ltwguns.com

I thought I'd report on it.
Here at our house, we've all been sick with a cold-like thing for two weeks now. This past week was my turn. My wife was off work yesterday, giving me a chance to rest.
So I went out into the woods and shot.

Therefore, the following results are not representative of what the gun is capable of.

I gathered up various partial boxes of ammunition that I had. If there was enough of one kind to fill a magazine, it went. There are two varieties of Speer 230 Gold Dots listed. I know of at least three versions
of that bullet, differing in cavity size and number of flutes in the jacket where it folds over the nose. I tested some large cavity, and small cavity.

All shooting was done at 15 yards, hand-held, unsupported, with rounds triggered off between coughing fits.
All were seven round groups.
I yanked several shots that were obvious at the moment, so I measured those groups with and without my flyers.
I was shooting poorly, as evidenced by most groups going low. I had my carry gun along, which is sighted-in, and I shot low with it too.

So again, this is not an example of what the gun is capable of. When that is considered, it did great, so I wonder what it can really do. Here we go- Seven round groups, handheld, 15 yards, measured ctr to ctr of widest shots.

Winchester USA 230 FMJ: 1-3/4"
Winchester USA 230 JHP: 2-3/8" (5 in 1-3/8")
R-P 230 Golden Sabre: 1-3/4"
R-P UMC 230 JHP: 1-15/16"
Speer 230 Gold Dot, Large cavity: 2-5/8" (5 in 1-5/8")
Speer 230 Gold Dot, Small cavity: 3" (6 in 2")
Cor-Bon 200 JHP: 2-3/8" (6 in 1-3/8")
Cor-Bon 185 JHP: 2-1/2" (5 in 1-7/8")
Federal 230 Hydra-Shok: 2" (6 in 1-3/8")
Handload- TiteGroup/230 Zero FMJ: 2-1/2"
Handload- TiteGroup/230 Zero JHP: 3"

Averages-
All ammunition tested: 2.35" Factory ammo only: 2.26"
Subtracting MY bad shots- All ammo tested: 1.875 Factory ammo: 1.68

I thought that was excellent for the hands that shot it.

For comparison, I'll use my only other SA 1911. It averaged 3.56" with the same assortment of factory ammo in April.

After shooting for groups, I loaded several magazines with JHP reloads and ran through some drills from the holster. After attending a YFA (Louis Awerbuck) class this summer, I've been using a lot of bent, angled, tilted, and otherwise difficult targets for practice. I shot a total of 122 rounds doing that, and was very pleased with it's performance. In fact, I found that I had to speed up!
I had two bad hits, both from close-retention, which is to be expected from me. And they were "just" out of what I would call good.

I know it doesn't make sense, but it seemed to have less recoil than a standard 1911. It only weighs 1.25 ounces more by my scale.

The Alessi CQC/S holster was a dream, as expected. I have a CQC/S for each pistol I might carry. I was glad the Operator came with one, because I didn't have one for it, and would have "needed" one.

I suppose I don't have to mention that of the 199 rounds fired (had I known, I would've fired one more to make an even 200), there were zero malfunctions.

Sounds good to me

_________________
Sic Semper Tyrannis

Your a very lucky man. I, too, have noticed at least two different types of 230gr Gold Dots

_________________
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE
Thunder Ranch THG & UR(x2), Gunsite 250C,
Yavapai Firearms Acad HG1(x2), HG2, & SG,
Shootrite Prvt Inst HG, NRA Life Member

You mean you actually shot it!

_________________
"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave."
Calvin Coolidge

Yes, I did.
Sorry.

This was one of the very, very few guns I've considered not shooting. It really takes a lot for me to get that way.

When I found out I won, I ran a search on all your posts here. I was looking for ones that mentioned this Operator so I could get some more info about the gun. I printed everything I found. I also printed some pages off the Yost-Bonitz website that were related to the work done, then I found some postings of yours on another forum. Those went back to when you got the gun new, and included an exchange between you and Ted about sending it in. I saw the "birth", one might say.
I did the same for the 870, but couldn't find much.

