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Citadel
Sept 7, 2010 19:29:32 GMT -6
Post by bigblue on Sept 7, 2010 19:29:32 GMT -6
Earlier this year, as every recent year, we were treated to a review of the Annual Gun Show by Gunblast www.gunblast.com/SHOT_Show_2010.htm One of the newer guns they featured was the Citadel Officers Model 1911 made by Armscor of the Philippines. Armscor has been making 1911 pistols under their own name and also the names of Rock Island Arms, Charles Dailey, High Standard and others for quite a few years now. This model has many features that would have cost me an arm and a leg, probably at least $2000.00 when I bought my first 1911, a $420 Colt Combat Commander back in the early 80s. I would also have had to send the pistol to a custom smith and waited months for the work to be completed. Features like the Novak style sights, lowered and flared ejection port, beavertail grip safety with memory pad, lightweight trigger and hammer and the beveled magazine well. When I saw the new officers model and it's low price, I knew I had to have one. I ordered it Saturday night from Davidson's Gallery of Guns www.galleryofguns.com/Genie/Default.aspxHere's a photo from Gunblast files. Don
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Citadel
Sept 7, 2010 21:32:32 GMT -6
Post by DocHolladay on Sept 7, 2010 21:32:32 GMT -6
Comes with alot of extras for the cost!!!! If we sold more 1911's, I would look into getting some for the store.
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Citadel
Sept 9, 2010 15:22:10 GMT -6
Post by bigblue on Sept 9, 2010 15:22:10 GMT -6
I picked up my Compact today and my first impressions are very favorable. The trigger is the best I've ever had from a factory 1911 and that includes guns from Springfield, Para and Colt that I've owned. There is no maraca rattle to the gun at all and slide to frame fit is fairly tight. The "Novak style" sights are good, although I would have preferred three dot sights, but that is more of a personal preference. The only downside I've seen would be the uneven parkerized finish, but that is strictly a cosmetic issue. While the finish may be a deal killer for some, it's an issue which matters little to me in a carry gun and is one that was totally expected thanks to other reviews I've read. I already have a pair of Wilson mags and some spare springs on order for it. I can't wait it get it to the range and put it through it's paces. Don
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Citadel
Sept 9, 2010 21:58:34 GMT -6
Post by DocHolladay on Sept 9, 2010 21:58:34 GMT -6
I dont see how a parkerized finish can be messed up since the whole gun sits in the solution, but it happens. Maybe it is oil or dirt on the gun that keeps it from going on evenly...?
Let us know how it shoots.
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Citadel
Sept 10, 2010 18:02:07 GMT -6
Post by bigblue on Sept 10, 2010 18:02:07 GMT -6
I think it has more to do with the uneven polished finish on the bare metal before being parkerized. I understand a parkerized finish also requires an oil curing process after being parkerized, so possibly if that is applied unevenly the finish may come out uneven. When I oil the gun up, the finish looks more even. Don
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Citadel
Sept 11, 2010 21:04:21 GMT -6
Post by bigblue on Sept 11, 2010 21:04:21 GMT -6
I stripped the gun down to the frame, cleaned it and coated everything with a light coat of Kroil. I wiped it down after letting the oil sit overnight and the parkerized finish looks much better now. It may just have been that the finish had absorbed the packing oil unevenly. Don
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