Black Blade
4th June 2010, 01:01 AM
Fourty-Five Fever
Today I took out a few of my new 1911 handguns and went down the hill to the gun club. The three I took out included two Argentine Sistema Colts Model 1927 and a Rock Island Armory 1911A1. The Sistema Colts were Argentine Army firearms and are C&R eligible.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/af21681edbc8dcb0d7dbb046ea166a35eeba5522_r.jpg
Arsenal refinished blued Sistema Colt (Ejercito Argentina - Argentine Army). The slide has the blued finish and the frame has the black matte finish as most of these were refurbished. The action is tight - maybe a little too tight. Manufactured in Argentina from 1927 to around 1960 with Colt-supplied tools, it had parts interchangeable with any other standard government model, unlike the Ballester-Molina which also comes from Argentina. When the Argentine military changed pistols in the late 90s, their Sistemas were arsenal-refinished for sale in the U.S. at $300 or less. Along the left side of the slide was a row of letters: “D.G.F.M. (F.M.A.P.).†These stood for Direccion General de Fabricaciones Militares (Fabric Militar de Armas Portatiles). On the right side was “SIST. COLT 11.25 mm MOD. 1927. It had been manufactured in the Mine turned out to be a decent shooter but finicky with after market magazines. I may add new sights, re-contour the feeding ramp, and lighten the trigger a little on this one.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/d9d369761fd0d6bec0a5ddd6b419d9b4cf9f0366_r.jpg
Argentine DGFM-FMAP (Sistema) 1927 Colt .45 (Aeronautica Argentina - Argentine Air Force) Built in 1955 . Modified w/ high visibility rear sight, dovetail front sight, bead blasted & Armaloyed, action worked, stainless guide rod, stainless steel hex grip screws & mag catch, Brown 20LPI checkered / flat / SS main spring housing, barrel & ramp polished, Custom Rosewood grips. Barrel not pitted, good rifling. Original lanyard loop MS housing and hammer included.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/cee264e1b0d93c63d85b3cd222f842ac27155e64_r.jpg
The Rock Island Armory .45 is standard 1911A1 manufactured in the Philippines. There is no firing pin or drop safety. The gun features the same low small GI sights seen on the original GI Colt 1911 handguns so this one is a good training gun for the "point shooting" method. The gun rattles slightly when shook but feels quite solid and surprisingly comfortable with the wraparound rubber grips. As long as the locking lugs and the barrel bushing are fitted properly, the gun will shoot well. The RIA gun is finished in a kind of phosphate finish. It does tend to discolor slightly when fired and the barrel heats up. That is normal and cleans up nicely with a good gun oil (I use Hoppes and Rem Oil). The gun felt very good in the hand and everything functioned well. When working the slide, the link felt right and the locking lugs seemed to roll into place. The magazine holds eight rounds. The price is a manageable $350 OTD and a screaming bargain in my opinion.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/a2c3618b12ebd690c571d15ab728da7d508da66a_r.jpg
I finally got to the gun club in the late afternoon. It was overcast, 76F and calm to very slight breeze. A perfect day for shooting.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/c751671fd5c5dbb2d47fa00fbc70dfff7a1d327f_r.jpg
I set up three targets - three targets three guns - imagine that. I was generally testing for function and accuracy so I set up at about 30' from the targets.
