Recent content by cxm

I probably should add that I bought a Tiash (which I probably mis-spelled) right after they hit the U.S. market. I liked it a lot. Smith & Wesson makes the frames and slides for a number of other makers which (if I recall correctly) made SIG parts at least when the SIG 1911 was new, could...

I avoid any pistol made in Brazil and anything Kimber. Also won't buy Ruger. As to ones I like, for opening price point guns I like Rock Island and Girsan which are solid basic guns at very good prices. Of course Colt's are always a good choice and the S&W product is excellent as well. I...

Having been stationed in Turkey twice I have some idea of what great people they are... when I look at a Tisas I am always in awe of what a 11 year old Turkish kid can do with a couple of blocks of steel and a file... Very talented people ;) FWIW Chuck

I was told the ALCAN primers were made by Fiocchi... possibly a second supplier after the Swedish primer maker burned. In the early 1970s I used ALCAN primers exclusively... they seated very smoothly, were very consistent and a bit cheaper than the big three suppliers. During the past few...

Could we please have 357SIG for us grumpy old guys who don't change easily? ;)

Ok... I'll take a shot at a few... This is a 9mm Commander , or started life as one... lt is now a 9x23 and an amazing pistol... Next is a stainless Commander from the 1990s IIRC I used for a carry gun for a few years... It is a good shooter and totally reliable... it is a 45ACP of...

I don't think the age of the cartridges is the problem... Maybe it is how they were stored... but I have seen really old surplus ammo that has been stored under really bad conditions still work. As a data point, I have fired 1916 head stamp 45ACP that worked fine. It had been stored for at...

Do you use a taper crimp die on your handloads? If you don't you might try one, it will often solve feed problems. FWIW Chuck

I have three Rock Island 1911 type pistols (Two full size and a commnder size) I use for every day plinking so as to keep my collectables from undue wear. All of them have worked very well with all types of ammunition. As a rule, the smaller the 1911 type is the less reliable it will be...

I don't like Springfield pistols very much (rifles are ok) and Kimber even less. Hopefully you will have a better experience with Springfield customer service than I did... For opening price point pistols, I would rather have a Rock Island (Armscor) or a Tias (Turkish) any day. FWIW Chuck

A a lot of brass manufactured outside North America is made with berdan primers. Some years ago a big load of 9x19mm showed up from the mid east with arabic had stamps. Not only was it extremely hot, it was beredan too. Lots of older stuff from Europe was berdan too... otherwise qualilty...

Both are good choices... I bought a basic Tias shortly after they were introduced and was pleased with it. It was milspec and other than some slight differences in the sights it was a very 1911A1 clone... It was reliable and milspec accurate. The grips that came with the gun were black plastic...

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen...

I guess I have gotten stodgy in my old age... You are right the DCM became the CMP some years ago. The reasons are a bit involved but basically, the DCM received appropriated funds and the CMP does not. As military budgets tightened the Army was no longer willing to seek appropriated funds to...

A while back I got one of the 1911 pistols being sold by the DCM. The purchase process is complex... even convoluted and you have to jump through hoops... but given the 1911 Colt from 1942 I got I thought I got a good deal. The pistol a twice refurbished early WWII Colt. It looks really nice...