Now try the 45acp from an old wheelgun like a Smith M-25 or 1917. 
I finally went and did it!
I finally got my tentacles wrapped around a couple of 1911s today...a Springfield Compact S/S (IIRC) and a Para 14.45 LDA. I had to shoot the range's 220-gr FMJ ammo, but it wasn't bad.
Anyway, the little Springfield felt pretty good in my hand, and the operating controls were incredibly intuitive. I sent a silhouette down to the 10-yd line, and then loaded up the first magazine, racked the slide, sighted my target, and squeezed off my first-ever round of .45 ACP. BLAM!!! Wow!! This thing FELT like it kicked harder than that .357 snubbie I shot a while back. But, I went ahead and emptied the mag. Aiming for the "X" ring, my shots all dropped down and right considerably, but I think anybody on the receiving end would have been down for the count.
Then, I loaded up the Para. I was surprised at how well the double-stack grip fit my hand. I was not expecting it to be anywhere near that comfortable. It actually fit my (SMALL!!) hand better than the Springfield (which I thought fit me better than any other gun I have ever handled!!). I lined up the sights and squeezed...right where I wanted it. I proceeded to put most of the rest of the mag in roughly the same hole. Let's just say the "X" ring was pretty much gone. Nice gun, good trigger feel (especially for DAO), accurate as hell, and just plain fun.
By the time I finished off 50 rounds, I felt like I had a decent handle on my "feel" for the 1911. I never could figure out the point-of-aim on the Springfield. The Para went where I pointed it, every shot. I wouldn't turn either one of these guns down.
But the overall verdict for my first .45 experience is I like it, but I think I need to shoot MANY more rounds and build up my recoil tolerance. I think for my first gun, I'll stick with the .40 S&W. I did definitely get a warm-fuzzy for the .45 though, and--most important, as far as I'm concerned--I no longer fear it.
Thanks again to all of you for your input. It has been beyond enlightening.
Dave
Anyway, the little Springfield felt pretty good in my hand, and the operating controls were incredibly intuitive. I sent a silhouette down to the 10-yd line, and then loaded up the first magazine, racked the slide, sighted my target, and squeezed off my first-ever round of .45 ACP. BLAM!!! Wow!! This thing FELT like it kicked harder than that .357 snubbie I shot a while back. But, I went ahead and emptied the mag. Aiming for the "X" ring, my shots all dropped down and right considerably, but I think anybody on the receiving end would have been down for the count.
Then, I loaded up the Para. I was surprised at how well the double-stack grip fit my hand. I was not expecting it to be anywhere near that comfortable. It actually fit my (SMALL!!) hand better than the Springfield (which I thought fit me better than any other gun I have ever handled!!). I lined up the sights and squeezed...right where I wanted it. I proceeded to put most of the rest of the mag in roughly the same hole. Let's just say the "X" ring was pretty much gone. Nice gun, good trigger feel (especially for DAO), accurate as hell, and just plain fun.
By the time I finished off 50 rounds, I felt like I had a decent handle on my "feel" for the 1911. I never could figure out the point-of-aim on the Springfield. The Para went where I pointed it, every shot. I wouldn't turn either one of these guns down.
But the overall verdict for my first .45 experience is I like it, but I think I need to shoot MANY more rounds and build up my recoil tolerance. I think for my first gun, I'll stick with the .40 S&W. I did definitely get a warm-fuzzy for the .45 though, and--most important, as far as I'm concerned--I no longer fear it.
Thanks again to all of you for your input. It has been beyond enlightening.
Dave
1 - 11 of 11 Posts
Squid, Charlie and company are more expert on this than I am, but your low right shots could possibly be from too much finger on the trigger.
If you put your finger too far into the trigger guard, it tends to "pull" shots to the right. If you put not enough finger in, it tends to "push" them left.
What's odd to me is that with your self-described small hands, I would tend to think you'd get better trigger finger placement on a gun with a smaller grip.
