Bought my first pistol - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

kabob983 · 01-22-2007, 04:35 PM

I've been a member of this forum for quite a while and I've shot alot of other people's pistol's but I'm such a tight wad I've never bought my own.

Fast forward to...today. I got to work today and checked my email and a local sports sport store saying "they found my pistol." Hmm...I checked and it was a lightly used Springfield "Loaded" 1911 for $525. So I zipped over there after work to check it out. Picked it up and it looked like it was in pretty good condition. Right about then another guy walked in looking for the same pistol. He was actually a really cool guy, I let him check it out and he said it was a great buy, and if I didn't want it he'd pick it up, but he'd rather me take it home to save him from having to explain the missing $$ to his wife. So...after much debating my tight-waddedness drained from my body and I told them I'd take it.

So lo and behold I am the proud new owner of a 1911 "loaded." Now, I like to pretend that I'm pretty knowledgable in the world of pistols but I know that in the grand scheme of things I'm really not. A few questions:

-What's a good cheap gun care/cleaning kit?
-Where's the cheapest place to buy range ammo?
-What's the best self defense load (in your humble opinions)? I figure there'll be alot of varied opinions on that, probably can't go wrong with Gold Dots or Rangers.
-Oh, one more question. These are the pics from the store. One thing I didn't like is the tape on the front of the pistol (although I could grow to like it, ya never know...it's rough like sand paper). What's the best way to remove it without damaging the finish?

Kiel_Everett · 01-22-2007, 04:48 PM

Thats an awesome 1911

I would suggest your basic Hoppes .45 Cleaning Kit. Simple and has everything you'll need to start. But, some people may suggest moving up to something like Break-Free or CLP or Militec for lubrication/protection.

I can't really answer your next two questions, but nice pistol none-the-less

**Fennellco** · 01-22-2007, 05:05 PM

Kabob983, first off what an awsome 1911. Ironically I've got my LOADED out and am admiring it myself. You'll love it! First off those sights look like night sights, so take care with some cleaning fluid from what I understand it will break those vials. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Other than that WE expect a full range report on it. CONGRATS!

shipwreck · 01-22-2007, 06:39 PM

Great gun! Good choice. ENjoy shooting it

slugger6 · 01-22-2007, 06:45 PM

You, my friend, got yourself a fantastic deal! I'm very happy for you. That is a beautiful 1911.

Polymerhead · 01-22-2007, 07:55 PM

Nice gun! Use a good bore cleaning solvent for the bore (I use something serious with ammonia in it - either Tipton Ultimate or Sweets 7.62).

I scrub the feed ramp with the solvent on a brush as well. Those AR-15 nylon "toothbrushes" work pretty well for getting down into the mag well/feed ramp area, and nylon won't react with the ammonia in the solvent like brass will over time, though I still use brass bore brushes because I think they work the best. You might have to make a $.96 investment and replace the bore brush about once a year. Then wipe everything down (including the bore) with CLP and lube the slide rails lightly with a quality gun grease and you should be good to go.

After every 1000 rounds or so, I blast it down with a good gun degreaser (take the grips off first) to remove all the buildup from the action area and then reoil/lube and it's good as new! I don't go for gun cleaning kits - I just buy the components as I need them and avoid all the odd caliber brushes and low-quality plastic loops and jags that usually come with a kit. Get a bore brush, pistol cleaning rod, jag or patch loop, bore cleaner, CLP, gun grease and some patches and you should be good to go for under $15.

The cheapest range ammo I would use would be whatever your store of choice had on sale as long as it wasn't something steel-cased (Wolf) or "American" brand ammo (ugh). Usually WWB, CCI Blazer or Fiocchi will be the cheapest stuff I'd shoot at any certain store.

I shoot Black Hills Remanufactured 185 gr JHPs because they're cheap enough that I can practice with what I carry, they're fast (1000 fps+) and overpenetration won't be as much of a factor as with 230 gr JHPs or any round nose. Even the remanufactured Black Hills ammo is high quality stuff. I happen to get it from MidwayUSA.

Oh - and give that tape a chance! You just might like how it helps you hold on to that 1911. if you decide you don't like it, I would take off the grips, peel off the tape and use some CLP to remove any residue.

OK - sorry for all the info, but you asked for it. Hope it helps!

kabob983 · 01-22-2007, 08:53 PM

Good info guys, thanks!

Another question. I've shot my father's old early 70's Browning P35 for most of my life and apparently it's not safe to dry fire his pistol (or so he always told me). Are the newer Single Action's safe to dry fire? I'd assume they are but I'd rather not damage the pistol...

Hopefully I can get to the range sometime this weekend, I'll probably nab some WWB when I can. My only drawback to buying a .45, expensive ammo

Questions:

The box it came with seems...klunky. The pistol slides around about 1/2 an inch or so when in there, is there a more secure case or gun rug or anything that I could buy that would hold it more securely?

