S&W 1911PD Scandium Review

[SilverState]

I recently bought one of these for $750 new out the door. I was a little reluctant to buy it for a couple of reasons.

First, I have never owned a 1911 with an external extractor. I heard so many bad things about external extractors and the reliability problems associated with them, that I was somewhat concerned. However, I just put around two hundred rounds through it in one outing (150 Remington UMC ball and 50 Double Tap 1225fps Gold Dot). The pistol runs FLAWLESS. I used Wilson 47D mags, ACT mags, Kimber mags, and CMC powermags. Not one hiccup.

Another concern I had that with the lighter frame (about 10oz lighter), I might not be as accurate as I am with my other 1911s. I ended up being EXTREMELY ACCURATE with it, even with the Double Tap ammo. You feel the additional recoil with the Double Taps, but the bullet has already left the barrel at that point. Hell, the paper target doesn't even have time to tear around the holes.

To sum up the review, this gun is worth more than $750. It is a quality, reliable, and lightweight firearm at a modest price. It shoots as good as my Kimber Eclipse, STI Trojan, and amost as good as my Wilson Combat. And carrying around 28oz on your hip as opposed to 38oz makes a big difference in comfort.

:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

[AZWildcat]

Thanks for the review. I have been considering one of these myself. Just curious -- did you get the blued or stainless model? If the blued, how does the finish seem to be holding up?

Also, with the lighter, perhaps softer frame, should you use the mags with the plastic followers (like the Wilson 47D)? The latter were recommended for my Kimber CDP II (aluminum frame) because of gouging from the Kimber mag metal followers.

[SilverState]

I went with the blue. I don't like shiney handguns for ccw. The only thing I changed were the grips - put some VZ black paper gators on it. I just used what I had for mags, which was eleven 1911 mags. One was a Kimber with a metal follower, three were ACT mags with metal followers (two came with the S&W 1911PD), two were CMC powermags with metal followers, and the rest were Wilson 47Ds wtih the polymer followers. I don't think it is a problem - especially since the mags it came with have metal followers. As for the finish, it is too soon to say.

Here it is before the grip change:

http://sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/SW1911PD.jpg

[Short Cut]

Originally posted by SilverState
carrying around 28oz on your hip as opposed to 38oz makes a big difference in comfort.

Thanks for taking the time to write up this review, SilverState. ^c

I sure concur with you on the weight difference. In the morning when straping up there isn't much difference to me in the weight between a steel and aluminum framed gov't model, however as the day wears on, to me, there is a big difference. I'm currently using a Kimber Custom CDP II as my primary carry, but that Smith 1911PD is very appealing.

[stepper]

My dad loves his. He carries it in an Alessi CQC/S.

The only problem he has had after about 600 rounds is getting hit in the head once or twice every box of 50 rounds. He had it fixed by the range gunsmith and the problem has stopped.

Great gun!

I want to see a picture of it with your new grips!

[DreamWeaver88]

I have the original 1911SC (Commander size). Same gun just renamed the PD for this year. I love mine as well. The lighter weight was the main reason I bought it.

http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL806/138216/250085/67431423.jpg

DW

[SilverState]

Here's a pic of mine with the gators on it:

http://sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/SW1911PDwVZGators.JPG

[beefums]

you just sold me on one (like it would of been hard in the first placE)

[FLIPPER 348]

it's the only 1911 in my safe (now)

[beefums]

Do you think its reliable enough for carry? My GI just doesnt cut the bill when it comes to that. too many FTFs.

[SilverState]

Originally posted by beefums
Do you think its reliable enough for carry? My GI just doesnt cut the bill when it comes to that. too many FTFs.

Yes, that is exactly what I bought it for.

[ILikeFtLbs]

The 1911Sc and the 1911PD are not the same according to the catalog. The 1911Sc is Scandium with a 4" barrel, while the 1911PD has an aluminum frame and Carbon slide and is available in 4" or 5" barrels. I have shot both and the 1911Sc feels a little bit lighter. Both are very accurate and controlable.

[AZWildcat]

Interesting info from the catalog, but I wonder how accurate. Gunbroker has several 1911SC's, stainless only, with both 5" and 4 1/4" barrels. Plus several 1911PD's, blue only, again in both 5" and 4 1/4" barrels. The sellers for the PD's are claiming that they are scandium frames as well. Another seller is claiming his "PD" has a blackened stainless slide. I thought the blued PD's were carbon steel uppers. So, does anyone know what the real scoop is?

