GI 45 Champ range report by a diehard Beretta pistolero

[eldomatic]

Up to now I've mostly owned a variety of Beretta auto pistols in several different calibers. My carry weapon is a Beretta Cougar in .40 cal.
Other than a Colt Mustang II .380, I've never owned a genuine 1911 .45 cal hand gun. :o

It was finally warm enough in the Twin Cities today to take my first .45, a new S.A. GI .45 "Champion" out to the range for its trial run.
The Champ shot, well, like a champ! :D

Sitting with elbows on a shooting bench, I shot three 7-round factory mags of UMC 230gr ball ammo through her at 10 yards to get things warmed up.
She shot a tad to the left so I drifted the rear sight to the right a touch to bring POI to POA. Correct aim also required a "6 o'clock" sight picture just as the manual had indicated.
Shooting ball ammo, the pistol ran flawlessly with both the 7-round Springfield factory mag and an 8-round Kim Pro Tac mag.

Burned through 50 rounds of ball ammo shooting paper targets and 4" spinning gongs at 15 yards to get the feel of the pistol.
The trigger is the heavy, advertised 5-6 pounds, but very crisp with zero creep. Less creep right out of the box than any of my seven Berettas when new.
Most ejected rounds flew just over my right shoulder but a few came back and hit me in the noggin. About a fourth of the brass had dents in them from hitting the lower edge of the ejection port.
To me, the recoil of this 37 oz. all-steel .45 with 230gr ball ammo seemed a bit less than my Beretta 8040 Cougar or 96 Centurion shooting .40 cal 180gr ammo, and follow-up shots were just as quick. Very comfortable to shoot.

Moved on to Winchester 230gr Hollow Point ammo to check functionality and accuracy.
The 7-round factory mag had occasional problems fully chambering the first HP round of a full mag. A gentle push on the back of the slide would bring the slide the last 1/4" into battery. I suspect this will go away with more shooting or a polishing of the breech face.
Zero problems feeding HP with the full 8-round Kim Pro Tac mag. Slide locked back on empty every time. I'll definitely be stocking up on more Kim Pro Tac mags.

Accuracy with HP and JHP was pretty good, although I had to work at it with the small military sights that come with the GI .45.
Better of the two ammunitions was the Winchester 230gr Hollow Point which produced 8-shot 1-1/2" to 2" groups at 10 yards shooting slow fire from a modified Weaver stance.
Not too bad for a 4" bull barrel:

http://elliottco.home.comcast.net/images_2A/Eldo_GI45_target.jpg

All in all I really like the new Springfield .45 Champ. She's a blast to shoot and will only get better when I put larger, three-dot sights on her.
This 1911 has definitely found a home in my stable of Berettas and I have a feeling she is just the first of many 1911's to come. :D

[John]

Another one who saw the light! :D :)

Welcome to the club!

[Tom]

Now, how long before he buys another one? ;)

[Rob1035]

Nice! The 1911 trigger is IMHO the best in the business.

[John]

Now, how long before he buys another one? ;)
A month maybe? If our friend hasn't got too many mouths to feed. Three months max, no matter what.

[cliff731]

A month maybe? If our friend hasn't got too many mouths to feed. Three months max, no matter what.

Eldo, I think they're makin' some side bets on ya here... perhaps I should give my "bookie" friend a call, huh? :p



John, you likely nailed it... inside of three months!!! ;)

That Springfield Champion is one fine shooter, but wait till he sees one of those sweet Colt Commanders... that ought to do him in. :D

[eldomatic]

There's one of the biggest gun shows of the year this coming weekend at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
You guys might wanna accelerate your bets. :D

Originally Posted by John
Three months max, no matter what.

John, you're reading mind! Are you a *@#$%^&* psychic!?
Oh man, I see trouble coming and it's spelled 1-9-1-1.

[cliff731]

There's one of the biggest gun shows of the year this coming weekend at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
...Oh man, I see trouble coming and it's spelled 1-9-1-1.

