Understanding the 1911 handgun market is fairly simple. Unlike most pistol fans, 1911 shooters will own as many 1911 types as marital and financial harmony allow. A sense of history and emotional attachment play a role in owning a 1911. There is a certain genetic logic in owning the best possible answer to a deadly threat in a weapon that remains concealable.
1911 fans will purchase a quality $3,000 1911. They will purchase a bargain-grade shooter that resembles the 1911, if cheapened. The field was ripe for the introduction of a middle-ground 1911 with excellent performance but which appeals to personal defense shooters.
A certain synthesis of style was achieved without changing much of the appearance of the 1911 handgun. The Savage 1911 is a very good pistol worth the money and well worth a few words. Let’s take a hard look at the Savage, and see what data I can share along with a little supposition.
The 1911 Pistol
Having done a great deal of work with the 1911 over the past 40 years, my depth of research in the 1911 is deep. I won’t bore you with a thrice told tale. Suffice to say the U.S. Army set about to obtain a modern self-loading pistol with reliability accuracy and wound potential. The original specifications were rigorous.
A 6,000-round firing test was unheard of in the day. The .45 ACP cartridge was designed for effect again the nemesis of the day, enemy war horses. Jaguars encountered in the jungle were dangerous, and the Army desired a sidearm capable of dispatching these beasts and enemy soldiers equally.
There was nothing like the 1911, and there still isn’t. A single-action straight-to-the-rear trigger, and a cocked-and-locked ready mode that offered excellent speed to a first-shot hit are among the advantages. The pistol had to be safe if dropped from horseback. The slide lock safety firmly locked the hammer and sear when applied, and a grip safety prevented trigger movement if the grip safety is released.
None of the problems presented to Colt, Browning, and Colonel Thompson were structurally unanswerable. The original 1911 is still a model of combat efficiency. However, there was room for improvement — and improve the 1911 we have. Most of these improvements are focused on the sights, barrel fitting, and modifying the safeties.
Savage 1911
I have great respect for Savage firearms and perhaps even an emotional attachment based on long association. Some of its rifles are utilitarian, some (such as the modern Impulse) are very nice rifles, and all are workmanlike designs. When it comes to the 1911, I don’t cut any slack in evaluating the pistol.
This is my favorite handgun, and I don’t like a handgun with a mistaken mission or cheap features. Savage has introduced a pistol without target features. Instead, it has good defensive features.
Savage managed to produce a distinctive handgun that will use existing holsters and magazines. Savage’s 1911 is a full length, and weight, Government Model. This means a steel frame and five-inch barrel. The pistol is offered in stainless steel or with a dark Melonite finish. There is also a two-tone version.
Both 10+1 9mm and 8+1 .45 ACP pistols are available. Price point will run from $1,200–1,400. It is more expensive than the Springfield Garrison, as an example, but less expensive than the Springfield TRP.
The slide received the majority of attention, making the Savage 1911 a distinctive handgun. A cheap and tawdry 1911 takes predictable shortcuts, while the more evolved pistol offers plenty of leeway for art and flourish. The slide is cut and beveled in a unique series of cuts on the slide flats. While distinctive, this slide treatment doesn’t preclude holstering in quality holsters designed for the 1911.
The slide also features a nicely machined tool worked surface between the sights. The sights are Novak types by Night Fision, in my example. These sights feature a bright dot surrounded by brighter material (in the modern fashion) offering an excellent aiming point for speed shooting.
The rear sight is more complex that it first appears. The rear sight features a tritium bar. This bar dot system requires superimposition of the front sight on the target, while the rear bar offers positive alignment.
This is a sight picture I prefer over three-dot sights. Close examination shows that the rear sight is screw-adjustable for elevation. For windage adjustment, loosen the setscrew, and bump the sight to one side or the other.
The barrel bushing is fitted on the tighter side of snug but doesn’t require a tool for disassembly. The recoil spring is, thankfully, not a full-length guide rod. Instead, it uses a standard guide rod and recoil spring.
The barrel seems well fitted, as the locking lugs roll smoothly in and out of battery as the slide is racked. The requisite 1/32-inch gap between the two halves of the feed ramp — barrel and frame — is present. The surfaces are properly smooth.
The ejection port is flared and lowered to allow easy ejection of a spent case and to unload a chambered cartridge. The frame features a light rail. However, a slick-frame dust cover version is also available. The hammer is a rowel type that is easily manipulated. The safety is well fitted. This ambidextrous safety locks with a positive indent.
The grip safety is a high, upswept design with memory bump. Some of us using the ‘thumbs forward’ grip create a pocket in the palm and do not depress the grip safety properly. This safety certainly helps in that regard.
The grips are modern checkered G10 slabs with a relief near the magazine release. There is no front strap checkering. The magazine well is slightly beveled.
