Yet another question, this time, .45acp.

I've been asking a lot of questions but I get so much great feedback that I count on all of you for rock solid information. I'm thinking of moving into adding a .45 to my BE collection, I've only been shooting rimfire and would like to step up to the challenge. What is the best path for me to take for getting myself into a serviceable shooter? I'm currently on a pretty tight budget and will have to build incrementally. Your advice is cherished greatly.

It's really hard for a newbie to buy a used custom bullseye gun without knowing if it was a good build or a worn out turd.
My advice is to buy a Springfield RO new for $745. Get a slide mounted rail for it and ask around at your next match for someone who will sell you SWC match ammo. The other 1911 shooters will be able to help you get set up with the right recoil spring, and viola! You have a capable Wad gun. If you ever start getting "too good" that you shoot better than the Springfield, I guarantee you will be able to sell it for what you have into it.

I agree with Rob a springfield RO and a slide mount is the way to go. If you need help with a gunsmith for the slide mount let me know I can send you a recommendation.

Agree, a Springfield is a good place to start. However, check with your local gunsmiths and fellow BE shooters. Some gunsmiths are particular about which 1911's they modify for BE.

I'm just hoping I can find one! Just for perspective, what are some opinions on the Rem R1 and the Ruger 1911? Hard to top the price on the RO but I know where I can get the Remington.

The range officer is forged. The others are cast. Many smiths will not work on cast guns.

Dave C.

The Remingtons at the same price point don't have the same degree of bushing fitting and lockup. Fine for a dresser drawer 1911, but not a 50yard bullseye gun right out of the box.
You should be able to order an RO from any dealer that sells Springfields. I see them at every Gander Mountain I look at.

R/O it is then. I'm going to start looking this week. I'm most likely going to have to put one on layaway but hey!, it's a step closer right? Thanks for the candid advice and please, keep it coming as I will need all the help I can get. ;-)

The only bad press I'm seeing on the RO is on the trigger weight. Anyone here that shoots one have any input on that? I value the opinions here more so than random Internet reviews. Has anyone had to get trigger work done? It's not going to be a deal breaker either way, it appears to be a lot of bang for the buck.

It will be money well spent getting a trigger job. The two that I have shot from factory had good feeling triggers but heavy. I had to put a new hammer, grip safety and thumb safety in mine to make it EIC legal so I had to get a trigger job. The other one I shot went into the gunsmith the same time as mine and came out with a 3.5# trigger with the stock parts and it felt really nice. I also put a bushing in mine because it didn't fit that tight and it wasn't that expensive either.
Scott

I have no experience with the RO. But you should assume that match grade triggers require hand work and no factory gun is going to come with one. Some are better than others, and many are good enough to get started. But you won't go far without wanting somebody to clean it up for you.

There is another thread here touting the virtues of the RO as an entry level bullseye gun. I love mine.

Another good 1911 IMHO is a STI Spartan. Before the gun craze, one could be had for 600.00. My very first match was with a Spartan that I had received from my FFL 48 hours before the match and shot a 734 with Winchester White Box ammo . If I had kept it longer, I am sure I would have broken 800 with it.

Dr. Don is speaking out of turn about the triggers in the RO. I've shot several RO's and they all have expert capable triggers.
With the cylinder and slide drop in trigger kits that are available, you can improve a trigger without a gunsmith. Sure a gunsmith is a better way to get the trigger you want, but Wingshot doesn't even know what kind of trigger that he wants yet.

Wingshot, trigger weight is easy to change--even for a new shooter. When you get your new gun, make another post, and we will show pictures and instructions.

Wingshot,I bought a RO two weeks ago and I haven't found THE load yet.I took it to my gunsmith for trigger work.It was 5 3/4 to 6 1/2 lbs.This is with the stock 28 lb main spring.Hes going to change the mainspring and the sear spring.It shot fair at 25 yds,but I think the trigger is holding it back. binski

Another option is to find a person that is selling a gun. You can likely try several and buy the one you like best. There are almost always good guns available if you search.

