I called and spoke with S&W's customer service and they swear that there are no locks on the 1911s. I don't pick mine up until February 1st so I can't verify it for you. Just two $600 layaway payments to go and it's mine.
I will swear it for you; no lock on the sw1911
I'm still waiting to hear one documented issue with S&W's Swartz safety. I'm open minded but mostly what I read is that Colt couldn't make it work in 1930 so it's hopeless. Personally I think that technology and engineering and computer modeling has advanced just a tad in 76 years and I'm not worried about it. I'll take the S&W trigger over the stock Springer trigger any day.
Kimber and S&W use the swartz safety; it been dead nuts reliable for me, and theres so many out there that are running fine, that I think its a non-issue. The Swartz benefit over the series 80 safeties (which I dont mind either) are that it actuates on the grip safety, so it doesnt affect trigger pull.
Of course the Springer's trigger can be fixed but only by defeating their firing pin safety scheme.
SA doesnt use any type of firing pin safety, they have a goofy MSH lock thats easily swapped to mil-spec condition.
It's the same with the external extractor. Purists complain but John Browning abandoned the internal extractor on his later designs. Browning Hi-Powers have been working dead reliably for how many decades with an external extractor? With how many armies?
Dont for get all of the S&W autos that have been out there for the last 25 years. S&W knows external extractors.
I own one older Springer and it's a fine pistol. If I were shopping for a sub-$1k 1911 the Springfield Loaded would be my second choice, right behind S&W. I've really been impressed with the fit and finish, the handling qualities and the very impressive trigger. Handling differences in various brands of 1911s are subtle but there if you spend time comparing side by side. A 1911 is a life time investment that you'll leave to your kids so take your time choosing.
I think that production line 1911 triggers are a crapshoot; some come out good, some crappy.
10min with a stone would make nearly any factory 1911 trigger feel almost custom quality. I just did one on a sw1911 that was absolutely horrid;..8 pounds and gritty. It was brand new.
BTW, Kimber would not even be in the running right now. Take a look on 1911forums. There are two busy 'how often does it malfunction' threads in the Kimber forum and the numbers aren't pretty. Others posting how happy they are that they have 95% reliability and are silly enough to think 95% is good for a 1911. Serious kool-aid guzzling. I have a 1st generation Ultra Carry and it's a damn fine little pistol but I won't buy another Kimber until they get their act together again.
http://www.1911forum.com/forums/poll.php?d...&pollid=829
http://www.1911forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186394
While you're on the 1911 forums peek at the Springer forum. It's pretty slow. Very few issues posted. And the S&W thread is pretty much dead with the exception of the occasional "Wow!"
http://www.1911forum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=56
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product...oducts_id/26335
If I had one quibble it would be with the availability of after market sights. And that may be because I haven't spent any time researching them yet. My Performance Center will keep the stock adjustable sights. But When I buy a production SW1911 I'll want to swap in Trijicons and I just don't like how their model for the SW1911 looks. I keep night sights on all of my SD/HD pistols.
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