New Full-Size Lightweight SR1911

[TXTad]

Palmetto State Armory sent me a flyer a week ago with the full-size alloy framed SR1911 at a very aggressive price. I cursed, and then clicked "add to cart". This showed up a few days later. I've got some other irons in the fire right now, but I hope to get to the range with it before the end of the year.

It does seem to have a very stout recoil spring. That concerns me a bit on an alloy gun. Should an alloy-framed gun have a stronger than standard spring?

 

[hittman]

Wow, that looks like a great deal.

A Ruger SR1911 for $529? Wow. Too bad I'm broke . . ...

www.rugerforum.com

 

[bsnake]

Aluminum frame ???

 

[hittman]

Ruger® SR1911® Standard Centerfire Pistol Model 6792

ruger.com

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Yes, alloy frame. My buddy has one and loves it. As to the stouter recoil spring, might make some sense to prevent battering the rear of the softer aluminum frame? Just a guess. Stout is good as long as it will cycle every time.

 

[TXTad]

Possibly, but I believe that I have heard that strong recoil spring can lead to cracking of the frame at the dust-cover or the take-down pin hole...?

 

[Fox Mike]

Possibly, but I believe that I have heard that strong recoil spring can lead to cracking of the frame at the dust-cover or the take-down pin hole...?

Where did you hear this?

 

[TXTad]

Where did you hear this?

Somewhere in the innerwebz

 

[Cholo]

It does seem to have a very stout recoil spring. That concerns me a bit on an alloy gun. Should an alloy-framed gun have a stronger than standard spring?

It might. I feel pretty certain that Ruger knows the best spring to put in their LW 1911's for shooting standard 45 ACP offerings.

 

[GunnyGene]

They only shaved 8oz off the original 1911 weight. I prefer the heavier steel and not being worried about breaking something.

 

[Actnbill]

With Ruger's 'Best in the Industry' Service Dept..... an alloy frame wouldn't bother me ..... They would fix any problem asap...

That is a really good price....but like others.... I just prefer all steel 1911's

 

[hittman]

.... I just prefer all steel 1911's

I did too until I got the Lightweight Commander in 9mm.

 

[TXTad]

I did too until I got the Lightweight Commander in 9mm.

Same. Not only that, I'm a big fan of 9mm in 1911s. I have a Les Baer Custom Carry II that is just a laser beam and easy to shoot. I know some purists won't have a 1911 in anything other than .45 ACP, but I am confident that JMB would have happily chambered it in anything else if a contract materialized. But, I do have several 1911s and most are .45.

 

[Trooper Joe]

After buying 3 guns in the last several years from PSA, I had trouble with the 4th gun purchase. It was an RIA 1911 that had a serious idiot scratch on the frame and slide. This was allegedly a new in the box-firearm that had obviously been mishandled by someone.

PSA advised that I had to send it to RIA repair. RIA repair required that I had to have my local dealer send it at my cost.

I contacted my credit card company and PSA sent me an approved return authorization the next day. As soon as they received it the charges were removed from my credit card. There was no notification of being "banned for life" by returning a defective item.

In the last several weeks, I have tried twice to purchase two more firearms and was denied by PSA each time.

Has anyone else had this kind of trouble with PSA? Please disguise your identity if you reply. I would not want anyone else to be "banned for life" also.

Trooper Joe

 

[GunnyGene]

Never bought anything from them, or RIA, and now I never will. Pretty rotten treatment, imo.

 

[neorebel]

I picked one of these up from my LGS last week and took her out the next day to shoot it after a thorough cleaning and lube with lubriplate 105.

She was amazing no hiccups or problems of any kind. VERY accurate out of the box.

When I saw the price for it at $600 I was shocked. Why is Ruger selling them for so little?

Ruger makes amazing weapons and at this price it was a no-brainer for me.

I love the light weight for carrying. Yes, it may not be much, but it helps.

I have been carrying for over 30 years and I can say the lighter weight makes a difference to me.

Cracking? I've never seen it with an aluminum frame Ruger.

 

[Actnbill]

Ruger owns 'Pine Tree Castings' in NH which has been making cast frames and parts for Ruger And other Manufactures for a very long time.....

( In my opinion ) they are the very best at what they do..... so much so, other gun makers go there for their frames as well...

I would never sweat owning a Ruger cast frame.... steel or aluminum......esp. when that's the way most if not all guns are heading.....( other than polymer )

 

[Hooch]

I have a lightweight commander myself in 45acp and for the money it's a really nice pistol!!! With Ruger they have always been spot on with metallurgy and tend to over build firearms so no worries here about the frame…. If there is a problem I know they'll make it right.

 

[Larsman]

I just purchased a lightweight sr1911 in 9mm and am amazed how much gun you get for the price. I love Dan Wessons and had a few Wilson Combats over the years but couldn't afford them so they had to go. I am having much more fun with this pistol anyway! Was always hesitant to "use" the others too much. Ruger continues to offer affordable quality firearms. My only complaint would be the extractor base is not flush with the back of the slide but functions perfectly. 500 rounds in this past month.

 

[BarryinIN]

I had a Springfield Armory Lightweight Full-size for a while; same basic idea.

It was a handy gun. I feel the 1911 is most reliable in its original configuration of 5" barrel/slide and .45ACP caliber, so I had that plus some weight reduction.

I'm not bothered by weight so much as thickness of a carry gun, but dropping a half pound from an already thin gun was a neat thing.

Not too long after I got that SA, S&W came out with the M&P in .45ACP and I got one. I eventually traded away the M&P because I decided it offered little to nothing over the SA Lwt or a Commander. The M&P's weight was within a couple of ounces of the Lwt 1911s, but it was a fatter and blockier gun making it more of a nuisance to carry.

The only concern I've ever possibly seen with alum frame 1911s is feedramp wear after a LOT of JHP ammo. It starts to roughen up some, but even the ones I've seen like that didn't appear to suffer in reliability due to it.
I know some alum frame 1911 makers use a ramped barrel, probably to eliminate such an issue, but I don't think it's necessary.