So I joined the 1911 club!

[Swami]

I guess it is just a step we all get to eventually eh?

Sorry for the crappy pics... just got the Ebony grips on it. I can't wait for the weekend to squeeze off a few rounds!

Smith and Wesson 1911 PD, Commander-sized scandium frame.

 

[ericlosh]

i like it

 

[Death Valley]

Congrats and welcome to the dark side.

 

[762NATO]

Nice, Swami! Who made it?

 

[Leadfoot]

Nice, Swami! Who made it?

With that magazine billboard on the side, I'm gonna say S&W. If it was a right hand side pic, I'd know for sure.

 

[762NATO]

Why isn't that surprising for S&W..... Not knocking the gun.

 

[Gus McCrae]

Congrats. If that's a smith:

I hate the external extractor, but S&W makes a good 1911 otherwise.

 

[Leadfoot]

S&W makes a fine 1911. Some purists knock it cause it has an external extractor... but it works.

S&W and Ruger are both pretty infamous for their billboard warnings on the side of handguns.

 

[762NATO]

Naw, it's just that, for legal reasons -sigh- we have to see the warnings. As if we don't know that already. S&W, though, does make a nice gun, as does Ruger.

 

[Swami]

Thanks gang... yes it's a S&W, the 1911 PD Scandium model, with Hogue "Exotic Hardwood" series Ebony grips.

 

[762NATO]

Scandi, eh? Sounds exotic. Have you fired it yet?

 

[Swami]

Heh, I don't know about exotic, but it is an aluminum/scandium alloy that supposedly combines the lightness of aluminum with much greater strength. From what I hear the recoil isn't much more than the standard 1911.

S&W does indeed depart from the "pure" 1911, as they have external extractors and full-length guide rods. JMB did design the external extractor, however he put it on his later design, the Browning Hi-Power. In my opinion if it works it's a good thing! I am certainly not a purist.

I haven't shot it yet... I have field stripped and oiled it and admired it, but have been tremendously bogged down with schoolwork. I hope to take it to the range this weekend!

 

[Swami]

Update: Range report!

I took the 1911 and a few other toys to the range today. This was my first time firing ANY 1911, so while I won't be able to compare the recoil of the scandium frame vs. the normal 1911 frame, I must say that the recoil was quite manageable. There was more "push" and not so much "snap" on the recoil, and even after 3 boxes of ammo, I would have been happy to continue shooting.

I found myself shooting low on this gun, although I shot consistent groups. I may consider adding adjustable sights at some point. I didn't save any targets this time, as my friend and I ran out of targets and re-used them with several different calibers. I had no failures of any kind with the gun and am very happy with it!

The only problem, and it's not THAT big to me... the area directly under the slide release (a really small area about the size of the diameter of a match) has totally worn through the blueing. As I say it's an extremely small area and hard to notice, but of course I notice, and I wonder if that is normal or not.

Besides that one small issue, I really enjoyed finally experiencing the 1911.

 

[Sin-ster]

I found myself shooting low on this gun, although I shot consistent groups. I may consider adding adjustable sights at some point.

I strongly suggest you ensure that this is a mechanical issue with the sights, and not you as a shooter. (Let another competent person group it. It is, after all, your first 1911.)
I also suggest you look into doing the calcs on the front sight and using that instead of an adjustable rear to solve your problem-- especially if this will be a hard use pistol.

The only problem, and it's not THAT big to me... the area directly under the slide release (a really small area about the size of the diameter of a match) has totally worn through the blueing. As I say it's an extremely small area and hard to notice, but of course I notice, and I wonder if that is normal or not.

I'm reluctant to relate this to the 1911 platform as a whole, but...

My M&P 9 Pro shows wear on both sides of the ambidextrous slide stop in the same areas, while my M&P .45 does not. (Or any other gun I own, for that matter.)

IOW, it could just be a pistol-specific issue-- and I wouldn't sweat it at all, provided that the weapon functions normally. FWIW, I think the Burwell trigger job has something to do with my strange wear characteristics-- I notice with the upper half removed that influencing the trigger actually moves that part a little bit.