PROJECT STREET GUN - FINAL DATE

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON

UPDATED October 3rd, 2006

FINAL DATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED, BECAUSE OF ALL THE INTEREST IN PROJECT STREET GUN...



I will be closing the FIFTH PROJECT STREET GUN CLASS ON FRIDAY - OCTOBER 6th, 2006, 7 PM CENTRAL TIME... It is now time to wrap it up and proceed to our necessary procedures in order to implement this next project.

If you want the best street gun that money can buy without spending a small fortune this is the time to get in touch with me or Stephen Camp. We have learned by experience what works and what area to stay away from.

We are going to make a rock solid street gun using a Springfield Armory Mil-Spec 1911 pistol with the very best parts and springs money can buy. You will have to meet our guidelines which are quite simple. We want honest and sincere people that will listen to us, we do not use after market barrels and we do not use full length guide rods. We want NO TARGET PEOPLE. THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A TARGET PISTOL. NO STAINLESS STEEL MIL-SPECS WILL BE ALLOWED BECAUSE OF DIMENSIONAL PROBLEMS.

I make these kits personally and you will get approx. 20 parts and springs. All engagements are cut by me personally using special jigs I have made, I do not have to see your frame. All engagements are checked on a microscope. We only use a MODIFIED straight spur hammer and we buy the best of everything. YOU WILL FINALLY LEARN HOW TO AVOID THE IDIOT SCRATCH THAT OCCURS ON THE FRAME FROM INSERTING THE SLIDE STOP. My logo will be on the hammer.

Most people are sucked into buying very high dollar production 1911 pistols and they are just that. You will never know who has worked on the assembly of your $2500.00 pistol with a well known name. I agree that these high dollar 1911 pistols usually look beautiful on the out side, but if I showed you the internals and what to look for inside you would be sick.

We have taken a different approach as I do the internals and you will learn to install these superior parts in your very own SA Mil-Spec 1911 pistol. Once you learn to do one , you will have the knowledge to take apart other 1911 pistols in the series 70 line. This is a learning curve for those that are tired of getting ripped off by all the BS out there.

Please feel free to email Mr. Camp or me about any questions you may have. Time is getting short and we want to get this fifth project started. We still have room for a few more people. No gunsmiths will be accepted, this is more of a do it your self Armorers project and with my DVD and Mr. Camps 2 superb manuals and complete phone access to me there will be all the help you will ever need.

I will list my website and Mr. Camps website at the bottom of this commentary. If you want to call me that is ok also. You can reach me most any day after 10 am central time at 281 565 6977.

Many of you will want a primary 1911 pistol you can depend on and this may be it for you. I will be looking forward to helping you with your project street gun.

Thanks for reading this commentary.

Teddy

tjacobson@houston.rr.com

s.camp9@charter.net

http://www.actionsbyt.com/

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http://hipowersandhandguns.com

Not readily visible from the outside, this Mil-Spec's internal parts have been replaced with upgraded ones done by trigger specialist, Teddy Jacobson. This "hidden" work has resulted in a very good 1911 pattern pistol and one that I would absolutely trust in a serious situation.

This Mil-Spec .45 auto has proven itself utterly reliable with a wide selection of bullet types and is one I trust for "serious matters."

Finalizing Project Street Gun No. 5

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON


TODAYS COMMENT 9-21-06

I will be setting a cut off date very soon. Please contact me now if you have an interest in this Project Street Gun Number 5 as it is a chance of a lifetime. We only have a few openings left but if you have any questions at all you can email me through my website which is listed below. Mr. Camp has fired close to 5000 rounds out of his SA Mil-Spec and it never missed a beat. You can also call me most any day after 10 am central time at 281 565 6977...

Thankyou,

Teddy

...................................................................................................................



We have been very pleased with the previous project street gun classes we have gotten through. It has given the private gun owner an opportunity to learn a great deal about their pistol. Our main intent was and still is to provide the knowledge for you to be able to do all the work yourself using the parts kit that I make for you. You do the work at your own pace. There is no reason for you to buy a very high dollar production 1911 pistol that is assembled by many people, these high dollar 1911's are "NOT" a custom pistol.

Our project is designed to deal with reality. The very best buy in a 1911 pistol is the Springfield Armory Mil-Spec that sells for about $500.00. The down side to this is that they are in such demand that it is hard to locate one. We want to show you how to disassemble and reassemble your own pistol and it will be easy after you have followed our instructions with practice. This is a chance of a lifetime as we do not know how many more projects we will have.

I can not compete with the beautiful pictures in these magazines that are done with an $8000.00 digital camera and a photo workshop program on their computer. Most people buy looks and are taken every time. I dispise the lies and BS. People who just want a reliable first class street gun for protection of life and property do not need these $2000.00 to $3000.00 production handguns, you will not want to even carry one because of what you paid for it. It will become a "SAFE QUEEN" ...

These SA Mil-Spec pistols that are parkerized or the basic G.I. model is all you will ever need to carry and depend on. I am very careful who I let into these projects and both Mr. Camp and I want sincere people that will follow our guidelines. We know what works and what is wrong. We will not install new barrels or target sights, this will be your favorite carry gun to protect your life and family and property. There will be no full length guide rods used and my kit supplies approx. 20 parts and springs. We buy the very best of everything that we can find.

