Advice for purchasing an EIC service pistol...

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  • ronswanson
    • May 2016
    • 1

    Advice for purchasing an EIC service pistol...

    OK, so I've been muddling around with the pistol I already have (glock17) and would like to get a pistol that would be more competitive for EIC matches when christmas rolls around. Frankly, my knowledge level about what guns tend to be in the hands of those earning leg points is a little low.

    It doesn't need to serve any purpose other than EIC service pistol.....so here it goes.....what would you buy?

    (my local range just has 25 for pistol and I'm usually in the 7/8/9s so far....been working on and off on it for a bit)
  • CDRT
    • Oct 2009
    • 1942

    #2
    I would recommend the Springfield Armory Range Officer in .45 ACP. It has great sights and is easily tweaked to do well on the 50 yard line and it won't break the bank like a Les Baer or other custom pistol.
    Navy Vet, Distinguished Pistol

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    • missilegeek
      • Nov 2009
      • 2000

      #3
      Originally posted by CDRT View Post
      I would recommend the Springfield Armory Range Officer in .45 ACP. It has great sights and is easily tweaked to do well on the 50 yard line and it won't break the bank like a Les Baer or other custom pistol.
      Plus its more a legit service pistol than most on the list now.
      Service Rifle: 1884-2015 RIP.
      Service Pistol: 1903-2014

      Comment

      • JayhawkNavy02
        • Feb 2015
        • 30

        #4
        Range Officer. Have a Bullseye gunsmith accurize it as funds allow.
        Distinguished Service Pistol

        Comment

        • CDRT
          • Oct 2009
          • 1942

          #5
          Originally posted by missilegeek View Post
          Plus its more a legit service pistol than most on the list now.
          +1 on that. The CMP could have saved match directors a whole lot of confusion by just allowing 1911's like the RO instead of the huge list they came up with.

          The RO I got was good out of the box. If they had taken the time to checker the front strap, it would have been perfect. All I had to do was lighten the trigger pull. add a trigger shoe, and install a lighter recoil spring. The barrel to bushing fit was good, but I have heard of some guys installing a NM barrel and bushing.
          Navy Vet, Distinguished Pistol

          Comment

          • missilegeek
            • Nov 2009
            • 2000

            #6
            Originally posted by CDRT View Post
            +1 on that. The CMP could have saved match directors a whole lot of confusion by just allowing 1911's like the RO instead of the huge list they came up with.
            I seriously doubt that volunteer match directors ever cross their minds.
            Service Rifle: 1884-2015 RIP.
            Service Pistol: 1903-2014

            Comment

            • Greg Ficklin
              • Oct 2009
              • 595

              #7
              The advise given to me by 2112 USMC Team Armorer Isaac McCaskil was to get a Springfield RO, shoot it 5000 times in practice,(and matches) and then bring it to him.
              The steel is good in the Springfields, and they have a series 70 trigger that is better for tuning. The RO's have tight stainless bushings, match quality barrels, and adjustable Bo-Mar type sights with a large front sight. They are out of the box capable of taking leg points if you can shoot it at 50 yards. That's where the 5000 rounds comes in. You just can't appreciate the accuracy of a accurized hardball pistol until you can shoot.
              Distinguished Rifleman #2198
              NRA HP XTC High Master (service rifle)
              NRA Patron Life member
              PCGC Junior Team coach
              CMP GSM Master Inst.

              Comment

              • Varminterror
                • Feb 2012
                • 33

                #8
                I've seen this question on a few forums and multiple times over the last ~18mos, and the same song seems to play every time... So... I'm going to play my "I'm an ignorant New Guy Card" and ask the dumb question:

                What in particular makes the Springfield Range Officer so highly recommended?

                Greg's details above are fantastic! I haven't gone through specs on competitor pistols, but I'm surprised to think the SA RO is the only one out there with these attributes/features off of the shelf? Or are they the only ones in their price class?

                As some might have seen, I have a SigSauer 1911 Stainless Super Target on hand - will I be better off to buy a Range Officer? With a ~$950 price tag locally, that's a lot of 'smithing work I could do to the Sig, so I'd wanna be sure to understand what the difference really is between the Super Target and the Range Officer which makes the RO highly recommended, and the Sig never even mentioned.

                Comment

                • DaveHH
                  • Nov 2009
                  • 4650

                  #9
                  It is surprising how some of these guns are put together

                  My 1967 Commercial is almost new and probably has no more that 1500 through it. Always kept it clean and lubed. The slide will actually rattle on the frame. That is just the way they went together. I used to shoot PP with it and win. My F.Bob Chow gun is about 65 years old and was shot for 20 years by an Army pistol team member. It is still so tight that it takes effort to take apart. Off a bench I can shoot 3"-4" groups at 50. A good shot could shrink that to half that. Some of these over the counter guns like the RO or SIG are tight as a drum right out of the box. I guess it is the CNC machines and careful assembly with accuracy AND reliability the goal.

