1911

Okay, I’m convinced. My Springfield Armory “Mil-Spec” 1911 in Parkerized finish is becoming an impediment to my learning to shoot, but perhaps not in the way many would think.

I competed in my first “2700” this past Sunday at 7:30AM along with seven other shooters. This was an NRA Approved competition so my scores would contribute to my initial ranking by the NRA.

Ignoring the “first round flyers” (described in previous blog) which I think are an artifact of our test procedure, the group sizes and shapes I fired on the Ransom Rest this past Saturday in my factory-new (December 2004) Smith and Wesson Model 41 were:

Joe and I will be doing some accuracy tests tomorrow at the Phoenix Rod and Gun Club. We will have a total of three (3) Smith and Wesson Model 41s of various vintages – mine is 99% “factory original” and less than one year old – as well as several other guns.

For everything except the bore, I use Mil-Comm MC25 Firearm Cleaner/Degreaser followed by TW-25B Lubricant (grease) any place metal slides on metal (look for the wear marks). For protection from finger-oil, I use a very lightly oiled rag anywhere I might touch the bluing but then vigorously wipe it as dry as possible.

On a personal recommendation, I contacted Mike Kelly for a trigger job on the Springfield Armory Mil-Spec (1911 in .45 caliber). He invited me to his shop/home.

I bought a parkerized Springfield Armory Mil-Spec 1911 from one of the gun stores in Phoenix AZ. This is a very popular model and dealers only have them for a short interval if at all. My usual haunt for guns, Sportsman’s Warehouse, was out of stock so when I found this model in another store for only a little more than I would’ve paid at Sportsman’s Warehouse, I took it. I paid $495.00 plus tax.

Note: Ed Harris is the “Ed” in Ed’s Red; that’s not me.