So, whatcha think?

[justdavid]

1. My first post on this forum.

2. The first post on the SiGARMS board. :cool:

3. So, GSR owners, whatcha think?


D.

[Troy Tedder]

well, I noticed no replies. but I have a question? do you like it?? does it shoot well? blue or stainless?

[gib991]

:) :) :) :) I have put approx. 150 rounds through my new Sig GSR Stainless 1911 and can't believe how great it is. Not a failure of any type and very, very accurate right out of the box!!!! Flawless performance. I had a tough time deciding on which 1911 to purchase (Kimber; Colt; Para....) until I held and felt the Sig GSR. Decision MADE! I have not been disapointed.

[justdavid]

Sorry, haven't been back for a couple of days.

I've handled a couple, but haven't fired any. I don't see myself buying one, for a couple of reasons.

1. Aesthetically, I prefer the classic 1911 slide contours to the GSR slide contours.

2. I prefer internal extractors. I'd rather deal with tuning an internal.

3. If I want an FPS, I'll get an S80 Colt. I especially don't like the way that the GSR's FPS is designated "not user-serviceable" with that weird gidget on the right-rear of the slide.

To give an idea of my mindset, I'm one of the curmudgeons that prefers flat-head gripscrews because flathead screwdrivers are 1) everywhere; and 2) easier to jury-rig than Torx, Hex, or et cetera. I also like the way JMB designed a number of the internal pieces to function as tools for removing other pieces.


D.

[mmike87]

I got a GSR back in April. Defective grip safety out of box. In addition to the gun firing with the safety no depressed, the hammer was hitting the beavertail and had actually taken metal off it.

Dealer sent back to SIG, 7 days later grip safety replaced, worked fine.

However, the new grip safety fit poorly, too. The hammer was right up against the well in the beavertail. No hitting, but not near center in the well. Compared to my Kimber Team Match II, this was a real, real, poor fit.

I called to complain, and they offered me a new gun. I had since shot the GSR, and it shot REALLY well, and I really liked it. I declined the new gun, fearing the new one would not shoot as well. I decided to live with the cosmetic problem.

Then, a few hundred rounds later, the slide stop started to shave metal off the bottom edge of the slide. I couldn't believe it.

I sent the gun back and requested a new gun at this point. About a month later, I went to pick the new one up at my local FFL and, behold - same problem. Hammer hitting beavertail. Not as bad, but you could just feel it hitting when you cycled the grip safety.

I then asked for a refund. SIG was ver apologetic and said that was no problem. I should receive a check via FedEx next week.

So here are my GSR observations:

1) Awesome reliability. 500 failure free rounds in my first gun.
2) Awesome accuracy.
3) Great feel and balance.
4) Poor fit and finish. I liked the bead blasted matte finish, but most of the parts fit poorly. For a gun that was supposed to be dehorned, there were a lot of sharp edges.
5) The light rail was out of spec. My M3 light fit so poorly it had to be shimmed to keep it on the rail. The light fits firmly on my XD and my 220ST, and others claim their M3's fit on THEIR GSRs.
6) I liked the Caspian "speed bump" grip safety.
7) Trigger was very good on my first gun, guessing 5 and change pull, very crisp. Second gun had a noticeably heavier and grittier trigger.
8) SIG's handling of me was great, other than the fact that I never got a satisfactory gun. They were always understanding, politle, and never questioned the motives for my unhappiness.
9. Slide/frame fit was fantastic on first gun, had a little slop on second.
10. I loved the look of the gun.

I think that the Caspian frames are out of spec, overall. I think this because the hammer/beavertail thing seems to be a common theme among GSR owners. Couple that with the light rail observation, and I think the frames are at fault. Just a theory, I am not an expert by any definition.

Overall I was very disappointed with the GSR. I waited a long time to get one, and as a SIG P228 owner was expecting a flawless execution that I did not receive.

I purchased a 220ST the other day, and shot it for the first time today. Typical flawless SIG precision. That was what I expected out of the GSR.

Sorry for being so long winded.

[breitak67]

I am amazed to hear you had such problems with s SiG. Mine has been just the opposite: flawless operation and great accuracy out of the box. The sights are great, the magazines operate beautifully, and I like the trigger feel. I first shot a GSR at the local target range. Their dropped, abused, infrequently-cleaned (calling their maintenance routine "cleaning" is charitable) rental piece really impressed me. It was cleaned only once/week (every few thousands rounds), but it still operated flawlessly.

Breitak67

[Dan0]

hey mmike87,

Thanks for the real no B.S. assessment. I love Sigs. I love 1911's as well, but I do appreciate the no B.S. assessment.

Dan0

[mmike87]

hey mmike87,

Thanks for the real no B.S. assessment. I love Sigs. I love 1911's as well, but I do appreciate the no B.S. assessment.

Dan0

Thanks.

The GSR was a pardox for me - as really liked the gun but just couldn't keep it for $1000 given the issues with the fit of some of the parts.

Interestingly enough, Matt McLearn who designed the GSR is soliciting feedback on the guns, answering questions, and putting himself on the hotsets over at SIGForum and 1911forum.

Yet another reason why I think SIG is a great company, overall.

[Dnglbry]

This is the Gospel According to Dnglbry regarding "replacement" pistols such as mmike87 describes (meaning it could be all bravo sierra). Based on my experience in warehouses at large companies, they send out runs of (in this case) pistols to the different wholesalers. When a customer gets a lemon, they simply swap out a pistol at the wholesaler our of a courtesy to that wholesaler. The problem is that wholesaler probably receives guns from the same lot, hence any issues that are problematic with one are endemic of all. Then again, I could be wrong.

[Momo]

My results are in between the two extremes. Picked up a Nitron about 3 months ago, after I heard the owners of my local gun shop tell me how bad they wanted one and how hard they were to get (these guys are far from technical, and never heard of Gunbroker.com).

Here are the goods. This pistol is *extremely* accurate, and a good looking gun. It's heft is great. All the parts fit together tightly, and after 2000 rounds no wear or shaving where there shouldn't be.

I have had two problems with this gun. I saw a post earlier about a stiff, heavy trigger. I had the same thing. I had my range put an NRA trigger weight on it, and it was double what a 1911 trigger should be. Hello $180 trigger job.

After that, everything seemed perfect. Then it stopped ejecting shells properly. I'm told the guns on the first production runs had problems with the extractors, and mine apparently was no exception. Sure enough, the tip of the extractor hook had broken off. Now this is a warranty item, but I've still got brass marring on the ejection port, and now I've got to put this pistol away for another two weeks whil Sig shoots a new extractor to my range.

The two items above are not earth-shattering, but I find it irritating that I've gotten exactly two weeks of problem free functioning out of the 12 that I've had it. Not a great start. I'm going to leg out this problem, but I really expected more from a $1,000 dollar pistol from a company with Sig's reputation. I'm glad to see from above post that if worst comes to worst, Sig Arms will probably take it back.

[Allan R.]

I love mine, I now have it shooting flawlessly, hope it continues. Allan

[chopper454]

I was considering purchasing a GSR, so I borrowed one to attend a class at Blackwater. The GSR was very accurate but had multiple FTF and FTE with their and Wilson mags. Near the end of the first day the worst happened, the barrel lug sheared off.

I know anything mechanical can fail and I think after they work out their problems it will be a good firearm. So for now I'm going to wait to purchase.