That's it... you're as good as "gone"... :D

[darwin-t]

It was finally warm enough in the Twin Cities today to take my first .45, a new S.A. GI .45 "Champion" out to the range for its trial run.
The Champ shot, well, like a champ! :D

:D

I also just got a G.I. Champ. It's my first 1911 and a fine pistol.

I have to ask about the finger grooves on the front of the grip. Mine didn't have those, did you add them?

As for the sights, I painted the ramp on the front sight flourescent orange and it helps a LOT. If it's a G.I. model, you'll need standard cut, not Novak cut rear sight and you'll need a staked front sight.

[Ric4509]

I can see a full size SA 1911 coming!!!

[John]

There's one of the biggest gun shows of the year this coming weekend at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
You guys might wanna accelerate your bets. :D



John, you're reading mind! Are you a *@#$%^&* psychic!?
Oh man, I see trouble coming and it's spelled 1-9-1-1.
There! What did I tell you? One month if no significant obligations, three max if the kids are in college. This guy seems to be single, so I bet you he is coming home with a new one after that gun show!

And no, I am no psychic, I just have been around those things long enough to know that no one can have only one. Even us poor Greeks, we end up with two (some of us). That's all we are allowed.

[eldomatic]

I also just got a G.I. Champ. It's my first 1911 and a fine pistol.

I have to ask about the finger grooves on the front of the grip. Mine didn't have those, did you add them?

As for the sights, I painted the ramp on the front ...

Congratulations, darwin-t, on the Champ.

The finger grooves are from Pearce, got them from Brownells, Midway has 'em too.

Yeah, I already painted the ramp; the Birchwood Casey Superbright pens work well.

[eldomatic]

There! What did I tell you? One month if no significant obligations, three max if the kids are in college.

Married, one kid in college, saving for the other, but a guy's got to have his priorities, right? ;)

[Woodman]

There must be something wrong with me then... I have one 1911A1 purchased as an anniversarry present 3 years ago. While I would LOVE to buy another, I simply can't afford to. Perhaps if I get a new job...

[Ric4509]

I quit smoking and saved the $ I spend on a weekly basis buying a carton of smokes so I can buy more 1911s. :)

[cliff731]

Married, one kid in college, saving for the other, but a guy's got to have his priorities, right? ;)

Cut 'em off, Eldomatic... nip it right now!!! Kick 'em out... that's right... out of the house. It's high time they quit mooching off of ya... put them freeloadin' kids in the street!!! It's 'bout time they started actin' responsible anyway... do it now or they'll never leave. Someday they'll thank you fer it... do it for them... Tough love, buddy... tough love... I say again, put them youngins' out and cut 'em off and go buy yerself another 1911!!!

:lh:

Hey guys, I happen to know that Eldomatic has his "priorities" right!!! He even spends time shooting with his children!!!

[John]

Now, this is a post I can read. I think it's time to go visit my ophtalmologist!

[cliff731]

Now, this is a post I can read. I think it's time to go visit my ophtalmologist!

Hey, talk about helpin' someone!!! :lm:



P.S.- John, somewhere around here I've an extra pair of readin' glasses... if I can find 'em, I'll put 'em in the mail to ya!!!

[Tom]

It must stink getting old, eh?

[cliff731]

The "under 50" eyes version:

It must stink getting old, eh?

True, Tom... true... very true. http://forum.m1911.org/images/smilies/laughing-man_s.gif






The "over 50" eyes version:

It must stink getting old, eh?

True, Tom... true... very true. :lm: http://forum.m1911.org/images/smilies/laughing-man_s.gif


However... what us "oldsters" may lack in stamina, endurance, energy, etc., we more than make up for it with guile, cunningness, cleverness, shrewdness... we're generally to cagey and slick for you youngsters to get one up on us... :D

[Tom]

However... what us "oldsters" may lack in stamina, endurance, energy, etc., we more than make up for it with guile, cunningness, cleverness, shrewdness... we're generally to cagey and slick for you youngsters to get one up on us...
Yeah, but without your walkers, you're nuthin'! LOL

[cliff731]

Yeah, but without your walkers, you're nuthin'! LOL

Tom, the problem isn't really the walker... it's tryin' to remember where I left the thing at... :scared:

[cliff731]

And this too, Tom... you young whippersnapper...

