How important is it for the frame and slide to be forged?

Canuck1911

Canuck1911

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This question is regarding 1911 style pistols. I have been looking at different models and there is definitely a price jump for the models that are forged. I know that forged is stronger than cast. I just wanna know if i should save up and get something forged or just get something so i can start practicing instead of waiting.

I am currently deciding between an STI Spartan which is more affordable or an STI Lawman which is forged and more expensive.

Any opinions on other 1911's i should consider are welcome.
Cheers.
 
Canuck1911 said:
This question is regarding 1911 style pistols. I have been looking at different models and there is definitely a price jump for the models that are forged. I know that forged is stronger than cast. I just wanna know if i should save up and get something forged or just get something so i can start practicing instead of waiting.

I am currently deciding between an STI Spartan which is more affordable or an STI Lawman which is forged and more expensive.

Any opinions on other 1911's i should consider are welcome.
Cheers.
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I've seen excellent cast frames, and crappy forged frames. Build quality and QC are more important than method of manufacture.

STI make excellent guns, at a variety of price points.
 
Norincos are forged, and apparently highly prized frames and slides for custom 1911 projects. Its very good steel. Don't automatically think forged = higher cost.
 
Not sure if it will hold 100% true for 1911's, but FN switched to a cast frame from a forged one when they came out with the .40S&W Hi-Power. Apparently the cast frames are easier to heat treat properly and are much stronger for said pistol.

CZ 75/SP-01 are also cast.

Casting nowadays is very advanced and can be done to very tight tolerances. I'm pretty sure that most pistol frames are cast, and there is not a lot of talk about them failing all the time. The whole forged Vs. cast debate seems to be an ongoing obsession with the 1911 crowd:stirthepot2:.
 
Of the two mentioned, I would get the Lawman,..much better looking good. IF you can afford the more expensive one, then get it. I would probably go for the USPSA SS or Trojan in .40 or .45...
 
I have two springfield 1911's. One is forged, the other is cast. At 20 to 25 yards they both shoot about the same, no big difference. Where i ran into problems was when I started putting other parts on the guns. The cast frame had to be machined in some spots for a mag well to be installed. The parts I bought for the forged frame just bolted right on. Expect to spend more money in labor on a cast frame if you plan on adding anything to the pistol.
 
Also, in addition to the very high quality castings available today, there are high quality stampings of components including frames and slides made from stamped metals. During WWI a German company produced the Jaeger pistol, a 7.65mm sidearm made almost entirely from stampings. The German military would not accept them, but in fact they are reliable pistols prized among collectors today. The Benelli B-series pistols are other examples.
 
dirtymonroe said:
I have two springfield 1911's. One is forged, the other is cast. At 20 to 25 yards they both shoot about the same, no big difference. Where i ran into problems was when I started putting other parts on the guns. The cast frame had to be machined in some spots for a mag well to be installed. The parts I bought for the forged frame just bolted right on. Expect to spend more money in labor on a cast frame if you plan on adding anything to the pistol.
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This has more to do with varying quality control from different manufacturers (keep in mind that Springfield does not make their own slides and frames). The final machining can be anywhere from extremely good to very poor on either a cast frame or a forged one but it has nothing to do with the cast vs. forged manufacturing.

The frame on an STI Trojan is cast but I defy you to find a example of a better machined frame. It is every bit as precisely machined as the finest of forged frames.

Cast frames made using modern techniques and properly hear treated can certainly be every bit a good as forged frames. A forged frame may, at least in theory, be able to handle more wear and tear once you get into the hundreds of thousands of round fired, but the vast majority of shooters will never really see this benefit, so the debate is somewhat moot.

But that said, if a forged frame is within your budget, then why not get one? I just wouldn't use it as the sole criteria for judging the quality of a 1911.

And as a side note, slides are a bit different. History and experience have shown that forged slides are indeed better than cast ones as the slide can take a beating over the life of a gun. You will actually be hard pressed to find a cast slide on any but the cheapest of 1911s. Even Armscor uses a quasi-forging process that they call "metal extruding" to make the slides for their Rock Island Armory and Citadel branded 1911s. There aren't too many straight cast slides that I can think of off the top of my head...
 
Canuck1911 said:
This question is regarding 1911 style pistols. I have been looking at different models and there is definitely a price jump for the models that are forged. I know that forged is stronger than cast. I just wanna know if i should save up and get something forged or just get something so i can start practicing instead of waiting.

I am currently deciding between an STI Spartan which is more affordable or an STI Lawman which is forged and more expensive.

Any opinions on other 1911's i should consider are welcome.
Cheers.
Click to expand...

There is a HUGE difference in price between those two guns! The Lawman is pretty much twice the price of the Spartan. A better gun for sure, but not just because of it's forged frame... I's say get the Spartan if you kike it. It is a great gun for the money. I don't think I have ever heard of anyone ever buying a Spartan and not being happy with it. And that includes the big 1911 specific forums like 1911forum.com...

A Spartan and a thousand rounds of .45ACP ammo will set you back about $1300. That's still $200 cheaper than just the Lawman alone. ANd if you dont like the Spartan after that 1000 round is shot (and I'm sure you would), you should be able to sell it quick enough as there is always a demand for them. They are popular guns for a reason!
 
After some research on this site and the comparison thread i read on another site I've decided to buy a tuned Norinco from Armco. I figure i should just start practicing at the range sooner rather than later.
 
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