ltwguns.com

I know Ned Christinsen has posted that he was trying out one of these and I just wanted to see if he had any current updates. Sounds real interesting paticularly if ammo companies start producing ammo for it. A lower priced actual GI version would be awesome.

Nothing new that I know of. I don't think there will be a lower-priced version coming along but I can't really speak for GI-- on the other hand they are full of surprises.

The only .50 GI customized outside of GI will be at the LTW booth at SHOT, BTW.

I recently checked out their website again, and they have a second model - a railed 50 GI with full length dustcover a la old TRP. I don't know if this is old news...

Guys

I cannot say anything on updates but since the last post. Two clients of mine have obtained the number one and all are impressed.

Those other clients who have obtained in the past are keeping the guns as one said it is one great gun for shooting bowling pins with the 300 grain bullet and the lower comparison recoil than the revolver he was using.

I got another enroute

_________________
Be safe and keep the brass flying

Terry Peters

Do your research but you get what you pay for front end or back end
http://www.pt-partners.com
@ptpartners_tx

And I am one of the customers Terry referred to who bought a 50GI. I could not be more pleased with the gun or with the loads. Dave

How do these compare to a standard .45. What are the advantages? Is the .50 really any more powerful a round?

I did some informal 'shoot the gallon can of beans' type comparsion, and it seems to send the bits and pieces of outdated tomato sauce and beans farther than the rounds hit by the 230 gr rounds coming out of my Wilson TE. Not very scientific but then either am I. I can say that recoil is not really an issue, my 10mm shooting Double Tap hot loads are by far more difficult to control, and even some hot handload 45s bark worse. (On the other hand, my '1911 on steroids' aka LAR Grizzly 45 Win Mag really sends dem beans a flying!!! Okay, I'm nuts, and I won't go into what its like to take out a large can of orange juice with 300 gr 338 Lapua at 1200 yards. More accurate than my son's 50 and hits more often, but when his hits, . . . but I digress.)

The gun itself is a marvelously crafted handgun, what I would expect from a product built by Vic and Alex.

Plus let's face it, it is a 1911 and not a 45. Sometimes, different is good, especially when it is simply the same concept taken to the next step rather than a radical restructure to go to a more powerful round, such as the LAR (which at least looks and functions like a 1911) and thankfully not a monstrosity such as a DE or a Wildey. Dave

i love the idea of this gun. and hope to own one someday.

am i mistaken in thinking this is a true CUSTOM gun?

or is it more like a SEMI CUSTOM gun such as the springfield professional?

Here's something about the GI I posted a couple years ago:
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread. ... limey+mate

"True custom" or "semi-custom?" It is a gun in current production on a specific platform if that is what you are asking. But as Ned pointed out in his original review and as I can see sitting here looking at the gun (I took it out to look at it again since this was a good excuse) it is opne of the best built 'production' 1911s I have seen, right there with some of the best pure 'custom' builders but of course not with all the bells and whistles you will get for more cost and for the extra time a custom builder can take with the gun. Alex and Vic do a superb job in what is a very small shop. The fit and finish on my example is outstanding, as is its function and performance.

Cheap? No, but about a thousand less than the top of the line 'production' 1911s such as a Wilson Supergrade, which is of course a gun that is built by one very experienced gunsmith at Wilson, who takes the time to fit and put on the 'bells and whistles' I mentioned (checkered rear of slide, serrated top of slide, etc.)

One man's 'production' is antoher's 'custom' or 'semi-custom'

So endeth the lecture. Dave

Thanks for the replies guys. I just sent an email off to Guncrafters to see if they would be willing to build a more GI or standard type model on special order. I'm just about sold on the gun but only being able to purchase factory ammo direct from Guncrafters is a little bit of a concern. My intention is to carry the gun off duty so the availability of factory ammunition is very important. Also I'm unfamilar with the recoil of the 50GI hollowpoints compared to 45 230gr so I'm a little concerned about that as well.
Anyway I'll post the response I get from them.

The recoil is not an issue. After one mag to get used to it (it ships with two mags by the way) I was doing double taps etc just fine and staying in the same place rather than spraying large[r] chunks of lead all over the range, as noted in more than one review of the gun. The gun is a touch heavier than some 1911s, but it is not really noticeable and it points and balances well. As for recoil, you will be quite surprised.

After the first round, which will of course be heart in mouth and eyes perhaps closed waiting for the horrible kick and muzzle rise that does not take place, a smile will replace your worried look when you say, "I can deal with this, no sweat." Ammo for it is not going to be an issue either. Alex got the ammo to me in less than a week, arriving well packed via UPS.

