Sig Sauer 1911 opinions please...

[Brian D.]

Yeah usually it's me dispensing advice in here, now matter how much you all hate me for it. But today I'm the one with questions:

Looking locally at a low miles used Sig-Sauer 1911. Specifically it is the RCS model. Size-wise, in Colt terms it is a "Commander" slide/barrel on top of an "Officer's ACP" frame. This model is much like the Sig C3 but the gun has received a "melt" treatment of the sharp edges, plus it has night sights as standard equipment.

None of my shooting pals have ever owned any Sig 1911's. Me either, obviously. So for those of you that have, please give your input.

Thanks in advance!

[sodbuster95]

Once upon a time, I used to own a Sig GSR. Notwithstanding some of the negative opinions I had read about it (mostly due to the external extractor), I thought it was well-made with very good fit and finish. It shot everything I put in it without complaint and was as accurate as I was.

I ended up trading the GSR exclusively due to the rail. I just don't care for a rail on a 1911 and it was almost impossible to find a holster I liked for it because of that rail. There may be better holster options now that rails are more popular on the 1911 platform, but I still don't care for railed 1911's. Nevertheless, based on my experience, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Sig 1911...just one without a rail.

[Mr. Glock]

I think that (some/all?) Sig 1911s do require their own holsters (vs standard 1911 stuff), since Sig squared off the slide to look more like the Sig P series.

[Brian D.]

I think that (some/all?) Sig 1911s do require their own holsters (vs standard 1911 stuff), since Sig squared off the slide to look more like the Sig P series.

Yes, someone elsewhere mentioned that, thank you for reminding me. (Really!) If I go look at the thing I'll take along the leather rig it would most likely be carried in, to check for fit before purchase. Sounds like a kydex 1911 holster would never work if the slide is wider/taller than normal. To be honest having to shell out money for more holsters JUST for that one gun would ruin the deal for me.

[Mustang380gal]

My Sig 1911 fits our 1911 holsters. I don't know which specific model mine is compared to the one you are looking at. Ted got me the 1911 in .22 for Christmas, and my carry gun is .45

I had some issues with non-Sig mags at the Fun n Gun, which seemed like sticky springs.

I do like shooting it, and have had no issues.

I'll check my model and see if I can do a better job answering questions.

[Brian D.]

Mustang, the one I'm looking at has a 4.25" barrel like a Colt Commander, and a shorter grip frame than the regular Government Models, again to put it in Colt terms. The standard magazines for this hold 6 rounds instead of 7 as in the full size 1911. In fact Colt has made something much like this RCS and called it the "CCO" which stood for "Concealed Carry Officer's". Thanks for sharing your experience with the Sig brand, by the way.

[Mr. Glock]

Mustang, the one I'm looking at has a 4.25" barrel like a Colt Commander, and a shorter grip frame than the regular Government Models, again to put it in Colt terms. The standard magazines for this hold 6 rounds instead of 7 as in the full size 1911. In fact Colt has made something much like this RCS and called it the "CCO" which stood for "Concealed Carry Officer's". Thanks for sharing your experience with the Sig brand, by the way.

Colt is making it again, as a Wiley Clapp edition CCO. The only negative (beyond spotty Colt quality) is a single-side safety (I like ambi, but that can be fixed). It has what I find to be the best 1911 grips, the tactical oval.

This information from a guy who just sold off his last 1911, but I did fixate on the CCO for a time.

[Sevens]

I am not a good source for Sig 1911 information. But I do have limited experience and just the briefest of knowledge on the Sig 1911 subject. First is that the very earliest Sig 1911's weren't really made by Sig, they were Caspian (I think? Or was it Essex?) and Sig just really wanted their name on a 1911 before they were set up to make them. So if the subject is Sig 1911, beware that the earliest really are not.

I had a Sig duo-tone Match Elite for a short time and it was a failure. Best I could tell from digging around and finding MANY conversations, Sig did not do well during the Barackolypse when they ramped up production to meet the irrational demand and their QC was suspect. This pistol came from the middle of that and it showed. It had (for lack of a better term) gouges in the slide near the muzzle -UNDER- the finish, obvious manufacturing goofs. There were also multiple bright spots on the brushed stainless slide that actualy looked like leather holster wear (on a new $1,100 pistol, directly out of the box) These were cosmetic failures only but horribly obvious and this happened on MANY guns and Sig's reply to anyone that called up service was that they were acceptable manufacturing anomalies that don't affect the operation of the pistol and were simply not covered by Sig. Not really even a "sorry", more of a "yeah, we see it. Still works, enjoy it."

The pistol had a VERY short spec chamber. A lot of factory ammo was run through it with no problems but handloads choked it up often. Folks that don't handload can/will (maybe SHOULD) write this off immediately as a non-issue, and that's fine. In fact, I would NEVER contact a manufacturer with this scenario and I did NOT. But the bottom line is that my ammo ran great in three Les Baer pistols, one Ed Brown, two S&W PC guns, maybe a dozen and a half other .45cal pistols... So this short spec chamber was thoroughly ANNOYING, but even I would not call it a failure.

However, the terrific Bomar rear target sight that was loose in it's dovetail after the second magazine through the pistol was again, unacceptable, on an $1,100 new pistol...

Folks who follow Sig closely and love them will back up the idea that they were in a bit of a free-fall for a period of time and some changes in upper management has most looking toward much better days. I've never been much of a Sig fan on any level, and the only Sig I continue to own and love was made by Hammerli.

