Tag: 1911

Categories
1911 iron sights RIA Rock Island Armory Rock Ultra Tac Ultra

RIA Rock Ultra MS – Front Sight Fell Off

I’m not sure why I haven’t posted about this yet, but a few months ago (Jan/Feb timeframe) I was cleaning my RIA Rock Ultra MS and noticed that the front sight was very loose. I’m not sure what occurred to loosen it, but I’d been carrying that particular gun for a while and hadn’t noticed that issue until it happened.

I was carrying that handgun in a Tenicor kydex holster, but the kydex doesn’t touch the front sight. I do remember dropping the gun once, on a carpeted floor. I’m thinking that might have been enough to dislodge the front sight. I can’t remember how the gun landed, but if it landed on the front sight, that would explain why the sight was loose.

The front sight was loose enough to where it slid all the way out of the dovetail with very little effort. Not only that, but the dovetail edge was surgically sharp and sliced my finger badly (had an issue stopping the bleeding).

When I cleaned the slide of blood, I saw that it looked as if the only thing that kept the sight in place was red threadlocker. I could see old threadlocker on the bottom of the sight and in the dovetail. I’m almost certain RIA didn’t fit this sight to the dovetail, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to slide it back on and off the slide.

I’ve ordered another sight (from Armscor) but do not have the tools needed to perform an installation (I’ve no vise, I’ve no files, I’ve no sight pusher).

I can either order the needed tools or give the slide and sight to a local gunsmith so that they can install it.

After I had the issue, I couldn’t carry the gun, but I ended up installing the 9mm barrel to my 22TCM RIA Tac Ultra so that I could carry that gun instead. That gun also fit in the Tenicor Certum holster.

Categories
1911 2011 AF1911-S15 Alpha Foxtrot Bul Armory review SAS II Ultralight video

Comparison Review of the SAS II UL vs AF1911-S15

My review notes:

Initial thoughts

  • S15 is well-built
    • Has tight tolerances
      • No slide-to-frame gaps
      • No slide-to-frame wiggle
      • Nice barrel lock-up
      • Nice trigger – not laterally loose and has no creep.
        • Trigger does have some vertical play
    • Has great finish
    • Has very nice control surfaces
      • Front and rear strap checkering is very aggressive, which offers great controllability.
    • Has great shooting traits
      • For me, it offers low recoil impulse
        • Slide is heavier than my SAS II UL, which soaks up recoil
  • Sights are OK – not the best but can be worse
    • Even with irons, I can shoot this gun just as well as the SAS II UL
      • I was shooting 7 and 10 yard groups just as well with this gun as the SAS II UL.
      • Caveat – my SAS II UL has an optic, so I’m not going to be able to match it’s quick follow-on shots, especially at distance.
  • Cons of the S15
    • $1500 guns need to have at LEAST two mags
      • WTF – the cost of a second Shield Arms mag is a drop in the bucket
    • Fat beavertail is somewhat uncomfortable – it is very wide at the top, which isn’t the norm for 1911s/2011s
      • I hear that the beavertail on the previous version was wider than how it is now
        • Apparently this was a common complaint, so Alpha Foxtrot made an effort to lessen the width of this area.
          • It is still wide and can be problematic for some folks.
      • If you normally shoot a 1911 with the thumb of your strong side hand over the thumb safety, you might have an issue with the beavertail beating up the knuckle bone at the base of your thumb
      • I noticed that this may be an issue and also noticed that the thumb safety is super-stiff in actuation, so I shot the S15 without having a thumb over the safety – I had no issues with recoil making it back to that knuckle.
    • I ran into an issue when field stripping the gun after I picked it up from the FFL. I field stripped it once without issue. The second time I field stripped it, I cleaned it, lubed it, and then attempted to put the gun back together. I couldn’t. This is my 6th 1911/2011, so I’m aware of how to take down these guns and put them back together, but I was having issues getting the takedown pin back into the hole. The pin wouldn’t go into the hole of the frame. I tried it after putting the side and barrel aside – it wouldn’t go in. I noticed that the front rail module slides into the frame and saw that it was out of alignment with the frame – I had to use a screwdriver to lever it back into alignment. After doing that, I tried putting the takedown pin into the hole and it slid in. I then tried to do it with the slide and barrel and failed – the rail module had moved again, so I again used a screwdriver to push it back into alignment with the frame. I tried again to put the gun back together and was successful, but that is a concern for an out-of-the-box $1500 gun.
      • I’ll be reaching out to Alpha Foxtrot about that soon. Even with that issue, the gun still shot 150 rounds without a problem, but I don’t want to have to deal with this issue every time I have to clean the gun.
  • Comparison to the SAS II UL
    • Fitment and finisih
      • Between the two handguns, the AF has slightly better fitment
      • The AF has far better finish
        • DLC coating has that $$money$$ feel
    • Grip
      • Grip feels (and is) smaller on the AF
      • Grip texturing and checkering is MUCH better on the AF
    • Sights
      • While I’ve moved to an optic on the SAS II, I did shoot it quite a bit with irons
        • Irons on the SAS II are better
          • They can be adjusted for windage as well as elevation; the AF sights can only be drifted for windage (but have elevation adjustability)
    • Shooting
      • This is a tough one
        • SAS II UL:
          • For me, the SAS II UL talks a bit (not large) effort and/or some training to get used to it’s lightness.  It might feel snappy to folks that are used to heavy 1911s.  For how light and short it is, it should be much snappier than it is.  What snap it has can be easily managed.
          • Grip – the immediate impression for me was that the SAS II UL’s grip was not grippy.  I thought it would be a problem, but it’s not (I shoot indoors, so I’m not sure if sweaty hands will compromise grip with this gun.
          • The trigger on the SAS II is light, and may be too light for some folks to carry.  I don’t consider it a HUGE issue but I DID have two instances of premature detonation when at the range.  The first time it occurred was during the first range visit.  I’ve been trying to train with the gun to get used to it’s trigger, but at the last (and 4th) range visit, it happened again.
            • I may consider getting a sear spring adjustment done on this gun.
        • AF S15:
          • In my hands, I shot the S15 better than I did the SAS II (when considering both first range visits).
          • Grip – I immediately noticed the checkering of the front strap of the grip and thought that this is going to give me an edge, and it did.  The gun doesn’t move in my hand at all.  The SAS II moves in my hand and I’ve to constantly re-adjust my grip to short it up.
          • Trigger – the trigger on the S15 is a bit heavier but probably better for carrying.  The trigger has no creep, which probably helps with accuracy, but it’s actually noticeably heavier than the SAS II’s trigger – that’s just an observation, though, not a con.