Then again, it could just be that the sights on the Springfield were off.
I'll let the pros take it from here.
Welcome to The Wonderful World of The 1911!
If you put your finger too far into the trigger guard, it tends to "pull" shots to the right. If you put not enough finger in, it tends to "push" them left.
What's odd to me is that with your self-described small hands, I would tend to think you'd get better trigger finger placement on a gun with a smaller grip.
Then again, it could just be that the sights on the Springfield were off.
I'll let the pros take it from here.
Welcome to The Wonderful World of The 1911!
Squid-
Are you right tentacle dominant or left?
Are you right tentacle dominant or left?
G
Correct... but, like Tim asked, it is really all dependent on which testical is dominate. Also, once you get off the finger tip pad and in the first joint and beyond it will tend to "push" the shots (actually the pistol) again. :lol:If you put your finger too far into the trigger guard, it tends to "pull" shots to the right.
I'm right-tentacled.
And I thought I might be doing something to skew the shots from the Springfield...so I concentrated hard and made sure I was using "proper technique", as my former Gunner's Mate Chief taught me. The little gun was low and right. I used the same sight alignment on the Para, and was dead on. Could be it was just bigger (i.e. heavier!) and "made" me a better shot.
Another aside...both pistols whapped me in the noggin a couple of times with ejected brass...dead-center forehead. Not enough to be painful, just funny, and attention-getting.
Dave
PS--The SubSonic part of my name is because I'm slow--my 5-yo son is faster than I am...not because I have a proclivity for a certain type of ammo
And I thought I might be doing something to skew the shots from the Springfield...so I concentrated hard and made sure I was using "proper technique", as my former Gunner's Mate Chief taught me. The little gun was low and right. I used the same sight alignment on the Para, and was dead on. Could be it was just bigger (i.e. heavier!) and "made" me a better shot.
Another aside...both pistols whapped me in the noggin a couple of times with ejected brass...dead-center forehead. Not enough to be painful, just funny, and attention-getting.
Dave
PS--The SubSonic part of my name is because I'm slow--my 5-yo son is faster than I am...not because I have a proclivity for a certain type of ammo
Dave, am I correct that the Springfield is a 3½" barrel and the Para 14.45 is a 5" inch barrel? If so, it might be (Charlie, Dean, don't hit me on the head again) the 230 grain bullet is exiting the SA's sooner and in less recoil than the Para. You'll see this when you switch between light, fast loads and slow, heavy loads from the same gun. The fast stuff will print lower often. The left/right is easier to fix than elevation without replacing the rear sight for a higher one.Squid said:And I thought I might be doing something to skew the shots from the Springfield...so I concentrated hard and made sure I was using "proper technique", as my former Gunner's Mate Chief taught me. The little gun was low and right. I used the same sight alignment on the Para, and was dead on. Could be it was just bigger (i.e. heavier!) and "made" me a better shot.
:shock:it is really all dependent on which testical is dominate
Uhhhh, okay.
I know how to determine eye dominance, but this testicle dominance thing escapes me. How does one go about determining this? Enquiring minds and all that...
Any time a shot is low at either 4:00 or 8:00 depending on handedness it is almost a sure thing that trigger jerking is the reason.
While it is true that faster bullets often shoot low the reverse should be true here since the shorter barrel probably is going to have a lower velocity.
and you can tell dominance by whichever one is larger :sm_angel:
While it is true that faster bullets often shoot low the reverse should be true here since the shorter barrel probably is going to have a lower velocity.
and you can tell dominance by whichever one is larger :sm_angel:
I may have jerked the smaller, lighter pistol--just due to anticipating the recoil out of that little gun. Once I get what I'm going to get, I'll have an instructor give me a once-over to try and correct any deficiencies. I'm nothing if not an eager student...and I intend to get all the instruction my budget and my schedule will allow.
Dave
Dave
1 - 11 of 11 Posts
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