I can cut a hammer and a sear to perfection without ever seeing your frame. I have been doing this for many years and I check all the engagements on a microscope. I want to finalize the people for this project and I will set up a cut off date very soon. There is still openings for a few more sincere people. The hard part will be to locate a SA Mil-Spec pistol. NO STAINLESS STEEL PISTOLS WILL BE ACCEPTED BECAUSE SOME DIMENSIONS ARE NOT THE SAME.

I personally like stainless steel but when doing this project its a different story when having to deal with different dimensions. For example all the accessories on the SA stainless pistol are chrome plated carbon steel. This alone changes dimensions for me that is different than the parkerized version.

Please contact me via email or by phone and we can talk about the details of this next project that will start very soon. You can find all my contact information on my website. I now supply a DVD with each kit and Mr. Camp has two wonderful books that are top rated by anyones standards with each kit.

Only a straight spur hammer will be used for this project and each hammer will have my logo on it. It is a wide spur hammer that will be easy for anyone to cock. We are using stainless steel springs that the Navy Seals use to retard internal corossion. Our recoil springs will be made of Chrome Silicon wire and conventionally wound and rated at 16 lbs.

Springfield Armory Mil-Spec "Progress Report"

By Stephen Camp

Since I wrote "A Critical Look at the Springfield Armory Mil-Spec" in January 2005, many more rounds have flown downrange and I thought that it might be of interest on how the pistol has held up and any problems. (That article is in this section of the site for those interested.)

The pistol worked fine as it came from the factory, but had a less-than-stellar trigger pull and the hammer spur nipped me regularly. I bobbed the hammer and eliminated that and also used a Pachmayr drop-in grip safety to eliminate the wear and tear caused by the sharp edges of the factory grip safety. Not happy with that set up, I eventually rounded the edges of the factory GI-type grip safety and this pretty well solved the problem.

I find that with the rounded GI grip safety and a slightly shortened spur hammer, I can comfortably shoot the pistol about 200 full-power loads without problems. I much prefer the wide grip safety, but wanted at least one 1911-pattern pistol that somewhat resembled the unmodified 1911 stalwart. (Some seem to think that because they have no problems with the GI type grip safety, no one else should either. Frequently, comments like, "If beavertails were needed, John Browning would have put them on the gun," and other such information-filled eloquent pearls of …crap. Different folks find that different things work for them and if you are one better served with the wide grip safety, go for it. If the standard type works fine for you, great, but I submit that it is up to the individual user to make the decision.)

Not readily visible from the outside, this Mil-Spec's internal parts have been replaced with upgraded ones done by trigger specialist, Teddy Jacobson. This "hidden" work has resulted in a very good 1911 pattern pistol and one that I would absolutely trust in a serious situation.

Even though the pistol was working fine and in stock condition, I did upgrade the internal parts with those supplied by trigger specialist, Teddy Jacobson of Actions by T. The trigger was initially just shy of about 5-lbs, with the break being both crisp and clean. It settled in at about 4 1/2-lbs and has stayed there. The gun was equipped with a steel firing pin as well, but the slide stop and single-side thumb safety have been left alone. The wide EMC spur hammer he provided is finely checkered and has been bobbed and recontoured to eliminate hammer bite.

I kept the factory short trigger, but smoothed it up. I also replaced the mainspring housing for another arched one that I already had. It has no lock and standard size parts work in it. Though not at all necessary, I replaced the checkered plastic stocks that came with the pistol for a set I simply think looks better while still offering a secure grip.

This Mil-Spec .45 auto has proven itself utterly reliable with a wide selection of bullet types and is one I trust for "serious matters."

I have not kept an exact round count, but it is in excess of 4K as this is written. Most of these have been either 200-gr. CSWC handloads at about 870 ft/sec or 230-gr. CFP and CRN at roughly 840 ft/sec. It has also gobbled up several hundred 230-gr. Federal HydraShoks, Golden Sabers, Gold Dots, Ranger JHP's, and ball rounds.

With any full-power load, it has had zero malfunctions, not one. There have been no failures to extract or eject and the slide stop consistently locks back when the last shot's fired and not before.

The sights on this gun are as they came from the factory. They were properly regulated and I've seen no reason to change them.

Slide-to-frame fit both vertical and horizontal has very, very little "slop." The barrel-to-slide fit has remained solid as a rock, with wear marks evenly distributed on the rear edge of the barrel hood. I have no intentions of changing either the factory barrel or bushing as the gun groups very nicely as is.

The pistol's parkerized finish is holding up nicely, though a ding or two is now present.

Wear marks are not excessive and evenly distributed on both sets of slide rails.

It is my understanding that the Mil-Spec is not so easy to find as in the recent past. I do not know if that is because gun dealers sell them as fast as they get them or if SA is focusing on other models, or what, but if you want a relatively inexpensive no frills 1911-pattern .45, I would give these a long and hard look.

I own several 1911 pistols, most being more costly than the Mil-Spec, but I trust none of them more than I do this one.

