How Bill Clinton Brought Back the 1911 Pistol

pjmedia.com ^ | 6/6/2017 | Tom Knighton

[Yardstick]

I was looking at 1911s just today on Gun Broker. Would sure like to have one to go along with my Hi Power.

[yarddog]

I bought my first 1911 in 1968 at a place called “Gibsons” in Ft. Walton Bch. Florida. It was a beautiful gun.

I learned an early lesson with it. One day I was lowering the hammer and the hammer slipped, and the gun fired. Fortunately I had the gun pointed at the ground but either the slide of hammer cut the tip of my thumb. I still have a small scar to remind me. It bled really bad.

I must have owned at least two dozen and only one bad one and that was probably not the gun’s fault but the prior owner. My favorites were a combat commander in nickel. It was used and had a fair amount of rust on the grip safety. To my surprise it wiped right off with a Remington blitz cloth and never rusted again. I became my favorite carry pistol.

Two other great ones were a Frankenstein model 70. The seller told me it had been put together from parts of several guns. I would never have noticed as it looked new and shot great.

The third great one was an Argentine Systema Colt. It had a mediocre finish but they put all the love on the inside. Really perfectly made and the most accurate 1911 I have ever owned.

The single bad one was Gold Cut Match. The previous owner had messed it up pretty bad. If I had checked it out I would have noticed.

It was salvageable but I did not want to put any more money in it.

[Yardstick]

My Hi Power which I bought new a couple years ago was totally scratching my itch to own a classic design but then I shot a .45 — it was a Sig 1911 clone — and now I want one. Something about the big bore and the thin profile thanks to the single stack got me. I’m looking at a new or newish Series 70 in brushed stainless with the dark rosewood grips. I’m trying to decide if I want a flat or humped mainspring housing. I like the looks of the humped one but have a feeling flat might fit my hand better. I need to try some out and see.

[archy]

The stuff we cached ......GPS and 8 digit grids recorded.

Some of my stuff was stashed in the days before GPS. Others since, but with concerns that the system may be down or degraded when needed most.

My solution? Located at the intersection of three triangulated landmarks. as long as I have a transit, a good M2 or Brunton compass, or, in a pinch, a 10x rifle scope, I should be close enough for nongovernmental work.