Wild Bunch .45 Manufacturer's

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  Pancho, from where I'm sitting, I'd say you have a very nice looking family of Colt Auto's, thanks for the looks see, while I'm at it, is there a difference between the beaver tail and none beaver tail, what are the advantages of one over the other?


                             Thanks for the look see, and all the information.

                                         tEN wOLVES 

[Pancho Peacemaker]

 Pancho, from where I'm sitting, I'd say you have a very nice looking family of Colt Auto's, thanks for the looks see, while I'm at it, is there a difference between the beaver tail and none beaver tail, what are the advantages of one over the other?


                             Thanks for the look see, and all the information.

                                         tEN wOLVES  

The beaver tail is mainly a hand protector.  If you have "beefy" hands, you can get bit by the hammer during cycling (as noted above by Jed).  Once this happens, some 1911 shooters tend to choke down their grip, out of fear of hammer bite.  Choking down reduces controllability.  To control the 1911, you do need a to keep your hand high up on the grip frame.  The beaver tail gives the hammer a "pocket" to drop into and avoid the bite.  The downside to the beaver tail is less concealability.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  Good answer Pancho, I've wondered about the pro's and con's on the beaver tail, that makes good since, I've got beefy hands for sure, guess I better think beaver tail.

           tEN wOLVES

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[Camille Eonich]

I don't have an interest in 'Wild Bunch' shooting - it's too much like IPSC.

I have shot both and actually the wild bunch matches that I have shot have been nothing at all like IPSC.  Many of them use four guns, the 1911, the '97, a main match rifle and a main match pistol as well.  Usually there is a reload on the 1911, often you start at low ready or picking them up off the table.  All the Wild Bunch matches that I have shot have used steel targets rather than paper and the main difference...you shoot it with other cowboys!!!  I really love the ones that are shot head to head and don't use a timer.

Much, much fun!!

[Montana Slim]

I have a hand-fitted equivilent of a GI NM 1911, as built by Rock Island up til' the 1980's. One of my buds built them for a living there & made a few on the side for his friends. Now that we have formal rules for Wold Bunch, it probably won't pass muster since it has a Bo-Mar sight. I like 1911's but don' shoot it as much as my percussion revolvers.....well, I may get one of the Colt "retros" just for the heck of it.

I do like the "cowboy" aspect/attitude of folks who participate in Wild Bunch. Suits me just fine.

Personally, I'd prefer the "rules' of the game to conform more to historical context regarding firearms..etc. but, I'm not the average joe.

Slim

[Arizona Cattleman]

I've been lookin at this Springfield Armory model.  http://www.impactguns.com/store/706397866686.html

AC

[Blackpowder Burn]

I have one of the Springfield GI's in stainless.  It's a well made gun - reliable and accurate.  And I saved a ton of money by not having the Colt emblem on the grips!   

[Arizona Cattleman]

Well, I am buying this model of the Springfield.  I mainly want this gun for a carry pistol, but with the possibility of Wild Bunch. Nice looking 1911.

AC

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

      AC, that is a nice looking gun pard, I need to get one too, I've been looking for one for over a year now, boy finding guns these days is a pita, but if it's meant to be it will happen, good luck getting yours.


               tEN wOLVES 

[Blackpowder Burn]

Ten Wolves,

You need to move to Texas. Every corner gun store has them in stock!

AC,

I agree with you.  Mine is just like yours, except made of stainless steel.  I like it so much I sold my Sig and will use this for concealed carry as well as Wild Bunch.  It just feels better and aims more naturally.  And a 45 caliber hole is always more effective than a 9mm hole!

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Well, I am buying this model of the Springfield.  I mainly want this gun for a carry pistol, but with the possibility of Wild Bunch. Nice looking 1911.

AC

AC,

If you are going to carry all the time, consider getting an aluminum framed 1911 at some point down the road.  The aluminum frame will be almost 1/2 the weight.  I carry both steel framed and aluminum framed 1911's.  There is a huge difference in comfort level.  You almost forget you have the aluminum gun.  The weight of the steel gun is a constant reminder.

A friend of mine took a class at Gunsite (for civies).  The instructor repeated many times:  "Aluminum for your carry pistol, steel for your competition pistol."

BTW:  I've seen many shooters with that Springfield GI pistol.  It's a nice looking piece.  They ones I've seen seem to run well too.

