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[Foriegn power]

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[evidens83]

Excellent choice. Get it!

[supersteve9219]

I was looking at that 1911 for my first gun, does anyone know if it is made in the US? I don't have anything against foreign guns (as you can tell by my sig), but the 1911 is an american classic and I would like one made in the US.

I heard they were made in the Philippines

[mydogsmonkey]

I was looking at that 1911 for my first gun, does anyone know if it is made in the US? I don't have anything against foreign guns (as you can tell by my sig), but the 1911 is an american classic and I would like one made in the US.

I heard they were made in the Philippines

i believe they are made in brazil, since their forgings come from a brazilian company. although it is a good one. i bleieve its IMBEL that makes frames for springfield

[evidens83]

The SA GI 45 is an excellent base 1911. Of course if you save up you can buy much better 1911s ie Les Baer,SA Loaded, Kimber, etc etc. But for a 1911 newbie and for a no frills basic quality 1911 GI model, Springield makes an excellent first choice.

[Ducman]

Spend a few more and get a SA milspec then again go for the loaded. Depends on your budget, you can never go wrong w/ a SA.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a Glock guy also but when it comes to open the safe the 1911's goes out with me.

[EWILKE]

well I had a loaded 1911 and traded it for a sig 220. it was picky on ammo the trigger needed work and was not very accurate. I own glocks and wanted a 1911 but I like to shoot all my guns the 1911 would of become a safe queen.

[ojisan]

At a minimum this one...check the details for the improvements...specifically in regards to the throated barrel to feed modern ammo...better sights...

http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?model=7

But on this one you get the extended beavertail safety plus all of the above.
I really like the 1911, but not with the original style grip safety that hurts my hand.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?version=4

[Richie Caketown]

+1 on saving up a bit more to get a loaded model. get someone with the 3 dot sights

[Ducman]

The SA GI 45 is an excellent base 1911. Of course if you save up you can buy much better 1911s ie Les Baer,SA Loaded, Kimber, etc etc. But for a 1911 newbie and for a no frills basic quality 1911 GI model, Springield makes an excellent first choice.

or you could go w/ a Colt.

[Sinixstar]

There's nothing wrong with the Springfield GI's. Although - i'm not sure if they're on the CA Roster. I believe you might have to step up to the springfield mil-spec.

The Springfield GI is basically a recreation of the original 1911 design. Think of it as a functioning Repro WWII issue 1911. That's fine and all - but there are some minor flaws with those designs. The Gi is right around $500.
The Mil-spec does have some upgrades to it that I believe are worth the money. Flared/Lowered ejection ports, more modern sights, beveled mag-well Polished feed-ramp and throated barrel. All of these things are going to make the gun either more reliable, or easier to shoot. The mil-spec is about $575. EASILY worth the extra $75 for upgrades.

As far as value in a 1911 goes, I think the mil-specs are towards the top of the list. The GIs are fun, but it is nice to have some of the modern touches that have improved upon the original design.

I'd say if you're looking to go this direction - you don't have to spend an arm and a leg - but do step up to the mil-spec.

[tiko]

I got a SA GI, its trigger was 8 lbs, too heavy! I change the main spring to 18 lbs, polish the sear, hammer hooks, disconnector pad and brought the trigger pull down to 4 lbs, very accurate with its GI sights for target, for combat people need 3 dots. I guess that i never go to a combat.

[winnre]

I was set on a .45 and wished I had my old Army issue one back. I checked out Springfield Armory models but the metal felt rough. Sort of unfinished. So I thought what can I get if I spend a little more money.

So I got a Kimber.

[WAP]

A basic 1911 is a great gun, and if that's the only model you can afford to buy, get it. You will love shooting it.
If a high degree of accuracy is not your concern, a basic 1911 will shoot most ammo reliably and last a lifetime.
The thing is, a 1911 can be really accurate. As soon as you see the groups that the other guys are shooting with their 1911s, you will want to start upgrading your gun. You will probably want to add such pricey features as;
new sights, new trigger, new hammer, new grips, extended slide releases, as well as all sorts of custom work like trigger jobs. This stuff is expensive, but it really makes for a nicer gun.
Here's my point, if you can possibly afford to get a model that has the features that you will eventually want anyway, get them now, it's cheaper in the long run, and so much more fun to shoot.

[Sam]

In addition to the reliability improvements of the mil-spec, I think a beavertail grip safety is a must as it allows the shooter to get a higher grip on the pistol. This higher grip in turn allows the shooter to control recoil effectively and thus a loaded is what I would get at a minimum.