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1911: Pics and Discussion

For quite some time, I have wanted a Les Baer 1911.
My wonderful wife allowed me for my birthday last month to order one.

I chose the Ultimate Tactical Carry with the 1.5" guarantee at 50 yards and two piece fitted Magwell. I also asked that they leave off the front cocking serrations.

I should receive it sometime in late June or July, and honestly have never been this excited about a firearm!!
This is a pic of the exact same 1911 after it has had time for the bluing to fade in perfectly from use.
 

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Beautiful Sir.....just beautiful.

Congratulations! I know the wait is gonna be painful. Hope it goes by quickly for you. I can't wait to see pics of your once you get your hands on it...
 
Lazy Eyed Sniper - Thank-you so much for the kind words!
Beauty is always in the eyes of the beholder, and for quite awhile this particular firearm has been the prize for me personally.
For the last three years, I have always borrowed my best friends Les Baer Thunder Ranch when we go to the range, and it is just something I have really hoped for but could NEVER afford.
My Springfield shoots just great, but to be honest I shoot his better and it just feels right to me (kinda stocky and thick and very tight).
Anyway, my wife and kids all chipped in and blew me away with the gift for my birthday. It was just a card that said "Happy 41st! Order your dream gun! We Love You!!"
Needless to say, I am a blessed man to have a family that would save up and do this for me! They are the best in so many ways!!
 
You ARE a lucky man!

...and truly blessed with such a wonderful family. My wife surprised me with a Springer Mil-Spec for our anniversary last year and I was completely blown away. The coolest thing is that every time you pick up that Les Baer, you'll get that warm fuzzy feeling as you think about how much your family loves you. Anyone can buy a 1911, but you can't buy that feeling.

Again, congratulations and I look forward to your tange report...
 
Lazy Eyed Sniper-
You are exactly right and expressed it so much better than I could!
Those "warm fuzzy feelings" as we think about our family and their love, mean so much!!
They make an inanimate object such as a firearm or pocket knife, priceless to us no matter what new things come to market.
I am sure that's how you feel about the great gift your wife bought for your anniversary!!
Thank-you again, and in June or July I will post some pics of her birth (unboxing) for ya'll to see!
 
JD, man what a beautiful firearm... and even more so what an awesome family!
 
... so the new Spartan logo VZ Grips I ordered might make a little more sense now. Just picked her up today...

STI Spartan V 9mm



Caliber- 9x19
Frame- 1911 Government Steel Frame, Bald Front Strap
Grips- Hand Checkered Double Diamond Mahogany Grip Panels
Slide- Classic, Front and Rear Cocking Serrations
Trigger- STI Long Curved Trigger
Barrel- 5.11” Chromed Non-Ramped Bushing Barrel
Safeties- STI High-Ride Beavertail Grip Safety / Single Sided Thumb Safety
Guide Rod- One Piece Full Length Steel
Sights- Fiber Optic Front / Adjustable Rear
Overall Length- 8.5”
Weight- 35.3 oz
Finish- Parkerized

I'll get some new pics up once the new grips arrive...

 
Most of them run around $1000 and up, but the Spartan is their entry level gun. MSRP is $700, but most places sell them for around $635. Been looking for one for several weeks now with no luck until I came across a gunbroker auction with a buy now of $600 and free shipping. To my delight the seller was a gun store here in Nashville! The place is way across town and I didn't even know it existed. Anyway, contacted him and was able to pick it up in person. He had 20 in stock! Sold it to me for $580 plus background.
 
I really like that crappy lighting on it. Lol. I think if it was a bronze color that would be sweet. Can they do that?
 
I have a question for those who are up on the Springfield 1911, I have a (new) SA mil-spec with out the Brazillian markings.

This SA 1911 has NM Genesso on it where one would normally find the Brazillian/Imbel markings. I looked high and low and couldn't find a mark anywhere on it that would indicate it was anything but made in the US.

FWIW I also have an SA mil-spec with Brazillian roll markings.

I donno??? this ones got me scratching my head? NM=National Match???
 
Hey Gunner!

At one time with the Mil-Spec SA's its said the ones to get were the "NM" serial numbers as it pointed to guns made entirely in the US. National Match... I couldnt say for sure.

Look on the frame under the barrel to see if it says Brazil or Imbel. Now, straight from SA I'm told if the gun says Geneseo, IL it is at least 51% made in the US, and vice versa if its marked Brazil. This would be for the mark on the slide and not the frame.

My Loaded A1 is marked Geneseo on the slide, but Brazil on the frame. Springfield has said this means the frame was made in Brazil for sure but that no less than 51% was made in the US and its possible the frame only was made in Brazil at the Imbel plant.

The good news about the stuff made in Brazil is that they use new dyes and machining with current blueprints and tollerances are carefully monitored. This isnt like western block Soviet countries or South American or otherwise, getting old guns and setting up tooling and machining specs to the old guns, or the companies purchasing the rights to old machines and dyes and making spin off clones.

The same goes for guns made by Taurus too.

Anyway, thats just a bit off topic. Check the underside of the frame for the Brazil rollmark, if none is found, I'm of the belief you have one of very few made entirely in the US. There are others here who can help more though...
 
The only SA pistols that use "National Match" frames are the complete custom pistols built through their custom shop. National Match models will have "Springfield Custom" etched into the slide, and will have an "NM" prefix serial number.

Springfield uses the prefix of 'N' and 'NM' to designate their 1911a1 models. To Brad's point, models that have more than 50% of the work done by Imbel will have the "Brazil" markings on the frame and these models will have an "N" prefix. The GI models are also made in Brazil and will have a "WW" prefix. Mil-Spec models can have either an "N" or an "NM" prefix with the "N" being more common. Models with the "N" prefix are imported almost complete with the exception of the sight and grip safety cuts. The final CNC machining on the "NM" prefixes is done at Springfield's facility in Geneseo, IL.

Long story short, "NM" prefixes do not necessarily determine in which country your particular pistol was made, only that at least the aforementioned 51% of the machining/finishing work was done here in the states.
 
Thank you Sir!

I haven't received mine yet, but I'm hoping the tapering in the fabric at the bottom will be enough to secure the mags. Otherwise, you could sew an individual thin elastic band over each mag slot. It could easily be pushed off the base plate as you draw your mags, but would still offer some retention...
 
Thanks Guys! good info, appreciate you taking the time!

I have both the Imbel and the Genesso marked mil-spec 1911's and to be frank, the only difference between the two, other than one being stainless, is the markings, other than that, they shoot the same, both are very accurate and very reliable.
 
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