I get to park my Grand Marquis right up front at Wal-Mart... :D

Went there last night... got inside the place, couldn't remember a darn thing I went there for... ambled around for awhile... met all my ole' friends over by the pharmacy... finally departed to go home... and couldn't remember where I parked my car... oh yeah... those parking spaces... and it didn't help none that there were a half a dozen Grand Marquis' out there... and they all looked like mine... :(

Took me almost an hour to find my car... and yes, I finally remembered the way home... it took awhile, but I got there!

:lh:

[Tom]

Hey, I drive a Crown Vic. And I'm only 38. But I have a passion for big, American-built, V8-powered, rear-wheel drive vehicles. I used to own a '76 Buick Regal as a teenager. I loved that car. I used to own a '92 Mustang with the 302 V8, too. But I've learned one lesson throughout my years of car ownership:

Chicks really dig the Crown Vic! ;)

But I want to know how you can lose a Grand Marquis in a parking lot? C'mon, it's the biggest thing out there, short of an 18-wheeler! I can always find mine because it is surrounded by the tugboats I use when backing that land yacht out of the space! LOL

[cliff731]

Here's one for your Crown Vic!!! http://forum.m1911.org/images/icons/icon14.gif http://forum.m1911.org/images/icons/icon14.gif http://forum.m1911.org/images/icons/icon14.gif

Tom, I was sort of jesting about my excursion to Wal-Mart... while I actually did go there last night, I do not use those reserved parking places up front!!! But, I do drive a Grand Marquis... and I am usually able to find it in the Wally World parking lot since I typically park out away from all the other cars- which also keeps the paint on my doors intact.

Now, about your Crown Vic... you're preaching to the choir here!!! I too have come to love the size of the car, the nice V-8 and the rear wheel drive. Oddly, my youngest son, who is younger than you, bought a Grand Marquis before I did... when I drove his, I was sold on the Panther platform vehicles. No doubt, my next car will be a Crown Vic. Maybe I'll run across one of those "chicks" who dig the car, huh?

This too... IMHO they are very stealthy out on the road. BTW, my big Mercury gets 27 mpg out on the interstate at 70 mph!

[cliff731]

Since I might have "diverged" a tad here on Eldomatic's Springfield thread, I might ought to steer it back on track... so here goes...

A Springfield G.I. (or Mil-Spec) fits really nice in that space between the two front seats in a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis!!! :D

[John]

Now you know why my Cherokee stands 6" taller than every other 4x4 in Greece. So I can find it easily in the parking lots!

http://www.m1911.org/images/Cherokee/motocross/cherokee11.jpg

[cliff731]

Now you know why my Cherokee stands 6" taller than every other 4x4 in Greece. So I can find it easily in the parking lots!

Amen to that, John!!! :D

I've wanted to ask you, about the headlamps in your Cherokee... I've an older Chevy Blazer with the same size retangular units. When it was my daily driver, I yanked the U.S.A. DOT sealed beams out and installed a set of Hella (might have been Cibie) "off road"* replacement headlamps. Much better and superior lighting to say the least. Would I be correct to presume you've done the same to your Cherokee?

* "off road"- they weren't actually "legal" for on road use as they did not have the aiming teats on them... but I never had a problem with those protuberances being absent on my lights.

[Opeth]

I quit smoking and saved the $ I spend on a weekly basis buying a carton of smokes so I can buy more 1911s. :)

Now thats what I call a sound Stop-Smoking method!

Who needs the patch when you have a 1911?

[cliff731]

My middle son just purchased a 2004 model year Jeep TJ Wrangler Sport... very nice, yellow body with tan cloth top. It had 34K miles on it, automatic (he wanted manual, but you can't be too choosy with used market vehicles), airconditioning (yes, even on a Jeep... it's needed when the top isn't off in the Southeastern U.S.A.- the summer humidity and heat is a killer), nice radio... but the main thing to my son was it is a Jeep!