They both shoot VERY well but are different in ways that require a decent amount of elaboration — there’s no quick way to discuss the differences.

I’m happy with carrying the SAS II for now, but that might change as get more trigger time wit the S15.

Categories
1911 2011 AF1911-S15 Alpha Foxtrot

My Alpha Foxtrot AF1911-S15 Has Arrived!

Can’t wait to get this gun to the range – will try to visit the range either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Ordered it Sunday, received it today around 3 PM.

Comes with the one Shield Arms mag (this gun wasn’t cheap – they should think on including two mags with the gun). I ordered 3 more from GTdist.com and they arrived yesterday but they sent the wrong mags – sent me 3 AR PMAGS…WTF. So, I’ve to visit the range with one mag until GTdist.com remedies my order.

The mag doesn’t rattle within the grip, as I’ve seen in Youtube videos, which is very good.

The gun is very tight. The DLC coating looks and feels really good. I will more than likely sent it somewhere to get the slide cut for an optic, but I’ll probably do that 6-12 months from now.

It feels slim. I’ve been carrying the Bul Armory SAS II UL long enough to where this gun feels heavy in comparison, but realistically, it’s not heavy at all.

I love the grip texture (feels less “slick” than the SAS II UL).

The thumb safety is super strong, though…execessively so, IMO. Perhaps it’ll wear-in.

Trigger is super-crisp…no creep whatsoever. It’s the best trigger of any of my 1911s/2011s.

I checked the trigger pull with my Lyman gauge and got 4 lb 15 oz from an average of 5 pulls (lowest being 4 lb 8 oz).

It also fits in my Tenicor Certum 3 holster.

I’m impressed so far. Waiting for some gotcha to show itself, though.

Categories
1911 2011 9mm AF1911-S15 Alpha Foxtrot

Alpha Foxtrot AF1911-S15 – On the Way!

I kept eyeing the AF1911-S15 even after purchasing the Bul Armory SAS II UL, so I took a hard look at it and decided to purchase it.

I bought Gen 2 version of the handgun, which also has a threaded barrel. I bought it from Battlehawk Armory. Since it only comes with one 15-round mag, I ordered three more (generation 3 mags from GT Distributors – I’d have ordered straight from ShieldArms.com, but they our currently out of stock).

Now, I could’ve waited until mid June for their optics-ready version but I’ll be out of the country that timeframe and these were currently in stock (they aren’t always stocked).

I’m excited, as this particular gun is very nice.

If I find that I want/need an optics cut, I can find a business that can perform that modification.

