TargetTalk

Does anyone here own a pistol from Accuracy X?

I discovered their website earlier this year and then visited their table on Commercial Row at Camp Perry. Steve Huff, the owner/spokesman/team captain was there and I got to talk with him. He's quite an accomplished shooter (Distinguished x3, at least - Pistol/Rifle/Revolver plus a couple others, I think) and very passionate about his product. The pistols on display were impressive, though I'm not enough of a 1911 guru to judge them on anything other than their feel and their triggers.

One unusual thing about the Accuracy X pistols is that they use stainless steel slides and frames. I've read that it's hard to get a tight, smooth fit with stainless steel, but I suppose that metallurgy has advanced significantly in the past twenty years.

Another distinctive thing about Accuracy X is that they include a fancy display case, challenge coin and data book with each pistol. It's not a big selling point for me, since my pistols generally go straight from the safe to the gun box and then back again, but Steve said that he felt that a $3000+ pistol shouldn't come in a cardboard box.

Anyway, I'm curious about what sort of experiences people have had with Accuracy X. I think it's good for our sport to have new vendors and it will be interesting to see what sort of advances result from the competition.

I seem to remember that even Ed Masaki agreed that a stainless gun can be made accurate and long lasting now. I believe Joe Chambers also provides stainelss as well. In any event, I do know Steve and he will take great pains to make a good product. Steve took the time to learn from several excellent 1911 pistolsmiths and from my examination he has incorporated a lot into his version of the 1911. Steve has also has tried to create a slightly different business model for people wanting an accurate 1911 platform gun. I have shot with Steve for years and he is an excellent shooter, being especially talented on the short line and International Rapid Fire.

Cecil

Some of the most well-established and respected bullseye pistolsmiths don't charge $3,000 for an accurized 1911. I don't care what kind of box it comes in. All I care about is that it's made with quality parts, has a quality and legal trigger, is accurate and reliable. They don't give out awards for the best looking guns or boxes in this sport.

Bullseye guns are getting more expensive, not really sure why if they are just built on the old 1911 platform with standard barrel bushing. Joe Chambers is coning his barrels for better consitant accuracy, My friends at Accu-Lock sell a revolutionary locking lug system, these guns require much more work and command a higher price but great accurate conventional style bullseye guns from Les Baer run around 2200.-2500.00 and they shoot guaranteed 10 ring groups at 50 yds. So 3k is not that far out of the realm if the gun can be proven to be of high quality and extremely accurate. However, a 800.00 Springfield range officer and 200.00 for a scope rail and install will shoot almost as good and much better than most shooters can shoot it.

The Accuracy X pistols are built right. I've been building/smithing BE pistols since 1989 and they are built to shoot consistently well. I met Steve at Camp Perry this year and had an opportunity to look at several of his pistols. The barrels are fit perfect and the triggers are BE worthy. Many of the top BE companies out there are building pistols that don't lock up/go into battery the same way every time because of poor barrel fitting practices. Many smiths are scared of lawsuits and perform 3.5# trigger jobs that are lawyer happy. In other words they're not fit for shooting BE even though they hold the weight. The Accuracy X pistols are as perfect as you can build a modern 1911 with human hands. The stainless parts are coated for longevity. I've always stayed away from SS because they don't stay tight (old school frame slide tightening) and they GALL. These new SS materials are superior to the older SS psitols. The modern coatings are pretty awesome. I talked to a couple TOP BE shooters who've shot these pistols and they do perform as advertised. Steve even gives you a video showing your pistol being Ransom Rested. I've rebuilt many custom pistols that are supposedly 1.5" shooters and they definately are not. If you want a premium 1911 buy the Accuracy X, you won't be disappointed. Steve stands behind his product. If I didn't build my own pistols, I'd have one!

Jon