IMNSHO, there are far, far too many great 1911 pistols out there to roll the dice with a Sig. But like any gun... if you have one and have gotten to know, trust and love it, I would never attempt to argue that it isn't a darn good one, and I'm sure Sig has made a truckload of completely terrific 1911 pistols. Pretty sure I'll never own another.

[Sevens]

Ted got me the 1911 in .22 for Christmas, and my carry gun is .45

I had some issues with non-Sig mags at the Fun n Gun, which seemed like sticky springs.

Side-drift for the sake of information:

You may have indeed had problematic springs or other issues related to the magazines but I will suggest that is unlikely, or at least unlikely to be blamed specifically on a non-Sig magazine. With this platform I do have a lot of experience and first thing is that Sig did not manufacture that pistol. It is pretty and Sig branded but wholly made by GSG, as are the magazines. And the magazines either say GSG or Sig on the base plate but they are all made in the same place by the same folks and they are not any different in any way. As far as I have ever seen, nobody else makes a magazine that fits the GSG/Sig 1911-22, so I don't think your magazine problems were specifically related to them being non-Sig magazines.

The earliest guns (both GSG and Sig) did have problems with the recoil spring guide rod cracking and failing, and a simple phone call to Sig and they will mail you replacement parts, even if yours hasn't failed. (yet.)

My GSG looks like it sleeps in a scummy pond but it's got over 5,200 documented rounds... most of which were run hard & fast before rimfire went scarce. My goal was to make the pistol crack, break and fail within the two-year warranty. But then ammo disappeared and my quest to destroy the gun never went fulfilled.

[Brian D.]

Thanks Sevens, still in pondering purchase mode here. As to that time period Sig wants us to forget, a friend had the best quip:

"Looks like that Mosquito model bit their management in the..." (Mosquito was a scaled down, .22 lookalike to the P220, 226, etc. Made by others and not very well, from all I ever read.

Anyway, back to topic, I want to try haggling on that RCS because it has no box and only one magazine, I found out after remembering to ask.

--Brian, sig-ning off for now.

[Mustang380gal]

Ted got me the 1911 in .22 for Christmas, and my carry gun is .45

I had some issues with non-Sig mags at the Fun n Gun, which seemed like sticky springs.

Side-drift for the sake of information:

You may have indeed had problematic springs or other issues related to the magazines but I will suggest that is unlikely, or at least unlikely to be blamed specifically on a non-Sig magazine. With this platform I do have a lot of experience and first thing is that Sig did not manufacture that pistol. It is pretty and Sig branded but wholly made by GSG, as are the magazines. And the magazines either say GSG or Sig on the base plate but they are all made in the same place by the same folks and they are not any different in any way. As far as I have ever seen, nobody else makes a magazine that fits the GSG/Sig 1911-22, so I don't think your magazine problems were specifically related to them being non-Sig magazines.

The earliest guns (both GSG and Sig) did have problems with the recoil spring guide rod cracking and failing, and a simple phone call to Sig and they will mail you replacement parts, even if yours hasn't failed. (yet.)

My GSG looks like it sleeps in a scummy pond but it's got over 5,200 documented rounds... most of which were run hard & fast before rimfire went scarce. My goal was to make the pistol crack, break and fail within the two-year warranty. But then ammo disappeared and my quest to destroy the gun never went fulfilled.

It was the .45 that had problems with the mags. I think I was using Kimber mags that day. Sorry to be confusing. I'll pass your info on to Ted, the family armorer and firearms buyer.

[Brian D.]

Okay I bought it. No test fire until Monday. Meanwhile I noticed the magazine it came with, when empty, impedes slide travel a bit. Not so with the Wilsons in my stash. We shall see.

[CCIman]

Mags are crapshoot with any 1911, doesn't matter the brand or make orf the gun nor the mag maker.

You just have to try them and see which work in your gun. I have cheap 1911's that work with any mag and expensive guns that feel funny with the mags they came with..and everywhere in between.

BTW, I have a few Sig1911. They are uniquely Sig styled with diff slide shape, and of course the external extractor. All have them have exceptional triggers. They seem to fit my standard 1911 holsters, or those with rails fit those regular 1911 rail holsters too. Mine have very low stress miles so I can't attest to their trustworthyness. But shooting my Sig Scorpion Commander feels like "BUTTAH" and it is laser accurate out of the box.

[Brian D.]

Mags are crapshoot with any 1911, doesn't matter the brand or make orf the gun nor the mag maker.

You just have to try them and see which work in your gun. I have cheap 1911's that work with any mag and expensive guns that feel funny with the mags they came with..and everywhere in between.

You are spot on. I've had many 'SMH' moments regarding 1911 magazines. A sense of humor helps.

I intend to test fire this new-to-me Sig with several magazines. McCormick/Shooting Star, Colt (manufactured by Metalform), Kimber (I think McCormick made most of theirs), Springfield Armory (I don't know if they are made in house), and Wilson Combat. Been piling up 1911 mags a LONG time now.

[Sevens]

Springfield magazines that came with my 9mm Loaded Stainless (and extras also ordered from Springfield) were all Metalform magazines.

In .45cal 1911, I'm using ACT/Novak mags and Chip McC/Shooting Star and my shooting buddy likes the Tripp Research mags.