[ILikeFtLbs]

I just looked and the Smith & Wesson web page shows different stuff than the printed catalog for 2005.

By the way, I don't know if you all have seen, but they have 2 Doug Koenig models this year and one offered in .38 super.

[SilverState]

Catalog shmatalog :)

The frame on my 1911PD is scandium and my slide is carbon steel. You can get it with a 4.25" barrel, but mine has a 5" barrel.

[MXRacer101]

Originally posted by AZWildcat
Also, with the lighter, perhaps softer frame, should you use the mags with the plastic followers (like the Wilson 47D)? The latter were recommended for my Kimber CDP II (aluminum frame) because of gouging from the Kimber mag metal followers.

Yes, use plastic followers. I use both Wilson's and MetalForm's with plastic followers on my Kimber CDP's.

[OKCGLOCKER]

I absolutely love my 1911Sc. I put it on at 7:00am and take it off when I go to bed around 10:30pm.
I probably have 2000 rounds through it and have never had a FTF or FTE. The only problem I've had was with one of the ACT mags that came with it. Accuracy is excellent.
^c ^c

[quicksand]

$750 sounds like a great deal for one of these considering how much those snub nose revolvers are in scandium. Are these things really that cheap everywhere or did you get a deal? One of these with a 4 inch would be the perfect ccw.

[SilverState]

I just kept my eyes peeled and found one on gunbroker for about $710 (Marshfield Arms) plus $19 shipping and $25 ffl transfer fee. So actually $764.

[ikestr]

I have had a S&W 1911 SC 4.25 barrell for almost 8 months and I have shot over 4000 rounds of assorted FMJ and JHP's with zero malfunctions from the first round.
It is my only 1911 as of now but I have ordered a custom Officer's ACP from one of the best gunsmith's I have ever known Dave Helton from dvcustom.com and it is in process of being built right now.
I have no doubt that it is going to be a great gun, but I still will love and shoot my S&W 1911 SC and sometimes carry it.
I got burned on the Kimbers and Colts and the only way that I would carry a Colt like in this instance is if Dave builds it for me and a kimber never.

[at-home-daddy]

Originally posted by SilverState
Here's a pic of mine with the gators on it:

http://sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/SW1911PDwVZGators.JPG
Man, that's sharp. And I usually turn my nose up at any 1911 grips not made of wood...but they look great on that model.

[SilverState]

Thank. I have John's (VZ) grips on most of my 1911s. Here are a couple more:

http://sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/STI1911wVZGators.JPG

http://sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/Wilson_Combat_CQB_Side.JPG

And yes, the Wilson Combat medallion grips are also made by VZ.

[goblues]

Originally posted by SilverState
Thank. I have John's (VZ) grips on most of my 1911s. Here are a couple more:

http://sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/STI1911wVZGators.JPG

http://sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/Wilson_Combat_CQB_Side.JPG

And yes, the Wilson Combat medallion grips are also made by VZ.

You must be loaded :) STI, Wilson. I want one.:soap: :)

[ATI_RAGE_]

Great writeup and pictures, I hear alot of good things about the S&W 1911's, looks like they got the external extractors right aswell.

[SilverState]

Originally posted by goblues
You must be loaded :) STI, Wilson. I want one.:soap: :)

Bought the Wilson used for about half price and got the Trojan from Dawson Precision with an LEO discount. Good deals are out there, you just have to find them.;f

[ShootCraps]

Great review. I have been looking at the S&W 1911s since they came out. They have a great reputation. It will probably be the next 1911 I buy.

[Alaskapopo]

I would buy one in a heart beat if it had an officers model frame (6 shot) with the commander slide. I would buy another if it was in 9mm too.
Pat

[gunhound]

I really enjoy mine also - worth every penny. I changed my grips as well because I did not like the look of the factory grips.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/Gunhound/1911s/P1010007.jpg

[engineer151515]

Purdy guns.

;f

[Glock21Owner]

I am considering getting a 1911 style pistol, but every model I see has a slide that is serrated at the front. I do not like this, so I scoped out the S&W with adjustable sights and like what I see. Ed Brown makes a beautiful pistol but at $2500 I can't swing it. My question is this: how does the basic S&W 1911 compare to the upgraded models? I'd prefer the Novak sights to the adjustables, but I can always change them out obviously.

[ShootCraps]

AFAIK, all of the S&W 1911s are enjoying a very good reputation.

