On GI Issue M1911A1s, Their Use, Their Value...

Dr. Hess wrote: What are LEG matches?

Leg matches are Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) sanctioned matches, using service rifles or pistols or commercial equivalents.

Folks who do well enough in big enough matches win "leg" points toward the Distinguished badges.

My nephew, a high school senior, already has rifle leg points based on his performance with an AR15 at Camp Perry, Ohio.

BTW, it's been a long time since a box-stock as-issued 1911A1 was competitive in leg matches. Sights and triggers can be and are changed.

They're a better fit in IDPA or USPSA matches.

speaking of the CMP..

you NEED one of these available from the CMP

http://www.bavarianm1carbines.com/cmp.html

would go great with the 1911.

I'll repeat:

Hot rod it, but save the parts.....

I have a Argentinian issue 1911, worth about what I paid for it, which was not much

Anyways, I got a drop in barrel with a tight barrel bushing, a new extractor off e-bay (because the old one broke) a drop in trigger and some quality magazines. Improved the gun one million times. I saved the old parts and it can be reassembled "stock" in about the time it takes to strip it and put it together.

Don't get any radical work done because its not really necessary if your not shooting matches. drop in parts let you restore it to original easily yet let you enjoy

Ignorant wrote: speaking of the CMP.. you NEED one of these available from the CMP http://www.bavarianm1carbines.com/cmp.html would go great with the 1911.

I don't like the M1 Carbine at all. However, a CMP Garand is on my list-o-things to buy soon enough.

My friend taught shooting to the Navy, and I think some Olympic teams. He was on the Navy's pistol team. He got President's 100 twice, I think. All with a 1911. He was looking at the scores from the latest Camp Perry match and said that wouldn't even get you qualified for the team when he was shooting.

I have a CMP Garand. There's been some writing in the recent NRA mag, American Rifleman, on Garands in Korea. During the big Frozen Chosin battle, the only weapon that would work was the Garand.

My $.02 is that you should have a Garand before you own an AR-15 of ANY flavor and that you should own a 1911 before you own Tactical Tupperware of ANY flavor. Not saying the latter don't have any value, it's just a principle thing.

YMMV.

You know what's funky about the M1 Carbine? It does precisely what it was designed to do and nothing more--ballistically it's a soft semiauto 357 Mag. Better than a handgun but not enough to taken seriously as a rifle. I'll stick with a lever action...

stroker wrote: My $.02 is that you should have a Garand before you own an AR-15 of ANY flavor and that you should own a 1911 before you own Tactical Tupperware of ANY flavor. Not saying the latter don't have any value, it's just a principle thing. YMMV. You know what's funky about the M1 Carbine? It does precisely what it was designed to do and nothing more--ballistically it's a soft semiauto 357 Mag. Better than a handgun but not enough to taken seriously as a rifle. I'll stick with a lever action...

thats funny, i have both an AR-15 and a G-19 while owning neither a garand or 1911. to each his own i guess.

I would keep it clean and oiled and in a safe place and bring it out for the occasional blasting day, but I wouldnt use it as a daily carry gun, a target gun, or cut it up or change pieces.

Its cool because its all original and they don't make them all like that any more, and its cool because it has family history. Some day you can pass it on to a relative, and it will make their day just as it made yours.

1911s are bad ass. There are a ton of them available on the market that are better shooters than this one out of the box if you want to get into target shooting with a 1911. If you want to build a custom 1911 or cut one up for your own ideas you can start with a $450 Springfield that is brand new and no one will cry about being cut up.

The value posted above seems in line, I have seen them at fun shows in the $1500-$2500 range.

I'd keep that one stock and unmolested as a collectible; even if it's not rare, 1911s from that era are only going to get rarer and yours looks like it's in pretty good condition.

If you want a tricked out 1911 to play with, there's plenty of new ones you can modify. Some are even modified and pretty good out of the box. Best deal around is an STI Spartan.