MY SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOLS



My Springfield Armory 1911-A1 Loaded Model (.45 ACP)


This is my Springfield Armory "Loaded Model" 1911-A1. The 29th of March 2011 was the 100th anniversary of the venerable 1911-A1 invented by John Browning. These pistols have a great track record and many, many folks still swear by them today.

Capacity is 7+1 and there are extra capacity and extended mags available. This model has a 5" barrel and came with a parkerized finish and fixed night sights. It's 8.5" long and weighs 40 ounces empty. It comes from the factory with an ambidextrous extended manual safety, a grip safety, full length guide rod and front cocking serrations. It also came with Springfield's Internal Locking System built into the mainspring housing.

I use a Comp-Tac Infidel kydex IWB holster when carrying this gun. After doing a ton of web research about the pros and cons of the full length guide rod (FLGR), I decided to go with a GI setup. Ed Brown recoil spring guide rod and plug plus a Wolff 17# recoil spring. I replaced the old ILS mainspring housing with a nice chain link pattern one from Ed Brown (with no ILS). I went with a 23# Wolff mainspring. The recoil spring plug is from Wilson Combat. The trigger is from Nighthawk Custom. The grips shown are VZ Grip "Carbon Fiber 320s" secured by Hogue hex grip screws. It's easy to shoot ragged holes with this gun. I absolutely love it!





My Springfield Armory 1911-A1 Mil-Spec Model (.45 ACP)


This was my 1911 project gun. At the time I bought it there were few available so I jumped on this one. I realize it doesn't look very "mil-spec" any more but that was the purpose of this drill. I needed to re-familiarize myself with the 1911. This was the only model pistol I ever shot in the military and I earned my Expert Pistol Medal with one.

Capacity is 7+1 and there are extra capacity and extended mags available. This model has a 5" barrel and came with a parkerized finish. It's 8.5" long and weighs 39 ounces empty. It has fixed combat 3-dot sights. It has a manual safety and a grip safety which is standard for these type pistols. It came with Springfield's Internal Locking System in the mainspring housing.

So far I've swapped the recoil spring plug with a shiny one from Colt; a shiny barrel bushing from Springfield Armory; a lightweight smooth medium trigger and extended thumb safety from Cylinder & Slide; and replaced the factory recoil spring with a Wolff 17# spring. The stock weight recoil spring is 16#. I also went with a lightweight hammer and sear from Wilson Combat. I swapped out the old mainspring housing with a nice chain link pattern one from Ed Brown. I went with a 23# mainspring vice the stock 28#. The grips shown are Hogue G-10 Smooth in O.D. secured by Hogue hex grip screws. While the slide to frame fit is loose compared to the Loaded model above, it still shoots very well. First round out of it was in the 10 ring at 30 yards offhand.

I did all the work on this gun myself after about 5 hours of You Tube videos and 1911 forum posts. I bought an AGI 1911 Gunsmithing DVD that helped a great deal too. It's been a very enjoyable experience. If you do your own mods, make sure and go HERE for instructions on safety checking your work before you go hot.





My Springfield XD Service Model (.45 ACP)


This is my Springfield Armory XD-45 Service Model. Great shooter with very manageable recoil. Capacity is 13 + 1 which isn't bad for a .45 ACP. It's easy to field strip and clean. The Service model is 7.3" long and has a 4.04" barrel which makes it nice for concealed carry. It weighs in at 30 ounces with an empty mag. It came with a belt holster, mag loader, and double mag holder. This model also includes an ambidextrous manual safety which has only recently been added to a few of their .45 ACP models.

I'm shining up the barrel hood due to the sub-par finish on XD stock barrels which shows extreme wear. Shined up it is easier to clean and I believe it actually helps the slide cycle process. I swapped out the stock sights for a Meprolight green tritium on the front and Meprolight orange tritium on the rear. I put the orange on the rear to differentiate it from my pistols that have no manual safety. It took about two hours using some non-traditional tools along with a sight removal/installation tool. Yes it is possible to do it yourself and no I didn't beat the gun up LOL. The tac light is a Streamlight TLR-2S. I modified a Comp-Tac Infidel holster so that the manual safety wasn't affected/moved when drawing the gun or reholstering.





My Springfield XD(M) 4.5" (40 S&W)


This is my Springfield Armory XD(M) 4.5 chambered in 40 S&W. Capacity is 16 + 1. This model is 8" long and has a 4.5" barrel. She weighs in at 32 oz. with an empty mag. It came with fixed night sights; 2 16 round magazines; a paddle holster, mag loader, and double mag holder. It also has two other backstraps that you can easily replace depending on what you like best grip-wise.

I was really up on the fence about adding another caliber, having traded away both of my 10mm Glocks. But the more I stared at this one, the more I saw it needed a good home and a steady diet of Double Tap ammo. I had to have the OD green frame too. I just think it looks cool. I knew just from all the reviews I read, along with the weight of the gun itself, that it would be a sweet shooter in this caliber.