[Skpotamus]

+1 for satisfied S&W 1911 owners.

I took my new S&W Scandium out today, I shot 300 rounds thru her without a hiccup. 150 FMj, 50 HP's and 100 Semi-wadcutters.

Accuracy was on par with my kimber and springfield loaded, (far better than I can shoot).

This is the first 1911 I've bought that didn't have to have work done on her to make her function reliabley. My Kimber BP Ten II had it's "break in" period that lasted about 400 rounds, my springfield had to be sent back to the factory for some fluff and buff, as well as a new extractor.

I'm VERY pleased with my S&W (first S&W auto I've liked)

[F350Lawman]

My 1991SC has been 100% reliable for the 300 or so assorted rounds I've put through the gun. These included Win Rangers, Hornady XTP, Powerball, Blazer 200g "Flying Ashtrays" and assorted ball ammo. I mixed and matched and tried my best to make condiitons ripe for a malfunction, but it seems reliable with any ammo. I will mention that it feeds everything fine with the factory mags,and Colt 7 rounders but it did not like the Kimber 8 round mags or the cheappo off brand 7 rounder I tried. Failed to feed with the Kimber and no slide lock or premature slide lock with the off brand. So make sure you test ALL your mags...I'm glad I did ;)

Very nice fit and finish to boot. I have carried it about 18 hours a day since the day I got it 2 months ago. Although it is still pretty new, I am hard on guns. It appears that the finish will hold up well. Grip saftey seems to be the only place where the finish seems suspect, the bluing is off the edges. I think the grip safety is aluminum so rust shouldn't be an issue. The only issue I had was the pointy checkering on the grips and the mainspring housing. Some sandpaper a file and a can of stain fixed that in about 10 minutes.

I am REALLY glad I chose this gun and would buy it again without looking at other models.

[1911SFOREVER]

I bought my 1911Sc in March. This is a review I posted on another forum:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I picked up my 1911Sc today at a local shop/range. (I had wanted a PD, but they're backordered. I figure the billboard marking will wear off with enough presentations from the holster. Plus I got a really nifty S&W gun box...electronic combo, etc. I won't use it, but it'll be handy to show other people that are reluctant to buy a handgun what sort of safety options are out there.) I knew that my name was going to be a "hold" again, so I came prepared with 300 rounds of 230 grain FMJ reloads.

The pistol's appearance was unremarkable, with no unexpected markings. I was very impressed with the way the edges had been smoothed out. The gun comes with S&W's rendition of Novak white dot sights. There is something of a gap beneath the rear sight, which has been much remarked upon. The external extractor seems pretty beefy. Slide to frame fit was nice, as was the barrel lock up. The mainspring housing is checkered to what appears to be 20 LPI and is made of aluminum.

About the barrel...they must be using a hacksaw at the S&W plant to cut their barrels. A very bad crown was evident. This was to come into play later. (Some foreshadowing there...)

The trigger was a tad creepy, but broke cleanly at what I estimate to be 5 lbs. Overall I was sufficiently pleased with the gun and gladly paid the $850. (Yes, I know I could have saved upwards of $100 elsewhere, but if this indoor range closes up, where would I shoot my less expensive pistol?)

I moved to the range, and put a 1" dot on an IDPA target at 7 yards. Sight alignment....sight picture....squeeze....BAM! 2" low left from the point of aim. Another shot....BAM! 3" low RIGHT from the point of aim. Another shot...high left this time. It got pretty frustrating and I was beginning to have some self-doubt. I then used the table in the booth as a rest for the remainder of this part of the test...same result, that being bullet holes all over the place.

I decided that it was the burr on the muzzle crown. I was determined to continue, so I just kept shooting. Gradually, the gun began to shoot reliably to point of aim. The pistol digested and excreted my reloads (230 grain FMJ, 5.5 grains W231 loaded to 1.25 OAL.)

I then started running the gun out of my holster. (COMP-TAC C-TAC) There is a BIG difference between presenting Government model to a Commander model sized gun, which is further exacerbated by the significant difference in weight. Eventually I remembered that "Smooth is slow" and started working into it. Recoil management on hammers was a bit different than a full sized, steel frame gun. For some reason the mag release button would work great if you pressed it half way and allowed the mag to drop out. If you held it all the way in, the mag would stick. (Mags were Wilson 47D's. I didn't use the magazines that came with the gun.)

