XD Talk

JoeOU1 · 05-10-2011, 07:55 PM

Congrats! Can't wait to see it.

WinterWizard · 05-12-2011, 03:22 PM

Here you go, boys!

I picked her up today about noon! Didn't shoot it right away, of course. I took her home and read the manual from cover to cover, as I always do. Then I field stripped her and gave her a good cleaning.

The internals were pretty dirty with gross globs of assembly grease and some black grime. The gun was also dry out of the box. I oiled all the moving parts and put her back together. I racked the slide back and forth numerous times, fast and hard, to work out any small burs in the metal. After the cleaning and oiling, the slide moves much smoother. I expect after about 250 rounds it will be even better. Disassembly and assembly was easy and presented no problems. The supplied barrel bushing wrench works perfectly.

The fit and finish on the gun is very, very nice. Any concerns about cast frame or machined slide were eliminated when I first saw it in the store, and doubly so when I got it home. The quality of the materials seems to be stellar out of the box. The sand-blasted stainless is super nice – not too shiny, not too dull.

The quality of the supplied 7 and 8-round magazines is very good. I also picked up a Wilson Combat 47D. The 8-round Ruger mag seems to be the nicest of the three.

I hope to get to the range tomorrow. I picked up a few different boxes of hollow points that I plan to try out. I think I'll probably fire about 100 rounds of range ammo and maybe one of the boxes of hollow points for my first range trip. Don't want to push it for the first time shooting it. 1911's need more maintenance and lubing than my XD-9, so I don't think I will be putting 200 or 250 rounds down range at a pop. Plus ammo is about 40% more expensive than 9mm, as we all know. But I do want to get very competent with this weapon. If conceal carry passes in Wisconsin, this will be my carry piece when I carry.

I will chime back in with a range report when I get to the range.

My XD-9 is awesome – runs like a champ, is very functional and looks great. But this 1911 is beyond bad-ass. Might be the best thing I have ever bought. I'm definitely never selling this baby, ever. This weapon will be handed down to my kids, if I ever have any. Kinda feels special to have purchased this 1911 on the 100-year anniversary of the 1911's introduction. I feel like I own an awesome piece of Americana ... and a piece of Americana that will function and last!

I may swap out the grips to preserve the Ruger factory grips. Maybe not. Anyone got any suggestions for good, functional grips, perhaps in black?
God, I want to shoot this thing right now. Tomorrow can't come soon enough....

**chameleon** · 05-12-2011, 04:07 PM

Personally I love Alumagrips. They are fantastic and keep your hand stuck in place when shooting regardless of sweat or wet hands.

**chameleon** · 05-12-2011, 04:09 PM

Here's a couple of pics of my Detonics Servicemaster (my carry gun) with the alumagrips.

WinterWizard · 05-12-2011, 04:20 PM

Those grips look boss, Chameleon! I will have to look into those...

Kevin 45 · 05-12-2011, 10:09 PM

Hogue panels for me. That what I put on my Para GI Expert.

Brickboy240 · 05-13-2011, 10:32 AM

Man, that Ruger 1911 looks good!

I'd keep the wood grips.

The only things I'd swap on one, if I get one, is the black parts. I'd get a Wilson stainless safety and stainless Bulletproof Slide Stop and call it good.

It really seems that the Ruger 1911 is a lot of gun for the money.

- brickboy240