SA Range Officer Elite lineup announced.

They have 4 Range Officer elite models they just announced.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/ro-elite-series/

Looks like they upgraded the parkerized finish to a baked on ceramic finish. They also have G10 grips in lieu of the old wood grips. I was never a fan of the parkerized finish or the old grips.

They also now claim to have a generation 2 trigger but not sure what that really works out to being. One odd thing they did was put a fiber optic sight up front, that's not going to sit well with guys shooting irons but you can fix that pretty easy. Now if they would bring back the stainless model.

Saw they now have ambi safeties too, that sucks. No use what so ever except to make disassembly a bitch.

actually the ambi safety is useful for a lefty to give him something to lay his thumb on like a right hander...

Roughly 12% of the population is left handed. So instead of selling an ambidextrous safety as an add-on or aftermarket item, to cater to the minority, they decide to irritate the other 88% of us.

Btw I'm left handed and still hate them. And I've never used them as a thumb rest.

I just built a Sig 1911 Target. Kart barrel fit excellent. Sig's internal machining is impeccable. Front strap is checkered. Has MIM guts that I replaced. Rear sight sucks. I remachined slide for LPA rear sight. Put new black front sight on in place of fiber optic. Frame to slide is equal or better than RO. Damn good pistol. I just bought myself one. Going to make myself a ball gun. I stole mine! I won't share what I paid because everyone will hate me ;l)
Jon

Jon, I've talked to you about it before but I have a Sig Traditional Match Elite in 38S.  Before I met you I had an old Colt custom shop smith replace all the trigger guts. It now serves as a lower for my Nelson and has served me well. The reason I got it was for the money it has a ton of great features including some very nice front strap checkering and IMO the nicest stainless finish on the market. 

If I can scrape together some dough you'll be replacing the barrel with a Kart this Winter. I sometimes wonder if you don't see more used in bullseye due to the use of the external extractor but after the issues I've had over the last few years with internal extractors I'm not sure its a bad thing.

Jon Eulette wrote:I just built a Sig 1911 Target. Kart barrel fit excellent. Sig's internal machining is impeccable. Front strap is checkered. Has MIM guts that I replaced. Rear sight sucks. I remachined slide for LPA rear sight. Put new black front sight on in place of fiber optic. Frame to slide is equal or better than RO. Damn good pistol. I just bought myself one. Going to make myself a ball gun. I stole mine! I won't share what I paid because everyone will hate me ;l)
Jon

Do you know if the Sig 1911's have cast or forged frames? I'm not sure that it really matters; I'm just curious. Sig has a very good reputation for quality, but the price usually reflects that. The 1911's and Sig P 320 may be an exception.

I think, at least at one time, Caspian mfr'd the Sig 1911 frames & slides. - -?  -??

Is that new Range officer a series 70 style or more like a 80 series style.  I don't need a new 1911 in 45 acp but just wondering.

My original RO is great. Good accuracy out of the box, and with just a trigger job she shot well. Then I tried to mount a dot. Completely wrong pistol for a wad gun with a rail.

Jwhelan939 wrote:My original RO is great. Good accuracy out of the box, and with just a trigger job she shot well. Then I tried to mount a dot. Completely wrong pistol for a wad gun with a rail.

Why is that?

The sight leaves a big gap when removed because of the way the lpa cut is recessed. I could only get 3 of the four screws in. Looks like crap and just isn't as strong.

The RRA "cover" rail should cover the cut easily.. it's much lower than any other rail I've seen

If you moved up to 8 x 40 screws I'd bet that 3 of them would be fine


just some options

Marvel Precision rail has 4 screws. 3 hold fine. It's my go to rail for 1911's. Could always have a shim/filler made and use longer screw.
Jon

Or you could make a rail out of a Weaver #26 and leave your rear sight on the pistol. I did that to my .45 RO. It lets you have a wad gun but can be made back into a ball gun in minutes. 

Jon Eulette wrote:I just built a Sig 1911 Target. Kart barrel fit excellent. Sig's internal machining is impeccable. Front strap is checkered. Has MIM guts that I replaced. Rear sight sucks. I remachined slide for LPA rear sight. Put new black front sight on in place of fiber optic. Frame to slide is equal or better than RO. Damn good pistol. I just bought myself one. Going to make myself a ball gun. I stole mine! I won't share what I paid because everyone will hate me ;l)
Jon

After replacing the barrel, guts, and sights, you're left with what, the frame slide, slidestop, springs, and some pins? wouldn't you be better off just buying a new slide and frame and building from the ground up?

I live in Kommunist State of Kalifornia. Need I say more?

Jon

daflorc wrote:Roughly 12% of the population is left handed. So instead of selling an ambidextrous safety as an add-on or aftermarket item, to cater to the minority, they decide to irritate the other 88% of us.

Actually, they're also useful in matches where folks (even right-handed people) might need to fire weak hand only, like in USPSA, IDPA, IPSC, and 3-Gun, all of which are growing.  Meanwhile, bullseye seems to be fading.  So, they are catering to the majority.

mpolans wrote:

daflorc wrote:Roughly 12% of the population is left handed. So instead of selling an ambidextrous safety as an add-on or aftermarket item, to cater to the minority, they decide to irritate the other 88% of us.

Actually, they're also useful in matches where folks (even right-handed people) might need to fire weak hand only, like in USPSA, IDPA, IPSC, and 3-Gun, all of which are growing.  Meanwhile, bullseye seems to be fading.  So, they are catering to the majority.

That makes sense, but the vast majority of gun owners are still those who don't compete, and just keep the gun in their night stand. And 88% of those people are right handed, lol.

Jwhelan939 wrote:My original RO is great. Good accuracy out of the box, and with just a trigger job she shot well. Then I tried to mount a dot. Completely wrong pistol for a wad gun with a rail.

Mine shoots great with 3.4gr Bullseye with Aimpoint H-1 mounted.

Joel