This Mil-Spec has proven itself to me. It groups adequately and has demonstrated extreme reliability while being essentially a "basic" type 1911 pattern pistol. The 9mm/38 Super firing pin used has presented no problems with either breakage or firing. The gun runs on everything I've tried with the exception of a very light target SWC that was loaded too lightly for the gun's standard power ISMI 16-lb recoil spring. All standard pressure and +P loads have worked flawlessly.

Four thousand full power loads are certainly not that many compared to what more than a few serious shooters crank off in a year's time. I think that they've been enough to prove to me (at least) that the old saw that a 1911 has to cost thousands to be reliable is pretty much false…but many already know that.

Do I believe that all Mil-Specs will run flawlessly out of the box? Nope, but the last 5 or 6 I have seen sure have. With the immense continuing popularity of John Browning's enduring design, factories crank them out as fast as they can and some that shouldn't have got past quality control simply do. It is not right, but such seems to be the case. That said, I believe that the Mil-Spec is a very, very fine choice for folks wanting a quality 1911 without breaking the bank.

A gun does not have to be ultra-expensive to be special. I would not hesitate to use this one in a fight if required. When I carry a 1911 for self-protection, it is almost always this one.

Thanks for reading this project update.

Teddy

http://www.actionsbyt.com

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Project Street Gun - Must Read

Project Street gun Continues, please see last commentary for details...

ADDED COMMENTARY VERY BOTTOM 9-13-06

My email is not working properly.... So for now please use my alternate email

teddy@teddyjacobson.com

Teddy Jacobson - Pistolsmith

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http://www.survivalblog.com/

http://hipowersandhandguns.com

Springfield Armory Mil-Spec "Progress Report"

By Stephen Camp

Since I wrote "A Critical Look at the Springfield Armory Mil-Spec" in January 2005, many more rounds have flown downrange and I thought that it might be of interest on how the pistol has held up and any problems. (That article is in this section of the site for those interested.)

The pistol worked fine as it came from the factory, but had a less-than-stellar trigger pull and the hammer spur nipped me regularly. I bobbed the hammer and eliminated that and also used a Pachmayr drop-in grip safety to eliminate the wear and tear caused by the sharp edges of the factory grip safety. Not happy with that set up, I eventually rounded the edges of the factory GI-type grip safety and this pretty well solved the problem.

I find that with the rounded GI grip safety and a slightly shortened spur hammer, I can comfortably shoot the pistol about 200 full-power loads without problems. I much prefer the wide grip safety, but wanted at least one 1911-pattern pistol that somewhat resembled the unmodified 1911 stalwart. (Some seem to think that because they have no problems with the GI type grip safety, no one else should either. Frequently, comments like, "If beavertails were needed, John Browning would have put them on the gun," and other such information-filled eloquent pearls of …crap. Different folks find that different things work for them and if you are one better served with the wide grip safety, go for it. If the standard type works fine for you, great, but I submit that it is up to the individual user to make the decision.)

Even though the pistol was working fine and in stock condition, I did upgrade the internal parts with those supplied by trigger specialist, Teddy Jacobson of Actions by T. The trigger was initially just shy of about 5-lbs, with the break being both crisp and clean. It settled in at about 4 1/2-lbs and has stayed there. The gun was equipped with a steel firing pin as well, but the slide stop and single-side thumb safety have been left alone. The wide EMC spur hammer he provided is finely checkered and has been bobbed and recontoured to eliminate hammer bite.

I kept the factory short trigger, but smoothed it up. I also replaced the mainspring housing for another arched one that I already had. It has no lock and standard size parts work in it. Though not at all necessary, I replaced the checkered plastic stocks that came with the pistol for a set I simply think looks better while still offering a secure grip.

This Mil-Spec .45 auto has proven itself utterly reliable with a wide selection of bullet types and is one I trust for "serious matters."

I have not kept an exact round count, but it is in excess of 4K as this is written. Most of these have been either 200-gr. CSWC handloads at about 870 ft/sec or 230-gr. CFP and CRN at roughly 840 ft/sec. It has also gobbled up several hundred 230-gr. Federal HydraShoks, Golden Sabers, Gold Dots, Ranger JHP's, and ball rounds.

With any full-power load, it has had zero malfunctions, not one. There have been no failures to extract or eject and the slide stop consistently locks back when the last shot's fired and not before.

The sights on this gun are as they came from the factory. They were properly regulated and I've seen no reason to change them.

Slide-to-frame fit both vertical and horizontal has very, very little "slop." The barrel-to-slide fit has remained solid as a rock, with wear marks evenly distributed on the rear edge of the barrel hood. I have no intentions of changing either the factory barrel or bushing as the gun groups very nicely as is.

The pistol's parkerized finish is holding up nicely, though a ding or two is now present.

Wear marks are not excessive and evenly distributed on both sets of slide rails.

It is my understanding that the Mil-Spec is not so easy to find as in the recent past. I do not know if that is because gun dealers sell them as fast as they get them or if SA is focusing on other models, or what, but if you want a relatively inexpensive no frills 1911-pattern .45, I would give these a long and hard look.

I own several 1911 pistols, most being more costly than the Mil-Spec, but I trust none of them more than I do this one.

