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Yeah a bit dramatic I know but I decided it fit what I intend to accomplish.
Giving new life to a deadly but old dinosaur (to some people) of a handgun.
This all started out approximately this time last year involving a trade I really didn't want to make. My S&W 442 .38spl. for a Springfield Armory Range Officer 1911 Govt Model in .45ACP. Mainly because the 442 was my daily carry in all weather.
The 1911 while nice didn't at first fit into any of my prepping or shooting plans past maybe instructing someone to shoot and having a single action auto platform as an example of one.
But a few months later ,for various reasons, I've been motivated to move to a different area. Probably in state but definitely out in the middle of nowhere.
Pondering the increased likely hood of encountering black bear, wild hogs and at least a tweaker or two I was wanting something set up with deep wound channel penetration and nearly instinctive handling/shooting qualities.
Since I cut my semi-auto pistol shooting teeth on a 1911 and had done some reasonable beefing up of the .45ACP cartridge load wise in the past the S.A.Inc. Range Officer started to look less like a range queen and more like something I used to carry quite a bit in the mountains around here.
At least in my mind.
So in phases I made a few changes to it a little bit at a time.
Because it's better to do something than just "think about it a lot".
First off even before this full on make over in progress began I had already swapped out the chunky original walnut grips for Magpul ones. More ergonomic and made magazine changes easier. However the polymer was meh; more on that later.
I also swapped out the factory mainspring housing assembly for one that was flat, checkered and had a provision for attachment of a lanyard. Plus it lacked that icky factory lock mechanism.
The next step was a brief zero and function test with some 185gr JHP. Everything went well and I did roughly dial it in and was smacking center mass at 50yds from a rest. Plus the 25yd range was packed full.
Basics done I then acquired some more magazines. I did have 3 total but that was way shy of my minimum. So now I have six spares and 4 more would be even better.
The next big step was load development.
Which entailed me wanting to work up a load reaching a velocity between 900 and 1000fps using a 230gr JHP and unfortunately as things stand today with scarce components
that's the biggest hold up to detailed testing.
Fortunately I do have a limited amount of Unique and W-W 231 powder; sufficient for load development and testing.
Currently I have a load worked up to an average velocity of approximately 950fps within the published data.
Giving new life to a deadly but old dinosaur (to some people) of a handgun.
This all started out approximately this time last year involving a trade I really didn't want to make. My S&W 442 .38spl. for a Springfield Armory Range Officer 1911 Govt Model in .45ACP. Mainly because the 442 was my daily carry in all weather.
The 1911 while nice didn't at first fit into any of my prepping or shooting plans past maybe instructing someone to shoot and having a single action auto platform as an example of one.
But a few months later ,for various reasons, I've been motivated to move to a different area. Probably in state but definitely out in the middle of nowhere.
Pondering the increased likely hood of encountering black bear, wild hogs and at least a tweaker or two I was wanting something set up with deep wound channel penetration and nearly instinctive handling/shooting qualities.
Since I cut my semi-auto pistol shooting teeth on a 1911 and had done some reasonable beefing up of the .45ACP cartridge load wise in the past the S.A.Inc. Range Officer started to look less like a range queen and more like something I used to carry quite a bit in the mountains around here.
At least in my mind.
So in phases I made a few changes to it a little bit at a time.
Because it's better to do something than just "think about it a lot".
First off even before this full on make over in progress began I had already swapped out the chunky original walnut grips for Magpul ones. More ergonomic and made magazine changes easier. However the polymer was meh; more on that later.
I also swapped out the factory mainspring housing assembly for one that was flat, checkered and had a provision for attachment of a lanyard. Plus it lacked that icky factory lock mechanism.
The next step was a brief zero and function test with some 185gr JHP. Everything went well and I did roughly dial it in and was smacking center mass at 50yds from a rest. Plus the 25yd range was packed full.
Basics done I then acquired some more magazines. I did have 3 total but that was way shy of my minimum. So now I have six spares and 4 more would be even better.
The next big step was load development.
Which entailed me wanting to work up a load reaching a velocity between 900 and 1000fps using a 230gr JHP and unfortunately as things stand today with scarce components
that's the biggest hold up to detailed testing.
Fortunately I do have a limited amount of Unique and W-W 231 powder; sufficient for load development and testing.
Currently I have a load worked up to an average velocity of approximately 950fps within the published data.