I used 230 grain Federal and Magtech FMJ ammo.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/df516216d8c4dabcdcd18611a06482fe7605f2ce_r.jpg
The Sistema Colt (Argentine Ejercito) shot fairly well but was not as accurate as I had hoped being an unissued weapon that sat around for over 50 years. It did tend to drift left so I obviously need to work the sights. It also tended to be finicky with the aftermarket magazines lending to a few misfeeds. One thing I know is that to make these guns excellent requires a little gunsmithing.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/cb826c71d9d7ac34d73bf9d4f4c2cb37856b8f6c_r.jpg
The Sistema Colt (Aeronautica Argentina) is a comfortable shooter and due to the modifications it is fairly accurate with a clean breaking trigger. The only down side would be the dark sites against a dark target - I may add "nite-siters" to address that issue. Other than that it is a great firearm. Even so, it was not the most accurate of the three.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/8f226931d8d9bc31daab52dec6b7347ca8c3e314_r.jpg
The Rock Island Armory 1911A1 is an amazingly fine accurate weapon right out of the box. I have shot many 1911 handguns including some very expensive brands and custom jobs. I would actually put this RIA 1911 up against any of them right out of the box. I got this from a gunsmith friend for a mere $350 out the door. If I wanted an inexpensive functionally perfect 1911, then this would be the one to get. While I was shooting I was thinking that I should perhaps get one or two more.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/6c816b18dcc8dcb4d58130b4c9cec42110e7bce6_r.jpg
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/3da260811adcfc5fd75b84d80c3a730374aae275_r.jpg
I usually don't CCW my 1911 guns because I favor the Tokarev (7.62x25) with Wolf Gold HP or Glock 19 (9mm Lugar) with a German Makarov or P-64 BUG. That said, I do occasionally CCW my Sistema Colt (Aeronautica Argentina) in a Milt Sparks V2 holster with two extra magazines in a mag carrier.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/9772690171db1cf3de7bb0d5dcfe6cc596cb6993_r.jpg
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/0be16715d4c8dbb7d458cca6ccc87d05123e674d_r.jpg
(Left to right: Sistema Colt Aeronautica Argentina, Sistema Colt Ejercito Argentina, and Rock Island Armory)
In conclusion, if you want a good reasonably accurate 1911 for a decent price, then it would have to be the Rock Island Armory 1911. It was a spur of the moment purchase and I am glad I bought it. No need for paying through the nose for an expensive 1911 when they can likely be bested by the "cheap" RIA version. We have all heard the old lame "you get what you pay for" line before. This time "you get a helluva lot for what you pay for" with the RIA. Though the older C&R eligible Sistema Colts are very nice historical guns and I am glad I bought them, I also must concede that the RIA may well outlast them and for about half the price (at today's prices). If you want a 45 ACP 1911, then get the RIA while you can.
- Black Blade
Today I took out a few of my new 1911 handguns and went down the hill to the gun club. The three I took out included two Argentine Sistema Colts Model 1927 and a Rock Island Armory 1911A1. The Sistema Colts were Argentine Army firearms and are C&R eligible.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/af21681edbc8dcb0d7dbb046ea166a35eeba5522_r.jpg
Arsenal refinished blued Sistema Colt (Ejercito Argentina - Argentine Army). The slide has the blued finish and the frame has the black matte finish as most of these were refurbished. The action is tight - maybe a little too tight. Manufactured in Argentina from 1927 to around 1960 with Colt-supplied tools, it had parts interchangeable with any other standard government model, unlike the Ballester-Molina which also comes from Argentina. When the Argentine military changed pistols in the late 90s, their Sistemas were arsenal-refinished for sale in the U.S. at $300 or less. Along the left side of the slide was a row of letters: “D.G.F.M. (F.M.A.P.).†These stood for Direccion General de Fabricaciones Militares (Fabric Militar de Armas Portatiles). On the right side was “SIST. COLT 11.25 mm MOD. 1927. It had been manufactured in the Mine turned out to be a decent shooter but finicky with after market magazines. I may add new sights, re-contour the feeding ramp, and lighten the trigger a little on this one.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/d9d369761fd0d6bec0a5ddd6b419d9b4cf9f0366_r.jpg
