DECISIONS, DECISIONS.

[Mitty38]

Here is the deal. I am looking at coming up with about 900 bucks, in a month or so,that will not have to go towards the bills, Kidd, wife, etc.

My heart is split between spending it 2 different ways.
1st one is my older cousins like new 70ish colt Government model,1911, 45 acp with a 5 inch barrel.And a leather flap holster. He will take $850, from me only. With the old must give me a chance at the same money, if you ever resell it clause.
The second option would be to get a LABRADAR chronograph ,A Boyd's stock for my savage and a bedding kit.
It has to be one or the other.

 

[Ian]

I'd say skip the LabRadar and get a Magnetospeed. The only thing I haven't figured out a mount for is my snubby revolvers and slide-operated automatics.

Both devices have the distinct advantage of being behind the firing line and thus public range friendly. Magnetospeed makes a no-frills unit for under $200. I bought the V3 for $399 when it first came out and never looked back, but the Labradar hadn't been announced yet. I see you can get the Labradar for about $600 or a little less now, so it depends on what you need and how much you are willing to spend.

If you haven't chosen already, I highly recommend the bedding compound sold exclusively by Skor-Hi Gunsmithing of Albuquerque, NM. Tell them a friend of Andy-O's sent you.

 

[freebullet]

The colt will always get your money back or better. The other things you mention probably won't. Congrats on the up looking prospects though.

 

[freebullet]

Ian
mount a barrel sized pipe on a tripod. Mount magnetospeed on pipe. Rest auto on pipe. Viola..snubbies & autos 35 or bigger worked on the sporter that way.

 

[462]

I'd go with the 1911, too.
Shoot it a lot, if you don't like it you get your money back.
If he reloads, for it, ask if he'll throw in dies and some brass and with the same money back guarantee.

 

[Ian]

Ian
mount a barrel sized pipe on a tripod. Mount magnetospeed on pipe. Rest auto on pipe. Viola..snubbies & autos 35 or bigger worked on the sporter that way.

Brilliant!

 

[waco]

Colt.

 

[Mitty38]

My thoughts on the chrono were that the old Ohler I had was a pain to set up especially if you were switching guns at the range, and I want to kind of get away from that, while eliminating the possibility of shooting a screen.
Both the Lab Radar and the Magneto speed have the advantage of being close to the muzzle. The Magneto Speed seems to have shims attachment, and mounting stuff to mess with. However, it does not depend on sound to clock the start of the shot, as does LR, so at a busy range it would shine over the Lab Radar.
However, I Usually have free rein for the range I use, and in the hrs I go to our club. So other peoples gunshots throwing off my measurements is not an issue for me. I also take several guns to test at the same time, so pushing 2 buttons on the lab radar just seams a lot more convenient the shimming, remounting and so forth. I also like the software and the idea that even without software you can remove the sim card and put it in any Microsoft laptop to view. Plus the ability to set it to record trajectory at several distances out to 100 yards, during 1 shot.
So I am kinda thinking for me lab radar if I am spending over $250, or a cheap shoot thru chrono, till I can afford a lab radar.

However I have shot many 1911 style guns, but........ I have never Shot, and have only once held a Colt 1911. I have wanted a "Real Deal" one for years and have put off buying other brands. And I could get buy with a cheap chrono for now, and the stock I have on the savage for now.

 

[Mitty38]

I'd go with the 1911, too.
Shoot it a lot, if you don't like it you get your money back.
If he reloads, for it, ask if he'll throw in dies and some brass and with the same money back guarantee.

He don't reload.
He bought at least 30 years ago. Knowing him, he shot 1 box thru it. Afterward, taking it out only to wipe it down, pet it, and show it off. Now that all his relatives and buddies have seen it 200 times each and grown immune to its superb awesomeness, he wants to get something else to show off.
ps.
I already have dies, ~ 2 gallons of red dot and several hundred rounds of cleaned, PMC range brass, just waiting for a 45 acp.

