Pawn shop Springfield

[sdacbob]

I stopped by a local Pawn Shop today to check out some pistols. They have what I guess is a used Mil Spec Springfield 1911A1. GI sights, parkarized finish, landyard loop. On one side of the slide it says Springfield Armory (no rollmark) and the other side says Model 1911A1. Its also says Made in Brazil Imbel. It looks in pretty good condition. They are asking $459 for it. Would this be a good buy?

[bigghoss]

if it's got tiny hard to see sights and vertical serrations it's a GI. if it's got slanted serrations and three-dot sights it's the mil-spec.

budsgunshop.com has both for ~$570 new

[sdacbob]

Its got the tiny GI sights.

[ColdDeadHands]

If I was in your shoes I'd rather buy a new, hand selected mil-spec. They've can be had for $500 - $600 last time I checked.

[bigghoss]

then it's the GI. if that's what you want then I suppose it'd be alright. but the mil-spec has much better sights and costs only slightly more.

springfield makes a good 1911 but if you want a gun with sights you can actually see skip the GI.

[fn1889m]

I think that is an OK deal. SA will put the MilSpec sights on it for about $90. Or you could go with Heine or Novak, for more $. I like the "Model 70" look of the GI better than the MilSpec. If you plan on getting a lot of slide modifications, you save money starting with the MilSpec. But the GI is still a nice base.

[D. Christopher]

If the pistol has the lanyard loop it's a G.I. model. I've heard good things about SA taking care of people when they weren't the original owner of a pistol but you can buy a new G.I. or MilSpec for just a few dollars more than the pawn shop gun and have the extra security of their full warranty, which is pretty good.

[sdacbob]

I used a GI issued 1911 for 16 years before I was issued the M9 they now use. The small sights never really bothered me and I like the way the pistol feels. I have a 1911 with alot of the upgrades but its not a SA. It won't be used in competition or as a carry piece, just as a range pistol.