While much maligned, the GSR has always been a favorite. I recently had a facelift done on one of the two I own. This one is relatively early, in the GS021xx range. The other one I have which will likely get the same treatment is in the GS0053x range.

The only issue I had with an original GSR I've owned was a broken extractor which even EGW couldn't explain and which they replaced free. I sadly sold that gun at one point, but then, missing the GSR, I bought another and then another.

I had the barrel crowned and the bushing and hammer cleaned up, front and backstrap checking which turned out well as it was done over the original "checkering" of straight lines which itself had been dinged up. Replaced the grip safety with Wilson Combat, added Heine sights and custom grips.

The photography here hardly even qualifies to be called that, but I don't have my light tent any more or the setup I had, basic as it was.

I've always loved the GSR, and yours is beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

quote:

Originally posted by PorterN:
I've always loved the GSR, and yours is beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

I am a big fan of stainless (and stainless looking) 1911s. Had CCR work some magic on my DW Valor.

That sir, is a beauty.

that is Nice!

I had an early GSR commander length that used to lock back prematurely but in the takedown notch not the slide stop notch. It was so weird.

quote:

Originally posted by Dusty78:
I had an early GSR commander length that used to lock back prematurely but in the takedown notch not the slide stop notch. It was so weird.

This is a first generation GSR. There were issues and SIG ended production coming out with the GSR Revolution. For a while it was clear they were using some first gen parts and cobbling together pistols as refurbished as well as making new Revolutions.

That was also a troubling time as SIG got their feet under them in the 1911 market. Eventually it all seemed to come to an even keel and the guns were more reliable and better built.

Now with the current guns it seems SIG has finally gotten it’s sea legs and is producing some mid-level to mid-higher level quality guns. I don’t yet think they are of the same quality as Dan Wesson and the profile of the slide still troubles some people. They don’t like the SIGishness of the 1911s.

My first gen GSRs were always flawless. Fit was not always great everywhere, especially the grip safety and hammer. Then there was the “manhole cover”. But the internals were quality parts and mine ran flawlessly. Personally, I liked the SIGness of the SIG 1911.

I allowed myself to be influenced by all the negative evaluations and figured I would stick with Dan Wesson, but I just enjoyed the GSR so much, after I sold my first one, I eventually regretted it and bought another in the same production range. After that, I looked for you in the sub GS00600 range as these were supposedly all Caspian.

However, I think Caspian had trouble meeting the demand and perhaps SIG intended all along to transition to either owe slides and frames. I also understand there were dimensional issues with some of the slides and frames.

Still, I’ve seen GSRs used for base guns for customizing as this one was. Gray Guns did a really sweet one. After the SIG contract, Caspian sold parts kits with the same slide, frame and some other parts as the XR . People snapped them up and did their own custom builds. So there are some Caspian guns out there that are SIG half siblings.

They made some changes to distinquish them but they are clearly SIG overrun frames, slides and one or two internals.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SIGWolf,

Very nice indeed. I have always been a fan of the Sig profiled slide as it sets them apart from other 1911 style pistols. I like the mods you had done. The Sig logod grips are hansome, sights are excellent and the slide on yours looks almost hard fit.

Nice! I have a more recent generation Sig 1911 Carry in stainless. What was the purpose of the manhole cover on the early guns?

The manhole is the firing pin plunger retainer. I don’t know why it was designed this way. I know of no other 1911 like that.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
Very nice indeed. I have always been a fan of the Sig profiled slide as it sets them apart from other 1911 style pistols. I like the mods you had done. The Sig logod grips are hansome, sights are excellent and the slide on yours looks almost hard fit.

Early on, they may have been hand fit. Perhaps now the more expensive SIG 1911s, the Elite Target and the Max are hand fit.

The GSRs I’ve had all had very tight fit with the exception of the grip safety. They were not always fit very well and some of the hammers had a bit of a lean to them.

I’ve been told the lean is not that uncommon, slightly, on other 1911s, but I’ve never seen it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SIGWolf,

quote:

Originally posted by SIGWolf:
The manhole is the firing pin plunger retainer. I don’t know why it was designed this way. I know of no other 1911 like that.

Thanks. Knew it had to be related to that somehow, but never asked.

i have an early GSR as well. one of the best 1911s i have ever had actually. never a bobble in many thousands of rounds. just a super reliable gun. i have thought about replacing the grip safety, but i have never gotten around to it. and that would only be for aesthetic reasons.

dozer

The logo grips are custom. They are Esmeralda Cocobolo combat checkered with inserts done by Randy Svetlik.

That's a beauty. I have one of the very early ones myself as well as one of the early revolutions and both have been great shooters. My only changes have been magwells and ambi-safeties on both. I like the looks of the crowned barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by cazio:
That's a beauty. I have one of the very early ones myself as well as one of the early revolutions and both have been great shooters. My only changes have been magwells and ambi-safeties on both. I like the looks of the crowned barrel.

Thanks, I’m pleased with how it turned out.

awesome looking gun,
I don't own a 1911,
does anyone have a picture of this man hole that was mentioned?

maybe with circles and arrows and a paragraph
of what we are looking at.

anxious to hear what the crowning did to your
target shooting experiance

Nice looking pistol ( though I personally detest stainless) and not sure how you can call a gun in production less than 25 years “old”
Old for guns starts for me at C&R eligible status

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
awesome looking gun,
I don't own a 1911,
does anyone have a picture of this man hole that was mentioned?

maybe with circles and arrows and a paragraph
of what we are looking at.

anxious to hear what the crowning did to your
target shooting experiance

So, it looks like a little man hole just below the sight. It is the firing pin plunger retainer. You have to have a special tool to remove it. I've seem them replaced with other screw in type of things.

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
Nice looking pistol ( though I personally detest stainless) and not sure how you can call a gun in production less than 25 years “old”
Old for guns starts for me at C&R eligible status

Only came in stainless for the most part. There was a Nitron version very briefly, but I saw perhaps one. It was a SIG thing which they still do. They release runs in several finishes then settle on offering one of them, often stainless. Look at the 1911 Elite Target. I have a Nitron one, the one only currently on SIGs site is stainless.

Anyway, "old" is relative.

thanks
( stainless rules)