This Mil-Spec has proven itself to me. It groups adequately and has demonstrated extreme reliability while being essentially a "basic" type 1911 pattern pistol. The 9mm/38 Super firing pin used has presented no problems with either breakage or firing. The gun runs on everything I've tried with the exception of a very light target SWC that was loaded too lightly for the gun's standard power ISMI 16-lb recoil spring. All standard pressure and +P loads have worked flawlessly.

Four thousand full power loads are certainly not that many compared to what more than a few serious shooters crank off in a year's time. I think that they've been enough to prove to me (at least) that the old saw that a 1911 has to cost thousands to be reliable is pretty much false…but many already know that.

Do I believe that all Mil-Specs will run flawlessly out of the box? Nope, but the last 5 or 6 I have seen sure have. With the immense continuing popularity of John Browning's enduring design, factories crank them out as fast as they can and some that shouldn't have got past quality control simply do. It is not right, but such seems to be the case. That said, I believe that the Mil-Spec is a very, very fine choice for folks wanting a quality 1911 without breaking the bank.

A gun does not have to be ultra-expensive to be special. I would not hesitate to use this one in a fight if required. When I carry a 1911 for self-protection, it is almost always this one.

Project Street Gun Continues 9 - 4 - 06

"PROJECT STREET GUN" - Next Class is our fifth project... this is a repeat commentary of when I started project street gun, only I have modified it.

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON

I have been making 1911 internal upgrade kits for many years and I know how to initially set up the geometry to work well with any 1911 frame. These hand refined parts of mine are used every where by professionals.

NO SPRINGFIELD ARMORY STAINLESS STEEL MIL SPEC PISTOLS
WILL BE ACCEPTED BECAUSE THE PHYSICAL GEOMETRY IS NOT THE SAME AS THE PARKERIZED VERSION. I CAN SUPPLY PROJECT PEOPLE WITH NAMES OF DEALERS THAT CAN HELP THEM LOCATE A SA MIL-SPEC PISTOL.



There is no reason that a person needs to spend a small fortune on a factory, semi custom, or a custom 1911 pistol in order to get a user friendly street gun.

My friend, the very well known gun writer Stephen Camp who has remarkable extensive knowledge of the Browning Hi Power and the 1911 pistol, etc, and I are investigating the very real possibility of starting "PROJECT STREET GUN" . The concept is to upgrade an existing 1911 pistol and to cater to the average 1911 person that wants a 45 acp caliber street gun with the finest hand fitted parts for the money. To make it affordable we are not going to try and teach anyone how to make a custom 1911 pistol.

That really makes no sense to me personally, only because it would be very hard to find the talent and it would be unrealistic for the average person to come up with that kind of money. Not every one is capable of the fine detailed work that is necessary and besides who would want to carry such a prized custom 1911 pistol.

We will start with a basic MILL SPEC 1911 PISTOL. WE WILL ONLY USE A FULL SIZE GOVERNMENT MODEL THAT IS PARKERIZED. I have already contacted a major wholesaler who will sell them to our people at a very reduced price. For those people that already have purchased and own a pistol like this that is fairly new and has never been worked on, they would "NOT" have to buy the new 1911 pistol from my wholesaler, we would still consider them. No Stainless Steel mil-spec pistols will be accepted...

I will not be buying the pistol direct and selling it to you, our plan is to arrange for the project people to buy this 1911 Mill Spec pistol direct thru their FFL dealer.


We will do "NO" front strap checkering, we will do "NO" beavertails, we will replace most of the internals as I make them for each 1911 pistol involved in the project. We will not have to refinish anything. Steve and I are going to show you how to make a basic street gun that is very user friendly for the serious person that wants a 1911 pistol to carry and use and has A LIMITED BUDGET. We will use the original frame and slide and barrel. We will also use the original factory installed sights.

You will do all the assembly under our instruction and I made a DVD explaining the 1911 series 70 pistol that is very detailed that will guide you along with other things we will supply. For your part this is "NOT" going to be a high dollar outlay of money for you compared to all the other options out there. We are not greedy people and we are going to always have your interest in mind from the beginning to the end, in order to make you a very affordable "USER GUN" .

This kit will contain approx. 20 parts and springs. We will be using Stainless Steel spring where any corrosion may be a factor. We will use a recoil spring that is made from Chrome Silicon premium wire. We will also replace the alloy firing pin with one made of good steel. added this paragraph 9 - 4 - 06...

We will recommend the use COBRA magazines which are not included. I know how to make internal kits after all these years of experience using my special jigs to compensate for frame dimensions. WHAT WE NEED NOW IS YOUR INPUT. If you will please contact me at tjacobson@houston.rr.com

We will tell you more about what we have in mind, but we want your input and thoughts on this project. I can estimate the projected time span after you receive your new mill spec 1911 pistol will be about 4 weeks to completion. I see no reason that every one do this in unison and I think it would be better for everyone to work at their own pace, because you will still have your own problems and jobs to cope with. You will install my parts that will be hand finished by me. Steve will take the detailed photos that you will need along with my DVD. Mr. Camp now supplies 2 wonderful detailed books with each kit.

We reserve the right to accept only those people who we think are capable of this task, I for one would never let you waste your hard earned money if I thought you could not do this.

