What 1911 can I buy that will work?

[samuse]

Swing and a miss

A Springfield with vertical cocking serrations and a WW prefix serial number in a green box is a G.I.

Springfield did have a G.I. Mil-Spec a long time ago that was what we would call a Mil-Spec, but with the g.i. type sights. They also called the first G.I.s G.I. Mil-Specs. All a little different pistols.





THIS is a Mil-Spec. Note the slated cocking serrations, NM serial number prefix (N is also common). Also look at the scallop on the ejection port of the pistol in the EE. That's not a factory Springfield scallop.

[JBecker 72]

Or you could maybe read the for sale ad before commenting about it. Unless being wrong about shit is like a hobby for you. Son.

[wetidlerjr]

A Springfield with vertical cocking serrations and a WW prefix serial number in a green box is a G.I.

Springfield did have a G.I. Mil-Spec a long time ago that was what we would call a Mil-Spec, but with the g.i. type sights. They also called the first G.I.s G.I. Mil-Specs. All a little different pistols...

This is an older Mil-Spec from 2007. I suspect it is what you are talking about.
From the EE:

Want To Sell/Want To Trade 2007 Springfield GI MilSpec

[samuse]

Whatever you wanna call it, it is NOT a Mil-Spec and did not come from the factory with a lowered and flared ejection port.

The guns with vertical serrations never did.

The same pistol that is now a Mil-Spec was also a Standard back in the day.

Springfield's names have always been confusing. Anything with a WW serial number prefix should have vertical serrations, high ejection port, short trigger, arched MSH w/ lanyard loop, g.i. type sight, teardrop thumb safety, and either parkerized or stainless. It can be named a WWII Mil-Spec or a G.I. depending on when it was made. The pistol's specs never changed except some of the very first ones came with brown plastic grips, most had wood with US in the middle of 'em.

A Mil-Spec, G.I. Mil-Spec, Standard has a lowered and flared (scalloped) ejection port, slanted serrations, short trigger, arched serrated MSH, g.i. or tall 3 dot sights, teardrop thumb safety, and came in stainless, parkerized, and some were even polished and blued. Some had full checkered wood grips, black plastic grips, brown plastic grips, S.A. logo wood grips, and the newest ones have black plastic S.A. logo grips. These pistols would have an 'N', or 'NM' serialnumber prefix and may or may not be marked FI Imbel Brazil somewhere on 'em, or may just have Geneseo IL. The older ones had a blocky frontstrap and dustcover that was changed to a more normal profile around 2002.

[wetidlerjr]

Some embellishment on the part of the seller? Hmmm...

[samuse]

Some embellishment on the part of the seller? Hmmm...

I wouldn't go there yet, he probably just doesn't know what he has.

[wetidlerjr]

I wouldn't go there yet, he probably just doesn't know what he has.

A poor choice of words on my part and I certainly don't know as I have not owned any SA 1911s of any kind. If it was a Colt, I would know more. I have, however, learned that with Colt 1911s, it is prudent to "never say never" as Colt does some really off-the-wall things when it comes to model changes/differences. I would suppose that is possible with SA, also.

[samuse]

Yeah Colt does what Colt wants at the moment. Not sure if anyone knows why.

The Springfields are pretty consistent, the nomenclature between their two base model pistols was just confusing. And they've only been in business since the late '80s, so there's just not as much out there with them..

[BTL BRN]

I have a Springfield Mil-spec and the Colt XSE, two of the choices seemingly being kicked around in this thread. Of the two I would go with the Colt easily; it is a much more reliable pistol (of my sample size), the SA doesn't reliably feed hollowpoints (seems I need to open the throat up some), and it comes with many of the upgrades you are likely to do anyway.