Centerfire pistol recommendations

I've been having a great time shooting Bullseye, but so far I've only been shooting rimfire, with my Buck Mark. I'd like to add a centerfire pistol, probably a .45, so I can do a full 2700. Any suggestions? I'd like to keep it under $700 if possible. The .45 would need be be able to have a mount for a red dot.

Thanks for the help, and see you on the line,

Jacob

The only 45 you should buy is a 1911, a springfield range officer is the lowest cost gun on the market capable of decent basic accuracy for 50 yards, they sell for about 800.00. I see them at the gun shows for that. The easy way to add a dot is with a grip mount, they run about 60 bucks. This is not a cheap sport to get into.

Grip mounts were tried a long time ago and the result was that they don't seem to last on a centerfire pistol. There is no reason to shoot a dot if your eyes are good. Iron sights are used on all ball guns and international pistols by rule. Maybe the Range Officer is all that and a bag of chips, but if it were me, I'd opt for getting a custom gun done by someone who doesn't charge an arm and a leg. Get a good decent Springfield Armory Milspec and send it to a good pistolsmith.

You might look around for a good used wad gun. What DavidR said is true, this ain't a cheap sport to get into. Many of us bullseye shooters have reloading equipment, not just for lower cost ammo, but to get the ammo that shoots best in our guns.

I started the sport this year. I got an STI Spartan for 600 off GunBroker. It comes with adjustable sights. Had trigger work done to it and a quite certain I will get my expert card while I save up for a custom wad gun.

Springfield Range Officer

Not sure what a a bag of chips has to do with anything, but in the land of bullseye a range officer for its price is a great deal. First it comes with adjustable target grade sights, a match grade barrel and a good tight slide to frame fit, all of which a mil spec 1911 doesn't, Adjustable sights and the match barrel alone will cost you more than the cost of the range officer once you pay a qualified gunsmith to install them. A quality gunsmiths work doesn't come cheap.

Just my .02 cents here.

Get a Springfield Milspec and send it to Dave Salyer for the work.

You will be money ahead.

Trust me.

Good luck.

Clarence

Seriously Clarence? He will cut in adjustable sights, and accurize a gi springfield for less than $300?

Seems like a debate that happens every time someone gets interested enough to expand into the bigger calibers.

If you love the sport, you will in all likelihood wind up with an accurized .45 at a minimum so do you bite the bullet and jump in or do you buy something that just lets you compete and see if it is a sport for you.

Seems to me that the Range Officer is very good for this. If you really like the sport, you can put a rail on it and accurize it. YOu start with something you can go compete with today. You can add a rail probably for $100 (rail is $30-35 + labor) and a dot for $150 or so. It has a higher end barrel already (Kart right?). If you decide it is not for you, still a nice gun or you could sell it probably for close to what you paid (less $100 or so).

With a GI, you have to put a rail/dot on it (I don't think it is worth putting adjustable sights on one) and at least have a trigger job to get you going. If you like the sport you will then want to put a custom barrel/bushing in it. If you don't stick with it, you probably have something that is going to sell at a pretty significant loss or you take the rail off and just have a fun gun.

With a used wad gun you might get lucky. Getting to know people at the matches and you could find a gem. You also could buy one off the net that needs a new barrel/bushing. Be careful on that route till you know what you are looking for.

DavidR wrote:Not sure what a a bag of chips has to do with anything, but in the land of bullseye a range officer for its price is a great deal. First it comes with adjustable target grade sights, a match grade barrel and a good tight slide to frame fit, all of which a mil spec 1911 doesn't, Adjustable sights and the match barrel alone will cost you more than the cost of the range officer once you pay a qualified gunsmith to install them. A quality gunsmiths work doesn't come cheap.

Sorry you didn't get my attempt at levity. Yes quality craftsmanship doesn't come cheap. A trigger job would have to be added to your estimate no matter what gun he got. I've owned a few custom guns. I started off with a series 70 Gold Cup, which was supposed to be "all that and a bag of chips" even after a trigger job. It was a disappointment. I've seen Range Officers. One I saw didn't have the tight slide to frame fit that I would have wanted. While the accuracy seems to be good for a production gun, some of them reportedly don't seem to be able to group in the ten ring at 50 yards. I'm not saying that the OP shouldn't get a Range Officer. I just said that if it were me, I'd opt for a Springfield Milspec and send it to someone like Dave Salyer. A good used bullseye pistol is another option. The OP will also have to take up reloading to get good inexpensive match ammo, unless he is wealthy. That is a topic for another day.

