Model SW1911TA E Series.... WOW

[PAHUnter04]

Hi All:

One of the great pleasures of being an FFL Gun Shop Owner is that you get to play with all the latest and greatest firearms that hit the marketplace. That is if you usually pay for them first ...LOL

Anyway the .45 ACP has always had a special place in my heart. Naturally I have played and shot the Ol Colt 1911, the new Ruger SS Regular and Commander are outstanding. The Remington R1's slide is so slick that you have to rack it to believe it. My current carry Kimber CDP II two tone is light, accurate, and beautiful. Para has some real sweet 3in carry packages. STI is outstanding but very pricey. The new Baby Desert Eagle is cool but has to be tested yet. I have an FN that comes with (4) 20 round mags, talk about firepower and a HK USP all ready threaded for a flash supressor. I still have many other makes and models, Taurus, RRA, ATI, Glock, XDS, to name a few more. But the only one that I never grabbed yet was a Smith & Wesson 1911. Namely they are hard to find on the wholesale marketplace. They say they have an unbelievable reputation for quality and accuracy.

While I was going through the latest arrivals on one of my wholesalers I saw a S&W 1911 Tactical E Series, the E that stands for Enhanced. It showed up on my door step the other day, and all I can say is wow. I did not get a chance to fire it yet, and probably won't until I get one for myself, but the fit and finish is outstanding.

One of the newest things I like is the mini picatinny rail on the slide under the barrel. It is perfect or light or laser, plus it just looks cool. This model comes with beautiful laminated wood E series grips. It also comes stock with Tritium Night Sights front and back. The frame and slide are stainless steel, but finished in black. The trigger is outstanding breaking like glass at about 2.5 lbs. It is not small or a light weight, weighing at 41.7 ounces. But it is a beauty.

Yep, one of the small problems of being a Gun Dealer with a love of firearms is you CAN NOT KEEP everything you buy..... LOL Unfortunately I have to sell some of these beauties if I want to stay in business.

Regards JCP The Hunters Hut

[Mikey]

PAHunter - one of S&Ws Scandium 1911s with the 4.25" bbl will be (maybe) my next 45.  I like the weight and barrel length and this would replace a 40+ y/o Colt Commander but that bobbed grip on the S&W feels strange to me.  Regrettably, the straight grip with the flat mainspring housing on a new Colt Commander feels better but I am not in love with Colts, so I dunno.

[PAHUnter04]

Hi Mikey:


I would love to get my hands on a Scandium model just to see how it feels and shoots. I know what you mean about a bobbed grip. This one the 1911TA E has the straight grip and some how feels smaller in my hand than a Colt. The scallops along the front and back of the slide are pretty cool. The light colored SS trigger and speed hammer against the black frame looks really good.

I have a personal S&W Scandium 4 in.  .44Mag 329PD and it quickly became my favorite .44 Mag, and I have quite a few. I have always been a fan of Colt & Smith &Wesson. If the S&W 1911's shoot half as well as their fit and finish, they will always be sold out.

Regards PAH

[Mikey]

PAH:  I think I know why the E model might feel smaller in your hand as it does in mine.  When I compared my 46 y/o Colt Commander to the newer S&W, as well as a new Commander, I could see that S&W 'scalloped' for lack of a better term, the junction of teh trigger guard and the grip, giving a smaller grip feel and makeing it easeir to get a good high grip on things.  Also, with the deavertail grip safety it was probably necessary to do that to get a good 'feel' on how the piece handles.  I'm tellin' ya. if the Scandium model came with a straight grip I would trade up now.  I'm just gonna have to go back to the shop to see what feels best.  It will probably be a new S&W for me....