Severe relapse of 1911 itis.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

Over the years I've suffered from a couple bad cases of 1911 itis and thought I had finally beaten the affliction till yesterday out of boredom I stopped in a local gun shop "just too look". Well wouldn't you know they had a CZ 1911A1 in the case. I looked at one at another shop last year and  passed on it as the finish wasn't all that great and the trigger was hideous. I just had to check this one out and see if it was any better. Yep the fit and finish was better as was the trigger but at the front of the slide it had a pretty big nick where it had been slammed into something. I told the counter man I'd have to pass due to that flaw and he says I have another in the back still un-opened. Oh crap I think this isn't happening. So he brings the thing out and cuts the seal and wipes the gun down. Perfect fit, perfect finish, trigger breaks crisp and clean and I go into full 1911 relapse. Yea I filled out the adoption papers and brought it home with me. Serial 747 in the run.
This is just the style 1911 I like with the mil-spec wide spur hammer A1 curved main spring housing and short trigger. Just my kind of 1911.
I strip it down and clean the preservative from the gun and lube it up for a break in trip to the range and that's where all the fun ended. I load up the mags and drop the slide and this thing will not chamber a single round. Jams right up with the round half way into the chamber. I field strip it right there and check the extractor and this thing has enough tension to hold a mortar round in place. I pull the extractor and take some tension out of it so I can at least shoot this thing but it never does function properly. I choked through 300 rnds knowing that extractor is junk but I managed to get a good feel for accuracy any way.
The gun shoots awesome one hole groups at 15 yds. Poa and poi are dead on.
I got the gun home and totally disassembled it too inspect everything. They did everything right but who ever fit the extractor filed the pad behind the claw down to nothing then bent the hell out of it to get tension. Absolutely ruined the part. They obviously don't test fire these.
So anyway figuring the extractor would be one of the parts I would upgrade anyway I stopped in today at a shop known to carry 1911 parts and grabbed a new extractor and a 19lb hammer spring just to lighten the trigger up a tad more.
Spent about and hour fitting and fine tuning the new extractor and now it chambers smooth as silk. I can't get back to the range till Tuesday but I'm confidant she'll run right now but I'll update.
Overall I like this gun but really wish some one had not been so sloppy in the final stages of assembly as it's clearly a part that gets installed by a human.

[M1A4ME]

There is just something "familiar" about the way it fits the hand.

There is a feeling of confidence when it's on your hip.

Other's look at you differently when they see it on your belt.

How do I know?

I got my first 1911 when I turned 21 back in 1978.  I still have it.  A Colt 1911 made in 1917.  Like the CZs I carry now that Colt grew into additional Colt 1911's over the years.  A Combat Commander.  A Series 80 Government Model.  A Series 70 MkIV.

As far as the confidence/respect thing I never figured out whether it was grabbing that one guy by the neck and walking him on tip toes backwards to the door before pushing him into his buddies' arms and then stepping out of the door to face those 20 plus muslims, or if it was the 1911 hanging there in the holster.  My boss figured it was the Colt and he ordered one the next week.

Fun times. 

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

Got back to the range today for a 2nd outing with the CZ 1911 with the new extractor installed and the 19lb hammer spring. The gun ran smooth as silk through 400 rounds not a single issue. This thing is a real tack driver for a bone stock GI style 1911. I'm satisfied that it will be reliable now. Next outing I'll run some defensive ammo through it and it just might find it's way into my carry rotation.

[Jedman7]

Would you send some pics of it, Pacem?  I'm really curious to see what it looks like.  Never thought about getting a 1911, but after reading your post I just might reconsider. . .

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

Would you send some pics of it, Pacem?  I'm really curious to see what it looks like.  Never thought about getting a 1911, but after reading your post I just might reconsider. . .

If you want to pm me your email I can take some pics and send to you. I don't have an image hosting account to post to the forum. There are quite a few pics of the CZ 1911 A1 out there and they do show it on the CZ-USA website  in the discontinued products section.

[Jedman7]

Oh, okay.  I'll google it and look.  So after the fix you like it?  It seems to be running smoothly?

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

After I fit the new extractor the gun runs perfectly. I'm kind of surprised the defective part even made it into the gun given these come out of the Dan Wesson factory but I guess it does happen.
If they were test firing these guns before shipping them it would have never made it out the door.

[macktheknife]

There is just something about a 1911, have a couple of cz's a sig or two but my old colt combat commander ( first pistol I ever owned) and my Dan Wesson Valor (great gun) other ones I had and sold, just keep coming back to them. Either you like them or not. I really like.
 

[bamashooter]

Glad to hear you got it squared away and are pleased with it. I'm considering getting a second one. Here's a pic or two for Jedman7.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

I've put 1100 rnds through it now since I replaced the errant extractor and it has been flawless with all types of ammo. The only other thing I may do is replace the mag catch spring as many have noted it is a tad on the weak side and I would want it a little stronger before I'd carry the gun in a defensive role. I did add a set of WWII style grips since I really like the pure GI appearance.

[Jedman7]

Wow, that's a gorgeous looking pistol!  Thanks for sharing the pics.

[bamashooter]

Thanks Jedman7. Glad to post the pics and it is a very nice pistol. The finish is just icing on the cake.

[exit plan]

Great pistol and no mim to boot, just 2 cast parts and no mim or plastic, yours is a real fighting handgun!

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

I'd have been much happier with mine had it not come with a poorly fit mim extractor and a John Mason recoil spring plug!

[exit plan]

I'm not sure what John Mason did to you but the extractor may be fubar but at least it's not a mim part