Cimarron 1911, nickle vs polished

[Abilene]

It was just over 8 years ago I bought my nickle 1911.  I had a 4" Kimber since 1999 but needed a government size for Wild Bunch.  I have been very pleased with it.  I have done very little "practice" with it, mostly shooting at matches, so have a mere 1975 rounds through it.  When I bought it, I was torn between the nickle model and the polished blue model.  So, with the excuse that I should own a backup WB gun, I finally got the polished model as well.  They both started life as the "parkerized" (matte finish) guns from Armscor, and went to Ford Plating in Florida for polish and plating.  But I am noticing some small differences in the guns.  I'm not sure if these sort of differences are just random gun to gun, or if the base model has changed somewhat over those years.

The ejection port on the polished is lowered the same amount as the nickled, but has less radius in the corners on the right side of the slide.  The polished trigger is shorter (I really like the longer one).  The sights are a little different, even smaller and thinner front sight on the polished gun, but the rear is wider so it is actually a better sight picture.   The thumb safety on the new gun is considerably more difficult to push up - hopefully that will ease up.

I cleaned the gun and took it to a CAS match this past weekend so I could give it a quick try after the match.  I ran three magazines of my 230gr WB ammo through it with no problems.  I will probably shoot it in the next WB match to give it a better workout. The pictured grips did not come with the gun.  The grips it came with were sort of mustard colored.  Not too bad but I like these better.  They originally came on the nickled gun.  They are also slightly thinner and less aggressive texturing than the ones that came on the polished gun.  It does have a beautiful polish job.  Thank goodness for microfiber towels. 

[Abilene]

Oh yeah, and the grip safety tang is a bit longer and "pointier" on the new gun.

[Galen]

who does the finishing for Cimarron?

[Major 2]

Very nice Abilene. I got the Polished Blue about 6 years ago.
As I recall , I had had to order it from an LGS/Cimarron dealer in Georgia, Cimarron was out of stock at the time.
I was unaware Fords did the polished blue/plating until you posted that fact in another thread some weeks ago.
I bought some classic Chip McCormick Magazines off eBay....

I've been very pleased with my gun

[wildman1]

Did you get the shoulder holster that goes with it?
wM1

[Abilene]

I did not get the tanker holster.  It is not actually a WW1 holster and is not wild bunch legal, so I had no real desire for it.  At one time, buying the polished or nickled gun got you a free holster, but not now.

[Coffinmaker]

  Hey Abilene   

Atz a really swell pair of 1911s.  I normally don't drool over "Government" model guns but I'll make an exception for yours.  REALLY REALLY NICE.  I do admit shiny objects such as those two will upon occasion (always) distract me.  Like a Raven in a jewelry store.

Unfortunately, I'm not at all a "fan" of the new and improved "Wild Bunch" as now practiced at/by/for SASS.  SASS managed to take all the grins and giggles out of the "Original" Wild Bunch Idea.  I could however, be coerced into one of those 1911s.  I now pack a Kimber for carry.  Nobody has yet designed/manufactured a better Semi-Auto pistol.  1911s ROCK!!!

[Major 2]

About July of 2019  I happened in to my friends LGS ...on consignment was new NIB Springfield Armory NB Mil Surp
The owner was asking $650 because he wanted to get a Glock 17 Gen 4....

an AH Ha moment say I... I just happen to have a  Glock 17 Gen 4 I won as door prize ...  nice gun but not really my cupa.
a trade was wrangled  even Steven

It is shown below with my Blued Cimarron bottom and my prize original Ithaca 1911 as received from the pilot who flew with it over France in 1944, including the shoulder holster he had.

" Nobody has yet designed/manufactured a better Semi-Auto pistol.  1911s ROCK!!!   you can say that again !

[Abilene]

who does the finishing for Cimarron?

When Cimarron first started carrying this 1911 from Armscor, they sent a number of them to Ford Plating in Florida for the polish/blue, and polish/nickle finishes.  After a few years they started having Armscor do those finishes.  As a result, the final cost went down and it saved time.  Those finishes were nearly as good as Ford.  If you held one gun from each in your hands, you could tell a slight difference.  But if you just looked at the Armscor finished gun, it looked just fine.  I'm not sure if it was because Armscor didn't want to do the finishes any more, or if Cimarron renegotiated prices with Ford, but now the guns are again finished by Ford.  I do not know when they changed back to Ford.