Categories
1911 2011 Bul Armory handguns SAS II Ultralight

This Video States That The SAS II UL Is Snappy!

The below video is the ONLY video I’ve seen that complains (more than once in the video) that the SAS II UL is snappy.

WTAF – it is not. All the other reviewers I’ve seen shoot this gun (Sootch00, Graham and Teya of GBGuns, James Reeves of TFB, Talon Sei, Roger Berrera, and more) have said that the gun shoots rather flatly.

As someone who owns and has shot a crapload of JHP from this gun, I’ll say that IT’S NOT SNAPPY.

Categories
2011 Bul Armory SAS II Ultralight

Purchase Confirmed! I’ve Bought My First 2011!

Bul Armory SAS II Ultralight 2011
Bul Armory SAS II Ultralight 2011
Bul Armory 2011 – SAS II Ultralight 3.25″

I committed to purchasing the Bul Armory SAS II Ultralight. At one point during the purchase process, I cancelled the process, went to the Alpha Foxtrot page and almost started to order that gun instead.

I then went back to the Bul Armory page and committed to the purchase process.

Now, I’m trying to sort through the FFL process. It’s odd that Bul Armory wants the buyer to reach out to the FFL to obtain the FFL. In my experience (I’ve bought a shitload of guns via FFL), the seller reaches out to the FFL or the FFL reaches out seller to share FFL info. Asking the buyer to do that is fucking odd, in my opinion.

So, why did I almost change my mind about the Ultralight purchase? I saw the price of Ultralight mags. They are not cheap. The AF1911 S15 uses Shield Arms mags, which are cheap.

Why didn’t I buy the Alpha Foxtrot S15 instead? Their reliability/dependability is unknown. It’s an absolutely beautiful gun, but I need a carry gun to be reliable.

So, I now need to know if the SAS II UL will fit in my currentl Tenicor Certum 3 holster. UPDATE: I do believe my current holster will fit this gun! It should fit anything that’s under 4.25″ in barrel length.

I’ll also need 2-3 more mags. I also plan to try an optic with this gun.

Needless to say, I’m excited!

Categories
1911 appendix holster

Daughter Bought Me A Tenicor Velo 4 Holster !

So, my wish was granted. My daughter bought me a Tenicor Velo 4 for Christmas and presented it to me maybe 4-5 days before Christmas!

I tried carrying with with it.

It will NOT carry center-appendix, as it appears to be built more with 1-2 o’clock in mind (I’ve the right-side holster). The wedge is oddly placed for my body type (I’m 5’7″, 185 lb, medium build with 29-30″ in-step, a tad thick in the waist @ 32 inches). Keep in mind that I’m trying to carry the RIA MS 1911, which is 4.25″ in barrel length and has a full-sized grip.

The wedge is problematic, as it doesn’t sit well in the leg/pelvic crease and is peaky, so creates a hot spot for me. I need a bit more wedge but need it wider and not peaky.

The holster also has minimal ride adjustability and no cant adjustability.

At this point, the Crossbreed The Reckoning holster I bought carries a LOT better (I’ve customized it a bit).

I almost told my daughter to return it and to get the Certum instead, but wanted to give the Velo 4 a fair chance first.

I decided to try carrying it a bit more, moving it around to try to find a sweet spot (which I did for the Crossbreed as well – I carry that centerline appendix).

After a few days of trying, I still couldn’t carry it well.

I decided to try a custom wedge via the yoga block method. I bought a yoga foam block and cut out a decent sized rectangle. I then began whittling the rectangle into a wedge, hollowing out a pit for the holster’s integrated wedge to sit. The most difficult part of this process was hollowing out an area to fit the integrate wedge, as I had to ensure it was smoothed out in that area so that the velcro (loop side) would stick in that area. Another difficult part was sticking velcro to the holster itself.

It ended up being a large foam block of wedge to velcro to the holster. Initially, after test-carrying, it was too big, so I removed it from the holster and whittled it down to a smaller shape.

I carried it today during a 5 hour drive.

It wore well the whole drive. There were several instances of me getting in/out of the car, walking around, visiting the men’s room, and pumping gas.

It wears a LOT better than without the foam.

I will probably still try the Certum as another great appendix option (that one should carry just as well and also offer far more adjustability in ride height and cant, while also giving the option of strong side carry.

Pics are here.

Oh, and my wife bought me 200 rounds of 9mm Inceptor ARX self defense ammo – my mother bought me 50 rounds of the same ammo, too!

Note: I don’t entertain the notion that Inceptor ARX is gimmick ammo. I’m aware that some folks think that this ammo performs poorly in gel tests, but I’ve also seen great gel test results. There’s also this.