                  Comment

                  • JayhawkNavy02
                    • Feb 2015
                    • 30

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Greg Ficklin View Post
                    The advise given to me by 2112 USMC Team Armorer Isaac McCaskil was to get a Springfield RO, shoot it 5000 times in practice,(and matches) and then bring it to him. The steel is good in the Springfields, and they have a series 70 trigger that is better for tuning. The RO's have tight stainless bushings, match quality barrels, and adjustable Bo-Mar type sights with a large front sight. They are out of the box capable of taking leg points if you can shoot it at 50 yards. That's where the 5000 rounds comes in. You just can't appreciate the accuracy of a accurized hardball pistol until you can shoot.
                    That's awful advice. You may want to dry fire 5,000 times, but no need to live fire that amount. Money wasted. You would be better off to save the cash from 5,000 rounds and use it to pay for a barrel/bushing, and other required odds/ends. Bushings are not fit, so if yours is tight/loose its simply luck. The barrels are about as "match" as every other company, that's just marketing. The barrels are nearly drop in and undersized, you'll need to have them re-fit or buy a Kart/KKM to have a true match barrel. Mine shot 6" groups until I had a new bushing and my barrel re-fit and 2.5" at 50 yards after that with JHP. Also, FPS/extractor may result in clocking as they're just drop in parts, cheap parts for peace of mind. Another item to watch is the plunger, I've seen several need re-staking.

                    Originally posted by Varminterror View Post
                    I've seen this question on a few forums and multiple times over the last ~18mos, and the same song seems to play every time... So... I'm going to play my "I'm an ignorant New Guy Card" and ask the dumb question: What in particular makes the Springfield Range Officer so highly recommended? I haven't gone through specs on competitor pistols, but I'm surprised to think the SA RO is the only one out there with these attributes/features off of the shelf? Or are they the only ones in their price class?
                    It meets the needs/requirements at the lowest cost. That is why it is so popular. You can use the frame/slide, as a donor as you have funds to accurize the pistol. A full custom would be better/best but very expensive and not required to go distinguished. Springfield Custom, Les Baer (older models), and the rare Kimber Target Match are all better options, but 2 - 3 times the cost.

                    Originally posted by Varminterror View Post
                    Will I be better off to buy a Range Officer? With a ~$950 price tag locally, that's a lot of 'smithing work I could do to the Sig, so I'd wanna be sure to understand what the difference really is between the Super Target and the Range Officer which makes the RO highly recommended, and the Sig never even mentioned.
                    Yes. But the price your quoting is very high. You should be able to get one off the internet delivered for $715. The reason is that stainless cannot have the same slide to frame fit as carbon steel. It will gall/abraid and therefore they are not generally used. If you already have a Sig Sauer, I'd test it to see how accurate it is, you may be in luck and no changes needed You can have a new barrel/bushing and trigger job done and be in more than good enough shape to get leg points. BTW, I'm not sure if those grips are legal on the Sig
                    Last edited by JayhawkNavy02; 10-02-2016, 11:27 PM.
                    Distinguished Service Pistol

                    Comment

                    • Varminterror
                      • Feb 2012
                      • 33

                      #11
                      Thanks Jayhawk for the detail.

                      I'm pretty sure the Sig Stainless Super Target grips aren't legal, but I don't have any qualms about changing them out. I'll look around for someone with a Ransom to see what the maximum potential of this thing is - I know it's more accurate than I can coax it to be right now.

                      The price I noted is for the Stainless Range Officer. I'm a stainless guy, but I'm also a revolver guy - if I have to "stoop" to run a carbon steel 1911, I suppose I can do that ;0)

                      I'm also a tinkerer, do a lot of rifle and revolver smithing (even have to pay Uncle Sam his part), but I've never built a match 1911 - and I'm not naive enough to think I can do it better even than a factory target model, let alone a custom smith. I'm pretty comfortable with the idea of starting out ABOVE entry level so I can be "relatively competitive" if my skill allows. I don't have any delusion of being anything more than a disappointed guy with a gun in a box at the end of matches, but if I can leg out with a $1500 rig, I'd be content to do that. My fervent competitive days are behind me, regardless of the sport. I wanna shoot matches because I love shooting, love competing, and have admired the Distinguished Badge since I was a kid.

                      But... If I'd struggle to earn leg points considerably moreso with even a fine tuned stainless gun than I would a carbon gun, I'll buy the dang carbon gun!

                      Comment

                      • Mark H
                        • Apr 2010
                        • 249

                        #12
                        Does the Springfield have a two piece barrel?

                        Mark

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                        • JayhawkNavy02
                          • Feb 2015
                          • 30

                          #13
                          No, not for quite some time.
                          Last edited by JayhawkNavy02; 12-25-2016, 03:08 PM.
                          Distinguished Service Pistol

                          Comment

                          • bpm32
                            • Sep 2010
                            • 525

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Mark H View Post
                            Does the Springfield have a two piece barrel?

                            Mark
                            Are there 1911s now with two-piece barrels?

                            Comment

                            • Gewehr43
                              • Nov 2009
                              • 4034

                              #15
                              Ok, I'm curious........... What is a 2-piece barrel anyways?
                              Service Rifle.... RIP .... 1884-2015

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