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I recently picked up a Springfield 1911 SS Loaded Combat. Originally a 9mm, it has also been fitted with a Nowlin 38 Super barrel. For reasons I can’t explain the ergonomics of the Springfield feel noticeably different than my Colts. I don’t think it’s just the extended safety though that has to go. Have any of you who have owned both the Colt and Springer noticed much difference in the feel? To me the Colt has a much more trim and clean feel. I’d appreciate hearing from you all.

Dave

Does the Colt wear slim grips?

Neither Colt does. I prefer the standard thickness grips. It may all be in my head which is why I thought I’d ask.

Compare the places where the front strap meets the trigger guard and the shape of the grip safety. Lots of times the frames there are modded so the gun sits in your hand a bit differently.


Okie John

Beaver tail? Some have them some do not. Very different feel for myself. I also prefer a humped mainspring housing to the flat style. Those are the normal differences to "feel"

The Colts have a different radius on the frontstrap than does Kimbers, Springfields and some of the other 1911 makers. If you compare them (resting the slides on a table side-by-side) look at the frontstrap radius, that will tell the tale. Anything other than Colts feel "funny" to me, after decades using the Colts. Yes, you CAN feel the difference, it makes Springfields feel like they have more depth than Colts. Same for Essex frames, too.

It's a little thing, just a radius cut, but it sure makes them feel different in my hands.

Beaver tails, grips, & mainspring housing affect grip feel of 1911's.

But, for a time S.A. used frames that were different from Colts & others. I can't say they weren't mil spec because I don't know those dimensions. The front strap & the dust shield had a different radius than most, & IMO is wrong. I call them the square ones & they don't even fit well into a kydex type holster that was molded proper. S.A. has used both, Colt or mil spec proper & the others. For the life of me, I don't see Kimbers as being different from Colt. I don't have radius gauges, but for this subject alone,I wish I did. Needless to say, I'v been curious.

I have smaller hands & avoid the hell out of the square S.A.'s. But that's just me.

I don't know how many times I've had customers looking at cheaper 1911s ask to hold a more expensive one and immediately exclaim "this one feels a lot better".

This

The crazy thing is that it’s a helluva nice pistol and very well set up. I’m going to look at the front strap radius and measure a few things. I’ll try to do a bit more comparing as best I can.

My Colt was under cut at the trigger guard, my Springfield is not. That alone makes a difference to me.

The front strap round is more abrupt with the Springfield than with the Colt.

Yep.

I did what measurements I could. They were virtually identical on the Colt GM and Springer. However, it is readily apparent that the front strap radius on the Springfield is wider than the Colt, more of a half circle vs. the elliptical shape on the Colt.

Measurements virtually identical but but FS radius is wider than the Colt ?

Then dimensions are not identical. FS radius differences change overall grip circumference numbers.

gunzo - you are correct.

2 or 3 years ago I bought a Baer and have pretty much hated it because of how different it feels from every other 1911 I've owned (Colt, DW, STI, RIA, Para). I tried three different sets of grips with different profiles, tried some minor modifications to the grip safety. No joy. Basically I never shot it because of it. I regretted buying it.

A month ago I said the hell with it, broke out the diamond laps and the rotor tool and went to town on the front and the rear. It still doesn't feel like the other guns, but at least it doesn't feel awkward and downright uncomfortable like it used to.

Gold Cups have a great feel for me & feel a little different than other Colt models; Wilson Combat all fits my feel extremely well too.

The grips, the front strap radius, any undercut & the type of beavertail generally have the most influence on feel. The cut / shape of the mainspring housing also has some influence.

Different folks have different preferences, to others, it doesn't matter so much.

MM