time to do something with the .45... advice??

OK, so I don't shoot a ton...  I do winter pistol league, and hopfully a few matches a year when I can find them. Also training inbetween matches...  Right now I'm shooting my 4" S&W model 19 in center fire...  And really its not bad, but its really not as accurate as I need..  also I have a old bullseye 1911. It was built back in the 60's from a old Remington rand...  It was dads old gun, and I enjoy shooting it, but it needs some work..  Mostly the barrel is pretty sloppy in the bushing. Its a Micro bushing, but there is a lot of wear on the front part of the barrel. So I'm on a famly man, house, wife, and two kids budget...  I really don't have a ton of extra cash..  My thoughts are I'm guessing it would run about $400-$500 to barrel the old RR.  Breath some life into the old girl...  Or I could retire it, and figure I can get a range officer for around the $900 range...   Ive thought about used, but really haven't seen much good 1911's for under a grand..  Any other options that might work? Any other good choices in a budget friendly  1911 for a shooter that doesn't shoot a ton?  Thanks for any help you can offer. I'm really getting my .22 game together, and looking to branch out to the center fires.

Should be able to get a RO for around $750. That'll get you in the game as is.

orpheoet wrote:Should be able to get a RO for around $750. That'll get you in the game as is.

Last I looked they were higher, but I haven't looked in a wile. Seems like pistol demand has dropped a bit since the election..

Brand New for 689.00. I suspect that you can find better prices then that. I just did a quick search on Gunbroker.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/631216230

The RO will last you stock up into expert class. After that it's a new barrel and bushing fitted by a professional. If you want to you could always send the Remington Rand off and have it rebarreled for around the same cost or so of the Range Officer. 

Personally I'd go with the Range officer. With two guns you could always have one for a service pistol and one as a wad gun. Or a back up. Or just more guns. More guns is always better!

Or, have a new bushing fitted and see if that kicks life into the old girl.

Pretty cheap.

james r chapman wrote:Or, have a new bushing fitted and see if that kicks life into the old girl.

Pretty cheap.

Not sure if that's doable. There is noticeable wear at the outer end of the barrel where the bushing rides.

Buy a Kart Xact Fit barrel from Brownells, comes with bushing. With installation kit, $240  I installed one on a Springfield Mil-Spec and it came out nice.

s1120 wrote:

james r chapman wrote:Or, have a new bushing fitted and see if that kicks life into the old girl.

Pretty cheap.

Not sure if that's doable. There is noticeable wear at the outer end of the barrel where the bushing rides.

Bushing comes oversized to fit to the barrel. It should be ok to still fit a new bushing.

EGW can make any bushing size you want.  

http://www.egwguns.com/bushing-faq

I really don't want to waste the time, and cost on just a bushing. The barrel has quite a bit of wear on it once you get back 1/4" from the muzzle. Its also a vary old, and well used barrel. this gun had changed quite a bit over its life, and was even set up as a 38-45 Clarke for a wile... I'm thinking this barrel might just be the old barrel that came with the gun when it was sold surplus so many years ago. its only markings are the caliber, and a serial number.  I'm thinking it just got put together to make a useable firearm after it was retired from BE service. Dads gone now, so I cant ask for sure..

james r chapman wrote:Or, have a new bushing fitted and see if that kicks life into the old girl.

Pretty cheap.

If you are shooting Zero JHP's the RO may only need a good trigger job and a fitted bushing. I scored an HM who had with such a gun; he shot 862 with it. 

If you get one with a good barrel maybe it makes sense to shoot it out with JHPs (20K to 40K rounds) and then re-barrel. 

If I had to do it over again that is what I would do shot a stock RO, and  save the $$$ until I was over 840.

I'm planning on shooting cast 200gr SWC at this time. At least for practice, and training.

No reason to shoot 200gn for the short line, 185's HPSWC , 185 SWC are better and if you are shooting 185 Noslers out of that gun with a good EGW bushing I would see if it prints under 4 inches at 50. The ten ring is 3.4 inches and the nine ring is 5.5 inches in diameter. 

If you can hold the 9 ring then you should be able to post expert scores if the gun is shooting 3 inches. 

Spending big bucks now when you may not know exactly what you want may not save you any money. 

One alternative is to an RO is to find a good Wad gun locally from a Master, shot it see if you like it and then buy it. I would budget $1500 or less for such a gun depending on the gun. A Madore, Giles or an old Clark may come in at that range they may not look great at that price but if they shoot well you will not care. 

For a backup, I spent $1000 on a Madore and it needed some TLC but the barrel was 100%. I put $800 into it and now I have a gun that will print under 3 inches at 50 yards, runs 100% and would cost $4000 new.