So... what are we looking at here?
Well, if I still lived in the United Kingdom, I'd be looking at 5 years in one of Her Majesty's prisons... but since I have the great good fortune to reside in the United States, what we have here is a Springfield Armory 1911-A1, chambered in nothing other than the mighty .45ACP, pretty much bone-stock with the exception of a Wilson Combat 8 round mag and a Hogue rubber wrap-around grip.
I added the grip because the grips that this puppy came with made the whole thing feel way too skinny enfolded in my meathook...
This baby was my very first handgun purchase (after all, if you were to own just one handgun, it would be sacrilege to have anything but a 1911 as we all know), and if she looks very clean it's because I really don't use her all that much. I know, shame on me, but I tend to prefer shooting my long guns when I get the opportunity...
Buying handguns in California is a little more involved than buying a rifle. First off, you may not purchase a handgun in the Golden State unless you have a Handgun Safety Certificate, or HSC.
Well, how does one obtain a HSC, you ask? You get one by coughing up $25 (at least that was how much it was when I did it) and taking a test in basic firearm safety. These tests are administered by most any gun store out there. Then you get a pretty little card with the seal of the Great State of California on it, with your name, date of issue and expiration date on it. With this in hand, you are now qualified to purchase a handgun.
The other major differences between handgun and rifle purchases? You have to DROS both (fill out a Dealer Record Of Sale form) and wait 10 days for both. In order to pick up your handgun, however, you need TWO forms of ID - a driver's license alone is not sufficient. Typically, your car registration would suffice as a second form of ID. The biggest difference, though, is the fact that handguns are registered with the state DOJ. Along with the DROS form, make, model and serial number are also passed along to those fine fellows in Sacramento...
Here we can see a slight difference between my 1911 and what one in a free state would look like. See that tiny little slot in the barrel (the silver part) toward the rear? That is a California-mandated Loaded Chamber Indicator - a way to instantly tell if the gun is loaded by simply looking at it. If it were loaded, you would see the tell-tale gleam of brass instead of the black void of an empty chamber.
So there you have it; my 1911. A beautiful little piece, a time-tested design, but one that spends far too much time in the safe as opposed to on the range...
6 comments:
Good times!
Dang, that was quick... I just barely put this post up! Thanks for stopping by, Phlemmy!
Yeh Baby!! So it has a CA default press-check indicator, minimal intrusion and somewhat usefulk - at least it's not a freaking lock. :-)
It's a great country...don't care what the world thinks!
That is one beautiful piece of hardware! I have a Springfield Companion.
I bought a Ruger .380 auto last Saturday...just right for the pocket!
DC - oh, there's a lock on it too - a tiny one on the back of the grip with a tiny little key. I never use it though, since it resides inside a locked range bag inside a locked safe and whenever it's out, it is always int immediate possession... Another CA mandated doohicky, I think...
Mushy - nice! How are you guys fixed for .380 ammo out in TN? It's hard to come by over here...
Funny-looking hole in the barrel or not, that is one nice-looking piece of hardware you have there, and as a first handgun purchase, you definitely did right with the 1911.
Now you just have to get another one to fiddle with so you can keep that one stock ;).
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