The street pistol that you will put together will have a trigger pull of approx. 4.5 lbs that will break like glass.
I believe we will accept 15 people for this project.
Stephen Camp and I have a reputation of total honesty, second to none.


AUTHORS PERSONAL NOTATION:
This commentary as well as all my previous commentaries are my personal opinion only and my personal viewpoint only. Thankyou for all the emails, I will answer them all as time allows.


Teddy Jacobson / Pistolsmith
www.actionsbyt.com
281 565 6977
tjacobson@houston.rr.com

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Starting New Project Street Gun

Starting New Project Street Gun - (see links below - added 9-4-06)

A Critical Look at the Springfield Mil-Spec

By Stephen Camp

It is a safe bet to say that 1911 pattern pistols are extremely popular with American shooters. There are many reasons for this and 1911 type pistols are sold in various price ranges. Enter customized pistols or truly custom 1911's built from the frame and slide up and costs can soar. One can spend from a few hundred dollars to about as much as he can afford for this classic pattern pistol.

The focus of this article is the somewhat spartan Springfield Armory Mil-Spec in .45 ACP. The Mil-Spec is a "no frills" 1911 A1 type forty-five. It does not have an internal firing pin safety ala Colt Series 80 pistols or the Kimber II guns. Its titanium firing pin has passed the drop tests mandated by some states. No longer news, the front grip strap on more recent SA 1911 pistols is rounded.

The Mil-Spec .45 ACP can be had in the following variations.

Parkerized (Product Number: PB9108L)

Stainless (Product Number: PB9151L)

Bi Tone (Product Number: PB9104L)

OD Green (Product Number: PB9609L)

For this report, a parkerized version was used.

This Mil-Spec is as it came from the box with the exception of a drop-in Pachmayer grip safety. There will be more discussion of this in the text. The Mil-Spec has a lowered ejection port with the "scallop" at the rear and fixed sights that are easy to see at speed.

As can be seen on the box, another version of the Mil-Spec is available. Now called the "GI .45 1911-A1" by Springfield Armory, it has small fixed sights and the traditional non-lowered ejection port. These can be had for about a hundred dollars less than the Mil-Spec and the main differences between the guns have been mentioned. I prefer the larger sights. The GI .45 as shown here is designated by product number PW9108L. The Mil-Spec and the GI .45 come with spur hammers and the more narrow GI type grip safeties. The Mil-Spec has slide serrations angling slightly forward while the GI gun's are vertical. If the sights on the Mil-Spec are not satisfactory and a change is planned, the WWII Mil-Spec aka "GI .45 1911-A1" might be the way to go as these run about a hundred bucks less. The one shown ejects reliably without dented cases with its smaller, non-lowered ejection port.

Specifications:

Barrel Length: 5"

Pitch: 1:16 with left hand twist

Weight: 35.6 ounces

LOA: 8.625"

Trigger: short, serrated

Trigger Pull: 5-6 lbs.

Hammer: Spur

Grip Safety: Standard GI

Stocks: Black checkered plastic

Thumb Safety: Single side, not extended typical GI

Mainspring Housing: Arched, grooved and with "safety" lock

Recoil Spring & Guide Rod: Standard GI

Barrel Bushing: Solid

Magazine Well Beveled: Yes

Loaded Chamber Indicator: Yes. It is a small slot in the top of the barrel hood.

Forward Slide Serrations: (Mercifully) none

Throated for JHP: Yes

Sights: Fixed 3-dot style (Rear sight dovetailed with front sight staked)

Firing Pin: Small diameter as for 9mm/.38 Super and made of titanium

The barrel on my pistol is stainless steel with an average barrel OD of 0.570" until you get to 0.60" from the muzzle. At that point, the OD is slightly greater, measuring 0.578". This allows for tighter lock up in battery and generally provides greater mechanical accuracy assuming that the bushing is tight.

Here you can see the stainless steel barrel in the Mil-Spec from SA. Note the "loaded indicator" slot in the barrel hood. Chambered cartridges are easy to see. I can live with or without it but it has caused no problems. Initially I had thought that this was a one-piece barrel, but barely visible about midway between the "O" in "Auto" and the end of the chamber area of this barrel you can see the hairline where the two pieces are joined. I have heard of one or two of these barrels coming apart, but have never seen it. I suspect those instances were flukes. Browning Hi Power barrels have been two-piece for decades as are current aftermarket match barrels for them from BarSto. I believe it to be plenty durable and have no intentions of changing it.

The SA Mil-Spec front sight is not serrated and is staked to the slide. This is a slight change from earlier versions of the gun that had a post front sight. While I prefer the post for sight pictures, they can be a problem if the pistol is carried in the waistband without a holster. In a proper holster that clears the sight, I've found posts to be no problem. For a carry gun this gently sloping front sight is probably a better choice.

The rear sight is plain but in conjunction with the front sight provides an extremely nice sight picture. The front sight measures 0.12" while the notch in the rear sight is 0.11". This combination allows for plenty of light with the pistol's sight radius of 6.25".

Slide-to-frame fit on this gun is very good, better than expected, in fact. There is very little lateral play and none vertically. Likewise, the barrel fits the slide tightly. In battery there is no detectable movement. The bushing is snug, but can be removed without a bushing wrench. The bushing-to-slide fit is quite satisfactory, but it is not flush fitting or as nicely done as would be the case with one hand-fitted to this individual slide. It is plenty good for my purposes and never noticed by many.

