Who makes a nice American made milspec 1911?

Magnumite · Dec 18, 2020

Springfield severed all ties with Brazil several years back. The forgings, who knows. There were several discussions about this in the 1911forum when the severance from IMBEL occurred. There a couple reliable speculations of the forging source.

The Ruger is a good platform to work from. With minimal improvements both monetarily and in work time one could end up with a nice pistol. I have a CMD, cost me $720, I put $130 into it, some time in labor and have a nice pistol that performs excellently. Bought a low round count used earlier full size SR1911 for $500. $145 and some labor later same thing. The barrel fit on the fullsize is not as good as the very good fit on the CMD, but it shoots well. They are both finished, as in don’t need to do more to them. They are $300 more than the Mil Spec Defender and it shows.

Still, the Mil Spec is the best game in town for the $$$.

trickg · Dec 18, 2020

Magnumite said:
Springfield severed all ties with Brazil several years back. The forgings, who knows. There were several discussions about this in the 1911forum when the severance from IMBEL occurred. There a couple reliable speculations of the forging source.

This is something that has come up in discussions I've seen online regarding American made vs [Insert country name here]. I think that there was a time where it really made a difference - there was a level of quality in American manufacture that just couldn't be replicated in other countries with any kind of reliability.

I'm not so sure that holds to quite the same definition anymore. I'm all for buying American out of a sense of patriotism and support for the businesses in our country, but the gap between American quality and quality from countries in the southeast portion of the Eastern hemisphere has drastically diminished - over time metallurgy has gotten better, machining has gotten better due to CNC technology - technology in general is what has closed the gap.

A friend of mine is a knife guy. For a while he was on a kick where he was buying a lot of Chinese made knives, particularly folders, and it was insane the level of quality he was getting for the money.

I'm a trumpet player. My main trumpet was made in Taiwan, and IMO from a fit and finish perspective, it's better than what was coming out of Elkhart, IN from Conn/Selmer, and they are much more consistent from instrument to instrument. It used to be if you wanted a Bach Stradivarius trumpet (Made by Conn/Selmer) you really had to go play a bunch of them to find the one really good one because they were so inconsistent, and about a fourth of them were lemons.

My next horn will be American made though, made by a company called S.E. Shires out of Massachusetts.

Getting back to 1911s, again, maybe not Milspec, but from a quality perspective for the money, it's really hard to beat Dan Wesson, and they are American made. This is the DW A2 model, which is their closest offering to Milspec.

Magnumite · Dec 18, 2020

I understand the global economy thing. Its a reality and actually allows for good product development at competitive prices. Some like US made products but for some the affordabilty is an issue. Your DW is a great value, many feel the same of DW’s 1911’s. I like the products but is not affordable for many. Some will see DW made in US but also as the foreign entity they are. Same as Toyotas built in the US. I don’t have issue with that, I bought a Sig Nitron. One really needs to have each product standing on its own merits...and shortcomings...before selecting. The SA Mil Spec is exactly what the Made in America market needed in a 1911. It competes toe to toe with many of the offshore offerings which are good products in that market tier.

Magnumite · Dec 18, 2020

Ddn’t want to be preachy there, agreeing really. Do you prefer that rear sight on a mil spec pattern pistol? Or was it that’s what they offer in a mil spec type pistol?

trickg · Dec 18, 2020

Magnumite said:
Ddn’t want to be preachy there, agreeing really. Do you prefer that rear sight on a mil spec pattern pistol? Or wad it that’s what they offer in a mil spec type pistol?

Neither of my Dan Wessons are the A2 model - I just posted that as a comparison.

FWIW, if I wanted a mil-spec gun, I'd probably go looking for an actual M1911A1 - Colt, Remington-Rand - whatever. Or, I'd get the Springfield. My BIL has CMP Remington-Rand that's in remarkably good shape for being a surplus military 1911.

My thought is that the sights on a mil-spec will get the job done, but I'm not gonna lie - having tritium vials or combat-style dots makes for faster and easier target acquisition, especially in lower light.

These are my DWs.

Magnumite · Dec 18, 2020

Got it. Thank you for the reply.

Blaster229 · Dec 18, 2020

Chad always recommended American Classic brand. I don't know if they have a GI model or not.

Glaron · Dec 18, 2020

Bisleyfan44 said:
Like the title says, who makes a decent American made milspec 1911?

Just clarifying? I thought MIL_SPEC meant the lowest bidder. :innocent0

Michigander08 · Dec 18, 2020

Glaron said:
Just clarifying? I thought MIL_SPEC meant the lowest bidder.

I thought so too but then I read somewhere that it also means they all agree on tolerance numbers when it come to fit between parts.

A mil spec part from colt will fit with mil spec part from Ruger or Windham or PSA.

Trepang · Dec 18, 2020

MiddleRiverShootist · Dec 18, 2020

Mark392001 said:
Don’t think I heard anyone mention Ruger? Haven’t seen many unreliable Ruger firearms ever. Have held their 1911’s always thought I may pick one up someday- disclaimer I do have or have owned a bunch of different Rugers over the years.

I have a Ruger full size i got used,, Love it! and a 4.25 Taurus 1911 both great shooters and 100% reliable

Darkemp · Dec 18, 2020

This one of mine is milspec.

Early 1945 Remington Rand M1911A1 serial number 205xxxx. It is "P" and "FJA" marked properly, faint Crossed Cannons on right frame in correct location, "X" and "N" on the right trigger guard and a "3" on the left trigger guard. Small parts appear to be correct based on the examples I've matched it to, and the slide is correct type III Rand. Barrel is marked "S" over "P", looks like from what I read a Springfield barrel which can be correct to the Rands as well or a field replacement. Magazine is an "S" marked Scoville, correct for a Rand as well. Serial number is digitally blocked in the photos.

Pistol Belt also in the pics is an original with a 1942 Sears M1916 holster.

somd_mustangs · Dec 18, 2020

Blaster229 said:
Chad always recommended American Classic brand. I don't know if they have a GI model or not.

Ironically made by Metro Arms out of the Phillipines and imported.

The closest to MILSPEC is their Government but it looks like even that has a lot of non-traditional parts. But I guess it boils down to what is meant by "MILSPEC", whether it is just:
- parts interchange with other MILSPEC 1911's
or includes:
- design is faithful to the original 1911/1911-A1/Government Model

To me it's both.

Note the American Classic II is "100% MILSPEC" but is a far cry from the original JMB design / A1 modifications, and "includes many add-ons found on custom pistols"

Magnumite · Dec 18, 2020

^^^. The Metros seem to be a decent gun. I saw one in a fellow shooter’s holster once and thought it was a Colt. Very nice blue.

Its been over 100 years. Many improvements have been made to the ‘mil spec’ 1911 while staying with the basic design of the original. One of the first things I addressed on my first 1911, a 1918 warhorse, was barrel fit and the trigger. Quickly followed by - despite sharper younger eyes - the sights. I shot it that way for a long time. This pattern seems to be more the ‘modern’ milspec.

Currently there are ‘retro’ guns incorporating some type of abbreviated beavertail grip safety with a bobbed WWII GI hanmer. I would call these more minimalist guns.

Who makes a nice American made milspec 1911?

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