SA Mil-Spec 1911 in 45acp???

[1911crazy]

If anyone remembers when i posted about my new Auto ordnance ww2 army 1911a1 purchase i was torn between the springfield armory 1911a1 too.  I went back a week later and purchased it too. I thought it was a G.I. model all along. When i purchased it i just wasn't up to par that day i didn't think about what i just purchased.  Today i took some stuff out of the safe and started oiling up some of my pistols.  I paid only $389 for the new auto ordnance ww2 copy while the springfield armory was priced at $424.  I found out its a springfield armory Mil-Spec 1911a1 45acp in park finish.
So whats so special about a springer in Mil-Spec?

I looked at my older springfield armory thats still in new condition that i purchased a long time ago.  The box is marked 90's edition.  I have no clue as to what it is but its in black park and it has the higher sights front and rear. I'm thinking its either late 80's or early 90's is when i purchased it. She's a purdy one as Mikey would say here thats why i still have it.  I purchased the new Chip mccormic mags for it and need to test fire it,  i don't think i have a box of ammo thru it yet because of the stove piping.

So whats different between a Mil-Spec and a G.I. model in SA brand?

[teddy12b]

Around here what you paid for that would have been an absolute steal!

Far as I know the GI slide serrations are perpendicular and the Mil Spec serrations are at an angle.  Then I think ejection opening on the slide of the mil-spec is larger.  That's all I know of, but I'm sure there's more.  I'm not sure if the mil-spec mag well is beveled while the GI is not.

[1911crazy]

Thanks after reading your post i did a search for the Mil-Spec and the G.I. models and what a big difference.  I purchased the better one and didn't know it. I haven't shot it yet but soon i will.  I hope it passes the 250rd test.

I guess most don't know about the older 90's edition springfield armory 1911a1.  All i know is its in black park and has the larger sights.  I'll have to look into it more to see what i purchased many years ago too. A 1911 isn't just a 1911.

[jimster]

I have a 2002 milspec, it has the higher 3 dot sights, lowered port, the mag well slightly beveled.  Nothing else I can think of.  Not sure what the older milspecs had, I think around 2002 is when they came out with the locking system in the MSH, I did away with that on mine.  Sounds like you have a nice older one there, let us know how it shoots.

Jim

[1911crazy]

Is there two different mil-spec's or has the mil spec models changed that much in a few years?  My green plastic case that the 1911 SA came in says "G.I. Mil-Spec" on it.  I'll have to look up in my log book on when i purchased it exactly.  It appears different than the mil -spec thats being offered today.  I'll post the manufacturers model # on it too.

I know my other SA 1911 is a 90 edition life before the mil specs.  I'll look up the date i recorded this one too.  I still have the sales slip somewhere too.

My newer SA is a G.I. Mil-Spec model number PW9108L purchased in 2005 that puts it at a G.I. model or copy yet its called a mil-spec.  I have no clue as to why its marked like that.  Its in park finish too.

My older SA is a 90 edition model number PI9108purchased in 1990 in black park.  It has crossed cannons on the side of the slide and higher sights.

Did anyone catch the simliar model numbers?  The "PW" and the "PI" are different so thats the year of manufacture i guess.  Same model different years of production weird right.  I didn't plan the purchases. So i have basically the same gun. On the newer SA the "L" at the end of the serial number mean its a lowered ejection port?

[jimster]

I would guess there have been some little changes in the "mil-spec" over the years, I really can't keep up on all the stuff. 

Mine was made in 2002...the year is marked on the frame under one of the grip panels, it has the lowered port, but is not reflected in the serial number at all.  I do notice that they are all marked lately in the boxes as "GI" although some are actually mil-specs with the three dot sights, at some point they may have added the white dots to the higher sights, beats me.  Some of the older SA's also have a frame that is slightly "blocky" looking or more "square" looking, at some point they changed that as well. Not sure when that happened, but they slightly changed the frame shape a little bit at some point.  Now I notice newer mil-specs have stainless barrels and stainless barrel bushings, mine did not have that.

[1911crazy]

I just emailed springfield armory about my 90's edition that won't function without stove piping 1rd per mag for 21 years now it sits in the safe.  Plus seeing this with the 90 edition i'm also afraid to shoot the newer '02 one i have too now.  We'll see what they say.  I'm ready to get rid of them both i'm fed up with them. I been a wheel gun guy for all of my life because of the new 1911's jamming.  Its no longer peer presure to own one, its a matter of safety when i carry it when it won't function.

[jimster]

can't blame you for getting rid of something that don't work, 1911's that don't work are no better than a short club.
No problems with mine, it ran out of the box, I made some changes I wanted to make me feel better, but it worked out of the box with no problems before I changed some parts out, mostly Ed Brown parts.  Been real lucky with most of the 1911's I've owned, only problems I've had were extractors, and mags...easy fixes.  I decided to keep this SA 1911 from SA because it's been flawless before and after changing parts. Finish is wearing off, it's been handled and carried and used a lot since 2002.

I'm a wheel gun guy myself...always have been, always will be, I love revolvers.  No stove pipes in a roller gun! 

[1911crazy]

Just one more time i'll test fire it.  I got the new CM mag like Mikey here said and i cleaned up the extractors sharp edges.  I cleaned and lubed it with gun oil only and took out the 18# recoil spring and put in the orginal recoil spring.  Now its ready to test fire.