I just pray I don't end up with a serious XD(M) addiction. Springfield Armory has so many more models/calibers/sizes out there!

Mods: Wolff steel guide rod and Wolff 18# (stock weight) recoil spring. Tac light shown is a Surefire X300.

Update 29 Jan 2012: Having finally shot this gun, all I can say is WOW! This is one of the smoothest, softest shooting pistols I've ever owned! Love it!! If you're on the fence about an XDM 40, fall on the Springfield side. You won't be sorry!





My Smith & Wesson M&P (40 S&W)


This is my Smith & Wesson M&P 40 chambered in 40 S&W in their Carry and Range Package. This is their full size M&P pistol. Capacity is 15 + 1. This model is 7.6" long and has a 4.25" barrel. She weighs in at 24 oz. with an empty mag; 35 oz. loaded. It came with a white dot dovetail front sight and a steel low profile carry rear sight; a Blade Tech belt holster, UpLULA mag loader, and a Blade Tech double mag holder. It also has two other backstraps that you can easily replace for a different/better grip feel. It didn't come with a mag disconnect safety or an internal key lock; both of which I didn't need or desire. In the case you'll also find a set of ear plugs and a total of 3 mags which makes this package a really good deal.





My Springfield XD(M) 3.8" (40 S&W)


This is my Springfield Armory XD(M) 3.8 chambered in 40 S&W. Capacity is 16 + 1. This model is 7" long and has a 3.8" barrel. She weighs in at 28 oz. with an empty mag. It came with fixed night sights; 2 16 round magazines; a paddle holster, mag loader, and double mag holder. It also has two other backstraps that you can easily replace depending on what you like best grip-wise just like all the other XD(M) models. I think the stainless slide really makes this model pop when you look at it. The balance on this gun is spot on for me.

The smaller length really makes a difference when carrying concealed. I use a Comp-Tac Infidel IWB holster. I really prefer these type holsters with hooks to catch the belt. Makes for easy on and off and I don't have to mess with snaps or belt loops. I immediately noted that I can swap slides between my XD(M)s for a different look. I can make the 4.5 all black and the 3.8 can be OD frame with stainless slide. I pretty much like 'em the way they came though.





My Sig P226R (9mm)


The Sig Sauer P226 was originally designed to compete for a U.S. military contract. While they didn't end up with the contract, these pistols are extremely popular among both state and federal law enforcement along with military Special Ops folks. It weighs in at about 40 ounces loaded with a standard 15 round mag and is 7.7 inches long. This is a full size 9mm pistol. It has a black hard anodized alloy frame. All other pistols I've owned recently were polymer framed (other than the Sig P238 below and 1911s). The slide has a durable nitron finish. It is a single action/double action pistol with a decocking lever. Standard mags hold 15 rounds of your favorite 9mm ammo. This particular model came with SIGLITE Night Sights. It also comes with a rail for adding lights/lasers.

Mods: So far I've replaced the flimsy plastic guide rod with a Bedair stainless steel guide rod and added a Wolff #15 (stock weight) recoil spring. I swapped out the stock polymer grips for a rubber set from Hogue attached with some Hogue hex grip screws. Gives it a real nice grip.

This gun is super smooth shooting and an absolute tack driver!




My Ruger LC9 (9mm)


Merry Christmas 2011. For light weight carry you can't beat the recent offerings from Ruger. I've carried an LCP in my front pocket ever since I got it. This LC9 sits just within the border of pocket carry. It's a very slim pistol. Most people think the slight extra size compared to the LCP is well worth the increased firepower. I have to agree. The replaceable 3 dot sight system is a head and shoulders improvement over the LCP. Length is 6.00 inches even; height equals 4.50 inches; the barrel is 3.12 inches and it weighs 17.10 ounces with an empty mag. Capacity is 7 + 1 and while it will do +P ammo; it isn't recommended as a steady diet. It has a mag disconnect safety, a manual thumb safety, and a loaded chamber indicator.

Being a lightweight carry gun, I'm not going to go out and test it with 1000 rounds of ammo. I'll likely do 100 or so and if that proves 99.9% reliable with my chosen carry ammo, I'll clean 'er and put her on duty. Thus far I've only replaced the flimsy plastic guide rod with a stainless one from Galloway Precision. I'll be going to a Wolff spring once they create 'em. I've shined up the barrel and did a minor shining of the feed ramp. I bought a new LCI and shined the top of it too (to match the barrel). Can't help it. Just like shiny things.

Update 29 Jan 2012: So far this gun is flawless. Recoil isn't an issue - shoots well - no failures of any kind.




