Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns opinion of Springfield GI 45's

Saw some for great prices at the gun show and they fit my hand perfectly. Was I wrong to pass? They just seemed very basic -no frills and I was concerned about barrel quality and accuracy. Anyone own one? I am particularly interested in accuracy regarding these.

I have owned a couple of them. One was the standard parkerized or matte finish, the other was in the Green finish. Both shot very well. There were no failures to feed, fire or eject with ball or JHP ammo. Accuracy at ranges of 25 yards and in was as good as my Glock 35 duty sidearm. The only drawbacks for me were in the 1911A1. I like flat mainspring housings and long triggers. Eventually, I fell out of love with them because of those shortcomings (to my taste). Otherwise, I found them to be very good pistols for the money, and if they ever break down and do a straight 1911 model, I will own one.

Hope that helps,
CT

Very good guns, much better accuracy than the originals and just plain no frills fun.

Kenjs1,

The GI uses that same barrel as the "Loaded" series, so no worries there. The accuracy should be the same also.

The downside of the GI is that the main selling point is authenticity and a few things on the original could use improvement - most notably the sights. Whatever the accuracy potential of the pistol, those tiny sights will fight you all the way.

Unless you want a (relatively) historic representation of ol' slabsides, I'd suggest a different pistol. Springfield's Mil-Spec pistol for example, is another no frills 1911, with much better sights and a few other handy touches. The two pistols should "feel" identical:

Mil-Spec:



GI:

I have one in the stainless version. Accuracy is great after I had a smith install a three dot sight. The GI sights were horrible. It shoots my reloads with hard cast and ball ammo without any failures.
Excellent gun in my opinnion!

Thanks guys. Jog - good to know. I will now bend over so you all can kick me! I suppose I can still find a good deal on one. I am looking at a couple of pistols - you know how it is. Started out looking at 40's then thought naw, get a 9mm and a 45, then thought yeah do that AFTER you get the 40. I swear sometimes I am worse than a woman in the shoe store! I appreciate the input -it sounds good. That thing fit my hand perfectly.

I have seldom been more impressed and excited about any handgun aquisition as I am with my Springfield GI 1911 A-1.

I have read articles by Gun Writers, Competition Shooters, and even a couple of Gunsmiths- who were literally in awe of this pistol as to its authenticy (repro), quality, accuracy, and reliability- right outta the box. Most also liked it just the way it was and recommended "Don't change a thing."

As to the small "true GI sights"? I would suggest to approach them with an open mind and give them a fair chance. Many of the writers endorsed them and found them to be "...just fine, as is." One ventured, "You can get used to them easily and really like them."

The slide and frame and are forged carbon steel. The barrel is also forged and stainless [coated with a black oxide to look like original GI]. The chamber mouth is throated as on most 'new' pistols- and should feed JHP ammunition. The GI models also use a Titanium .38 Super firing pin. The cocking serrations are vertical, with the 19 grooves. The ejection port is the original 'shallow' type.

Springfield didn't set out to create an exact '45 Colt replica, but their own look-a-like version that was true to the historic side-arm our WW II GI's carried. Springfield changed the frames on these models back to the original rounded Colt-style contour- like the original WW II Era Guns.

I like what Springfield did with the GI 1911 A-1. To me they not only re-created history- they created a little bit of 'new' history in the making of this pistol.

I won't change a thing.

I had one. It experienced a failure to feed and I traded it. That simple.

Sorry Ethan, but that's just goofy.

I've never owned a GI Springfield, but I have had 2 others and loved them both. Never had a jam or misfire. One of them had the "GI" style sights, and for what I intended to do with it, they were just fine. Man size target is a big thing at 7 yards or so.

Goofy? Wtf? Maybe "failure to feed" was an oversimplification. I was standing in our breakfast room one night and heard a commotion in the garage. The wifey says it sounds like somebody trying to get in. I run back to the bedroom and pluck down the Springfield from the closet shelf. I slap in a magazine and rack the slide. It promptly jams. Thank God it was my Dad who has a key, trying to get in. I traded the Springfield poste-haste. Possibly that is goofy, but I no longer trusted it.

I've owned probably a half-dozen Springfield Armory .45's. I have never had one that was a complete lemon, but I was never overly impressed with them either.

Just my goofy .02.

I think the GI is the best buy I ever made in handguns. Great value so I bought 2 more to "put away" I love Springfields. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

+ 1 (agree with your opinion)

+ 2 (wish I could get a couple more)