess that's their way of sifting out the non-serious people.

[JoyfulJoker]

The requirements were a compromise with anti gun Democrats who claimed there would be a crime wave with 80 year old guns unless some stringent requirements were put in place .

I found a NM USGI Bushing and tried it yesterday. It cut the gaps between bushing and barrel and bushing and frame significantly versus the one it came with. Groups did get smaller at 25 yards. Kicks like a mule compared to a modern gun. I tried a 10mm Glock and Sig P320 X5 a buddy had and it was hilarious to see how far we have come on gun design and recoil management. I would absolutely not get another , but will probably get another 1911 some day.

Still go back and forth on keeping it after shooting it. It’s got the cool factor. Selling an Ithaca Frame with an Ithaca slide AND a USGi hardened slide you can actually shoot is a good package . It’s difficult to find Ithaca slides that don’t look like they were stored in a box of rocks. Looking at what people on EBay want for blown out Flannery or High Standard Barrels , I’m happy with the chrome lined replacement barrel.

[CaliforniaLiberal]

Originally Posted by rdfact

The Garand Collectors Association is an option. Online membership signup for $25/year and they send your membership info to the CMP. And if you are into Garands you also get a nice quarterly printed magazine.

https://thegca.org

The Garand Collectors will get the job done for sure, and also the California Rifle and Pistol Association will spend your dues money on California gun rights court battles.

https://crpa.org

[eaglemike]

Originally Posted by JoyfulJoker

The requirements were a compromise with anti gun Democrats who claimed there would be a crime wave with 80 year old guns unless some stringent requirements were put in place .

I found a NM USGI Bushing and tried it yesterday. It cut the gaps between bushing and barrel and bushing and frame significantly versus the one it came with. Groups did get smaller at 25 yards. Kicks like a mule compared to a modern gun. I tried a 10mm Glock and Sig P320 X5 a buddy had and it was hilarious to see how far we have come on gun design and recoil management. I would absolutely not get another , but will probably get another 1911 some day.

Still go back and forth on keeping it after shooting it. It’s got the cool factor. Selling an Ithaca Frame with an Ithaca slide AND a USGi hardened slide you can actually shoot is a good package . It’s difficult to find Ithaca slides that don’t look like they were stored in a box of rocks. Looking at what people on EBay want for blown out Flannery or High Standard Barrels , I’m happy with the chrome lined replacement barrel.

There's a bunch of little things you can do to make it a more pleasant shooter. Put a 16 lb recoil spring in there, and maybe a 20 lb hammer spring. Wilson shok-buffs can be helpful if you are concerned about frame or slide damage Then reload some 200 gr semiwadcutters like the H&G #68 with about 4.5 grains of Bullseye. There's other powders that work well, but that's a classic target load. Red Dot, Clays, titeGroup, 700X, etc. About 1.250 to 1.255 OAL should feed well as long as everything else is good. Brass will last forever, or until you lose it. Mild loads like that are great fun. I built a 1911 from a military frame long ago and had a bunch of fun shooting loads like that. Mil-spec hardball isn't fun in a gun with tired springs, etc. You can change sights etc, but some like to keep things original. Sorry if you know all this already. Good luck!

[JoyfulJoker]

Originally Posted by eaglemike

There's a bunch of little things you can do to make it a more pleasant shooter. Put a 16 lb recoil spring in there, and maybe a 20 lb hammer spring. Wilson shok-buffs can be helpful if you are concerned about frame or slide damage Then reload some 200 gr semiwadcutters like the H&G #68 with about 4.5 grains of Bullseye. There's other powders that work well, but that's a classic target load. Red Dot, Clays, titeGroup, 700X, etc. About 1.250 to 1.255 OAL should feed well as long as everything else is good. Brass will last forever, or until you lose it. Mild loads like that are great fun. I built a 1911 from a military frame long ago and had a bunch of fun shooting loads like that. Mil-spec hardball isn't fun in a gun with tired springs, etc. You can change sights etc, but some like to keep things original. Sorry if you know all this already. Good luck!

Thank you ! I ordered a Wilson Spring kit and changed out the recoil spring to a 16# already I have a 20# hammer spring but haven’t installed it. I could not get the little plastic pieces out of the USGI one. I tried the shokbuffs from Wilson . Even when sanded the buffs kept the slide from going into battery. Jam-o-matic.
I’m not worried about the 1970’s hardened replacement slide it came with.