I'm trying to talk him into replacing his round headlamps with some Cibie or Hella replacements. I do believe the round units will exchange with no difficulty.

Yes... even this too... a "certain" Springfield G.I. in O.D. Green that he has "borrowed" from his Dad would look sort of nice on the passenger seat!!! :D Pity the Jeep isn't O.D. Green!

[John]

Cliff, yes, one of the first things I changed when I got it, was the headlights. The European trucks have much stronger light patterns than the American ones. Another thing was the light switch, there was no flashing function in it (momentarily switch on the high beam).

[cliff731]

Cliff, yes, one of the first things I changed when I got it, was the headlights. The European trucks have much stronger light patterns than the American ones. Another thing was the light switch, there was no flashing function in it (momentarily switch on the high beam).

I dearly love the "European" light pattern of those Cibie and Hella headlamps. I've driven behind that superior lighting in three different vehicles. I do miss that sharp cutoff on the left of the beam and the illumination they gave to the right side of the pattern. There was absolutely no light where it should not be. My only regret about the "composite" lights being used today is those Cibies and Hellas don't fit anymore, and the composite lamps use Lexan lenses that craze and yellow from UV rays after time. :mad:

At one time, I was running with some high power H4 bulbs... seems like they were 100 watts on high beam and higher on low beam also. Normal was like 55/60... I think these were 65/100 or 75/100... something like that!

Now, about that light switch... there was no "flash to pass" feature on your Jeep? Arrrggghhhh... :butthead:

Were you able to correct this deficiency? :confused:

[Tom]

No doubt, my next car will be a Crown Vic.
Rumor has it Ford won't be making the big "love machines" anymore. Yet another end of an era. :(

I'm only getting 21-22 MPG, but mine is also an '96 model albeit one with less than 80,000 miles on it. :D

And yes, the M1911 does fit very well between the seats, with the armrests gently concealing the grip. :D

[John]

Were you able to correct this deficiency?

Yes, the European switch has that feature, so it was a direct replacement, only took me about 1/2 an hour, due to the stupid location of that switch at the bottom of the steering column.

Well, if your son can't find the Hella or the Cibie replacements, I can always send you a set from here. It will cost him but it is well worth it.

[vikz]

you guys are right about once you get 1 1911 you have to get another one..or 3,4..why is that??? who ever invented "layaway" must have a couple 1911!!!

[cliff731]

Rumor has it Ford won't be making the big "love machines" anymore. Yet another end of an era. :(

I'm only getting 21-22 MPG, but mine is also an '96 model albeit one with less than 80,000 miles on it. :D

And yes, the M1911 does fit very well between the seats, with the armrests gently concealing the grip. :D

Right you are, Tom... about those "armrests gently concealing the grip".

I will hope that Ford ending production of the big "love machine" is just a rumor at this point. Everything I've read indicates another two or three years of Crown Vic and Panther platform production (a.k.a.- Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car).

Your MPG is only 21-22 at < 80K miles? Well, your car isn't broke in yet!!! Actually, I think they made some wheel size and transmission changes about '98 or '99 that could effect the numbers. Other than that, I know my car's MPG is very sensitive to tire pressure PSI changes.

The Town Cars have really neat door compartments with hinged lids that are big enough to "hide" a full size 1911A1. Maybe not as easy to get to in a rush, especially if right handed, but kinda neat and more out of sight. I drove a 2005 Town Car a couple of months ago... had 18K on it, a "Program" type car that came from a rental fleet. Doggone, that big car was surprisingly nimble! Caveat here is to NOT buy one NEW. My Grand Marquis was a lease return car... I saved a bundle compared to new car cost. That Town Car had depreciated horribly, but so much the better deal when buying one "used"!