 

[Mitty38]

If you haven't chosen already, I highly recommend the bedding compound sold exclusively by Skor-Hi Gunsmithing of Albuquerque, NM. Tell them a friend of Andy-O's sent you.

$15 FOR A 1 RIFLE KIT. NOT BAD AT ALL Price wise. might just have to order it anyway. That way it will be there when I am ready. A wood stock of some sort is in the near future for that rifle no matter what.

 

[Bret4207]

I'd go with the Colt. I thought I absolutely had to have a chronograph, just like I thought I absolutely had to have a hardness tester. Both have seen almost no use. Yeah, it's fun to see if your pet jacketed load is getting 2730 or 2780, but in the end "about 2750" is close enough. Bhn is something you look at 7 times right after you get the tool and then it gathers dust because you realize it really doesn't much matter in the grand scheme.

 

[Rick H]

I would love to have a LabRadar chrono....but don't want to buy one. I have an old pro/chrony that has served me well for what I need. I don't use it that often. When I think of the brand new Series 70 Colt Govt. Model that I purchased brand new in 1975 for list price...$195. It makes me sick. Yeah I let it go many years ago.
I would buy the Colt, even though it seems a bit pricey to me.

 

[Bret4207]

I thought $850 was a little high too, but a guy down the road just paid $75K for an F150...

 

[Rick H]

We come from a different world where $75000 for a truck is insanity. I do have to say that the last truck I bought cost more than my house did, but was way less than half the price of that F150.

 

[fiver]

i dunno either.
but primers have been on sale recently, and I have a hard time not buying components I will maybe never use just in case I use them.

it'd be hard to pass that colt up though.

 

[Bret4207]

We come from a different world where $75000 for a truck is insanity. I do have to say that the last truck I bought cost more than my house did, but was way less than half the price of that F150.

When your wife owns a company in Europe worth billions, whats $75K? I'm simplifying a bit, but you get the picture. They never had a pot to pee in until great aunt Fritzy died and left it to her. Good for them I say!

 

[Mitty38]

The more I think.. Ben pricing Colts, the used governments of that era are selling for more then the new ones.
The one my cousin has has fixed sights. It is selling for $900 to $1200 .
However I can get a brand new government modeled after the 70's ones with the slide cut, and fully adjustable sights, for about his asking price. From my local dealer, if I give him a hundred dollar deposit.
May be a brand new colt in my future.

 

[GSPguy]

You can’t go wrong with a 1911!

 

[JonB]

The more I think.. Ben pricing Colts, the used governments of that era are selling for more then the new ones.
The one my cousin has has fixed sights. It is selling for $900 to $1200 .
However I can get a brand new government modeled after the 70's ones with the slide cut, and fully adjustable sights, for about his asking price. From my local dealer, if I give him a hundred dollar deposit.
May be a brand new colt in my future.

I think we are currently in a new gun sales slump, and I suspect there is a glut of new guns on the shelves. Which I surmise lowers the price, as Dealers want to make sales. Older guns are holding the value, I assume, because private sellers don't "need" to sell, so they hold firm...and also some older guns are more desired by the buyer, than the current ones the manufacturers are turning out.
I'm just thinking out loud here, so take those thought with a grain of salt.

 

[Bret4207]

I'm not a 1911 guru by any stretch, but you might want to check the specific model and series your Cuz has and what your dealer can get you. My impression is there are older Colts that are good and older Colts that are really good and few that are really, REALLY good. They have to be ID'd and compared to what you can get today. Some of todays stuff isn't as good as some of the older stuff, or so I understand.

The sights being fixed would be a complete non-issue for me. I don't think there is anything easier to add sights to than a 1911. My 1927 Argentine Colt came with standard fixed sights of the era. One order to Brownells and literally 10 minutes and I had a 3 dot, adjustable sight system. Took me longer to take the gun apart to stake the front sight than it did to install the sights.