My Glock 26 (9mm)


The G26 has many many many (did I say many?) users in the real world with tons of aftermarket support. Most find it easily concealable. Another plus is it handles +P ammo with ease. This one came with the standard plastic sights (which have been replaced with Meprolight night sights). The standard mags hold 10 rounds and you can use any other Glock 9mm mag in it as well. There are even grip extenders which when used with a G17 mag give you a full size grip. I have Pearce +0 mag finger extensions (shown above) for a better grip and there are other extensions that add capacity out there as well. There are also probably more holster choices than any other gun on the planet. Length is 6.29 inches; height equals 4.17 inches; the barrel is 3.46 inches and it weighs 26 ounces loaded. You can't go wrong with a Glock.

Mods: Extended Slide Lock by Lone Wolf; Meprolight Tru-Dot Night Sights; Glock Extended Slide Stop Release; Lone Wolf grip plug; G17 smooth trigger; Glockmeister tungsten guide rod and spring; "Punisher" slide cover plate (just for fun); Pearce +0 grip extensions on most mags (shown above); a few Glock +2 extensions; and an X Grip & G17 mag.




My Sig P238 (.380 ACP)


This is my Sig Sauer P238 Special Edition Nitron with rosewood grips. At 5.5 inches long it's primary job is as a concealed carry weapon and/or back-up gun. It's single action only and has a manual safety. Capacity is 6 + 1 of 380 ACP with stock mags but you can also buy an extended mag with a polymer grip extender for 7 + 1. The gun weighs a scant 15.2 ounces empty. This one came with SIGLITE Night Sights (saving me the trouble of changing sights myself). After reading numerous reports of weak recoil spring issues I decided to immediately replace the stock spring with a Wolff 12# spring. The Wolff spring is for a Colt Mustang/Pony but works great in this gun. This pistol was designed for close range self defense.

I'm using a DeSantis pocket holster in a front pocket and a spare mag in a pocket knife belt sheath; same manner in which I carry the LCP below. The gun comes with a good little belt clip plastic holster too. This thing is so small you can conceal it just about anywhere. Looks like a baby 1911 to me. First gun I ever got that I thought was actually cute. LOL!!

This is one smooth shooting little .380. Much milder to shoot than the LCP. My wife liked it WAY more than the LCP. I imagine if she ever starts carrying this will be the gun she wants. No failures on this gun to date. The following was taken from the Sig web site (spelling corrected). I put it here so I never forget:

P238 Product Alert: Reassembly

During reassembly of the pistol, the operator is required to depress the ejector when installing the slide onto the frame. This step is shown as item 4 on page 42 of the P238 Operators Manual:  4. Guide the slide assembly onto the frame rails from the front until the barrel lug is aligned with slide stop pin hole in frame and partially insert slide stop pin.

Note: The ejector should be depressed only far enough to provide clearance for the slide during assembly. Depressing the ejector beyond the point required for reassembly may cause the ejector to bind in the frame. Should this occur, the ejector will not return to the normal position. This condition is not correctable at the operator level - the pistol will have to be returned to SIG SAUER for repair.

CAUTION: OVER EXTENSION OF THE EJECTOR DURING ASSEMBLY MAY CAUSE THE EJECTOR TO BIND, PREVENTING SHELL CASINGS FROM EJECTING DURING FIRING. Should you have questions relating to this Product Alert or need to return your pistol for repair, please contact Sig Sauer Customer Service at (603) 772-2302.





My Ruger LCP (.380 ACP)


This is my Ruger LCP (Lightweight Compact Pistol). At 5.16 inches long it's primary job is as a concealed carry weapon and/or back-up gun. It's double action only with a capacity of 6 + 1 of 380 ACP. It weighs a scant 9.4 ounces empty (10 oz with laser installed) so it's VERY comfortable for all day carry. I use Pearce mag extended floorplates for additional grip area and it makes a big difference in shooting ergonomics. The sights on this gun are built in and non-adjustable. Actually you can hardly tell the sights are there. This pistol is designed solely for close range self defense purposes and as such, I added a Crimson Trace laser that is activated by simply gripping the gun as you would normally.

I've read online about a lot of folks complaining about the recoil due to the light weight. For me recoil didn't stick out as an issue. I previously owned a Glock 29 (10mm) that I routinely fired Double Tap 135gr JHP from. Now THAT gun had a bit of a snap to it but I got used to it rather quickly. The LCP is actually pleasant for me to shoot. Accuracy was well within acceptable limits (minute of coffee can) at about 4-5 yards (without the laser). It's really nice to have a carry gun that you barely notice. I'm using a DeSantis pocket holster in a front pocket and a spare mag in a pocket knife belt sheath.

The laser on this gun is really hard to see on a bright day. My wife hates the fact that it has no sights to speak of. She also hates how the laser is activated. I ended up shooting fairly well with it at 25'; better when not trying to use the laser. The LCP has it's place in the gun world, and my front pocket for now. It doesn't like Federal JHP ammo but other than that it's been perfect.



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