Doug Koenig S&W 1911

[TMan]

Miserable rainy day in Texas. My wife is on another overseas business trip so with no football, no Olympics, I first went to church, and then to Bass Pro Shops. Going to Bass Pro Shops on the weekend was not a very smart move - you had to take a number and wait in line for someone behind the counter to wait on you.

I needed some ffffg blackpowder for the flintlock, and since they keep it in the back room, I had to ask for it. Well, the guy got distracted in the back room and I had a long wait. While waiting, I was looking at the handguns. What really caught my eye was the price tag on a 1911. It was $22nn, so with sales tax we are figuring around $2500, which is close the the MSRP of $2,694.

According to the S&W website:

Oversize External Extractor
Full Length Guide Rod
Competition Magazine Well Extension
Crisp 3.5 - 4 lbs. Trigger Pull
30 LPI Frontstrap Checkering
.38 Super
Designed in Collaboration with Doug Koenig
Performance Center Styled Slide with Two-Tone Finish
Doug Koenig Competition Speed Hammer
Competition Vertical Speed Trigger
Logo Micarta Grips
Hand Lapped Frame and Slide
Hand Fit Barrel and Bushing
A True Competition Ready Gun
"Doug Koenig Competition" (DKC) Serial Number Run

A couple of things really interested me: 1) The trigger was a straight trigger much like the CZ custom. However, it is a serrated trigger, which I'm not too fond of. 2) The grips were made out of some kind of plastic. I'd expect for the kind of money that they would have been made out of some type of rare endangered type of wood.

[MLB]

I don't shoot anywhere near well enough to be looking at a $2500 pistol, but it doesn't stop me from offering my amateurish comments.

The vertical trigger is counter-intuitive. You'd think that one shaped like your finger would be the best way to go.

I don't like extraneous ambidextrous stuff. While switchable from one side to another is a good idea, having 2 thumb safeties doesn't seem "custom" to me.

The rest is just cosmetic. I'd agree with TMan about the plastic-looking grips. Along with the slide etching, it's just a bit too much advertising for my taste. The bigger thing is the two tone slide though. It really does change the lines for me; to the point where the classic 1911 look is lost.

[5ontarget]

The picture link is working for me today, I didn't see it the first viewing. My initial impression is that it is a pistol trying too hard That is, it seems to be trying too hard to look better and different than the rest of the class, and in the end it looks like the kid that didn't fit in with the rest of the class (and not in a good way). (I'm a bit traditional in my tastes though.)

Another one of the many guns that I won't have for many reasons.

[TMan]

I did a Google search on "Micarta", the material used in the grips and found the following:

Micarta is a trademark of Norplex-Micarta industrial high pressure laminates and refers to a composite of linen, canvas, paper, fiberglass, carbon fiber or other fabric in a thermosetting plastic, originally used in electrical and decorative applications. Micarta(R) was developed by George Westinghouse at least as early as 1910 using phenolic resins invented by Dr. Leo Baekeland. These resins were used to impregnate paper and cotton fabric which were cured under pressure and high temperature to produce laminates. In later years this manufacturing method included the use of fiberglass fabric, other resin types were also used. Today Micarta high pressure industrial laminates are produced with a wide variety of resins and fibers. The term has been inappropriately used to generically refer to most resin impregnated fibre compounds. Common uses of modern high pressure laminates are as electrical insulators, printed circuit board substrates, and knife handles.

So it is a material that has been around for awhile; not that they mentioned knife handles but not handgun grips.

I checked online and I can get it for $1560. So do you guys lose all respect for me if I buy it?

Modified to add: Wait!!! What am I thinking? Nobody has respect for me. ;D

[MLB]

You're well thought of here Rodney. Even if you were to buy a Jennings. ;D

(A gold plated Desert Eagle might be pushing the line though.)

[5ontarget]

I've used Micarta in knife grips before.

Tman, I'll respect you in the morning, but I may not call you for a week.

[TMan]

First let me say that it comes in a very nice, lockable case:



Inside the box are two extra springs at 10# and 14#, and two magazines. I stuck it all underneath for the following picture:



At the range today, I was using factory loads of COR*BON 38 SUPER 147gr FMJ 900fps with 264 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. A very mild load for a gun this heavy. Apparently a little too mild.

The first round went off, and I squeezed the trigger a second time. Click! Pulling back the slide, I saw there was nothin in the chamber. Released the slide and everything functioned until the end of the 5 rounds. It appeared to be POI/POA vs. a target setup of 6 o'clock. I cranked a little on the elevation, but then noticed that the slide was still closed. It hadn't locked open after the last round.

During the remainder of the 50 rounds, it failed one more time to load and never did lock open after the last round.

I shot 40 rounds and Ed shot the remaining 10 after I cranked a bit more on the sights. My shoulder was feeling tired so I was done for the day.

So, when I got home, I called S&W because I had no idea what weight spring was in the gun. He said it was 16# and that I should try the 14# spring.

I noticed from the target that as I was getting down to the last couple of rounds in the magazine, that I was shooting low because of muscle fatigue. This getting old and feeble really sucks.

["DoubleAction"]

Nice Groupings TMan; I also like the Trigger ;D

Even though the trigger might resemble the old steel triggers, they now have the trigger shoes in lightweight aluminum, magnesium, or whatever.

[TBT]

I love micarta grips on 1911's. Both of my 1911's wear VZgrips now.

And that gun is a Smith and Wesson Tman, which makes it awesome from the get-go.

[TMan]

I could have saved myself a lot of grief and searching if I'd read this thread again. Two weeks ago I took the Kimber Patriot and a box of 38 Super to the range for Ed to shoot because he hadn't shot 38 Super before. Wrong gun.

Then I couldn't remember what gun shot 38 Super. I finally remembered that it was a S&W. OK, that makes it easy - they come in blue cases. I couldn't even find the case. I thought maybe I left the gun somewhere, but without the case???

It came in the fancy case, and I finally found it.

My shoulder may be getting better because my shooting with this gun today was some of the best shooting I can remember ever doing. I don't suppose it is a fair comparison to other 1911's that I have because they are a different caliber than it, but if this is an example of what Doug shoots, I can see why he wins so often.