Linoge links this video of a review of a Remington R1 1911
Remington Model 1911 R1 Review (full version) from Eric Ebbinghaus on Vimeo.
Pretty solid review. I must say I handled an R1 at last year’s NRA con and I liked the look of it, its a solid little “Mil Spec” M1911 with a few updates and modern changes, at a VERY competitive price. I love the idea of reasonably priced 1911s, as its the gun platform that hooked me into shooting. Also if its well made cheap 1911s become even cheaper used 1911s, and I love to see good guns accessible to a broad range of markets, not just to people who can afford to drop a grand or two on a pistol.
Of course I am left with a pang of skepticism, only because the R1 is so affordable because of different manufacturing techniques over the old-school forged and machined 1911s of the Day. But the future marches on and I’d love to see modern manufacturing be able to make as good a 1911 as the pros can cobbled together with custom machining.
“Of course I am left with a pang of skepticism, only because the R1 is so affordable because of different manufacturing techniques over the old-school forged and machined 1911s of the Day.”
Except that the solid forged and machined 1911’s aren’t the old-school guns of the Day. They’re post war developments like almost everything else. The 1911 slides that went into WWII would be considered pretty soft by modern standards as they were often only hardened in specific load-bearing locations like the locking lugs and slide stop notch. Smiths that hotrod the platform always make a point to leave WWII vintage guns off the list of acceptable pistols.
Exactly. I’m not a Zealot for Cast, or MIM, or polymer, or anything newest and highest tech….but I’m also not a Luddite who will only trust something that’s been in service and heavy use for 50+ years.
I really hope some of these modern Cast and MIM guns will be statistically equivalent to their Forged and Machined fore-bearers in all but the most extreme service life and conditions.
And of course even today a Well Cast or properly MIM’d part will do better than a poorly made Machined or forged part.
The advances in manufacturing technology have gone hand in hand with new approaches to making things.
Spot hardening is a way of the past. With decent machining capabilities, I’d prefer to mill fully hard over soft or localized any day of the week.
Cast parts are prolific. You would be amazed at exactly how many cast parts are in today’s guns. M16 hammer, trigger, selector, bolt hold open, etc. Stoner even designed the receiver to be cast, but the modern forging process is a little quicker and cheaper.
If it works, and brings more people into the 1911 fraternity, it’s all good as far as I’m concerned… 🙂
My thoughts exactly!
I stopped by at a gunshop to fondle one of these just the other day! Admittedly, I scarcely know what I’m looking at, but it did sit nicely in my hand, and the build quality seemed very good to me. Sadly, over here, it’s not particularly “reasonably priced”, so I might have to put off buying for a while 🙁
What’s an R1 run in Oz-Bux? Also what does a Colt, and an Amscore base model run?
Also I’m curious what fees it might entail.
Hell what’s a box of cheap .45 (like Tula) run?
Well, the cheapest I’ve seen the R1 here in Perth (and possibly the only one left) was $1295. It’s about the same over in the eastern states, maybe a little less. As to Colts, these are about average prices here: http://www.cleaverfirearms.com/Colts.pdf
If that link didn’t work, a blued Colt government in .45 is about $1829. I’m not sure if we can get Armscore here, but we do have a Philippines-made 1911 available:
http://www.gcshooters.com.au/sam.htm
As to the price of ammo, I’ve not really looked into it, other than to assume that it will be expensive!