Springfield Armory rates the trigger at 5 to 6 pounds. While I didn't measure it, mine is heavier than that and I'd estimate it at about 8 pounds initially. It has lightened up to a bit less after shooting. It does not break as cleanly as a 1911 having a proper trigger job, but is usable. (More on this later.)

Some tool marks are evident inside the gun, but nothing excessive and nothing that cannot be cleaned up if desired by the owner. Slide-to-frame fit at the rear of the gun is not perfectly blended as in the case of a custom gun, but neither is it "bad" or excessive. The degree to which the slide is not flush with the rear of the slide is minute and while not "acceptable" on a custom 1911, it really doesn't affect reliability for a "street gun". Most folks never notice it unless extreme; in this instance it is not.

Shooting: This pistol has had approximately 600 rounds fired through it without cleaning. Ammunition included Sellier & Bellot 230-gr. FMJ, Remington 185-gr. MC Flat Nose, Winchester USA 230-gr. FMJ, and various factory JHP's and handloads. Distances were 10, 15, and 25 yards.

During one session in which 300 rounds were fired, the web between my thumb and trigger finger got pretty chewed up, as has been my plight with GI grip safeties for decades. My problem with the SA was that the edges of the GI grip safety were sharp, real sharp, and cut two parallel lines along my hand. Combine that with the tip of the hammer nipping like a piranha in a feeding frenzy and it became more than evident that a change was in order. It is for that reason that I removed the grip safety before any further shooting and replaced it with a "drop in" from Pachmayr. It worked properly and being the shorter version of the two sold by this company, it worked fine with the spur hammer. Another approach might be to gently bevel and round the offended edges of the GI grip safety and bob the hammer spur approximately 3/16^th to 1/4". (For many this is never an issue, but for me the traditional grip safety and spur hammer have always been a significant problem.)

10 Yards: This was done standing w/two-hand hold from a Weaver stance and simply consisted of controlled pairs along with a few failure to stop drills involving head shots.

Starting at a low ready each set of controlled pairs was fired in a bit under a second. There are some shots farther out than I like and part of that is due to the somewhat heavier trigger pull and the fact that while no longer being "bitten" by the gun, the scabs were wearing off and discomfort growing with each shot. None the less, results were encouraging.

15 Yards: These groups were fired standing and in slow-fire using a two-hand hold.

The Mil-Spec is plenty accurate for my purposes and I have no intentions of changing the barrel, bushing, or sights.

25 Yards: At this distance, I fired sitting and with my wrists braced. Two hands were used and shots were fired with no effort at speed. I simply wanted to see how the gun grouped at this distance.

This group was fired using a Precision 200-gr. CSWC loaded over 5.0-gr. of Bullseye powder. It averages around 860 ft/sec from most 5" 1911 pistols. Due to rain, I did no chronograph work, but will in the future. Other Springfield Armory 1911's have normally provided no surprises in velocity in my experiences with them.

Federal 230-gr. HydraShok remains popular with a great number of 1911 shooters so I fired a few groups with it at 25 yards from a rest. The ammunition used was the early truncated cone version of the load that was changed to have a more rounded ogive for better feeding. This load usually clocks about 870 ft/sec from a 5" gun.

Groups shown are the best fired, but those that were not so nice were due to me, not the gun, as I knew before looking when a shot was going to be bad. The "piranha" had taken its toll.

Observations: The gun is a keeper and one that will have different "guts" in the near future. I've not yet decided whether to retain the arched mainspring housing or go with a flat one, but I noticed no real difference in shooting. I will probably go with a long trigger. I will use a spur hammer (bobbed) as I would kind of like to have a 1911 with one since all of my others have ring hammers. The SA hammer could be used but I simply don't care for the half-cock "shelf" vs. the more traditional notch. With the SA hammer in the half-cock position, a press of the trigger will drop it. With the lightweight titanium firing pin, primers were not dented and barely marked, but not each and every time. I simply prefer the hammer not to fall from the half-cock position should the trigger be pressed.

Trigger pull will wind up being about 5 pounds and will break cleanly. The standard thumb safety that came on the gun is satisfactory as I do not shoot high thumb.

I was most pleasantly surprised that the POA vs. POI was dead bang "on" for me. Sometimes this relationship in fixed sight pistols is rather casual, but I'm more than happy with the sights on this pistol as they are and do not intend to change them.

Here are some of the rounds that were fired in the SA Mil-Spec that differ from 230-gr. ball. From left to right: 200-gr. Precision CSWC/5.0-gr. Bullseye, Speer 230-gr. Gold Dot/6.3-gr. Unique, Hornady 230-gr. FMJFP/6.3-gr. Unique, Remington 230-gr. Golden Saber/6.3-gr. Unique, Federal 230-gr.HydraShok (old style), Federal 230-gr. Classic JHP, and Remington 185-gr. MC-Flat Nose.