I still haven’t decided on bullets. I was thinking of 230 ball . I was gifted some semi wadcutters but wasn’t sure if they would feed ok. The powders I have are Win 231 and Titegroup. A lighter load sounds more fun! I’ll try your suggestion…

I would love to change sights but I think I’ll keep both slides original .
Thanks again! Much appreciated.

[smle-man]

Originally Posted by JoyfulJoker

Thank you ! I ordered a Wilson Spring kit and changed out the recoil spring to a 16# already I have a 20# hammer spring but haven’t installed it. I could not get the little plastic pieces out of the USGI one. I tried the shokbuffs from Wilson . Even when sanded the buffs kept the slide from going into battery. Jam-o-matic.
I’m not worried about the 1970’s hardened replacement slide it came with.

I still haven’t decided on bullets. I was thinking of 230 ball . I was gifted some semi wadcutters but wasn’t sure if they would feed ok. The powders I have are Win 231 and Titegroup. A lighter load sounds more fun! I’ll try your suggestion…

I would love to change sights but I think I’ll keep both slides original .
Thanks again! Much appreciated.

I use HP38 for my .45 loads, essentially the same as W231. Bullets are 200 gr LSWC or 230 gr plated RN. Mild loads doing about 750 FPS (lead) and 770 FPS (plated) accurate and easy on my arthritic wrists.

[JoyfulJoker]

I found the bullets... H&G #68 semi wadcutter 200 grain, sized. 452. I'll give em a try.

smle man- I have HP38 and Win 231 and they are pretty much the same powder. I'm glad you were able to get a soft shooting load with it. Thank you. Sorry about your hands. I’m not far behind you.

[SkyHawk]

This field grade Ithaca over RemRand just sold for $2200+ at auction with a penny start.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/968499109

[k1dude]

For these old WWII relics, I shoot 220 gr Federal Syntech Action Pistol. It's a nice and easy load for these old guns with very mild recoil. It also won't deposit lead or copper in the barrel if you have an old barrel from CMP that you're trying to preserve in 'as received' condition.

[MarCat]

Originally Posted by SkyHawk

This field grade Ithaca over RemRand just sold for $2200+ at auction with a penny start.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/968499109

I cannot believe that it commands such a pricing premium over what it goes for directly from the CMP.

[joefrank64k]

Originally Posted by SkyHawk

This field grade Ithaca over RemRand just sold for $2200+ at auction with a penny start.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/968499109

Those Field Grades look awesome.

I wish (I know what they say about wishing, haha!!) I would've asked for Field instead of Service. Oh, well.

[SkyHawk]

Originally Posted by MarCat

I cannot believe that it commands such a pricing premium over what it goes for directly from the CMP.

The reason (in my opinion) is that you can see what you are getting before you buy. That is not possible with CMP. Also this looks like it could be original finish and it has no heavy park or rearsenal stamps.

And of course you can only buy one from CMP.

Originally Posted by joefrank64k

Those Field Grades look awesome.

I wish (I know what they say about wishing, haha!!) I would've asked for Field instead of Service. Oh, well.

Yes, this one was a nice looker for sure.

[JoyfulJoker]

If you look on the CMP forums , some people have gotten Field Grades with huge gouges and scratches … and seem to be happy with them . It’s a crap shoot . Mine had more work done than Joan Rivers but I’ve come to love it.

[Mustang]

I got the reverse FG from CMP...A Remington Rand slide on an Ithaca frame.

A lot of people think the FG is the sweet spot of the picks...still good enough to shoot pretty well, but W/O the greater liklihood of getting new frames, etc.

[JoyfulJoker]

I love my field grade Ithaca.

Question: I shot 100 rounds through it yesterday and it shoots low. At 25 yards I have to hold the sights well above the B-8 to hit the bottom of it. I was nailing it with an SP-01 and G19. My CMP pistol came with a 1979 replacement slide and barrel. I have an Ithaca slide as well. Will it destroy the value of my “ as recieved by the CMP / issued by the USMC” status if I upgraded the horrible USGI sights?