GSG 1911-22 vs. Chiappa 1911-22

As one who primarily carries a 1911 pistol for my personal protection, and as a strong believer that an individual will only perform any important task to the level of their training and practice, I decided (as many have) that with the escalating cost of ammo in general (and .45acp in particular) that acquiring a less expensive to feed 1911 for self defense practice would be a good idea.

While there are several quality .22 conversion kits available for the 1911 on the market today,  my preference was to have a dedicated unit, and since there is a growing number of dedicated 1911-22 pistols that have been introduced during the past couple of years, I determined to go that route with the purchase of a Chiappa 1911-22 in early 2009 and subsequently a GSG 1911-22 in July of 2010. Having now had the opportunity to thoroughly test both during the past two years, I wanted to provide the readers a direct comparison between the two as well as provide some thoughts regarding what can be expected in terms of both short term and long term durability.

The following are my thoughts regarding how these two guns stack up against one another, including some pics and targets:

• Initial Cost - Advantage Chiappa - $275 vs $330 (what I paid + tax). 
  

• Design Considerations - Advantage GSG - Other than the barrel fixing pin & set screw that lock the barrel into position, the balance of the design and feel is very true to the current 1911 production guns including the beavertail, operational grip safety and a high percentage of  interchangeable 1911 parts, which is certainly not the case with the Chiappa as virtually every part was designed specifically for the pistol.

• Material, Fit & Finish - Advantage GSG - While both are alloy, it appears to me that the alloy used in the GSG is of a higher quality, and the machining appears to be far superior on the GSG. The GSG has a matte black finish while the Chiappa is more of a gloss (both finishes are a bit fragile IMHO).

• Sights - Big advantage GSG - Both have fixed sights.  With that said, the GSG includes 3 different height front sights which allows for an easy elevation adjustment, while the Chiappa front sight has to be filed for adjustment.  Additionally, the 3 dot design on the GSG is much easier to see and align. In all fairness, the Chiappa is now available in a target version with an adjustable rear sight (should be a significant improvement over their fixed sight model).  

• Trigger – Advantage GSG - My Chiappa trigger out of the box was very heavy. While it got better with the first few thousand rounds, has a clean break and was lightened to about 6 lbs by the Chiappa gunsmith during the initial repair at about 4,000 rounds, the GSG clocks in at about 4.5 lbs with a clean break (feels very similar to my loaded Springfield).

• Magazine - Advantage GSG - The GSG mag is steel (vs the Chiappa polymer) and seems very solidly built. It is designed so that it can be disassembled for cleaning vs the Chiappa which cannot be disassembled (compressed air cleaning is not my favorite method).

• Accuracy - After warming up with both guns (50 rounds each), I shot the following 5 shot comparison targets "off hand" at 30 feet with Federal bulk ammo.  As I anticipated, the GSG shot slightly tighter groups as seen in the adjacent picture.

• Ease of Maintenance - Equal IMHO. While the GSG has a more traditional 1911 disassembly procedure, the Chiappa is simple and easy to take down as well.

• Miscellaneous Factors - Advantage GSG - as it has a high percentage of interchangeable parts with standard 1911s and it also has a pre-threaded barrel to accept an adaptor and suppressor.

• Durability - Advantage GSG - The Chiappa, with a little over 8,500 rounds down the pipe, has already required the replacement of the alloy barrel bushing twice (at nearly 4,000 rounds and again at just short of 8,000 rounds), has had a couple of trips to the factory for slide lock issues and a third trip to the factory for the replacement of the hammer.  While I only live 15 minutes from the factory in Dayton Ohio, and while the Chiappa customer service people have been very pleasant, responsive and have repaired it each time while I waited, three trips to the factory in two years is a bit excessive in my opinion (especially for anyone not living in close proximity to the factory).  The GSG, with a little more than 20,000 rounds down the pipe has also had some issues along the way.  Initially it required factory updates including a steel barrel bushing, redesigned slide stop and magazine followers (sent to me from the distributor).  Additionally, when I sent it to ATI at 17,000 rounds to replace the broken firing pin assembly, they updated the guide rod assembly including a redesigned recoil spring, spring plug, spring buffer as well a redesigned safety.   All in all, the folks at ATI customer service have been very helpful as well, but with only a single trip to the factory and 2-1/2 times more rounds down the barrel, the GSG is clearly more durable and reliable in my opinion and experience (Chiappa still does not offer a steel barrel bushing to resolve the every 4,000 round bushing failure issue).  