Argentine DGFM-FMAP (Sistema) 1927 Colt .45 (Aeronautica Argentina - Argentine Air Force) Built in 1955 . Modified w/ high visibility rear sight, dovetail front sight, bead blasted & Armaloyed, action worked, stainless guide rod, stainless steel hex grip screws & mag catch, Brown 20LPI checkered / flat / SS main spring housing, barrel & ramp polished, Custom Rosewood grips. Barrel not pitted, good rifling. Original lanyard loop MS housing and hammer included.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/cee264e1b0d93c63d85b3cd222f842ac27155e64_r.jpg
The Rock Island Armory .45 is standard 1911A1 manufactured in the Philippines. There is no firing pin or drop safety. The gun features the same low small GI sights seen on the original GI Colt 1911 handguns so this one is a good training gun for the "point shooting" method. The gun rattles slightly when shook but feels quite solid and surprisingly comfortable with the wraparound rubber grips. As long as the locking lugs and the barrel bushing are fitted properly, the gun will shoot well. The RIA gun is finished in a kind of phosphate finish. It does tend to discolor slightly when fired and the barrel heats up. That is normal and cleans up nicely with a good gun oil (I use Hoppes and Rem Oil). The gun felt very good in the hand and everything functioned well. When working the slide, the link felt right and the locking lugs seemed to roll into place. The magazine holds eight rounds. The price is a manageable $350 OTD and a screaming bargain in my opinion.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/a2c3618b12ebd690c571d15ab728da7d508da66a_r.jpg
I finally got to the gun club in the late afternoon. It was overcast, 76F and calm to very slight breeze. A perfect day for shooting.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/c751671fd5c5dbb2d47fa00fbc70dfff7a1d327f_r.jpg
I set up three targets - three targets three guns - imagine that. I was generally testing for function and accuracy so I set up at about 30' from the targets.
I used 230 grain Federal and Magtech FMJ ammo.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/df516216d8c4dabcdcd18611a06482fe7605f2ce_r.jpg
The Sistema Colt (Argentine Ejercito) shot fairly well but was not as accurate as I had hoped being an unissued weapon that sat around for over 50 years. It did tend to drift left so I obviously need to work the sights. It also tended to be finicky with the aftermarket magazines lending to a few misfeeds. One thing I know is that to make these guns excellent requires a little gunsmithing.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/cb826c71d9d7ac34d73bf9d4f4c2cb37856b8f6c_r.jpg
The Sistema Colt (Aeronautica Argentina) is a comfortable shooter and due to the modifications it is fairly accurate with a clean breaking trigger. The only down side would be the dark sites against a dark target - I may add "nite-siters" to address that issue. Other than that it is a great firearm. Even so, it was not the most accurate of the three.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/8f226931d8d9bc31daab52dec6b7347ca8c3e314_r.jpg
The Rock Island Armory 1911A1 is an amazingly fine accurate weapon right out of the box. I have shot many 1911 handguns including some very expensive brands and custom jobs. I would actually put this RIA 1911 up against any of them right out of the box. I got this from a gunsmith friend for a mere $350 out the door. If I wanted an inexpensive functionally perfect 1911, then this would be the one to get. While I was shooting I was thinking that I should perhaps get one or two more.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/6c816b18dcc8dcb4d58130b4c9cec42110e7bce6_r.jpg
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/3da260811adcfc5fd75b84d80c3a730374aae275_r.jpg
I usually don't CCW my 1911 guns because I favor the Tokarev (7.62x25) with Wolf Gold HP or Glock 19 (9mm Lugar) with a German Makarov or P-64 BUG. That said, I do occasionally CCW my Sistema Colt (Aeronautica Argentina) in a Milt Sparks V2 holster with two extra magazines in a mag carrier.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/9772690171db1cf3de7bb0d5dcfe6cc596cb6993_r.jpg
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/0be16715d4c8dbb7d458cca6ccc87d05123e674d_r.jpg
(Left to right: Sistema Colt Aeronautica Argentina, Sistema Colt Ejercito Argentina, and Rock Island Armory)
In conclusion, if you want a good reasonably accurate 1911 for a decent price, then it would have to be the Rock Island Armory 1911. It was a spur of the moment purchase and I am glad I bought it. No need for paying through the nose for an expensive 1911 when they can likely be bested by the "cheap" RIA version. We have all heard the old lame "you get what you pay for" line before. This time "you get a helluva lot for what you pay for" with the RIA. Though the older C&R eligible Sistema Colts are very nice historical guns and I am glad I bought them, I also must concede that the RIA may well outlast them and for about half the price (at today's prices). If you want a 45 ACP 1911, then get the RIA while you can.
- Black Blade