Springfield Champion

[Mikey]

Who has a lightweight bi-tone Springfield Champion???  I have been looking at one of these to replace my old (very old) lightweight Colt Commander.  I like the feel of the grip on the Springfields, it is slightly more undercut at the grip and trigger guard junction and that feels better in my hand. 

The specs on the new Champion include a fully supported bull barrel - I had thought it would have been the same sort of barrel my older Colt carries, which means that I can't switch barrels should I want to.

If anyone out there has one of these can you clarify the barrel set-up for me please.  Also, if anyone is familiar with the Kimber line, would you know if they produce a lightweight Commander length pistol with a normal, regular 4" barrel type set-up like the Commanders.  Thanks very much.  Mikey.

[Savage]

Mikey,
I believe all the Commander size  Kimbers are bushing-less bull barrels. Other than being a little different in dissassembly/assembly, they work quite well. My SS  Pro Carry has been 100% reliable and is one of the most accurate pistols I own.
Savage

[Mikey]

Savage - thanks.  Mikey.

[Lloyd Smale]

I had an all steel champion and it was the biggest pos 1911 i ever owned. I know have a kimber pro carry thats matt blued with an alloy frame. Its got the infamous external extractor and gave me a few feeding problems at a first and was returned to kimber and has had probably 10000 rounds through it since and has never missed a beat with any ammo ive put in it including reloads with cast swcs. Its a very accurate gun! I trust it so much that i put triniums on it and made it my main carry gun. When its not on me its resting on the night stand in the bedroom. To be fair to springfield i also had a kimber elispe commander that was just about as bad as the sprinfield. That one didnt stay long either. If my experience bears out and i had to look for another lightwieght commander id look long and hard for a lightweight commander Colt or see what STI offers in a lightweight commander. But ive officialy swore off buying anymore springfields. Ive owned a half a dozen of them now and still havent found one worth keeping other then a buddys pro trp and for what hes got into that id buy a les baer instead and be guranteed a good gun.

[Mikey]

Lloyd - thanks.  I was afraid I would hear (read, actually) comments like that.  I like my old Commander, it has been with me for a very long time and has been reliable.  It's my main carry gun.  But, when the plunger tube came loose again and blocked the slide safety from being disengaged all that changed.  This is the 2nd plunger tube it has had in 40 years, so I guess that's pretty good, I think. 

But, it seems that every other Commander sized 1911 out there has the fully ramped un-bushed bull barrel and that's not what I'm looking for.  Maybe I should trade it for a new Colt, even though I don't care for the company's politics or quality control programs, but we will see.  Thanks again.  Mikey.

[Lloyd Smale]

Smith makes a commander with a bushing. The smiths ive shot have been good guns.