My first 1911. Springfield Loaded Champion. (Very Wordy)

[Merovech]

I have carried a NAA Guardian (both the 32 and 380 at different times) for about 6 years, before that I carried a Taurus (Bah!) 38 SPL. I recently decided that it was time to move into a 'big boy' gun and settled on getting a 1911 after a long debate between a 1911 and a PPKS. I shot a full size 45 when I was a kid, a friend had a full size 1911 from WWI, the thing was loose as hell but I was an excellent shot with it. For some reason I never went back to a 1911, preferring instead guns that would fit in with bluejeans and a tee-shirt (meaning SMALL).

A few years back I *fell in love* with a Kimber Eclipse, the small one with the 3 inch barrel. But being the internet nerd I am I did my research and became quickly turned off by the Kimber's reputation. On the flip-side through my research I heard A LOT of great things about Springfield Armory.

After poking around a bit more I settled on a Loaded Champion, it is full stainless. I have a kinda personality thing that turns me off to plastic guns and I actually prefer the weight of a heavier gun and also shy away from alloy, I know I am crazy



As per the norm when it comes to my 'choices' finding a Loaded Champion was almost impossible. I called/emailed about 10 to 12 gun stores in two states and came up empty. So I eventually turned to Gunbroker and found one up in Maine. I ended up paying $900 after price, shipping and fees once it was all said and done, which was a bit overpriced BUT I got what I wanted.

First thing I did was 'learn' to take the gun apart to clean it. Youtube was a great help, being able to actually SEE how to take it apart was great.



The same guy had a reassembly video which kept me from getting an idiot scratch on my first cleaning, which was a win.



Cleaned it, oiled it, wiped it down with a silicon cloth.

I purchased a Galco FLETCH holster for it, which I liked for about 2 minutes, then I noticed that when carrying the weapon the thumb break snap pushes down on the thumb safety and basically totally defeats half the safeties on the gun when used so its getting returned with a bad review and I am back to square one looking for a holster. I want one that is taller than the standard 1911 holster and covers more of the gun.

The cocobolo double cannon grips were beautiful but generic, I wanted something that was much more unique and 'me'. I opted for a set of Hogue LamoCamo Dragon Scale grips that I had to special order, I was quoted 6 to 8 weeks, I had them in 4 weeks. Made me very happy for 60$.

I have been busy lately and hadn't managed to be able to get to the range yet, so the gun was pretty but stayed a paperweight. I couldn't trust it enough to load it and keep it for home protection yet, and neither the gun or I are ready for it to be a carry weapon yet. So there it sat in the case begging to be shot, and very pretty.



I finally managed to get out to the range this weekend...

Range Report

I started with a box of Winchester 45 Auto - Target/Range Ammo, 185 Gr. FMJ.

Out of the first 14 rounds through the gun, 12 were stovepipes, 1 was a failure to feed. I rather expected this, maybe not to this extreme but I did expect it. The problem didn't get any better halfway through the box.

Buddy of mine also brought his 45 and a bit of ammo, and we tried out quite a few UMC 230 Gr. Metal Case. Problem got slightly better but not much.

We used my two Springfield Factory Mags, His Factory Kimber Mag, and a Wilson Combat Mag. All preformed the same with a slight edge given to the Wilson Combat mag.

We then moved over to some Hornady 185Gr FTX Critical Defense and things ran MUCH smoother, out of 14 rounds only 2 stovepipes.

At this point I had a feeling it was just a matter of the slide not opening far enough after each round, I went and talked to one of their guys and he confirmed it was prob just a tight spring and suggested I shoot a box of HPR (HyperClean) 230 Gr. JHP to help stretch the spring a bit. This ammo greatly improved performance. (Even though it was silly expensive) In the whole box of 50 I got maybe 5 stovepipes out of it, which not what I would call reliable, was a marked improvement. This ammo was DIRTY, it spit powder all over the place, it was like it was raining, but the performance of the gun did improve running a box of this through it.

We ended the marathon on this gun with 2 magazines of the Hornady 185 Gr FTX, and 2 magazines of the Winchester 185 Gr FMJ. Out of the four mags I had two stovepipes.



This was at about 20 yards, I will blame the errant shot over the left shoulder on one of the stovepipes and returning the weapon to ready position while distracted. Even so it is obvious the gun and I have a LOT of 'getting to know you' time ahead. I wont carry the weapon till both it and I are reliable as a team. We put around 200 rounds through the gun over the period of about 2 hours, gun was very HOT toward the end.