[Abilene]

Update:  Well, I put a few rounds through the new guy.  First I pulled it out and shot 3 magazines full after a CAS shoot a few weeks ago.  No problemo.  Then last weekend shot another 161 rounds through it at a Wild Bunch match.  No problems at all, except one round was very underpowered and didn't fully cycle the slide, requiring me to push it forward to chamber the next round.  This was a little surprising since this was commercially reloaded ammo (Parabellum Research Wild Bunch ammo with 200gr bullet).  Only reason I had that ammo is I got a couple hundred rounds in a trade.  Now, I am used to shooting a 230gr bullet in my reloads, so possibly these 200gr bullets were shooting a little lower, because I had a few misses on some very small swingers (size of maybe dueling tree or smaller) that were out a ways, and I never really knew which direction I was missing.  Anyways, no problems with the ten magazines I use for WB (3 are Italian mags that came with Armscor, 1 Chip McCormick, 5 Ed Browns, one I can't remember).  Before the match I did put in a Wolff reduced power mag catch spring on both 1911s.  The new one in particular seemed really stiff.  When the old spring came out, it was very covered with 'crud'.  I'm wondering if that got in their during the polish process at Ford?  The spring from the nickle gun had similar crud on it, but not as much.  I use my offhand to release the mag, usually index finger, and it is a lot easier now.

[Capt Quirk]

@Abilene, I have an ATI 1911, nice pistol with a weak finish. What did it cost you at Ford's?

[Abilene]

Captain, the polished and nickled guns are done by Ford for Cimarron.  It adds about $250 to the MSRP.  I have looked up prices on Ford's website before as I have some interest in getting a compact 1911 someday and having it nickled to match the full size.  But I don't recall right now what they charge.  Certainly Cimarron gets some kind of quantity discount with them.   Fordsguns.com

edit: I just looked it up and their 2020 price sheet shows $500 for high polish nickle on a semi-auto!  I think that is a substantial jump from before.  Polished blue looks to be $375 and up.

[Capt Quirk]

Thanks Abilene. I don't like a shiny gun, the blueing looks better... To me anyways.

[PJ Hardtack]

That's a lot to pay for "Bling!".

I had a Gold Cup frame ''electroless nickle plated" one time. I could flake it off with a thumb nail.

Had it reblued ASAP and now it doesn't match the slide.

[Major 2]

I happened to revisit this thread .... and picked up on your quote

..." The pictured grips did not come with the gun.  The grips it came with were sort of mustard colored...."

I had not really paid much attention to the "mustard color"  I just figured mine were a shade or two lighter 
It didn't bother me...But

Now that you pointed it out ...yeah  I see the mustard color, I may have to address that some darker stain be applied.

In the past 6 years the finish has held up well ... the only manufacture of Magazines I have used in it are Chip McCormick.
The original 8 round that came with , I have never loaded ( still in the box )
I have the OEM Springfield Armory magazines but I have not used them in the Cimarron.
I also have the circa 1944 magazine for my Ithaca but it stays with that gun

The only failure to fire on the Cimarron was several years ago , one round of Evil Roy Cowboy cycled normally but did not fire,
It had no primer !  I had not noticed it when loading the Magazine.
I forget who the manufacturer/loader was and it was just one round ( I still have it ) powder did sprinkle out the prime pocket
so I assumed it was OOPs on the progressive press prior to boxing and whet unnoticed in packaging   

[Major 2]

This thread , got me thinking and figuring and low and behold a small project ensued   

First I examined the OEM grips on my Cimarron ( reposted photo )

I determined it is Yellow Meranti Philippine Mahogany.
It is a hard wood with relative hardness equal to America Cherry and bit under Black walnut, both woods common in gun stocks.

It is noted for strength and durability and heavily used in flooring...

The grips have finish , I believe a varnish and if you want to darken your grips this will have to be striped ...

After 6 years of moderate use , and  Abilene pointing it out  I decided I did want to refinish mine .

No sanding ! 

I use Homer Formby's Finish Restorer ( it's mild stripper ) and soft brass brush ( looks like tooth brush ) 

The Gloss finish comes loose quickly and completely, next I use the same brush and acetone which dyes rapidly
and leaves the wood bare and open to stain , in my case  Minwax Wood Finish, Dark Walnut.

dip the grips in the can, allow to drain on a paper towel and dab dry the checkering. Allow to fully dry over night
I then use Johnsons finish wax.... applied with piece of Khaki cloth 

[Major 2]

Pictures will not post...I don't know why 

I getting this   " Call to undefined function exif_read_data() "

[Abilene]

Well heck, now ya got me waitin' fer it. 

[Major 2]

Boss say's it is fixed now 

Flash on the mounted grips on blue background causes them to look lighter than they are in natural light.

[Abilene]

I didn't dislke them before but that is better!