Perhaps your expectations were too high for a $350 1911.

 

Welcome, @gfraz (says the guy who also just joined today)

What was your goal when you bought it? With 60 years of experience, and already owning nice 1911’s, I expect you had a plan.

Was it to learn what a cheap 1911 is like and how it compares? If so, you probably have your answer.


My advice (for what it’s worth) would be to send it back to EAA for warranty work. That’s my advice for any new gun that has issues.

You can send it in, and get it handworked by a factory gunsmith for free. It’s one of the beauties of ”buying cheap” if the warranty is solid. Let’s face it, most gun mfgs in the US have great warranties.


Send it back and you’ll get your gun back with parts replaced and hand fitting done.


It‘s ancient history, but I had an AMT Hardballer with feeding issues. I had bought it used. I sent it in, and it came back a very reliable and well-fit gun. All for the price of postage.



Before you get to working on it yourself, give it a try.

 

I remember when the AMTs came out, we stayed away from them.

 

I appreciate your review cause I was looking at one at a gunshow and thought wow this is nice. Steer clear. TY !

 

I read this too fast and thought it was about a “Garrison“ by SA, so I guess thats good. Good luck getting your gun back in order. Sounds like sending it back could be in order.

 

Doubt they'll be able to address the accuracy, but maybe. And getting a cheap 1911 with a properly tuned extractor is almost never going to happen (especially Girsan from what I've read), but maybe sending it in for warranty work can address that.

 

They are some of the lowest cost entries in the market. Send it back until it’s right, or sell it.

 

* * *
Heck, even my Dad's M1911 Commercial model from 1914 shoots better. Extraction was mostly straight back over my head. I'm not giving up yet but would love to see some comments from the forum.

My 1932 Colt Commercial will outshoot the janky Turk and Flippy junk I see guys bringing to our range lately.

 

Tisas

 

Any thoughts on the accuracy? Something as simple as a bushing fit or something as difficult as barrel link/timing? You seem to indicate it's not floppy-loose, so I'm interested to hear. Perhaps shallow rifling in the barrel?

 

I would never buy a 1911 from Girsan. If you want a budget pistol go with Tisas.

 

For an aspiring gunsmith, it's a cheap option for something that will need work... and won't matter much if you completely screw up.

 

Tisas gunsmiths perfecting their craft.

 

That's a disappointing take.

 

Too bad Mex Gar must have went downhill Hmm

 

Stoning the gun before sending in for warranty work is probably not going to work out well esp. since EAA has notoriously bad CS.

 

That's what I'm thinking. There isn't much incentive for the manufacturer to have it "handworked by a factory gunsmith for free." with the narrow profit margins that come with selling them so cheap. Never mind he's been Bubbasmithing on it already. Sometimes you just need to buy a better gun from the start. If all you can afford is a $300 1911 do yourself a favor and buy a LE trade in S&W or Glock instead.

 

I've had their officer model in 9mm for some 3 years now with no issues and have used nothing but MecGar mags as well.
When I picked it up, my FFL stripped it and was impressed enough to suggest that his manager buy it in 45 rather than the Springfield XD he was about to order. My issue has been with the customer service at EAA. A few months into owning it, I emailed EAA asking about my recoil spring weight - mine felt like a truck shock. The eventual answer was 9#. In the hope that employee turnover would have prevailed, I waited a year to ask again, and this time it was: "around 12-14#". I tried one more time, referencing my other two requests and their responses, and asked if they could be a little more precise. And over a year later, I'm still waiting. I even emailed Girsan direct with my frustration with EAA and let's just say - the tail follows the head. That said, I currently own my first and last Girsan ONLY due to their indifference towards their customers. Those Turks are making some fine entry level pistols at very competitive price points, and from what I understand from other forums/groups, Tisas is one of the best and their CS is excellent.
IMHO

 

Comparing any gun to an xd is setting the bar so low that I would have no interest. I think that Tupperware is for storing food, but at least Gaston and the S&W boys didn't just slap their name on Croatian garbage, tripple the price, and convince people that it was a new wonder 9. I love my Sprigger 1911s, and I feel that a gently loved mil spec is the cheapest entry into the 1911 world that I would choose. However, I wouldn't buy any more new ones though. SA sold gun owners down the river.

 

Comparing any gun to an xd is setting the bar so low that I would have no interest. I think that Tupperware is for storing food, but at least Gaston and the S&W boys didn't just slap their name on Croatian garbage, tripple the price, and convince people that it was a new wonder 9. I love my Sprigger 1911s, and I feel that a gently loved mil spec is the cheapest entry into the 1911 world that I would choose. However, I wouldn't buy any more new ones though. SA sold gun owners down the river.

I could be wrong - and I reread my post 3 times - but I don't believe I made any comparisons at all - and neither did my FFL. He hadn't seen a Girsan before and was very interested in checking it out. He was impressed enough with its fit and no MIMs at that price point, that he made a suggestion to his manager, is all.

 

I'd check barrel bushing to crown fitment and then check how well the locking lugs interface with the slide. You could also look at how well the slide stop and the barrel link are integrated. Poor accuracy points to sloppy fitment of the barrel to the slide leading to inconsistent lockup.

 

I bought a Girsan Davidson’s Exclusive Girsan MC P35 PI OPS and the front sight fell off within the first mag took forever to contact someone with EAA. Ended up buying a F/O and they didn’t seam to want to help with the issue. Had a local gunsmith install it and he said the slide was messed up from the manufacturer and looked like they tried to fix the mistake, he did the best he could to fix and install the sight. I never even shot it again, traded it in and put the money towards my Bul .45.. best decision I’ve ever made.