[cliff731]

Yes, the European switch has that feature, so it was a direct replacement, only took me about 1/2 an hour, due to the stupid location of that switch at the bottom of the steering column.

Well, if your son can't find the Hella or the Cibie replacements, I can always send you a set from here. It will cost him but it is well worth it.

John, I recall seeing General Motors switchgear in those early Cherokees, even after Chrysler bought American Motors which gave them Jeep and was the BIG and ONLY reason they did that deal. It seems that in the last years of American Motors life, they were buying G.M. parts for their Jeep line, especially the switch gear and the steering column assembly looked alot like the one on my Chevy Blazer.

It was a pity to see American Motors fold up... well, their products excepting the Jeep simply vanished after Chrysler bought them. The only cars they had were done in a joint venture with Renault, and those didn't last long in the Chrysler lineup (the fwd Monaco and Eagle). Only the Jeep soldiered on.

A half hour of labor probably isn't too bad on a U.S.A. made vehicle!!! Yes, the switch location didn't help. I'll let my son know of your offer and if he cannot find these lights here, we'll be in touch with you. Personally, in my opinion, they would be well worth the cost. Thanks!!!

[Tom]

Your MPG is only 21-22 at < 80K miles? Well, your car isn't broke in yet!!!
LOL It isn't. It was owned by an old couple who only drove it to church and back. When I got it, there was only 36,000 miles. I've put on the rest in the few years I've owned it. Even at 21-22 MPG, I'm still getting better gas mileage than a lot of other people's cars - plus I can take five people in my car out to lunch AND still hold 3-4 bodies in the trunk.

And the chicks dig it. ;)
http://www.automotrizcasillas.com/imagenes/autos/442/%7BA5AC822D-7545-478F-B3D8-810A57014CE2%7D_crown001.jpg

[wetwilly]

I recently ran the first h :cool: undred rounds through my new GI Champ and it funcioned flawlessly. I'll paint a dot on the front sight until I get Mil-spec white dots for it. I'll also be changing the grips to slim-lines. I also need to work on the extractor as the casings in my face is a little annoying.
This is my first post and I love this site and forum!Semper fi mac!!

[cliff731]

LOL It isn't. It was owned by an old couple who only drove it to church and back. When I got it, there was only 36,000 miles. I've put on the rest in the few years I've owned it. Even at 21-22 MPG, I'm still getting better gas mileage than a lot of other people's cars - plus I can take five people in my car out to lunch AND still hold 3-4 bodies in the trunk.

And the chicks dig it. ;)


Tom, that's a really good lookin' Crown Vic... and it's that last quality you speak of that appeals to me the most!!! :p

My son has said about the same thing about his Grand Marquis regarding it's "lunch time" passenger capacity... and I don't wanna know what you guys are hauling around in those cavernous trunks!!! :nono:

[cliff731]

Wetwilly, thanks for the post... and welcome to the 4um!!! :)

BTW, since you mentioned your G.I. and are a newbie, you need to know that most of us here simply love to see photos of other forum members guns... so I can imagine that someone is gonna come along soon and post something like this...

:fp:

[Tom]

so I can imagine that someone is gonna come along soon and post something like this...
Man, that was cruel. LOL

[wetwilly]

Hey cliff731,
I can take the gunny in my face since I did in 1969!!
I love the gun porn too and will have pics soon. ooorah!!

[jphilp87]

looks like you and I have recently made the same acquisition! my SA GI champ is amazing. I'm new to the 1911 .45's as well, but other than an early issue with HP rounds, mine is perfect.

I have continued to have some issues with the HP's, but using Winchester ball point, the thing works like a beauty. I might have to try out the 8-round Kim Pro Tac mag that you mentioned. thanks for the tip.

keep it up. 1911 fans like us just keep adding up to the group

[cliff731]

Hey cliff731,
I can take the gunny in my face since I did in 1969!!
I love the gun porn too and will have pics soon. ooorah!!

Well, Wetwilly, I'm glad you got to see a familiar face!!! http://forum.m1911.org/images/smilies/laughing-man_s.gif