Rob Kovach wrote:Seriously Clarence? He will cut in adjustable sights, and accurize a gi springfield for less than $300?

Money ahead in the long run "seriously", yes.

A new milspec around $600. ish

A used milspec around $450. ish(broken in, maybe, if shot enough)

Add a Clark mount, Kart barrel and bushing, greider trigger and labor for everything is $650. ish

I started with a Rock River and ended up with a Salyer .45.

If you just want to try BE out, then go with the RO.

But it sounds like he wants to go for it, so in the long run you buy and shoot the RO, then a year or so down the road you want something more accurate and you are hunting for something.

Just get it now.

If it is not for you, if you sell it, you will not lose any money.

I bet I could sell my Salyer .45 for a profit, but it is not for sale, ever.

Just saying.

Clarence

Your total comes to $1250ish.

A Springfield RO is $850 and you can shoot it 50 yards right now. Niether mil-spec gun can do that out of the box.

You can add those $650ish things to the RO if necessary later...if needed.

Rob Kovach wrote:Your total comes to $1250ish.

A Springfield RO is $850 and you can shoot it 50 yards right now. Niether mil-spec gun can do that out of the box.

You can add those $650ish things to the RO if necessary later...if needed.

Rob;

You are very correct in your statement.

I was just giving my personal opinion from experience, that is all.

The OP can do what he wants from all the input here on this thread that he started, and all responces are very good and gives him some very good options.

Ultimatly, it is up to him.

Clarence

I can only speak of my own experience....I have a RO ,with dot , Hand fitted bushing , trigger work, .200 slide stop pin . stock barrel and frame to slide fit ....My gun with 3.8BE 200gr Penn LSWC will hold 1'' @ 25yds and at 50yds Ive shot 8 groups ..the best being 2.6 O-T-O and the worst is right at 3.0 inches ..granted these where sand bags groups not RR'd either way the gun will shoot better than I can hold it and in the future I can add to it if I need to...I have $1100.00 invested and I can say I am very happy with it .....would I like a custom ? ya sure but I'll never set any records with my BE skills and a gun that will hold 2.5 @ 50yds is 2x's the price which I really cant justify....nor afford.......maybe I got lucky or maybe the work I did pay'd off either way I'm happy....

My son has a range officer, very tight frame fit, great trigger after we adjusted the spring, shoots 3'' 50 yard groups too. I also have seen half a dozen others that will all shoot that well with match grade ammo also they feed wadcutters without modification something a milspec will not do. My recommendation was simply a less expensive way for the OP to get into a ready to shoot 45 which would also be a fantastic platform for future mods if he so wished to do so. Surely to have a top performer a custom gun is best but you cant build one for under 1500.00 if using a qualified gun smith. Dave Salyer is a friend of mine, and i know he would not do it for whats left between the cost of a milspec and the needed parts.

I want to thank everyone for their great comments, they were very helpful. I think the RO sounds like the best place to start for me. Then, I can build from there.

Thanks again - see you on the line,

Jacob

If you do not find an RO another choice would be the SA 9132LP target loaded. I know this can get you to expert or beyond.

Joe

You really can't go wrong with a Springfield Armory 1911. I know you'll enjoy your new acquisition. Keep us posted on your centerfire journey.

Mine is a 9132LP from Springfield. all stock except the trigger job and it's converted to ball legal. Shoots great 50 yard line. Way better than I can.

You could contact a bullseye smith and get his recommendation.I used John Vincent in Pa.Here's his email

gunsmith@embarqmail.com

I'd avoid Salyer like the plague, speaking from experience and won't expand on that.
Check this out!
https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t1002-wts-new-springfield-armory-range-officer-with-upgrades

[quote="Steve B"]I'd avoid Salyer like the plague, speaking from experience and won't expand on that.

That sure is a pretty stiff jab there Steve B. toward Dave Salyer.

If I did not know any better, I would say that you are trolling...

Just saying.

Clarence Perkins

I agree with Clarence here. Let's not bash pistol smiths in other people's threads. If you had a problem with someone and want to warn us, put it in it's own thread and tell us all the details, and that way the guy can stand up for him self.

Nothing like taking a cheap shot, then throw them a line on a gun for sale.

Not cool.

It's not a cheap shot but a rather expensive mistake in using him.
I'm not the one selling the pistol either.