Spent about an hour last night giving it a good cleaning, oiling and rub down. This was my second cleaning and I managed to escape the second round without an idiot scratch as well, although I'm still pretty slow at that portion of putting the gun back together.

We (The gun and I) will prob need 2 more range sessions with the second one having no stovepipes before I would call the gun 'broken in' and reliable. All in all I am very happy with it, despite it needing a bit of breaking in. My buddy said that he had a similar issue with his Kimber and they had suggested leaving the slide open for a week or two in storage to help compress the spring, so I guess Ill try that before I return to the range and see if I can get an improvement.

[Kiwi Bowhunter]

Sweet write-up, bud!

I have to say I'm in love with the SA Loaded Operator. Sexy damn weapon

Keep us updated!


Cheers,
Sean.

[mk_ultra]

I don't think that I would consider that many malfunctions in one range session to be normal breaking in . Hate to break it to you , but I think there is something wrong with your gun .

[Jsimmonsgr]

That many jams can be 'normal' for a 4" commander sized 1911. It just needs to be broken in, maybe be throated and polished. Also you can experiment with different strength recoil springs, magazines and ammo. I have a 5" Gov Springfield Loaded that loves 230gr and 230gr +p but HATES lighter loads. Try shooting 100-150 buffalo bore 230 +p loads and see if there is a improvement? Also make sure you have a good grip and are not limp wristing the gun, I will give you that it is quite possible that you don't limp wrist it, but this is the internet and I have not met you or seen you shoot. I have carried a 1911( one of several really) for about 10 years and I would trust them with my life. They do have a bit of a learning curve though.

Also check out Caldwell leather ( do a ebay search http://www.ebay.com/itm/1911-Holster-So ... 538wt_1110) there are no safety snaps but you can 'fit' the leather by wetting it and hand molding it to your gun. I have one that I hand fit and it has never given me any problems, I actually fell down a freaking mountain with it and retained my weapon all the way down ( about 100 feet or so) .

[Merovech]

I don't think that I would consider that many malfunctions in one range session to be normal breaking in . Hate to break it to you , but I think there is something wrong with your gun .

Either way I am not very concerned. A trip back to Springfield will leave it pristine and 'better than new' according to all the customer service reports I have heard of.

I will give it another 400 rounds before I make a determination either way. As I said before, as the gun got more rounds through it it dramatically dropped off as far as stovepipes, by the end I was 'only' getting 1 stovepipe every two magazines. So hopefully the issue is the spring and working itself out.

If Im still having a reliability issue after another 400 rounds, Ill have a writeup on Springfield customer service next

[Merovech]

That many jams can be 'normal' for a 4" commander sized 1911. It just needs to be broken in, maybe be throated and polished. Also you can experiment with different strength recoil springs, magazines and ammo. I have a 5" Gov Springfield Loaded that loves 230gr and 230gr +p but HATES lighter loads. Try shooting 100-150 buffalo bore 230 +p loads and see if there is a improvement? Also make sure you have a good grip and are not limp wristing the gun, I will give you that it is quite possible that you don't limp wrist it, but this is the internet and I have not met you or seen you shoot. I have carried a 1911( one of several really) for about 10 years and I would trust them with my life. They do have a bit of a learning curve though.

I am kinda concerned with shooting +p rounds through it, I intend this to be an 'heirloom' gun and want it to last a long long time once I work the kinks out of it.

I was aware of the limp wristing issue going into the gun and paid close attention to my grip, Im pretty sure that isnt the issue at all.

I am enjoying the 'learning' aspect, Im taking this carry gun seriously and I am wanting to know all I can about it.

[Jsimmonsgr]

That many jams can be 'normal' for a 4" commander sized 1911. It just needs to be broken in, maybe be throated and polished. Also you can experiment with different strength recoil springs, magazines and ammo. I have a 5" Gov Springfield Loaded that loves 230gr and 230gr +p but HATES lighter loads. Try shooting 100-150 buffalo bore 230 +p loads and see if there is a improvement? Also make sure you have a good grip and are not limp wristing the gun, I will give you that it is quite possible that you don't limp wrist it, but this is the internet and I have not met you or seen you shoot. I have carried a 1911( one of several really) for about 10 years and I would trust them with my life. They do have a bit of a learning curve though.

I am kinda concerned with shooting +p rounds through it, I intend this to be an 'heirloom' gun and want it to last a long long time once I work the kinks out of it.

