Why are there no compact 1911's imported into Canada?
- Thread starter .45 warrior
- Start date
I really love my new Kimber. I find it much more fun to shoot than my government-length 1911. Isn't that one up there with the crimson trace grips for sale in the EE?
yes it is, I hate to sell it but I am moving so I need some extra funds.
heres one, 4 inch slide with 106mm barrel.
Very nice!
BTDT,
got the T shirt
I've owned approximately 100 of the Colt type pistols, most of them shorties.
Back in the day [ 1980s - 1990s ], when I was a professional gunsmith, I specialised in these type of pistols, and I built several dozen of the shorty Colt Govt/Commander/Officers Model PRACTICAL pistols.
Mostly I used Detonics slides, Randall LeMay SS frames, and CONED barrels.
I also built some interesting DOLT hybrids [ Detonics frame, Copmmander slide, or Commander frame, Detonics slide ].
My personal favorite was a SS 3.5" Detonics slide on a SS Randall Lemay Officer model sized frame. This setup is an eminently PRACTICAL pistol. Ater I ground a relief up into the back of the trigger guard, I could get all of my fingers on the grip, unlike the even shorter Detonoics frames [ which left my pinky finger dangling ].
And after I extended the rear sight all the way to the back of the Detonics slides, I had a decent sight radius. I shot a lot of IPSC matches with that setup, including a few BC Provincials and a CAN National. I made it into IPSC B class with this pistol, so it can be done.
On close /fast stuff, the short slide actually recoils faster, and with less muzzle flip, than any other non-comped .45 Govt or Commander. So for quick and dirty CQB stuff, the shorty was definitely NOT a handicap. But on anything over 20 yds, the short sight radius was a limitation that did effect scores.
The only downsides to these type of shorty Govt type pistols are:
1.] The short barrel locks up and down very abruptly, so unless a RAMPED barrel is used, careful fitting is necessary for absolute feed reliability.
2.] All of the ultra short recoil spring setups will wear out faster than the longer Commander or Govt recoil springs. I used to get about 1000 rds of MAJOR PLUS PF loads before the recoil springs needed replacement.
But these days my favorite pistol is now a GLOCK.
I've owned several 17s, several 22s, a 26, 19,
and my current Practical pistol, a Gen 3 G23 with a Barsto 107 MM barrel.
[;{)
LAZ 1
got the T shirt
I've owned approximately 100 of the Colt type pistols, most of them shorties.
Back in the day [ 1980s - 1990s ], when I was a professional gunsmith, I specialised in these type of pistols, and I built several dozen of the shorty Colt Govt/Commander/Officers Model PRACTICAL pistols.
Mostly I used Detonics slides, Randall LeMay SS frames, and CONED barrels.
I also built some interesting DOLT hybrids [ Detonics frame, Copmmander slide, or Commander frame, Detonics slide ].
My personal favorite was a SS 3.5" Detonics slide on a SS Randall Lemay Officer model sized frame. This setup is an eminently PRACTICAL pistol. Ater I ground a relief up into the back of the trigger guard, I could get all of my fingers on the grip, unlike the even shorter Detonoics frames [ which left my pinky finger dangling ].
And after I extended the rear sight all the way to the back of the Detonics slides, I had a decent sight radius. I shot a lot of IPSC matches with that setup, including a few BC Provincials and a CAN National. I made it into IPSC B class with this pistol, so it can be done.
On close /fast stuff, the short slide actually recoils faster, and with less muzzle flip, than any other non-comped .45 Govt or Commander. So for quick and dirty CQB stuff, the shorty was definitely NOT a handicap. But on anything over 20 yds, the short sight radius was a limitation that did effect scores.
The only downsides to these type of shorty Govt type pistols are:
1.] The short barrel locks up and down very abruptly, so unless a RAMPED barrel is used, careful fitting is necessary for absolute feed reliability.
2.] All of the ultra short recoil spring setups will wear out faster than the longer Commander or Govt recoil springs. I used to get about 1000 rds of MAJOR PLUS PF loads before the recoil springs needed replacement.
But these days my favorite pistol is now a GLOCK.
I've owned several 17s, several 22s, a 26, 19,
and my current Practical pistol, a Gen 3 G23 with a Barsto 107 MM barrel.
[;{)
LAZ 1
Not as much as you'd think!I'm afraid to ask how much that set you back.
Got it from the EE. I believe Questar imported it originally.
TBPH, I don't see the 1911 as a very good CCW, even with such a short barrel.. There are just too many things protruding that would catch on clothes.
It just makes so much more sense with OC, IMO.
I wouldn't mind owning one for ####s and giggles, though.
It just makes so much more sense with OC, IMO.
I wouldn't mind owning one for ####s and giggles, though.
I should have taken the Kimber.....
I had a chance on that Kimber (It had to have been the same one) a few weeks back and something else came up.... now that I see the new pics, I think I made a dumbass move.... anyway, I think it was posted for around $1400.00.
On the same topic, I tried to get a Para Warthog brought in (with no barrel) and then get it sent to Armco for a new barrel... I was told they have to be done in the US before they are imported and its a pain to get a smithy to do the work. If its a one off job, it would cost you a fortune by the time your done.
Anyone, know if this is correct, or did the dealer just take the easy road???
I had a chance on that Kimber (It had to have been the same one) a few weeks back and something else came up.... now that I see the new pics, I think I made a dumbass move.... anyway, I think it was posted for around $1400.00.
On the same topic, I tried to get a Para Warthog brought in (with no barrel) and then get it sent to Armco for a new barrel... I was told they have to be done in the US before they are imported and its a pain to get a smithy to do the work. If its a one off job, it would cost you a fortune by the time your done.
Anyone, know if this is correct, or did the dealer just take the easy road???
I don't think the short barrel really effects accuracy at all, as long as the pistol is set up for it. I have numerous Colts in various lengths, plus a Star PD that out shoots all of them, oddly enough. Tougher to control in a "social situation" certainly, but under those conditions I think the stress would count for more. - dan
What the dealer told you is not correct, but he may not be intentionally misleading you. He may just not understand how it can be done.
Frames without slides and barrels are imported every day and registered as frames only. Slides and barrels are just parts and require no registration. The only thing that couldn't be brought in is the prohib barrel. So getting a frame and slide imported is easy.
I'm having trouble just finding a dealer that can get a Colt Commander. Some say they're discontinued, can't be ordereded others say 6 month minimum wait. Frustrating that "US brands" are so inaccessible but EU, SA and Asian brands are not (relatively speaking).
I heay ya... It's a challenge to try and find any US branded 1911s of any make in Canada these days. Unfortunately for us the demand for new guns in the US is still outstripping the supply...
Good news for US gun manufactures; bad news for Canadian gun buyers... But I am hearing that there are more and more US FFL's, like Buffalo Gun Center, that are more than happy to do the necessary paperwork to export individual guns to Canadian buyers.... I'm starting to think that that is what a Canadina might have to do to get a new US manufactured 1911 in a reasonable amount of time...
It will be ugly, yeah. The grip on the Commander is already a bit long. Commander slide on Officer frame makes a lot of sense.
Now I want one of those......
I just (today) got a 1911 Compact Sig Nitron. I was thinking of getting a Nighthawk T3, but just couldn't part with $3100.
4.25" bbl (Commander Slide) and Officer's frame (7+1).
Here's a photo from the seller:
We're still waiting on a range report!
