Hello. Having owned SA handguns off and on for a number of years now, I decided to try the parkerized Mil-Spec. For those interested, SA designates it as "PB9108L". I'd owned a couple of Mil-Specs some years ago, but managed to trade or sell them.

I had seen and shot a friend's WWII GI Mil-Spec, which is now called something else by SA and was most impressed with the barrel-to-slide and frame-to-slide fit, but I had been satisfied with the sights that came on the "regular" Mil-Spec and opted to go that route.

These pistols can be found under or right at the $500 mark from what I've seen...at least in my neck of the woods.

The Pistol: This gun came with the standard GI grip safety and spur hammer and checkered black plastic grips. The frame and slide are parkerized and the finish is even and not unattractive. The fixed sights are of the 3-dot variety and the front sight is a non-serrated ramp as opposed to the post sight on my earlier Mil-Specs. The trigger is short and grooved and the arch, grooved mainspring housing does have the integral lock.

I was surprised to see that the barrel in my gun was stainless steel and new to me was the small groove cut in the top of the barrel hood to act as a visual loaded chamber indicator.


The Mil-Spec is somewhat spartan, but this one turned out to be reliable and accurate. It is not without faults, however.

Unlike it's WWII Springfield cousin, the Mil-Spec has a lowered ejection port and the magazine well is beveled nicely. It came with one 7-round magazine.

Shooting: On two ocassions now, I've fired just over 600 rounds throught this pistol. These included FMJ, flat-points, factory JHP's, and handloads with both CSWC bullets and JHP bullets.

After the first session, I replaced the standard GI grip safety with a drop-in from Pachmayr that works fine with the spur hammer. The reason was that I was getting eatten alive by both the hammer spur and the sharp edges of the grip safety. I've had this problem with about every 1911 I've ever shot that was in this configuration. The wide grip safety stopped my being more chewed up, but managed to rub off the rather deep scabs from the previous session.

Due to rain and wind, shooting was confined to 10, 15, and 25 yards. No chronograph work was done as I didn't care to set it up in the rain, but I will check out this particular gun in the near future. I expect it will fall in line with my other 5" guns.

10 Yards: Nothing fancy a tall, just some controlled pairs fired starting from a low-ready position and a few failure to stop drills thrown in.


I found the sights easy to pick up for controlled pairs. Each set was fired in something under a second. The trigger pull on this gun is heavy, but that will be remedied in the near future.

15 Yards: Shooting from this distance was done standing and using a two-hand hold in slow-fire.


I was VERY pleased to find that the fixed sights were "on" for me. Many times this is not the case. I suspect that the group being very slightly to the left with a few shots low and left are due to the somewhat heavy trigger pull. I'd estimate it as 7 or 8 pounds. This will be changed in the near future.

25 Yards: Groups fired at 25 yards were done in slow-fire while seated and my wrists braced.


This group was fired using Federal 230-gr. HydraShok JHP in the "old" version, ie, truncated cone bullet rather than the current one having the more rounded ogive.

Observations: The gun was utterly reliable. It fired a total of just over 600 rounds w/o cleaning and the number of malfunctions was exactly zero. There were no failures to feed, fire, or eject. The slide locked open only when it was supposed to.

For those interested, a more detailed report is at:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/...il%20Spec.ht m

This one is a keeper.

Best.

Thanks for the info. This is the second good report that I have read on these pistols. I just purchased an OD Green one this week and can't wait to get out and shoot it. It is my first .45 ACP. My other pistols include:

Glock 19
Ruger MK I
Ruger GP 100
Ruger Single Six .22/.22mag

Thanks a bunch. You've pretty well convinced me to build a project gun out of a SA Mil-Spec, instead of starting with a SA GI model or a Rock Island.

Glad you liked it Stephen. Unfortunately now with your review of the milspec I am afraid they will be less plentiful on the shelves. But word was bound to get out sometime about this nice bang for the buck pistol.

__________________
Tommy Hooks

No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation
- General Douglas MacArthur

Oop, I made a mistake. I purchased the GI model not the mil spec. model.
However, I have read a couple of good reports on the GI model as well.

I bought my MilSpec as I am an ex army guy and that was what I liked to shoot. I looked at H&K, GLOCK, SIG, S&W, COLT etc, handled each model, racked the slides, dry fired , and each time I kept coming back to the black gun in the blue case. I bought it cause it fit me, and since I have run thousands of rounds thru it, ( only failed to feed when really dry and very dirty) ( I was testing it ) oil it clean it functions forever. I added a Hogue finger grip and ed Brown full length guide rod, and bushing, and I had put compensator bushings on it, run buff pads, different springs etc, all in all , its agreat pistol. At 30 yards I can chew out the center of standar pistol targets, ( those hi vis targets are really fun).

My latest Springfield was a TRP, and it shoots dead on at 50 yards, ( the guys at the gun range were a tad impressed as I put a single round dead center on a pistol target at the farthest point back in the range). And recently was able to nail head sized a pumpkin at 162 feet ( verified with one of the wheel things by a phone company guy).

I am seriously looking at the new .50 GI man what blast that has to be shooting concrete blocks at 25 yards!!!!!!

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Gun Control :: Being able to repeatedly hit your intended target. 1911..... is there anything else?

[IMG][/IMG] Just a note to let you know that you dont need a 2700 wilson or clark or brown ( though we all dream of them ) to shoot well.

Its the shooter, the man behind the gun, that is the true weapon.[IMG]C:\etcpikx\1911\30ft[/IMG]

__________________
Gun Control :: Being able to repeatedly hit your intended target. 1911..... is there anything else?