Bought a Citadel 1911 9mm

[CC Italian]

Well the wife got me a $100 gift card for my birthday a couple of weeks ago and I was waiting for a gun that my wife liked and felt good in her hand. Easier said then done considering all the slim pickings lately. Anyways she really liked a Citadel 1911 in 9mm. So guess what she bought it(her first firearm purchase) and she is really excited and of course so am I. Now that we have bought it I need you 1911 guys to tell me what you think of them. I know there are better 1911s but I wanted to use the gift card towards the firearm purchase to help out a little on the price. Needless to say it was $540 out the door which is not cheap but I know that is cheap for a 1911. What can you guys tell me about the Citadels. Are they as good as a Rock Island? My father owns an old Springfield Champion in the .45 flavor. Did I buy a decent entry level 1911? I usually research all my gun purchases but when the wife gives you the nod you have to take it and run!

[CC Italian]

I know it is cast and not forged. Other then that I know it is a Philippines gun just like RIA but I feels a little tighter and seems a little nicer then the RIA I shot. I know it won't be the nicest or best finish for a 1911. I was wondering more about the reliability?

[DocV]

Do not worry about cast as casting can be as strong as, and sometimes stronger, than forged. 1911 reliability seems to be a matter of break-in. That is, don't worry about an occasional problem when the gun is new. Wait until you have lots of rounds down the tube before worrying about reliability. Your Citadel is going to be just fine. It is a good pistol and will serve you and the missus just fine.

[CC Italian]

Ok, after further research which I am sure many are going to say. It is an Armscor firearm, hence RIA. It seems to just have a few extra things done to it then the RIA but for the most part is the same base gun.

[CC Italian]

Some observations about this 9mm Citadel vs the RIA .45acp I shot. The Citadel grips I think are a little nicer. The slide has striations on the front of the slide. The RIA I shot didn't. Also, the safety is ambidextrous unlike the RIA. The trigger is serrated and the trigger pull seems better from what I remember. Just a few observations.

[CC Italian]

Ok I am answering all my own questions after researching more. The grips are the same grips used on the 2011 Single stack Tactical RIA and the trigger looks the same as the RIA tactical series that also has an ambi safety. Basically I have a fully loaded RIA from the looks of it with more slide striations.

[Chris]

I'm interested in knowing what you think of it after some range time. I wouldn't mind a 1911 in 9mm.

[mrvmax]

So far I have liked all the Phillipine made 1911's I have transferred/sold. I think they were made better than my Springfield GI model.

[CC Italian]

Here is a review I found on the RIA tactical which is basically the same gun.http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2011 ... uest-post/

But this is what it looks like. I will try and post pics of mine later today. http://www.fnafirearms.com/legacy-citadel-1911-9mm/

Legacy imports catalog says it weighs 36oz unloaded with no mag! My guess is this puppy is going to be very easy to shoot just like the article says.

Edit: One more thing of note. At first I thought my wife was wrong (silly me I am a newly wed) but I think she was right in saying the grip frame is smaller then all the previous 1911s she held. Is this because it is a 9mm and the width is slightly thinner? Looking down the mag well I think she might be right even if it is only a couple of mms. When she previously held a .45acp 1911 she said it was still a little to big but to her this feels thinner.

In the end it was a toss up between this and a Kahr K9. She was sold on the K9 until she picked this up and the trigger and weight of the gun sold her. She didn't like the DAO on the Kahr and the 1911 in this 9mm frame is only slightly thicker to her. Length of pull on the trigger is also very close for those like her with extremely tiny hands.

Edit #2 LOL: Just put it up to my fathers 1911 Springfield. No it is not thinner in the frame but the grips might be a hair thinner and the LOP on the trigger is easier on the Citadel then his Champion.

[SlickTX]

I have the RIA in 9mm and though it won't win any beauty contests, its a straight shooter (I was pleasantly surprised) and has functioned flawlessly.

[CC Italian]

Hope I can get to the range with my wife this week. Once we get a feel of how it shoots in her hand we might get some houge g-10 thin grips. The grip is still a little fat to her but at least her finger reaches the trigger and maybe an extended slide stop. She cant reach the slide stop with her thumb but an extended might not even be enough with her tiny hands.

[SlickTX]

Hope I can get to the range with my wife this week. Once we get a feel of how it shoots in her hand we might get some houge g-10 thin grips. The grip is still a little fat to her but at least her finger reaches the trigger and maybe an extended slide stop. She cant reach the slide stop with her thumb but an extended might not even be enough with her tiny hands.

If she's right handed, try using the left thumb. When gripping the pistol it is in the neighborhood of the slide stop.

[CC Italian]

Lol! Never thought of that being that I can reach all slide stops with my right thumb. I will have her try it tonight. Thanks

[CC Italian]

Well she tried it and can reach it that way only if she readjusts her grip.Basically she can't do it as her shooting grip. She doesn't get enough leverage on the release. Second problem is that it is really hard for her to push the slide stop(doesn't have enough strength in thumb) She is tiny! It is easier for her to pull back on the slide and let it go then use the slide stop at this point. I will have to work with her on this.

[CC Italian]

I am thinking the thin grips are going to help her hold it better and might make the difference, tenth of an inch or so for her to reach the mag release and slide stop especially if if I get an extended release. We will see after we shoot it this week how she feels.