Need to finally scratch my 1911 itch - the SA Garrison and Emissary in 5-inch have caught my eye:

https://www.springfield-armory...sary-45-acp-handgun/
https://www.springfield-armory...p-handgun-stainless/

What say yee?

For your first 1911 I'd be inclined to recommend the Garrison over Emissary.

Garrison.

I'd go with the Garrison. Don't like a rail on a 1911.

I wish the Garrison had been available back when I bought my Loaded. I spent a lot of time and money turning my Loaded into essentially a Garisson (although I'm also getting rid of the MIM parts), and I'm still stuck with front slide serrations that I don't really care for. I also like that they offer it in a blued finish, rather than parkerization or some painted on cerakote finish.

So yeah, my vote is go with the Garrison...everything you need in a 1911, nothing you don't.

Emissary. After the last 20 years, I need some kind of texturing in the front strap, but I'd pay the extra $200 MSRP for the Vickers Tactical.

Garrison. The stupid squared finger guard, "tri-top" slide, and "grenade" texture treatment of the Emissary is a huge turn off for me. Overall the Garrison is cleaner.

My Dan Wesson Heritage doesn't have any grip enhancements on the front strap and it hasn't bothered me a bit.
Factory grips replaced with logo grips from a 2004 custom PM-9 a friend gifted me with. Only other change from stock was the installation of a Greider-Videki short match trigger.

I gotta vote Emissary. That is very nice for a Springfield. I love the no bushing barrel and slide. The sight plane is serrated. That Garrison is so like a rebadged Loaded model. I have to wonder what the ticket is on the Emissary. Pretty sharp 1911 and I must say, I like its rear sight for a fixed model.

I held both the other day at my local gun store. Honestly I was underwhelmed at the Garrison as it had a heavy trigger and the front strap felt more pronounced and rounded to me vs others I’ve held (and I’ve held and owned a lot of 1911’s). The fit was good and I’m sure it would shoot fine though. For the price point it’s a good deal. All that said, the Emissary felt awesome and had a great trigger and better sights, grip, etc. it should though for about $400 more.

At the end of the day either is fine. If the Garrison didn’t say “Garrison” on the side and it had front strap checkering, I’d have bought it and maybe had the trigger worked on by someone.

I would vote for the blued Garrison, it looks like a very attractive firearm.

quote:

Originally posted by DrewR:
I would vote for the blued Garrison, it looks like a very attractive firearm.

Indeed!

SA Ronin

I haven't handled either but I prefer the look of the Garrison.

quote:

Originally posted by CQB60:
SA Ronin

This ☝️, I prefer the Ronin

quote:

Originally posted by CQB60:
SA Ronin

I think either that or the Garrison.

For your first 1911, it’s really hard to go wrong with a basic 5” Govt type and figure out what you like from there. My first 1911 was a stainless Springfield Loaded Champion. Great gun, but geared for carry and I was already carrying Glocks. I wound up trading it for a 1943 Remington-Rand that I can’t see myself partying with. I don’t shoot it much, but it’s a hoot when I do.

If you go with something basic and somehow decide you need more grip on the front strap, you can do the skateboard tape with the grips off trick. Replace the grip panels when done and it looks clean and helps hold everything together. Also, it’s a Springfield, you can choose to have the front strap checkered at some point and it’s not like you’re modifying a vintage Colt or something.


Also, bald1, that Dan Wesson is a beauty.

There was a SA demo day at the local range Saturday and I got a few rounds through both and also the BHP copy.

I would want some texture on the front strap but you don't have to pay a lot for steel checkering or some frou frou gimmick grooves. I have been using Pachmayr wraparound neoprene on my match guns for years and years. Rubber or grit tape is cheap.

The blued Garrison is just about perfect, slap a short trigger in it and it would be great.

The 4.25" Ronin is very nice as well

I think the emissary looks and feels great. It does have very aggressive texturing on it in my opinion so shooting without gloves could hurt, but I haven’t shot one just held one we had here.

The garrison is like half the price (maybe not quite half but quite a bit cheaper). And I agree the garrison seems very much like a loaded model, which there’s nothing wrong with

Y'all are a bunch of enablers and miscreants.

I had read through a bunch of these 1911 threads and happened to be in a gun shop yesterday afternoon.

Not really looking for anything in particular, but they had the Garrison stainless model on display.
I handled it a bit, and was out the door a short while later with one under my arm.

Looks pretty nice, I hope to make some time over the weekend to shoot it a bit.
I think it has been a good year or two since I last bought a firearm.

I'll post some pictures later to prove it happened.

ETA. Pardon the poor quality phone image.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Patrick-SP2022,

Very nice! I just got back from a shop that had the blued Garrison in stock. I was excited about that one from the second I heard about it, but was underwhelmed with the finish when I actually got to handle it. It's more of a black...not really a "blue", and not as glossy as I was expecting. Yeah, it's still better than cerakote, but they could have done better, imo. I don't know...maybe it would have brightened up some with a little oil, but I was underwhelmed. I think you made a good call going with the stainless. Yours looks a lot like my Loaded (especially since I swapped in a single-sided safety and a GI guide rod and cap), and I absolutely love that gun!

The gun itself seemed decent. Good frame to slide fit, and the safety detent was positive. The grip safety fit was decent, too. I didn't go into it too deep since I'm out of state and knew I wasn't buying, but it seemed like a quality 1911. I was hoping to get to handle the SA-35, too, but they didn't have one in stock.

The shop also had an Emissary. Just as ugly in person, and good luck finding a holster to fit that goofy trigger guard.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 92fstech,