Next, I would love to get back into IPSC/IDPA shooting (I did it for a while using a friend of mine's XD9). What is a good holster for the 1911? Should I go Kydex or traditional leather?

And finally, should I even consider investing in Wilson 8 shot mags now or just forget it for now? Dunno if they'll really help at all at the moment.

KeithM · 01-22-2007, 10:48 PM

Academy Sports is the best place in my area to find ammo and some accessories. My local one has a Hoppe's cleaning kit for under $10 that will get you started, and they sell the brass brushes for a buck or two.

Any sporting goods store that sells shooting equipment and any gun store should have a multitude of cases and gun rugs that should work for you, just shop around a bit. You might also consider getting a range bag. Surprisingly, Wolf Ammo makes a good range bag that is fairly cheap. You can order it online for around $30 and it includes two gun rugs.

Shop around a bit for ammo. Some people recommend Walmart, I find Academy to be the best in my area. I can get CCI Blazer Aluminum for around $11 a box. Academy has their own brand called Monarch, the brass cased ones go for about $13 a box. Both have worked well in my XD. Whenever you can find .45 for cheap, stock up.

saltysquid · 01-22-2007, 11:03 PM

Around here Academy has the selection, but wally world spanks them on prices. Both on ammo and cleaning supplies. Wally world carries a lot less of both of them.

I also use Blazer brass for plinking and Golden saber for self defence. I use the golden saber because I can get it locally for a good price, they stock it for the local leo's that use it.

Nice deal on the loaded.

kabob983 · 01-23-2007, 06:20 AM

There's 3 or 4 Academy's in the area, I might try to hit one of them today to check on a Hoppe's kit and some range ammo. Not sure how the price will compare to Wal-Mart, but considering 2 of the Academys are right next to Wally Worlds I'll stop by and see.

Any thoughts on the holster (I prefer Belt over Paddle), and any word on dry firing doing any damage?

01-22-2007, 04:35 PM	#1
kabob983 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 196	Bought my first pistol I've been a member of this forum for quite a while and I've shot alot of other people's pistol's but I'm such a tight wad I've never bought my own. Fast forward to...today. I got to work today and checked my email and a local sports sport store saying "they found my pistol." Hmm...I checked and it was a lightly used Springfield "Loaded" 1911 for $525. So I zipped over there after work to check it out. Picked it up and it looked like it was in pretty good condition. Right about then another guy walked in looking for the same pistol. He was actually a really cool guy, I let him check it out and he said it was a great buy, and if I didn't want it he'd pick it up, but he'd rather me take it home to save him from having to explain the missing $$ to his wife. So...after much debating my tight-waddedness drained from my body and I told them I'd take it. So lo and behold I am the proud new owner of a 1911 "loaded." Now, I like to pretend that I'm pretty knowledgable in the world of pistols but I know that in the grand scheme of things I'm really not. A few questions: -What's a good cheap gun care/cleaning kit? -Where's the cheapest place to buy range ammo? -What's the best self defense load (in your humble opinions)? I figure there'll be alot of varied opinions on that, probably can't go wrong with Gold Dots or Rangers. -Oh, one more question. These are the pics from the store. One thing I didn't like is the tape on the front of the pistol (although I could grow to like it, ya never know...it's rough like sand paper). What's the best way to remove it without damaging the finish? __________________ w00t!

01-22-2007, 05:05 PM	#3
Fennellco XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 458	Kabob983, first off what an awsome 1911. Ironically I've got my LOADED out and am admiring it myself. You'll love it! First off those sights look like night sights, so take care with some cleaning fluid from what I understand it will break those vials. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Other than that WE expect a full range report on it. CONGRATS! __________________ CFR's Publication for the North American Union http://www.cfr.org/publication/8104/ Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. - Henry Lewis Mencken, 1880 - 1956

01-22-2007, 06:39 PM	#4
shipwreck XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 1,305	Great gun! Good choice. ENjoy shooting it __________________ - Visit: http://www.fnforum.net The ULTIMATE FN site!