[Arizona Cattleman]

Thanks for the advice Pancho, I will not carry all the time, only occasionally, mostly for when I go hunting or hikeing here in AZ.

AC

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

   Well the Arizona Cattleman brought me luck, my gun store was able to find a Springfield Armory Mill-Spec, so I bought it yesterday, now they didn't have any ammo for it, but at least I'll have the gun in another 10 days, maybe they will have a few bullets by then too.
   I'll post some pictures when I get it home. I didn't go with the ambi safety, I found that I could flick it off with my left thumb, as was suggested by others that are lefty's too, so thanks again for the good advice.

            Regards

        tEN wOLVES

[Pancho Peacemaker]

   Well the Arizona Cattleman brought me luck, my gun store was able to find a Springfield Armory Mill-Spec, so I bought it yesterday, now they didn't have any ammo for it, but at least I'll have the gun in another 10 days, maybe they will have a few bullets by then too.
   I'll post some pictures when I get it home. I didn't go with the ambi safety, I found that I could flick it off with my left thumb, as was suggested by others that are lefty's too, so thanks again for the good advice.

            Regards

        tEN wOLVES

Congrats on the 1911 purchase!

Outside of cowboy guns, 1911's are my second favorite pastime.

If you want to shoot Wild Bunch, take a look at Midway USA for ammo.  They sell Ultramax .45 acp factory smokeless reloads with lead ball bullets.  (You can't shoot WB with jacketed rounds.)  They run about $70 for 250.  They are reliable and are loaded with some dirty smokeless powder that creates some nice clouds around you.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Congrats on the 1911 purchase!

Outside of cowboy guns, 1911's are my second favorite pastime.

If you want to shoot Wild Bunch, take a look at Midway USA for ammo.  They sell Ultramax .45 acp factory smokeless reloads with lead ball bullets.  (You can't shoot WB with jacketed rounds.)  They run about $70 for 250.  They are reliable and are loaded with some dirty smokeless powder that creates some nice clouds around you.

    Thanks Pancho, I appreciate the heads up on the ammo too, looks like they are out right now, but I'll try to keep a close look on it, or just go ahead and place an order.

        tEN

[JD Alan]

I'll jump in here with a purchase a made a couple of months ago, after looking at it for quite a while: A Para O GI Expert SS. Out of all the 1911's I could lay my hands on in the greater Portland area, this is the one that felt the best in my hand, plus I could see the sights!

I've shot two Wild Bunch matches so far, and it's been outstanding!

[Grizzly Adams]

I have been shooting a Kimber 1911 for over 10 years, and it is as sure as death and the income tax.  Functions with anything you can put in it, and will shoot a clover leaf group at 25 yards with me shooting!   Kimber is also made in the USA.  

http://www.kimberamerica.com/videos/

[Grizzly Adams]

One other 1911 that deserves mention is the Norinco 1911.  They are no longer imported into this country, but used ones can still be found.  They are one of the best 1911s ever made!  If you can find find one, buy it - or tell me where it is!

[RattlesnakeJack]

In the few Wild Bunch type matches I have shot so far, I have used my very nice 1914-production WWI-Canadian-purchase Commercial model .... see first pic below .... but, as you may imagine, I have been cringing somewhat while doing so.

I have been wanting to get a plain-jane mil-spec 1911 clone for such shooting.  Up here in Canada, the best choice for an economical pistol would be a Norinco, the mil-spec version of which is available new for Can$350 or so!  The downside of a Norinco is that I wouldn't be able to to get it into the U.S., as they are disallowed by the ATF on import permit.

I recently learned of another relatively inexpensive make of mil-spec 1911A1 clone, the "Regent" .... which is manufactured in Turkey and imported into North America by IAC. I did some checking online, and user-reports have been pretty favorable.   Yesterday, I broke down and bought one .... see the second pic below (which is a "stock" photo, although my pistol looks just like it.)

Haven't taken any photos of mine, nor have I had an opportunity to fire it ..... though I expect to correct that deficiency on Friday.  I will undoubtedly want to substitute a flat mainspring housing, and will eventually put on some nicer grips.

These pistols are available in the US from several online dealers in the US$400 price range.

[JD Alan]

Sounds like a great purchase.