New 1911 - Springfield Range Officer

I have finally acquired the capital necessary to purchase a 1911 to shoot Bullseye.  I have settled on the Springfield Range Officer.  More than I wanted to spend, but it has everything I need to get started.  I can make improvements as I go.  With that said...



The gun comes with Bomar sights.  The front sight, however, is all black.  Do you guys have any recommendations as far as what type of front sight blade to install to improve visibility?  I don't plan on installing a red dot for quite some time.

The gun comes with two magazines, which for Bullseye, is fine.  There is a myriad of choices for 1911 magazines.  Do any of you have any opinions on which brand of additional magazines to purchase?  Do some mags function better in the SRO than others?

Are there any additions, add-ons, modifications, etc. that you guys feel would improve the accuracy of the gun?  



Once again, thanks for your help!

Don't change the sight.  Just dryfire with it and focus on those ridges on the front sight post.  If you do anything take a dental pick and scratch each ridge and put a vertical scratch up the middle.  As long as the target is well lit, and you have a 6 o'clock lower hold, the sight will be plenty visible.  You want that contrast.  Leave it black.  Almost every other bullseye shooter shoots on all black sights.  If there was something better for bullseye, someone would have changed it by now.

Magazines--use metalform, other springfield mags, or real colts.  I still have the same 3 magazines I've had since I bought my first 1911 so don't waste a bunch of money on magazines.

Improvements?  My Springfield with stock barrel, bushing, etc. shoots <2" groups.  I don't think you need any accuracy mods unless you are shooting Master+ scores with your .22 and your .45 can't perform.

The only improvement I recommend--replace the mainspring with a 19lb ISMI mainspring.  It will soften the trigger pull to around 4.25lbs.  That will help you shoot it better than if it has a 5lb trigger.

I agree with leaving the sight as is. I hold center. With most light, I can see the sight well. Try a sub six hold as well. 

A grease pencil can be used to try colors if you like. It helps accentuate the ridges on the front sight. Most target shooters stay black on black.

Struggling to stay focused on the front sight is best remedied with lenses like a reader or computer type Rx. It's normally your regular distance Rx with 0.25-0.75 plus diopter added.

Leave it alone.

If it's like my SA loaded 9mm, a fitted bushing will tighten groups a bit.

Also try Willson mags.  They have been good for me.

Dave C.

Wilson are good also might try metalform mags they work great and are half the cost of wilsons.

Cool.  Thanks guys.  This is what I was hoping to hear from you all!  I can't wait to get it!

If you reload this may help? I have been shooting Xtreme copper plated SWC and LSWC 200 grain bullets in my SRO. The copper plated bullets don't feed as consistently as the lead so I would avoid those. I can shoot some decent groups with the copper plated SWC but not as tight as the LSWC. I am using 4.1 of Clays BTW to get the copper bullets to feed without issues. The lead will feed at 3.9 but 4.0 gives me better groups.

A range pal gave me a few home cast 200 grain H&G 68 bullets over 3.8 grains of BE to try and I was amazed how much more accurately these bullets grouped over the Xtremes. It produced the BEST group I have ever shot in my life! It was exciting enough to get me interested in casting my own lead bullets   I am waiting on supplies now and am anxious to delve into casting soon.

200gr H&Gs over 3.8BE is what most of the shooters I know use.  My Springfield puts them down to 50 yards in a sub 2" group and my buddy's RO is about 2"-2 1/8"

I think that is great for a stock gun.

Well fellas, I picked her up today.  Very tight.  No play whatsoever in the slide/frame.  The trigger is awesome.  For a stock gun I never felt a trigger like this.  No creep, crisp break, no over travel.  

I took it apart and reassembled it twice and managed to shoot the plunger clean across the house.  Holy crap! That thing shot out of there like a rocket!    

I can't wait to get to the range to shoot it.  If it shoots as good as it looks and as tight as it is, I might just become a 1911 fan boy!

The gunsmith who handled the transfer for me, (internet purchase) said he offers free use of his reloading press so long as I purchase the primers, powder, and bullets from him.  Definitely a good thing given the price of .45 ACP.

Congrats on the new gun!

Rob Kovach wrote:200gr H&Gs over 3.8BE is what most of the shooters I know use.  My Springfield puts them down to 50 yards in a sub 2" group and my buddy's RO is about 2"-2 1/8"

I think that is great for a stock gun.

Is your Springfield a stock gun and what model?

My Springfield is a loaded target and it's stock.  The RO that was tested is also stock.

We will be ransoming another RO later this winter.  This one has a more positive lockup than the older two, so I'm hopeful.