The bottom line: It is my opinion that S&W is making a very, very fine out of the box 1911. Given the sharpness of Springfield pistols, I'd have to give S&W the nod over them. (I haven't handled many Kimbers lately.)

Modifications to this gun will be: 1) Heinie sights (no tritium). Novak's are fine, but I prefer the Heinie sight picture. 2) I'm switching out the MIM mag release with one of Mr. Brown's products. 3) I'm dumping the full length guide rod for Mr. Brown's rendition of the JMB original configuration. 4) The grips are a kind of nasty organge color...I'll slap some rosewood on him the first chance I get. 5) I'll have the grip safety pinned. I didn't have a problem with disengaging the safety today, but I'm going to take the Forrest Gump "One less thing" approach. 6) I MIGHT consider crowning the barrel, or swapping the whole thing out with a Kart unit. Too soon to tell.

But I am certain that this gun will become my #1 carry piece once these modifications and some more testing are complete.

Back to the future!

I made all of the mods I mentioned above and the gun ran great! Then around 2,000 rounds or so the trigger wouldn't reset. This problem became very disconcerting. I was working on solving this problem when the front plunger tube stake snapped off. With the gun hard down for repairs I decided to swap out all of the internal parts with Cylinder and Slide components. These were fit by a VERY competent gunsmith. (Tim Bacus.)

The gun came back to me and ran like a champ for another 800 rounds or so...then the trigger started sticking again. A buddy of mine has the exact same problem with his 1911Sc. Frankly, I'm at a loss. I detail clean the pistol now after every use...I'm not seeing any untoward markings in side the gun. Anyone have any ideas?

[SilverState]

Interesting...

I wonder if there is any difference between the SC and the PD (other than the markings).

In any event, I found the point of impact on mine to be perfect.

As for mods, I am not going to change a thing (except the grips). I feel very comfortable trusting my life to my PD the way it is.

[Skpotamus]

From S&W's website:

The Pd has a scandium frame, with a carbon steel slide,

The SC has a scandium frame with a stainless steel slide.

Other than that, I can't realy see any difference between teh two models.

[kraigster414]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/kraigster414/SW1911sc/smith1911scwithcocoboloandambinosn.jpg

Above my SW Scandium Commander

The best 1911 (ok maybe 2nd best after my spruced up 1911 Government Series 70) I have ever owned. I love this gun! Eats everything, totally reliable. And easy on the eyes.

[ShootCraps]

I do believe that's the nicest looking S&W 1911 I've ever seen. ;P

[kraigster414]

Originally posted by ShootCraps
I do believe that's the nicest looking S&W 1911 I've ever seen. ;P

Wow, thanks! :)

A lot of feedback received on the grips. I have an extra set identical if anyone is interested. Send me a private message for price, first come first served. Cut for an ambi safety. 2 messages received already.

[ShipWreck]

How does the Scandium frame compare to a standard aluminum frame?

I had an alumin um frame Kimber, and the frame showed wear on the feed ramp VERY quickly. Also, I had seen pics of other aluminum frame Kimbers online with heavy wear inside of the frame from mags w/ metal followers (the follower cuts into the inside of the frame over time).

Does the scandium frame suffer from this type of wear over time as well? After my last experience, I decided never to buy another aluminum framed 1911...

[kraigster414]

There is aluminum and there is Scandium. A big, big difference.

[ShipWreck]

Originally posted by kraigster414
There is aluminum and there is Scandium. A big, big difference.

That's why I am asking. It is my understanding that they add a small amount of scandium to aluminum to make the frame. It's still not steel, so I am curious about the durability.

[kraigster414]

I have heard of no problems with stress fractures or accelerated wear with the Scandiums. I too was concerned and did a search of all the 1911 boards, Google etc. to see if there was anything out there to suggest a problem. 'Couldn't find anything to indicate there was a systemic problem, at least with the SW 1911 Scandiums. Having said that, ALL guns including all-steel frames and slides can crack. Scandium adds an element of durability to the mix and I expect my gun will outlive me by a long shot (no pun intended).

[ShipWreck]

Well, I wasn't happy w/ an aluminum frame, but this scandium frame interests me

[spober]

i like them SC better.looks wise that is.the price is right.3 inch ultra carrys and defenders run that or better.

[Gary1911A1]

1911SFOREVER, Have you looked at the frame where the trigger bow moves?

[1911SFOREVER]

Yep. I'm thinking I may have a run of out of spec Cobra mags.

It was doing it again today!