Posted on 03/06/2011 2:17:10 PM PST by smokingfrog
Sandy Koufax pitches a perfect game against the hapless Cubs while Gemini 4 astronaut Ed White executes the first space walk above the Earth. The Beatles play the first “stadium concert” in New York; Lyndon Johnson is sworn in for a full-term as president; and the first Colt M1911 Government Model is “combat customized.”
The year is 1965, and the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill captures far more attention than the ministrations of Swedish gunsmith Armand Swenson. His remarkable modifications to a Colt Government Model, however, are proving to be a watershed event in the development of the M1911. Swenson created the custom combat .45.
Custom tuning of the M1911 is not new, but, prior to Swenson, gunsmiths such as Bob Chow, Jim Clark and Al Dinan had focused solely on accuracy work for NRA Bullseye pistol competition. Along with lightening triggers and installing adjustable sights, the Government Model had never been customized specifically for combative purposes—a genre that later came to be known as “custom combat” gunsmithing—until a handful of pistolsmiths in Southern California began modifying the big slab-sided pistol for down-and-dirty use.
The late Armand Swenson remains the foremost of these pioneering pistolsmiths and the man who defined the custom combat .45 for evermore. A former state champion Golden Gloves boxer, the barrel-chested Swede worked a day job at Boeing. His hobby was building custom hunting rifles using surplus Mauser 98 actions and stocking them with elegant pieces of walnut. Swenson loved guns and he was a gifted craftsman—a rare combination. His other passion was speed. Armand designed high-speed racing boats in his off-time.
And back in 1965, things were indeed happening fast in Southern California. In a sleepy mountain resort called Big Bear, Jeff Cooper was holding “combat shooting” matches in the South West Combat Pistol League.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanrifleman.org ...
Don't know if the SA XD series is on your approved list of fantastic plastic striker fired tools or not, but if it is check one out. I think you'll find that the grip angle is darned near identical to a 1911.
It 'points' almost exactly like Brownings finest in my hand. It's one of the main reasons I picked it over the Glock.
My old Commander doesn't have near the provenance of yours. It sat in my IWB rig for a few years while I scratched out a living doing bail enforcement work. Never once did I need to clear leather with it thank God.
I use mine for local 3 guns, too. Had some 20 something LEO types call it an 'antique' at one. They got real quiet after I whipped their butts with it. Found out later that a couple of them were on the County SWAT team. That made the $20 I took of 'em even sweeter.
LOL
That is the sweetest indeed. Same in IDPA for me one evening ....albeit the guy that was shooting with us was null due he brought a race gun from his foot shooters society he was allowed to shoot for fun. He and I were top shooters that night and we held a mano ‘ mano finish shoot for time. I beat him by 50% on 8 targets. He was at number 4 when I hit the stop target.
Folks need to take note as to what works in CQB for our combat troops who are allowed to select and carry sidearms of their own choosing. SF, Spec Ops etc.... pretty much the 1911A1 in 45 Auto. Hits hard and works. When Desert Storm started the M9 Beretta was just being issued and not one of my team took one. We stuck with the 1911A1.
Nope on the XD....issued glocks are it for both organizations. I haven’t even laid hands on a XD. Not any good reason I just haven’t seen one around the range or friends gun safes etc ... I will have to check it out !
bookmark.
I’m thinking about buying a .357 SIG barrel for my XD-40 subcompact. I’d also like to buy a 9mm barrel to give me more shooting options, but that requires 9mm magazines.
You like the .357? I don’t think I’ve heard anything negative about that particular round.
ping
Yep...good round. I use the 125gr GDHP’s.
http://www.barsto.com/category_main.cfm?ID=XD&cco=63
The above link is where I get my after market barrels for conversions etc ...I link’d the XD page there.
I have a SIG 239 that I have 9mm, 357SIG and 40S&W barrels for purchased at Bar-Sto. Same for my Glock 35 with 9mm, 357SIG and the original 40S&W barrel.
Now back to the 1911’s !!......:o)
Oh yes, sorry everyone for going off-topic - 1911s rule!
When will the hundredth anniversary of the M1911 be. I know it is in March but not the day. I do think it has not arrived yet.
March 29
Thanks, that is a milestone this country should celebrate but I doubt it gets even a small mention in the main media.
The fact that it is still considered top gun a hundred years later is mind boggling.
Yeah!!!.....good equipment!
2 nice 1911s: SA .45 Trophy Match blue steel - TRP stainless, were lost in a honorific boating accident on our way to the island.
So was the GLOCK 36 .45acp, lost in the deep.
Ouch!! hurts to the think about it.
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