All a 1911 really needs is a nice set of sights, good trigger, and a speed safety. The trigger is a solid type. This is proper for a defensive gun versus a target gun. Aluminum, adjustable target triggers have no place on a personal defense or tactical pistol. However, due to trends and style, they have proliferated. The solid trigger is ideal for most uses.
The trigger action on my pistol breaks at 5.5 pounds after the firing tests. It was slightly heavier when delivered. The pistol doesn’t use a firing pin block. Instead, it has a lightweight firing pin with heavy firing pin spring. This is as drop safety as a Series 70 pistol may be.
I took time to clean the packing grease, which was minimal, from the handgun before firing. This sometimes affects trigger action. The two 8-round magazines are unmarked but appear to have the McCormick type follower. These magazines did not impress, and one was difficult to load to full capacity. I added MecGar, Colt, Cobra, and Wilson Combat magazines to the mix.
Specifications
- Type: Recoil operated, single-action, semi-automatic
- Cartridge: .45 ACP
- Capacity: 8+1 rounds
- Barrel: 5 in. 1:16-inch. twist
- Overall length: 8.45 inches
- Weight: 38.5 ounces
- Materials: Forged slide and frame
- Finish: Melonite
- Grips: G10 by VZ grips
- Sights: Novak Lo-Mount self-luminous iron sights/Bar Dot
- Trigger: 5.5 pounds
- MSRP: $1,300 to $1,500, depending on options
Shots Fired
I lubricated the Savage 1911, on the barrel near the bushing, at the barrel hood, and on the cocking block. The primary test ammunition was Federal American Eagle. This ammunition is clean burning, accurate, and affordable. If the 1911 won’t run with 230-grain jacketed ammunition, it won’t run at all.
Malfunctions with a failure to go into battery or short cycles may be exhibited during the break-in phase with 1911 handguns, However, they are rare with modern 1911 handguns. The pistol ran fine with all magazines — save the supplied magazines. They were stiff to load, and failed to properly feed. A surprise! Maybe the R&D was done with other magazines, and these are a low bid. Had it been my gun and not a loaner, I would have discarded the magazine.
I think I will keep the pistol. When a paid receipt arrives, I will trash this unfortunately poor magazine. With all other magazines, the pistol performed well.
Fast shooting was accomplished by drawing from a Galco Combat holster. (Be certain to specify optics ready or rail gun when ordering.) I drew and fired at 5, 7, and 10 yards with good results. I don’t have a limited repertoire of tactics and executed several drills with the Savage 1911. Results were excellent. The sights are an advantage, and while this isn’t the lightest trigger, it is a smooth trigger action with rapid reset.
I fed the pistol multiple handloads, including a hard cast 200-grain SWC over enough Titegroup powder for 890 fps. This is a pleasant and accurate loading. I noticed the pistol is a soft shooter. It isn’t a 9mm. For a Government Model 1911 however, recoil was less than expected. Perhaps that’s due to something Savage has done with intelligent recoil spring and hammer spring choices.
The Savage 1911 shoots well indeed. You don’t learn much past 1.5 hours of range work, so I retired to home, cleaned and lubricated the pistol, and returned to the range the next day. This time I fired for accuracy with proven loads.
I have a great respect for the Federal HST defense load. I proofed the pistol with this load and fired for accuracy. Firing from the MTM Case-Gard K-Zone mount, I put five shots into 2.0 inches. I also fired the Speer Gold Dot 200-grain +P, an overlooked and effective loading.
The Savage ran just fine with a magazine of these loads and then five more fired from the bench. A five-shot group of 2.25 inches was obtained.
I also fired a box of Lehigh 135-grain loads. A screamer at 1,240 fps, recoil was modest for a load delivering over 450 foot pounds of energy. I put five shots into 2.5 inches, about 2.5 inches low. I could easily have adjusted the sights.
Next, I tested a small sample of Buffalo Bore’s 255-grain Outdoorsman. This is a hard cast, flat point clocking 946 fps in the Savage 1911. Recoil was there! If you need a hard-hitting loading for animal defense, or for taking medium-size game at moderate ranges, this is a good choice. Five shots went into 2.4 inches. Curious, I fired five rounds of American Eagle 230-grain FMJ. These loads went into 1.9 inches — the best performer of the firing test.
Postscript
The magazine problem was not welcome and could easily have been avoided with different magazines. After about 400 rounds, the pistol skipped a cartridge with the extractor failing to lock into the case rim. I didn’t like that. It repeated soon after. I will tune the extractor at some point. Potential is there, but I need to tweak this pistol more.
I find the Savage 1911 a credible choice for personal defense and all around use. A powerful handgun is a great personal defense piece. Adding pride of ownership and good accuracy, we have a combination found only in a quality 1911 handgun. If reliability may be achieved, we have something. A friend’s all-stainless version came out of the box running and is still running. I had to repair mine.
Do you own a Savage 1911, or have you fired one? What was your experience with the Savage 1911? Which 1911 magazines do you recommend? Share your answers in the Comment section.