The Mil-Spec was used with several different magazines. Some are shown here with the ammunition fired using each. From top to bottom: Springfield OEM 7-round magazine, Randall 7-shot with Tripp Cobra Mag follower and spring, and an 8-shot McCormick PowerMag. The gun was also fired using Mec-Gar 7 and 8-shot magazines, Wilson 7-shot mags, and some 7-shot Colt magazines.

With just over 600 rounds fired, this Mil-Spec has had exactly zero malfunctions. Feeding and extraction have been smooth and positive. (I'd checked the extractor and it seemed to be tensioned properly. I left it alone.) The slide stop never failed to lock back after the last shot was fired and it never locked the slide back with rounds still remaining in the magazine. It did this with all magazines tried.

None of the magazines fit too tightly in the magazine well and all dropped freely when released.

Ejected cases do strike the slide, but recovered cases showed no dents.

The ejector is pinned in place and measures 0.99" from the top of the rear to the front upper tip. A solid steel pin is used. All ammunition used was easily cycled and ejected by hand without hang ups and none of the primers were marked by the tip of the ejector.

With the full-power mainspring, the titanium firing pin had no problems with primers not being set off. I have not yet decided whether or not to change this. So far it has not been an issue.

Depending on where one looks, this version of the Mil-Spec can be found at around $500 or a bit less and I believe it is money well spent if a person's looking for either a base gun for further enhancement or to use as is. I'm satisfied with the parkerized finish as I prefer dark guns, but the pistol can be had in stainless steel construction and other finishes are certainly available.

My plans for this particular Mil-Spec are for it to become a trusted carry gun. I have a Norinco that meets such duties now and while in the same general price range with its minor upgrades, they are getting hard to come by. The Mil-Spec is not and neither does it cost so much that it is out of too many folks' financial reach. While I cannot say that each and every Mil-Spec will function as flawlessly as this one, I do believe that they can with very little effort. This one worked perfectly with or without shock buffs in place.

The SA Mil-Spec can be a very good carry gun and one that doesn't break the bank if dinged up a bit as is normally the case when a pistol is carried daily. Should a person have to use it against another human being, the time that it is in evidence might be a bit less traumatic than were it a 1911 costing several times as much. Do not misconstrue my last sentence. There is absolutely nothing wrong with carrying an expensive sidearm for the very important business of protecting one's hide, but for many of us, this pistol is capable of being a most satisfactory defense gun.

This Springfield Armory "low end" 1911 is neither my favorite nor best looking 1911, but it is proving to be one that I enjoy, will use, and more importantly, trust. Many of us have some really nice custom and customized 1911's...and I fall into that group. At the same time I really like "using guns" that perform well and this gun is proving itself to be perfect for such perceived needs. When I eventually get through with the changes necessary to suit me, it will still look very much like an out of the box Mil-Spec but I suspect that it will perform at a level that belies its "basic" look.

..............................................................................................................................

Mr. Stephen Camp and I are going to start taking names of very intertested sincere people for our fifth Project Street Gun Class. You can email me at tjacobson@houston.rr.com or you can call me at 281 565 6977.

Teddy
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Corbon .45 ACP 185-gr. DPX from SIG-Sauer P220 & 5" 1911

By Stephen Camp

Speaking of their newest ammunition line, Mr. Mike Shovel of Corbon advised, "All calibers in DPX will penetrate 12 to 16" in denim-covered ballistic gelatin." He went on to state that this line of ammunition is designed to meet the FBI protocols for bullet performance and said that DPX also works very well after encountering barriers other than denim. The few test results that I'd seen on this new load fall midway between the penetration depths mentioned by Mr. Shovel when fired into gelatin covered with 4-layers of denim.

I asked what the velocity threshold was to start expansion. He stated that in .45 ACP, it is 800 ft/sec. Mr. Shovel went on to say that the Corbon .45 DPX round works fine in the short barrel forty-five's as well.

The .45 ACP DPX load uses a 185-gr. copper Barnes X-bullet and the cartridge is loaded to 1.23" LOA. The hollow point measures 0.225" wide by 0.37" deep and the wall thickness at the front of the hollow measured 0.02" thick.

The .45 ACP Corbon DPX round is fairly "traditional" in appearance but uses a homogeneous bullet made from a copper alloy. The load is rated +P and is so noted on the case head stamp. The load is nominally rated at 1075 ft/sec. With no jacket and no lead, fragmentation does not occur.

The shortest barrel .45 ACP pistols I own have 4 1/4" barrels. I opted to use a pistol having such a barrel length instead of the very common 5" 1911 pattern pistol for informal expansion testing. The handgun chosen was a SIG-Sauer P220.

Two pistols were used to evaluate the .45 DPX load. On the left is a SIG-Sauer P220 w/4.25" barrel. Next to it is a Kimber Classic Custom with the usual 5" factory barrel. The P220 was fired using factory 7-round magazines. The Kimber used Wilson 7-round magazines, a McCormick 8-shot PowerMag, and a Colt 7-shot magazine using Virgil Tripp's Cobra Mag upgrade kit. The P220 was used for expansion testing.

Fired into water from the SIG-Sauer P220, this 185-gr. DPX expanded to 0.81" x 0.83" x 0.55" tall. The recovered bullet weighed 184.3 grains. Note how "long" the expanded bullet remains; it doesn't flatten out as much as conventional JHP's known to be aggressive expanders. Corbon has long manufactured ammunition to very high velocities for respective calibers. Their 165-gr. PowRball +P is such a round. Weighing 20 grains less than the DPX. It is advertised at a considerably higher 1225 ft/sec.