It should work fine as a carry gun, and how good will it be can be in that role can be summed up by the old joke about the Texas Ranger who was asked why he carried a 45. He said because they did not make a 50. Well, they do now. Go for it. Dave

By the way, speak to Alex about all of your questions. He is very straightforward about these issues and can and will answer you honestly. Good people and a good company. Dave

I am curious if you guys know the answer to this: if .45 ACP conversion unit were installed, you'd still have to use the proprietary GI magazines, would you? I assume that regular .45 ACP mags are no-go.

gj47

Something on sending an email for information. Call the guys. 2hours typing for a good response is 2 hours not building a gun.

Also keep in mind written communication often becomes written MISS communication as the written word is the poorest form of communication.

Keep in mind small shops such as Guncrafters, The Yo-Bo crew, Craig Spegel on grips, Rafter-S on Holsters and the rest of the skilled craftsman out there have very, very, very limited time, as time on the bench is what pays the rent. As with me I also have an additional job which costs me about 60 to 80 hours a week, (plus time on my retail operation) as I doubt anyone here is independently wealthy. Also with any of the small shops going to the SHOT there will be little time in the next several weeks and then a back log of orders for a month or so. Time is more scarce than resources.

I have spent time on the phone with them and most questions than are answered succintly and back to the bench.

Again just a perspective.

YK

On the 45, the mags are for the 45 meaning you cannot use the standard government model .45acp as the gun is a 1911 built for 50 GI, then converted to a .45 not the other way around. Case dimension of the 50 prohibit the thinner government model .45 mags. .50 is 1/2 inch wide plus the width of the magazine.

One client of mine has one but rarely uses the .45, as he has too much fun with the 50. GI

Again hope this helps.

_________________
Be safe and keep the brass flying

Terry Peters

Do your research but you get what you pay for front end or back end
http://www.pt-partners.com
@ptpartners_tx

I agree with Terry. Unless this is going to be your only 1911, or your only 'high end' 1911, I'd pass on the conversion. Not that the factory fitted barrel and mag are expensive (they are not at about $350 and no, it is not a 'drop in') but why bother? The charm of this gun is its unique character as a 50. It is not a modified 45, it is built from the ground up to different dimensions for a specific cartridge. Leave it 'pure' I say. Dave

Terry, I can assure you that I understand how busy they must be so my email was limited to basically a yes or no question. No 2 hour response is needed and the email, which would only take about 2 minutes to answer at anytime, I thought was better than disturbing them with a phone call. Most of my questions I try to post here so again I don't have to distrub them and perhaps if others have the same questions they may be answered on this forum rather than direct with them. I do really appreciate the time all of you have spent giving me your experiences with this caliber. Also just one other thing, it seems to me that although guncrafters is clearly making an excellent product I am sure all customer feedback is welcome and needed. Thanks again. Gary

Gary, I am sure they will respond. I have found Vic and Alex to be very easy to speak to. I didn't buy until I thoroughly researched this gun and company. Nobody would expect you to do any less. Dave

Gary

As with written communication sometimes being MISS communication. I do not mean a long phone conversation either but sometimes technical stuff needs a verbal explanation and in 8 years of this email stuff I have yet to get a yes or no that did not deserve a at least a "why" out of respect for the person who asked a sincere question.

This has nothing to do with asking questions on email but lately I get a question or two or an iquiry on a gun that somehow ends up in my spam filter.

The "blunders" of modern technology never cease to "enrage and frustrate" as well as the way it was meant to be

Something on effect of the bullet. I remember someone did a comparison in one of the "gun rags" but cannot remember which one.

Maybe someone else out there remembers where and when it was written for you.

_________________
Be safe and keep the brass flying

Terry Peters

Do your research but you get what you pay for front end or back end
http://www.pt-partners.com
@ptpartners_tx

Gun Tests Magazine just had a comparo between the .50GI and two drop-in kits for .400 CorBon and .460 Roland. It was not apples for apples really as the drop-in barrels go onto your existing 1911, but they came out liking the GI.

Or you might be thinking about my above-linked post and its pics of some .50 GI JHPs into calibrated gel.

Ned

Thanks. Gun Writers are definitely NOT gunsmiths in 95% of the cases as evidenced behind many of the gun magazine articles.

Terry

_________________
Be safe and keep the brass flying

Terry Peters

Do your research but you get what you pay for front end or back end
http://www.pt-partners.com
@ptpartners_tx