I agree with Dewey, only if Wingshot has a experienced helper. Advising a new bullseye shooter to buy a used gun without a helper is problematic. A new bullseye shooter can't tell a worn out gun from a pile of junk from a good gun. An RO is a good value, no matter how you cut it--and there is no regret when you buy one.

There are 1911's out there that will NEVER be able to be used at a bullseye match. Some will make better boat anchors. RO's have all the bones that you need for an accurate bullseye gun. The trigger work is much cheaper than accurizing.

I'm pretty much hard set that as I move into the .45, it's going to be NIB. I've read here and seen for myself why a used one is probably a bad idea for someone as green to the game as I am. It's also true that I'm really not sure what I'd like out of the chute as far as trigger weight goes. I'm familiar with light, crisp triggers on rifles but have very limited exposure to competition pistol triggers. The RO seems to me a great foundation on which to build and hopefully, within 60-90 days, I'll have one. I'm not opposed to looking at and researching other makes but at this point it'll take some convincing evidence to change my mind.

I have noticed that most of the BE pistolsmiths will work on Springfield Armory guns. My two were done by the same 'smith--Ed Masaki. They are what I call "lead lasers"--both will group 5 rounds into 1.5 inches at 50 yards.

As for good ammunition, reloading is made to order for this. If you do reload, I highly recommend 3.5 to 3.8 of Clays under the 200 gr HG 68 style LSWC. I crimp to .470, and this load shoots excellently in my guns. I have also used the Hornady 200 gr. swaged LSWC with excellent results. With a slide mounted dot, I'm running a 11 lb. recoil spring, and the recoil is soft and manageable.

Rob said I spoke out of turn on the RO triggers, and he may be right in that I have no personal experience with the RO. My point was more general, so let me try to clarify. The RO has a very good reputation among BE shooters, so I'll assume it is very good to start with. But an affordable production gun simply cannot have much hand fitting time on it or it becomes less affordable to the mass market. Using high quality parts can result in an average trigger pull that is very usable. The first three guns you try might have good triggers, and then the fourth one has a long roll with a 6 lb release. So you might get a usable trigger out of the box, but it is not reasonable to EXPECT that of a production gun.
I've built several 2 1/2 inch wadguns from scratch, and frankly I don't think it is very difficult to get a very acceptable match pull for a beginner. Even a drop in kit can produce something acceptable. It is the experienced shooters who rightly get quite "picky" about what they want in a trigger that make triggersmithing a challenge.
So.....I never meant to be critical of the RO. It was more a comment about reasonable expectations of a production gun. The RO is probably a fine start in the 45; just don't be surprised if you quickly decide to spend a few bucks on trigger work.

I purchased a Range Officer Saturday and fired it Sunday. It is a very good gun off the shelf. It worked flawlessly with factory (Federal) hardball. There was one feed hangup with factory (Gold Medal) wadcutters. Shot at 25 yds only, all shots were in the 9-10 ring except my oopsies (and not too many I might add). It seems to be set up for center mass point of aim as I had to raise the rear sight a lot to hit center from a sub-six aim area. At 50 the sight will be way up. I would consider milling the front sight down a bit after more experience. The primers are struck center. Trigger is OK, but not super. I am used to Toyota triggers. This RO trigger will no doubt get smoothed by Roddy later. Except for the hammer and beavertail it is Hardball ready.

I took a GI replica Springfield I got for 500 and sent it to John Vincent at hallston custom matching in PA.
Great price and great guy to work with. I had my 1911 back to me in a month. I think it was 750ish to have it accurized with new kart barrel and bushing. Cut the slide for sights,add sights, lower and flare ejection port, trigger job w/ new trigger, new main spring housing and add some texture to my front strap.

https://mob875.photobucket.com/albums/ab316/gitkrunk_photo/2013-03-07_15-41-46_623.jpg?t=1362990391


http://www.hallstoncustom.com/pricelist.html

Get a hold of Walt Jackson... He has been selling RO's that he has done some minor work on for a very reasonable price. He is also very trustworthy. I have seen him out at the range testing them in a Ransome rest.

Any contact info on Walt? Google gives me nothing.

He goes by Bullshooter on this forum

defan238 wrote:He goes by Bullshooter on this forum

Thanks, I'll do a search and see what I can come up with.