1911 .22... conversion or full gun??

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  • mshogren

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    I think I have decided on getting a 1911 style .22 to practice / plink with. I currently have a variety of 1911s from high end to medium ranges. I have an extra full-size that I really don't shoot too much, and probably never will since I have 2 nicer ones that I prefer to shoot.

    So I am trying to decide which would be better...buy a nice name brand conversion kit for my full-size or go with a full dedicated 1911 .22 like a GSG.

    What do you think? Are there any American made 1911 .22s?

    Thanks

    Mark
     

    x10

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    I don't know about american made, I can say that the GSGs function and shoot well and that the Kimber conversion is accurate as I've seen
     

    Colt556

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    I've owned Colt and CZ conversion units and they seemed to work well. But when you compare the cost of the conversion unit with the price of a whole gun I'd rather have another gun. I know there might be an advantage to using the same frame and trigger for practice but their are just so many good 22s available toady it's hard to resist. :twocents:
     

    mshogren

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    Looks like a whole gun might be the best option...I need to go check out a few of them. I just hate the idea of selling off a very nice Ruger MKII to replace it with a lower quality 1911 style .22.

    Mark
     
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    Nov 23, 2008
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    Looks like a whole gun might be the best option...I need to go check out a few of them. I just hate the idea of selling off a very nice Ruger MKII to replace it with a lower quality 1911 style .22.

    Mark

    Whatever you do, don't sell the Ruger MKII. You'll be sorry as was i when i sold mine. Luckily i found another identical to it and won't make that mistake again. Then just recently i saved up the coins and purchased a GSG 1911-22. Now i have them both and have no reason to experience sellers remorse.
     

    mshogren

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    Whatever you do, don't sell the Ruger MKII. You'll be sorry as was i when i sold mine. Luckily i found another identical to it and won't make that mistake again. Then just recently i saved up the coins and purchased a GSG 1911-22. Now i have them both and have no reason to experience sellers remorse.

    Since you have both, can you comment on the quality of the gsg compared to the mkii?

    I am not that attached to the mkii, had it 15 years or so and have only shot it a handful of times.

    Thanks for the input.

    Mark
     

    NHT3

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    My suggestion would be a Rock Island XT22.. I have one and think it's the best of the lot. All steel with a REAL 1911 bottom half.

    [FONT=&quot]NRA Life member [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
    Gunsite graduate Certified Glock armorer[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]
    XT22A.jpg
    [/FONT]
     

    mshogren

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    My suggestion would be a Rock Island XT22.. I have one and think it's the best of the lot. All steel with a REAL 1911 bottom half.

    [FONT=&quot]NRA Life member [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GSSF member[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Gunsite graduate Certified Glock armorer[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]
    XT22A.jpg
    [/FONT]

    Liking the look of that...

    Think I need to do a little more research. Might just get both a conversion and a whole gun...going to need one for my little guy when he gets older so we don't have to fight over just one. :D

    Mark
     

    Effingham

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    I was thinking about getting a 1911 in .45 with a .22 conversion, and one of the nice folks at Bradis suggested just getting a dedicated .22 1911 (recommending the GSG) as it was nearly cheaper on the whole than getting a conversion kit as well.

    I LOVE my GSG 1911 in .22. It's hella fun. :)
     

    EPD1102

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    I went with the GSG1911 for several reasons.
    1. I hate partial guns in my safe. If I had a .22 upper, I would feel compelled to look for a 1911 frame to put it on full time.
    2. A complete gun is about the same price or just slightly more than a good conversion kit.
    3. I don't want to dirty up my good 1911s with lead and powder residue from cheap .22 ammo.
     

    mshogren

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    Ok, ok...so who has a GSG in stock around Indy for me to fondle...and maybe buy?

    I am also starting to like the Tactical Solutions conversion from what I have seen about it. Steel slide so it will balance and feel like a normal 1911. But it is pricey.

    Mark
     

    deanald2pt0

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    After buying the GSG1911, I kind of wish I had just bought a quality conversion instead.

    I have a Springfield Loaded and like many people, I wanted to find a cheaper alternative to buying 45acp, so I bought the GSG 1911.

    After getting the GSG 1911, I wanted to like it, but I was never really satisfied. There was enought differences between the 2 that it just wasn't what I was used to. I even bought a thread adapter for a supressor hopeing I'd like it.

    My Springer had a trigger job with a clean crisp break at around 3.5 to 4 pounds, the GSG was just kind of meh, not nesisarly good but not terrible.

    The Springer also has a grip safety with a speed bump and a straight mainspring housing where as the GSG had no speed bump and curved MSH. Because of this, I found that I wasn't getting the same grip on the pistol and having trouble compressing the grip safety.

    I also didn't care for the shape of the safetly lever, it had more sharp corners and was more difficult to manipulate.

    I know most of my problems could be fixed by switching out a few components and having some minor gunsmithing done, but those cost exceed what I think the value of the pistol is worth to me. For about the same price, maybe a little, less I could have bought a conversion and had the same feel of what I was used to.

    I've debated many times about selling it, and using the money to buy a conversion, or just trading it in on a Savage FV-SR.
     
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    mshogren

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    deanald2pt0: thanks for the feedback. That is exactly what I am afraid of. I have a couple very nice 1911s that have great triggers and specific grip configs. I also have an extra 1911 that is not getting much loving other than being a test bed for me try out some mods on. I think it would be a perfect conversion host.

    As for a complete gun, I found kimber has one, but it is pricey...

    I am leaning more toward a good conversion now and maybe another full gun later. Kinda like the look of the Browning for my son since it is reduced size...

    Now to decide to order a conversion on-line or try to find one at a gun show...

    Mark
     

    Claddagh

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    I've had a Ciener conversion unit for many years. On 1911s with an FLG, change-over takes about 30 seconds. Just wish that I'd spent the extra money for the model with adjustable sights as POI can vary pretty significantly depending upon which frame it's mounted on.

    In the process of accumulating the funds for one of the Bob Marvel-designed Nighthawk Custom conversion units presently. While the cost is a bit more than some of the lower-end dedicated .22 RF 1911-type pistols, this particular design offers true Match-grade accuracy and will lock the slide back after the last shot has been fired, something lacking in most all of the other conversion units for 1911's.

    JMO, but having the option of installing it on whichever 1911 frame I currently fancy is a definite plus. I currently own a few, and expect that there'll be others as time goes by. As a southpaw, the lack of an ambi thumb safety option on most of the look-alike RF models I've seen has also been no small factor.
     

    Fordtough25

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    I'll vote again for the GSG. It comes with 3 different front sights that are easily changed out for POI, nice trigger, feel, pretty sure it has an ambi safety, and it's just a blast to shoot. :yesway:
     
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