CMP 1911s - what's the thinking on converting one?

Yo!

Not a sentimental sort,  , I was wondering if anyone had plans on putting in for one of the CMP pistols and having it tuned up? I think it would make a neat ball or EIC gun, that's just me.

Anyone going to try to get one for collecting?

The consensus 40 years ago was that GI pistols were not the best from which to build a pistol. Most smiths insisted on a Colt or NM slide and most preferred a new Colt to build up.

So to answer your question, while cool, it probably won’t be satisfactory.

Last year I inspected a old Clark built on GI frame and slide. The slide lugs had about 30% left. The barrel had sheared the lugs practically off. They are too soft for regular use.
Jon

Aufidius wrote:Anyone going to try to get one for collecting?

I will be putting my name in for one.
- Dave

Jon Eulette wrote:Last year I inspected a old Clark built on GI frame and slide. The slide lugs had about 30% left. The barrel had sheared the lugs practically off. They are too soft for regular use.
Jon

Do they still give a chocolate 1911 to the “winner” of “first leather” at Canton?

Whattya say, Jon - better, or worse, than a CMP 1911 for a base gun?

Hmmmm, very thought provoking. I’ll take the GI 45. Thinking back, that old Clark had a tuner on it. Intentionally minimizing lug engagement on a soft slide didn’t last too long.
I’ve shot many rack grade 45’s over the years and like shooting the beast. Carried my first one as an 18 year old Military Policeman.
Jon

For the cost of the CMP guns all you're going to be getting is a receiver, maybe pins and if you want an arched mainspring housing.  With 850.00 the minimum price, you can do a hell of a lot better getting a Range Officer (for less money) and starting there.

A modern used pistol would save even more, getting you down under $600 for something like a SA Mil-spec.

This one for example, is new and under $600.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/770428087

You can easily find MANY used upper tier 1911’s in the $800-$1000 that will handily outperform the CMP 1911’s as is and serve as better starting points towards a BE pistol.

Sure, if you want to collect a piece of history or relive a bit of your own past, then go for it.  If you intend on trying to make a BE Supergun out of these historical firearms, you will probably want to look at other options.

As KC pointed out, you will be tossing most of the pistol guts anyway, thereby ruining the untouched, historical aspect of the CMP 1911’s.  The frame and slide metallurgy tech. is not as good as modern pistols.  They are priced high in comparison to modern pistols.  There are just seem to be no advantages relating to BE competition to be had from them.

kc.crawford.7 wrote:For the cost of the CMP guns all you're going to be getting is a receiver, maybe pins and if you want an arched mainspring housing.  With 850.00 the minimum price, you can do a hell of a lot better getting a Range Officer (for less money) and starting there.

You're are paying a premium for the "heritage" of the gun, rebuilding it would be destroying what you paid extra for.  

Hey but you need to float your own boat, I've seen a buddy pay a premium price for an all original '68 Camaro only to "upgrade" it with LS motor, 6 speed manual tranny and all new Art Morrison front and a full rear independent** suspensions. Then to add more insult he repainted it.  He could have saved $20K buying a solid driver instead of an all original car. 

- Dave
** requires cutting old rear frame rails from body   because they're spot welded on.

Aufidius wrote:Yo!

Not a sentimental sort,  , I was wondering if anyone had plans on putting in for one of the CMP pistols and having it tuned up? I think it would make a neat ball or EIC gun, that's just me.

Anyone going to try to get one for collecting?

Terrible idea. Those WW2 era M1911's were made of plain carbon steels, might have been surface hardened. Inferior in all aspects to the alloy steels used in modern pistols. The vast majority of GI pistols were rebuilt so many times that they were unreliable by the 1970's, when the overall poor condition of the inventory finally forced the Army to adopt a new pistol.

You could have the thing built into a target grade pistol, but the frame and slide will wear themselves, assuming they were not already worn down to soft steel.

I believe the CMP is selling the 1911s at that price to preserve them. If they were shifting them at $400 each, Bubba would be buying them, grinding them up, leaving them in the boat all winter, etc.

But unlike the various military rifles they sell, shooters have newly-made alternatives.

To be honest, I question the value of even preserving these guns. Most, from what I've seen, have already been rebuilt at the armory a number of times, and there are, to be honest, already a great many preservation-worthy 1911s in public and private collections, including those with a documented pedigree.

But I have no doubt that the CMP will find plenty of suckers to buy these things. I like buying police trade-ins and such, but I expect a discount, not a premium.

Keyholed wrote:I believe the CMP is selling the 1911s at that price to preserve them. If they were shifting them at $400 each, Bubba would be buying them, grinding them up, leaving them in the boat all winter, etc.

But unlike the various military rifles they sell, shooters have newly-made alternatives.

To be honest, I question the value of even preserving these guns. Most, from what I've seen, have already been rebuilt at the armory a number of times, and there are, to be honest, already a great many preservation-worthy 1911s in public and private collections, including those with a documented pedigree.

But I have no doubt that the CMP will find plenty of suckers to buy these things. I like buying police trade-ins and such, but I expect a discount, not a premium.

+1