Here we see the expanded .45 DPX compared to the expanded PowRball after both were fired into water from a SIG-Sauer P220. The side view graphically shows how the DPX retains a longer expanded bullet that is more likely to penetrate than the PowRball "pancake". The PowRball expanded to 0.80" and with the jacket fragments weighed 161 grains. (PowRball averaged 1189 ft/sec from the P220.)

Here is the expanded DPX (middle) compared to some conventional .45 ACP JHP's. Clockwise from the top left we have Federal 230-gr. Hydrashok, Remington 230-gr. Golden Saber, Federal Classic 230-gr. JHP, and Winchester (law enforcement only) Ranger 230-gr. RA45T.

Two expanded Corbon 185-gr. DPX bullets flank Winchester's excellent 230-gr. RA45T, which evolved from the original Black Talon of the same weight. Where the heavier bullet has more weight to aid in obtaining sufficient penetration, the DPX has length and spaces between the rigid copper petals. I suspect that damage from either is both significant and similar in "soft targets".

Shooting was done at 15 and 25 yards with the DPX ammunition. All shooting was slow-fire and single-action only while using a rest. Felt recoil was very similar to Corbon's conventional 185-gr. JHP +P, which uses the Sierra Power Jacket Hollow Point bullet.

These 15-yard groups were fired while sitting and using a two-hand hold. The ammunition proved quite good for its intended purpose. POA was the center of the gray bullseye.

A great number of .45 fans routinely use 230-gr. ball for practice as it almost always has the same POI vs. POA as the 230-gr. JHP ammo most carry. I thought it might be useful to know where the Corbon 185-gr. DPX strikes the target from a gun with its sights regulated for standard velocity 230-gr. ammunition. The Kimber was used for this at 25 yards.

Winchester USA 230-gr. FMJ was fired as the "control" load to compare the DPX load's POI for the same POA in a gun set for standard pressure 230-gr. ammunition. Ten shots were fired with each load. The lines through holes mark the Winchester's impacts. The lighter and faster 185-gr. DPX strikes slightly lower at this distance. Whether or not it matters depends upon the degree of precision the shooter finds necessary. For most of us, there is not enough divergence in points of impact to matter.

As distance increases, so can differences in points of impact. At 25 yards, I fired a group using the SIG-Sauer P220.

POA was the center of the bullseye. Shooting was done slowly, seated, and using a two-hand hold. My wrists were braced. Is there enough difference in the POI with the DPX at 25 yards to matter? It depends on what the ammunition and pistol is being used for. If the intended target is a couple of inches in size, it is two much. For center chest hits on a moving human aggressor, probably not.

The ammunition was chronographed from both pistols. Each set of figures is based on 10 shots fired approximately 10 feet from the chronograph screens. Figures are in ft/sec.

Corbon 185-gr. DPX +P Chronograph Data:

Pistol	Low Velocity	High Velocity	Ave. Velocity	Extreme Spread	Std. Deviation
SIG-Sauer P220	1044	1085	1062	41	15
Kimber Classic	1078	1117	1100	39	15

The DPX proved itself consistent and accurate on targets and over the chronograph.

DPX feed smoothly in both guns and there were exactly zero failures to feed, extract, or eject. The slides on both pistols locked back upon firing the last shot. Cycling the same round from a full magazine 3 times in each pistol resulted in no measurable bullet set back; there was absolutely no hesitation in this ammunition chambering.

These Corbon DPX cases were fired in the Kimber (left) and SIG-Sauer (right). Neither shows the classic signs of excessive pressure, but one can see very minor primer flow beginning on the primer fired in the Kimber. Neither case exhibits flattened primers. The telltale firing pin "wipe" is present on the primer fired in the SIG-Sauer. This is typical and to be expected. The SIG-Sauer pistols purposely have a bit slower firing pin retraction to help thwart debris from entering the firing pin channel.

I was pleased with the performance of this ammunition. It proved reliable in expansion and accuracy was more than adequate. Over the chronograph, DPX displayed good uniformity and the ammunition performed to nearly the same extreme spreads in two entirely different 45-caliber handguns. Standard deviations were the same.

You can see that the expansion of these seven 185-gr. DPX +P bullets is pretty consistent. These were fired into water from the SIG-Sauer P220 and impacted at an average velocity of 1062 ft/sec.

Did this ammunition meet my expectations? Yes. I noted that while the 4 1/4" barrel on the P220 averaged velocities barely under the advertised 1075 ft/sec, 5" average velocity from the Kimber slightly exceeded it.

If you prefer "light and fast" in the .45 ACP but have had concerns over penetration, I suggest that you give Corbon 185-gr. DPX a look. I've not yet shot any animals with it, but it appears to provide accuracy, consistency, and more penetration than most other 185-gr. expanding ammunition.

BE SURE TO SEE THE LIST OF STEPHEN CAMPS SUPERB BOOKS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON HIS WEBSITE. THE LINK IS AT THE VERY TOP OF THIS ARTICLE.