I was aware of the limp wristing issue going into the gun and paid close attention to my grip, Im pretty sure that isnt the issue at all.

I am enjoying the 'learning' aspect, Im taking this carry gun seriously and I am wanting to know all I can about it.

Like I said I figured you weren't limp wristing it but I figured it wouldn't hurt to throw it out there. As far as the +P ammo if your pistol is a steel framed 1911, and it has a new spring, then you are good to go. If you feel a little anxious about +P ammo then run a recoil buffer in the pistol. Wilson combat makes a pretty good one, its a blue polyurethane pad that fits over your guide rod and you slide the recoil spring on after it. It will make the gun a little tighter but it will save wear on the frame. You can also look into Wolff Springs, try the Recoil Calibration Paks for the Colt commander. I would suggest Reduced Power Pak - Conventional. Just remember there are two kinds of hand guns the' heirloom safe queen', and the' workhorse'. I have a couple of 1911s ( about 9 or so) 2 are safe queens that will be passed down to my boy. The others are serious working guns that may be kinda beat up \ rough looking . As my mentor used to say " that 1911 may not be the prettiest gal at the prom, but she puts out like a $1000 whore. Any which way you want it she'll do it."

[Yrkoon9]

Gonna have to agree with a few others. Something is wrong with your gun.

Between 2 Kimber 1911's I have had a total of maybe 5 or 6 malfunctions in over 1K+ rounds through each.

[JARHEAD0811]

I used to carry a Colt Officers concealed and after I retired I bought a full size Springfield Armory (Loaded Model), I 'thought I was in love but, same as you I got stovepipes one after another. But then again a 1911 demands it to be cleaned and not treated like a lawnmower. meaning after you shoot you need to clean it. I used good M Pro7 stuff. I still had stovepiping. One stovepipe or failure to feed is one too many especially if that one malfunction is what you do not want when your life depends on it. Now, about your 1911. it's a beautifull piece but, I agree with the others. You might consider shipping it off to SA for a quality control check telling them what it's been doing. Magazines are important and the extracter is too. Wilson Combat mags are the way to go. 1911's are finicky as an old women when it comes to ammo. Try Winchester 185grain Silver Tips.

I LOVE THE LOOKS AND FEEL OF THE 1911'S BUT I sold it and bought a Sig Sauer P220 in 45 and I am so freaking happy because I have had no malfuntion and I have shot almost 1000 rounds of all types of ammunition. It's my opinion that SIG is the way to go and they are easy to take apart for cleaning. Their customer service is as good as Springfield. Sig is making a 1911 but I won't own another 1911 again. But it took me years to find a dependable pistol, it's just my opinion. I'd love to have a 1911 if I knew it would function flawlessly.

You 1911 is beautifull. If you can afford it, consider looking at the SA TRP 1911.

[alptraum]

Yikes, that sounds horrible. I'd send it back. While I like 1911s (and have owned some nice ones) over time something has become pretty clear to me, largely as I've gotten more into competitive shooting. Most of the guys that run their 1911s hard without much trouble either spent $2k+ on the gun to begin with, or bought one for $600-$1000 and then ended up paying another $1,000-$1,500 to a gunsmith and ended up in the same $2k+ price range.

[Merovech]

UPDATE!

I wanted to post an update and another range report.

So the spring on my Springfield was REALLY tight, as in VERY tight, super tight... and that is what was causing the stovepipes consistently.

I kept the slide locked open for about 4 weeks to compress the spring a bit, then took it back to the range.

Thing runs like a champ now, it will take any kind of ammo I want to run through it with no problems. I have had about 500 rounds through it since then without a single problem.

It took a bit of faith, and I was VERY close to sending it back to Springfield for service...

It is now my 2nd favorite gun, (Nothing could ever replace my 1895SBL) and my carry weapon.

[Jsimmonsgr]

I am glad to hear it Merovech! I love my SA 1911s and am always happy when someone else fall in love with them too.

[Caenus]

I've had a stainless loaded for about three months now. Fed jhp perfectly, but choked on WWB HP's. I switched to hornady critical defense 185's and no problems. Glad to hear it is working out for you!

Love your grips, haven't switched mine out yet. I'm running mine in a gun_nut holster. Distributes the weight wonderfully and very comfortable. It's also convertible to and OWB.

[Raindog]

Glad it worked out, it's a beautiful gun. I picked up a Kimber ultra RCP a couple months ago and like you I read on the interwebs that I should expect trouble but so far it has been 100% with everything from cheap ball to 185gr +p.