01-22-2007, 07:55 PM	#6
Polymerhead XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: MO, USA Posts: 1,321	Nice gun! Use a good bore cleaning solvent for the bore (I use something serious with ammonia in it - either Tipton Ultimate or Sweets 7.62). I scrub the feed ramp with the solvent on a brush as well. Those AR-15 nylon "toothbrushes" work pretty well for getting down into the mag well/feed ramp area, and nylon won't react with the ammonia in the solvent like brass will over time, though I still use brass bore brushes because I think they work the best. You might have to make a $.96 investment and replace the bore brush about once a year. Then wipe everything down (including the bore) with CLP and lube the slide rails lightly with a quality gun grease and you should be good to go. After every 1000 rounds or so, I blast it down with a good gun degreaser (take the grips off first) to remove all the buildup from the action area and then reoil/lube and it's good as new! I don't go for gun cleaning kits - I just buy the components as I need them and avoid all the odd caliber brushes and low-quality plastic loops and jags that usually come with a kit. Get a bore brush, pistol cleaning rod, jag or patch loop, bore cleaner, CLP, gun grease and some patches and you should be good to go for under $15. The cheapest range ammo I would use would be whatever your store of choice had on sale as long as it wasn't something steel-cased (Wolf) or "American" brand ammo (ugh). Usually WWB, CCI Blazer or Fiocchi will be the cheapest stuff I'd shoot at any certain store. I shoot Black Hills Remanufactured 185 gr JHPs because they're cheap enough that I can practice with what I carry, they're fast (1000 fps+) and overpenetration won't be as much of a factor as with 230 gr JHPs or any round nose. Even the remanufactured Black Hills ammo is high quality stuff. I happen to get it from MidwayUSA. Oh - and give that tape a chance! You just might like how it helps you hold on to that 1911. if you decide you don't like it, I would take off the grips, peel off the tape and use some CLP to remove any residue. OK - sorry for all the info, but you asked for it. Hope it helps! __________________ No alarms and no surprises, please.

01-22-2007, 08:53 PM	#7
kabob983 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 196	Good info guys, thanks! Another question. I've shot my father's old early 70's Browning P35 for most of my life and apparently it's not safe to dry fire his pistol (or so he always told me). Are the newer Single Action's safe to dry fire? I'd assume they are but I'd rather not damage the pistol... Hopefully I can get to the range sometime this weekend, I'll probably nab some WWB when I can. My only drawback to buying a .45, expensive ammo Questions: The box it came with seems...klunky. The pistol slides around about 1/2 an inch or so when in there, is there a more secure case or gun rug or anything that I could buy that would hold it more securely? Next, I would love to get back into IPSC/IDPA shooting (I did it for a while using a friend of mine's XD9). What is a good holster for the 1911? Should I go Kydex or traditional leather? And finally, should I even consider investing in Wilson 8 shot mags now or just forget it for now? Dunno if they'll really help at all at the moment. __________________ w00t! Last edited by kabob983 : 01-22-2007 at 09:03 PM.

01-22-2007, 04:48 PM	#2
Kiel_Everett XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 478	Thats an awesome 1911 I would suggest your basic Hoppes .45 Cleaning Kit. Simple and has everything you'll need to start. But, some people may suggest moving up to something like Break-Free or CLP or Militec for lubrication/protection. I can't really answer your next two questions, but nice pistol none-the-less

01-22-2007, 06:45 PM	#5
slugger6 XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 19,066	You, my friend, got yourself a fantastic deal! I'm very happy for you. That is a beautiful 1911.

01-22-2007, 10:48 PM	#8
KeithM XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 248	Academy Sports is the best place in my area to find ammo and some accessories. My local one has a Hoppe's cleaning kit for under $10 that will get you started, and they sell the brass brushes for a buck or two. Any sporting goods store that sells shooting equipment and any gun store should have a multitude of cases and gun rugs that should work for you, just shop around a bit. You might also consider getting a range bag. Surprisingly, Wolf Ammo makes a good range bag that is fairly cheap. You can order it online for around $30 and it includes two gun rugs. Shop around a bit for ammo. Some people recommend Walmart, I find Academy to be the best in my area. I can get CCI Blazer Aluminum for around $11 a box. Academy has their own brand called Monarch, the brass cased ones go for about $13 a box. Both have worked well in my XD. Whenever you can find .45 for cheap, stock up. __________________ Keith M. XD-9 Tactical XD-45ACP Service Member of the two broken XD-9 V-10 club.

01-22-2007, 11:03 PM	#9
saltysquid XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 752	Around here Academy has the selection, but wally world spanks them on prices. Both on ammo and cleaning supplies. Wally world carries a lot less of both of them. I also use Blazer brass for plinking and Golden saber for self defence. I use the golden saber because I can get it locally for a good price, they stock it for the local leo's that use it. Nice deal on the loaded. Last edited by saltysquid : 01-22-2007 at 11:07 PM.

01-23-2007, 06:20 AM	#10
kabob983 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 196	There's 3 or 4 Academy's in the area, I might try to hit one of them today to check on a Hoppe's kit and some range ammo. Not sure how the price will compare to Wal-Mart, but considering 2 of the Academys are right next to Wally Worlds I'll stop by and see. Any thoughts on the holster (I prefer Belt over Paddle), and any word on dry firing doing any damage? __________________ w00t!

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