Final Thought - While I have no intention of getting rid of my Chiappa, as my wife enjoys shooting it, the GSG was the clear winner for my 1911 training needs.  While the GSG certainly won't last as long or be as reliable as my Ruger MKIII (currently with over 60,000 rounds), it is definitely worth the money for 1911 practice.  If you consider the difference in ammo cost over 20,000 rounds ($600 for .22lr verses $5,400 for .45acp), the $330 price tag for the GSG 1911-22 is money well spent no matter how you look at it.  

Good Luck & Good Shooting ... Buck

Selecting The Proper Gun For Concealed Carry

My Everyday Carry Since 2008 - Springfield Micro-compact (.45acp)

It seems that a day rarely goes by on the firearms forums that I frequent, that at least one member doesn't post a question about what is the best gun to purchase for concealed carry.  While we could discuss many elements here, including brand, caliber, reliability, barrel length, etc., I'm instead going to share the simple advice that I initially give to each individual who asks me this question.  

My first recommendation is always to relax and understand that regardless of what carry gun you initially select, the likelihood is that you will change what you choose to carry as you go forward, and if you're like most, you will end up with more than one carry gun and will select what you carry depending on your needs (dress, weather, location, etc.).  

Secondly, know in advance that most everyone that you ask (who carries) will have very specific ideas (most often based on their personal preference) as to what you should carry, so take specific recommendations with a grain of salt.  The real issue and ultimate goal here is to determine what is best for you, as there is no one size fits all when it comes to selecting a carry gun.  To that end, I will suggest that you consider the following simple approach if you're currently on this quest (or share it if you know someone who is):

1. Don't be lazy and just take someone else's opinion regarding what is best for your needs. Do your own research and learn the advantages and disadvantages of:
   
   • Revolvers vs. Semi-autos.
   • Single action vs. SA/DA vs. Double action only.
   • Small, medium & large frame weapons
   • All of the available carry calibers (Note that I would suggest here nothing smaller than a .380 as a practical matter).
   
   
2. Armed with the information accumilated in item #1, find a reputable gunstore/range who's primary interest is to have you as a long term satisfied customer, who has a wide selection of carry guns available to handle (and rentals to shoot), and who is willing to answer your questions and make recommendations based on things such as:
   
   
   • Your hand size and strength
   • Your body type and typical wardrobe requirements
   • Your budget for the gun as well as ammo for both practice & carry
   • The proper holster(s) and concealment methods for your needs

Ultimately, if you take your time with the selection process and utilize the simple approach as outlined above, the chances are that you will start out with an appropriate firearm and carry system that fits your needs and budget.  

Hope it helps ... Good luck as you work your way through the process ... Buck

Aim Small / Miss Small

My initial entry in my blog is dedicated to the concept of "Aim Small / Miss Small".  Of all the skills that I've learned along the way, the incorporation of this concept has had perhaps the largest impact on improving my target shooting accuracy. 

For many years I was just like most shooters (both young and old alike) that I observe at the range on any given day, in that I would put up the typical large target (anywhere from 8" round up to the "man size" target) on the backer board, send it down range 7 to 25 yards, and proceed to attempt the smallest group that I was capable of at the very center.  Now while I had worked very hard over the years to perfect my stance, grip, sight picture, breathing, trigger control & follow through (and was consistently an accurate shooter), it never occurred to me that changing my target selection (and focus) was the final necessary element to move my accuracy to the next level. 


Then one day as I was going through my typical routine at the range (about a year ago), one of my shooting buddies that I hadn't seen in quite a while asked me the following question ... "Why are you shooting at an 8" target when you're trying to make a 1" hole?"  I thought for a moment and answered ... "Great question".  My friend proceeded to take out an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper, apply three 1" target stickers in a vertical row, tape the target to the backer board and send it on its' way to the 7 yard mark.  He then loaded his XD 9mm with 6 rounds and proceeded to hit 2 of the three 1" targets with 2 rounds each (one round missed just outside of the 3rd target).  Since I never remembered him being quite this accurate before, I decided that it had to have some merit and that I would try this technique for myself.


I started that day with the 1" target stickers at 18' and have now progressed to the point that I am able to consistently hit the 3/4" stickers at 25' with 2 rounds each (see target below), and am working my way towards 30' 

While this technique takes patience and a lot of practice (at least it did for me), I would suggest that it's worth a try if you're trying to raise your target skills to the next level.  Good luck and good shooting ... Buck