| 9,962 rounds | 4 stoppages | 0 malfunctions | 0 parts breakages 3 mags deadlined |
With a little over six weeks of concealed carry under my belt — I know, bad pun — how is the 1911 working out?
To be honest, it’s not noticeably different than the Glock 17 to me. Sure it’s heavier, but with a decent belt and an inside the waistband holster that doesn’t really matter much. It’s a little longer, a little thinner… but in a good holster under a polo or camp shirt it’s all the same. One small change, though, is that the 1911 conceals better for me with a slight reverse cant to the holster.
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| Keeper Concealment AIWB | JM Custom AIWB |
In terms of shooting, my best F.A.S.T. with the gun so far came at the end of Caleb’s 150rd Practice Session (which was the 41st pistol-forum.com Drill of the Week). While I still obviously haven’t mastered the 1911 reload, I was able to pull off a decent run:
- 4.43 (clean): 1.44, .35 / 2.03 / .21, .19, .19
The Heirloom Precision mag catch has definitely helped. It’s angled, serrated, and longer than a stock button. The angle — tall in front and short in back — works much better for me than the 10-8 mag catch which is the other way around.
With regard to reliability, there was one stoppage during the Rhode Island AFHF class but it was the result of an out-of-spec round of ammunition and thus not counted against the gun. The case would not fit in the chamber. Otherwise, it’s been a little over 2,000 rounds since the last stoppage. The pistol is definitely getting cleaned more often (eight times already) but more importantly it’s getting lubricated every 500 rounds or so, even if that means adding oil in the middle of a practice. That may sound unremarkable to many shooters but it’s like learning to speak a new language for me!
I tried various recoil springs to see if I could tune the recoil on the gun, but to be honest I saw no real difference in muzzle movement or shot to shot times with a 10#, 12#, 14#, or 14# variable spring. Thinking it was just me, I also had JV try it with a few different springs and he saw the same results. So I’m keeping the factory 12# in it for now. The ammo I’m using — Speer’s mil-spec “green” 54882, a 124gr encapsulated bullet pushed to 1,200+ feet per second — probably has something to do with it.
Coming up next report: the gun shoots its first KSTG competition and breaks 10,000 rounds. See you then.
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG
You can also follow and discuss via the pistol-forum.com 2012-2013 Endurance Test thread.
Previous Springfield/Warren 9mm 1911 Endurance Test posts at pistol-training.com:
- Report #4
- Report #3
- Report #2
- Report #1
- Springfield/Warren 9mm 1911: The Magazines
- Springfield/Warren 9mm 1911: The Gun
- I Own 1911s
- Springfield Endurance Test Guns
- Why 1911?
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I am in the same club of not wanting to clean my guns which means I often to forget my guns. I had an AR go about 600 rounds before it had some issues so I pulled it apart and actually cleaned it and in retrospect I could have probably got by with just lubing it up. I’m just not used to guns where that is a serious issue.
That’s why I carry a G19.
Todd, on these high count range days do you see an advantage to running the gun with grease rather then oil?
I can’t help but wonder where others see the tipping point… where a firearm requiring (subjectively) more maintenance is (subjectively) worth it?
Some may call it laziness but the reality is that there are always “other things” demanding attention besides the gun I carry…
I guess for me it would come down to accuracy and speed – if I was significantly more accurate and fast with a particularly maintenance-heavy firearm I would have to consider it… but it would have to be really, uh, significant.
Thoughts?
ps – I do love 1911s, just not for carry.
hi todd nice to see you ner the 10,000 rd mark..im a die hard custom 1911 fan from broad now i have to ask, how is the pistols fit now?is it still tight as when you got it?or are there areas that now has play?
brian — I’ve not noticed anything loosening except for the bushing, which no longer requires a tool to remove.
Tim,
Don’t carry a 1911, but if you’re using grease you wouldn’t need to clean and re-lube it unless you had a pretty serious range day, which would limit your cleanings to range days. The only reason you might need re-lubing with oil is that it doesn’t tend to stay put as well. Doesn’t really seem like a factor to me for carry, unless you’re like me and you’re too lazy to clean after the range.
Todd:
Have you noticed any decrease in 25 yard accuracy with the looser bushing? Supposedly very tight bushings add to accuracy, but that hasn’t always been my experience.