I’d been looking for 9mm Inceptor ARX for a while but could never find it in stock. I found a stash at Midway, and it was on sale too – I added it to my Elfster Christmas wishlist. Between my wife and my mother, they must’ve bought the whole supply I found, because Midway is now out of stock.

Categories
1911 AIWB appendix concealed carry holster

Crossbreed Holster – The “Upgrade” Clips are Polymer!

So, I ordered the 5-hole belt clips for the Crossbreed holster I recently bought.

The package arrived yesterday. When I opened it, I was disappointed. They’re plastic. The original clips are metal.

On the left is the original clip (metal); on the right is the 5-hole clip cost extra ($10) – it is plastic.

Crossbreed is all over the place with this holster.

I’d complained in an earlier post that they should include some type of wedge system. Yeah, it’s a hybrid holster, but it needs something to help with grip tuck (something more than just the claw).

I now believe that the claw that they have should stick out more, as well.

I also believe they should include 5-hole clips with every holster – why nickel and dime folks to death with pricing of parts that are actually needed to dial in the holster? An appendix holster that has no adjustability of ride height or cant is a bad holster, in my opinion.

And on top of all the above, and I posted about this a few days ago, the shell for the Commander-sized 1911 is not deep enough; they have 4″ 1911s listed as an option, but that’s a non-standard size as far as Commanders go. The standard sizes for 1911s are 5″, 4.25″, and 3.5″, not 4″ and 3″. I had to cut the muzzle portion from the shell just to get the gun’s trigger inside the shell.

I pretty confident that I’m not going to continue using this holster. I just waiting for the chance to get a Tenicor, then this one will be sold or go into my box of unused junk holsters.

Categories
1911 AIWB appendix concealed carry gun belt holster

I Added A Wedge to My Crossbreed Hybrid Holster

I was able to rig up a wedge to the Crossbreed The Reckoning holster.

I used heel gels (ala Dr. Scholls) and velcro.

I carried using the holster most of the day. It’s a HUGE improvement! The pelvic hot spot is no longer a hot spot.

At first I thought I needed more wedge, but I’ll play around with the holster height – I can affort to raise it a bit so that the muzzle is not right above my junk (remember though, this is a Commander-sized 1911 I’m trying to appendix-carry).

Once I get the 5-hole clips, I’ll have better cant and height adjustment.

Every day, I feel that I’m getting this thing dialed in a bit better. The thing is, this holster isn’t exactly cheap. I shouldn’t have to be tweaking things like this. IMO, ALL AIWB holsters need to include a wedge (possibly adjustable). Yeah, I realize that each body is different, but if I’m going to spend $100+ for a holster, it needs to be better configurable. Another thing: Crossbreed should be including 5-hole clips with these, as the holsters are marketed as AIWB-capable. They already included the claw – why the claw and not also a wedge and 5-hole clips??

Pics of the holster (on and off the body):

This will give approximately 1/4″ of leverage and pushes the grip into the stomach, helping with less printing of the grip. And yeah, the leather is already wearing (and this photo is zoomed-in).
Secured with velcro. Velcro is stuck to clear packing tape (sticks better this way than directly to the leather).
This protruds out a bit, purposely – I wanted a good buffer since this area is a strong pressure point.
How it looks now.
This is pre-wedge install.
This right here is what counts! This is MUCH better than the above picture – less printing!
Categories
1911 AIWB holster

I’m Currently Experiencing Issues Carrying at the Appendix Position

For now, I’m back to carrying strong side.

The issue is that I’m having some issues carrying at the appendix position. Part of it is a holster issue. The Crossbreed Reckoning needs a wedge – the claw alone won’t tuck the 1911’s grip into my body enough and the gun’s muzzle is putting pressure on my lower abdomen. Also, I doubt that I’ll be able to bend over fully while carrying a Commander-sized 1911, but will better assess things once I’ve made some customizations.

I ordered some velcro patches and a set of Dr. Scholls heel gels. I’ll be attempting to make my own wedge (the velcro has adhesive to stick to the Reckoning’s leather backing).

I’ll ensure I add enough velcro so that I can fine-tune where the wedge is placed on the holster, so that I can better adjust it to hide my 1911. I will use a hair dryer after the velcro is placed on the holster so that it sticks better (I’m hoping the leather allows the velcro to stick without issue – it’s not soft suede).

I’m also going to order a set of clips that offer better adjustability (5-hole clips for this holster are here). Doing this will allow me to better place the holstered gun so that it’s not awkward for me.

The above-mentioned customizations will hopefully have me carrying AIWB full-time soon.