I took all of this; copies of the email telling me I won; copies of emails/PMs of congratulations; and some info about the Kamp For Kids; and put it all in a three ring binder.

As I read your old posts, I saw how much the gun had always meant to you, then realized that you probably never fired a round through it.

I suddenly didn't want to shoot it.

I had never considered that thought before. So I thought about it. And thought about it.

I decided to shoot it. It's not going anywhere. Barring some terrible unforeseen disaster, I won't sell it. It will go to my kids, and that's what really decided it.

My Dad died one year ago this month. He had just a few guns, and shot them very little. When my brother and I split them up, we took turns choosing. Their condition, value, or usefulness to us meant nothing.
We wanted what we remember him using.
The one we both wanted most was the Stevens .22 rifle we saw him shoot the most. Next was the H&R .22 revolver he sometimes dropped in his pocket.

And that helped me decide to go ahead and shoot the Operator. I would rather my kids see it as- "This is a gun that Dad won in a raffle for a good cause, and I remember him shooting and carrying it. It had a way to attach a light, so he kept it handy every night until the day he died."
As opposed to- "Here's another one of Dad's guns."

Reading back over that, it sounds kinda silly. It also sounds like I convinced myself that it was my duty to shoot it.
But that's how it went. I plan on using it as the "house gun" with the Surefire attached. One day, my kids will have this Operator and the 870. Hopefully, they will look at them and associate them with me enjoying them. If they can't remember, they have the binder with the info in it, and that will tell them.

Barry,
I could not agree more. It was my attempt at humor. Guess it failed. I better not give up my day job and try stand up comedy

That was an eloquent post. I do not have any children or relatives that are close so you see where I am going. I have no one to leave anything to. I give what I have to close friends and people I like and to charities.

I am glad you are entrusted with the Operator. I could not have found a better man to give it to. Use it in good health and prosperity my friend.
Al

_________________
"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave."
Calvin Coolidge

Mr. Shear-
Sorry, but I just didn't know what to say there. I guess I kinda have a guilty conscience about shooting it.
I just wanted you to know that I appreciate how much it meant to you, and that I really appreciate having it.
I sure did a lot of thinking and reasoning before shooting it.

Naturally, it may turn out that my kids don't care a thing about guns. In which case, this will all bite me.
But I'll certainly enjoy shooting it!

If they aren't interested, I'll know others who are.

Update-
I had been wondering about something- Would the point of impact change depending on whether the SureFire light was attached or not?
I don't recall reading or hearing anything about this.

I was out in the cold yesterday for a practice session anyway, so tried it out. I used 230 grain jacketed handloads.
At 15 yards, I fired seven rounds (standing, handheld) at an aiming paster without the light. Then I attached the light, making sure it was snapped into the cross-slot, then fired seven more on another paster.

The center of the group WITH the light was 1/4" higher.

I did it again- seven without the light, seven with the light- and got the same results.
Not a big test, but I thought it was already anal enough.

Keep in mind that determining the group center isn't very precise- At least for me. Getting it "sorta close" is about as good as I can get. Based on that, if there is any difference, it's very slight.
I'm not going to worry about it.

<><> I am no expert,,, but I would think
that the extra weight of the light would be
enough to change the POI...

Have you shot it from a bench rest and
compared the two,,, with and without
the light ???

===================================

<><> Raspy <><>

No, I haven't.
I was interested in how it shot in my hands, so that's all I checked.

I know it's not the same at all, but I shot handgun silhouette for a short time, and saw how the slightest things could change the POI. The slightest change in grip, light contact with something, etc, could cause a miss. That's what got me thinking about the light.

There was a little difference (1/4"), and that difference was the same both times I compared.

Really, I thought the POI would be lower with the light mounted, but it had the opposite effect.