Little brother and I just had an afternoon of 1911 shooting. He is rebuilding his gun collection too. This range day started with him wanting to look at my S&W 1911. Told him I thought about getting rid of it and i told him to come out any shoot it before he decided he wanted it. In the course of that conversation, he said he was torn between a 10mm Raptor and a 10mm Rapide. I told him to come shoot those too. I bought out all the different models and chamberings that were unique (no duplicates) and let him shoot off whatever he wanted to try. He already has a Loaded 45 and I left one of the ACIIs inside because I had two.
Funny thing happened with the S&W that I’ve never seen before. When I reviewed that gun a couple years ago, I made note of the way the rounds sat in the feed lips when fully loaded. They worked fine but looked odd the way they sat in there. Well today, about the 3rd or 4th time we loaded it, I had the slide locked back, and when I inserted the mag, I felt something shift. I looked down in the chamber and what did I see? A round had chambered! I don’t mean the slide came forward and stripped a round, I mean a round popped past the feed lips and the force of the spring sent it directly into the chamber, about 80% in. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. That was a first on me.
It was a good time. He hasn’t shot in quite a while so broad side of the barn was the goal
. Told him I had the same problem after a few months of sitting on my rump. By the end he was back up to speed.
He didn’t give a ton of feedback but from what he had to say, the VZ grips were a lot more comfortable after I grounded them down but still need a little more off.
He loved the MetroArms 10mm. Which I think is funny because he is always ragging on my cheap chromed 1911. Then I bought two. Then I bought three and the first two after a couple years are still going strong. He finally let his guard down and gave it an honest try. I think those grips I put on there pushed him over the top on that one.
Both Kimber Stainless IIs (45 and 10mm) had multiple feed issues. Neither of them have been back to Kimber but if they still have problems next time, they will be making the trip.
He ragged on the 9mm 1911s a little bit until he shot them. He had one of the Citadel Madagascars in 9mm and currently has a Ruger Commander aluminum frame in 9mm. That Garrison 9mm really turned that opinion around. He made note how easy it was to stay on target. I really love those grips I put on it. They are pretty smooth but the gun itself is a pussycat so no need for an aggressive grip.
He went out with several preconceived notions, like all 1911s feel the same… Those notions were all pretty much different when he left. We talked about how just because they are all built on the same 1911 platform, there was a lot different from one to the next, but going from 45 to 9mm was pretty natural because very little had to change in your technique.
Funny thing happened with the S&W that I’ve never seen before. When I reviewed that gun a couple years ago, I made note of the way the rounds sat in the feed lips when fully loaded. They worked fine but looked odd the way they sat in there. Well today, about the 3rd or 4th time we loaded it, I had the slide locked back, and when I inserted the mag, I felt something shift. I looked down in the chamber and what did I see? A round had chambered! I don’t mean the slide came forward and stripped a round, I mean a round popped past the feed lips and the force of the spring sent it directly into the chamber, about 80% in. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. That was a first on me.
It was a good time. He hasn’t shot in quite a while so broad side of the barn was the goal
. Told him I had the same problem after a few months of sitting on my rump. By the end he was back up to speed.He didn’t give a ton of feedback but from what he had to say, the VZ grips were a lot more comfortable after I grounded them down but still need a little more off.
He loved the MetroArms 10mm. Which I think is funny because he is always ragging on my cheap chromed 1911. Then I bought two. Then I bought three and the first two after a couple years are still going strong. He finally let his guard down and gave it an honest try. I think those grips I put on there pushed him over the top on that one.
Both Kimber Stainless IIs (45 and 10mm) had multiple feed issues. Neither of them have been back to Kimber but if they still have problems next time, they will be making the trip.
He ragged on the 9mm 1911s a little bit until he shot them. He had one of the Citadel Madagascars in 9mm and currently has a Ruger Commander aluminum frame in 9mm. That Garrison 9mm really turned that opinion around. He made note how easy it was to stay on target. I really love those grips I put on it. They are pretty smooth but the gun itself is a pussycat so no need for an aggressive grip.
He went out with several preconceived notions, like all 1911s feel the same… Those notions were all pretty much different when he left. We talked about how just because they are all built on the same 1911 platform, there was a lot different from one to the next, but going from 45 to 9mm was pretty natural because very little had to change in your technique.
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Surprising how disconnected you get when you don’t pick one up in a while. It’ll make the best of us feel like a noob those first few mags.
