Tanker inbound
Posted: 07 Nov 2021 10:02
The thread on the "new" Springfield SA-35 instilled (or perhaps distilled) a longing for a High Power, since that simple women of years past, got each and every one of mine.
I saw the Tisas version, and methinks there's some cross pollinationizing goin on between Springfield and ZIG/Tisas. I know the receiver _says_ USA, but as Springfield did with Brazil made receivers after a while, they brought in less than fully machined items and did final machining in the USA. Not sure if that's still the case, but it was for a while at least (talkin in the late 80's to mid 90's).
At any rate, doing some SA-35 seaerchin' was fruitless. However, doing some Tisas searchin' resulted in my stumbling across their "Tanker" 1911. A Combat Commander by any other name, except done up a little differently -
* A short wide-spur hammer, rather than the roll type normally used on a Combat Commander. I like the roll type hammers, generally don't like skeleton-ized hammers, but the presence of a wide spur, of somewhat graceful proportion, appealed to me on this particular pistol. Look at some of the "repro" wide spur hammers and they are thick in the spur, too long, and generally much like trying to rob a bank with a Ronald Regan mask on, and having people think ol' Ronnie actually pulled off the heist.
* A military type grip safety, rather than the one similarly styled but useful for the roll hammer. The end of the grip safety has to match the curves _and_ length of the hammer. Interesting to note that Colt made two different wide spur hammers. The original was long as I recall, the post 1924 ones were shorter, with some reversion again to the long ones sometime prior to WWII. Dunno all the details on that, just know there were two of 'em. Both graceful.
* A Colt-esque style thumb safety, rather than a military nub type. I can use either, but hate those brake pedal equipped safeties. The ambi version of those remind me one of those student driver cars floorboard.
*A slightly beveled magazine well, rather than the squared off entrance. I don't mind that as long as its not excessive.
*A slide stop disassembly notch in the modern Colt position, rather than the "close to the slide stop notch" position of the military slides. I have no clue as to why Colt moved the notch to about midway between the end of the slide stop and its pin section. The military, and most clones (but not all) keep the notch about 5/8 inch from the stop notch. I know the military, and Colt, flame hardened the stop notch and the spot under the slide at the spot hits the recoil spring plug upon firing. Having both notches in the same spot seems to make it easier to harden them both, even though they don't need to harden the takedown notch. I dunno, a mystery to me. If anyone has a clue, feel free to explain!
*A not quite so high as it ought to be, yet not quite so low as to let crap fall into the works ejection port that for some reason has the "AMU/Gold-Cup" relief cut on it. I guess Tanker folks like to save their brass to reload. I prefer the high wall port. Its the way JMB designed it. It works for good and powerful ammo. Fast forward to wimpy sissy/girly ammo on target guns. The first thing that they did was put the relief cut on the upper corner of the slide to prevent brass from low powered ammo from flipping back and having its case mouth dented. Yup, that's what its for. I'm not sure if the AMU started that, or Colt, but they both did it when building National Match pistols. Makes reloading better, as you don't have to deal with dents. The lowering of the port wall.... was an addendum to the relief cut, as an aid to cycling with non full power ammo. I'm not sure who started that, but it doesn't belong on any self defense pistol, IMHO. You can see under the damn barrel. Crud, stray cat hair, body lice, you name it... can fall in there and create a non functioning gun. For a range toy, or competition gun, do what ya want. For a defense gun, give me the high wall, and full powered ammo.
* And it comes with one of those hideous extended 8 round magazines with the finger rest that "hides" the magazine extension. I've got a quite a few magazines here, so no biggie on that.
A few Tisas 1911A1 "clones" have been examined by me, and they all seemed well built, fairly tight pistols. I check things like barrel play (front back) in the slide while its off the frame, how the disconnector is doing, how the relationship of the plunger tube to thumb safety is situated. They look good, feel good, smell good, taste good. Hoping the Tanker will up to that.
Pictures of exterior and internals when it arrives....
I saw the Tisas version, and methinks there's some cross pollinationizing goin on between Springfield and ZIG/Tisas. I know the receiver _says_ USA, but as Springfield did with Brazil made receivers after a while, they brought in less than fully machined items and did final machining in the USA. Not sure if that's still the case, but it was for a while at least (talkin in the late 80's to mid 90's).
At any rate, doing some SA-35 seaerchin' was fruitless. However, doing some Tisas searchin' resulted in my stumbling across their "Tanker" 1911. A Combat Commander by any other name, except done up a little differently -
* A short wide-spur hammer, rather than the roll type normally used on a Combat Commander. I like the roll type hammers, generally don't like skeleton-ized hammers, but the presence of a wide spur, of somewhat graceful proportion, appealed to me on this particular pistol. Look at some of the "repro" wide spur hammers and they are thick in the spur, too long, and generally much like trying to rob a bank with a Ronald Regan mask on, and having people think ol' Ronnie actually pulled off the heist.
* A military type grip safety, rather than the one similarly styled but useful for the roll hammer. The end of the grip safety has to match the curves _and_ length of the hammer. Interesting to note that Colt made two different wide spur hammers. The original was long as I recall, the post 1924 ones were shorter, with some reversion again to the long ones sometime prior to WWII. Dunno all the details on that, just know there were two of 'em. Both graceful.
* A Colt-esque style thumb safety, rather than a military nub type. I can use either, but hate those brake pedal equipped safeties. The ambi version of those remind me one of those student driver cars floorboard.
*A slightly beveled magazine well, rather than the squared off entrance. I don't mind that as long as its not excessive.
*A slide stop disassembly notch in the modern Colt position, rather than the "close to the slide stop notch" position of the military slides. I have no clue as to why Colt moved the notch to about midway between the end of the slide stop and its pin section. The military, and most clones (but not all) keep the notch about 5/8 inch from the stop notch. I know the military, and Colt, flame hardened the stop notch and the spot under the slide at the spot hits the recoil spring plug upon firing. Having both notches in the same spot seems to make it easier to harden them both, even though they don't need to harden the takedown notch. I dunno, a mystery to me. If anyone has a clue, feel free to explain!
*A not quite so high as it ought to be, yet not quite so low as to let crap fall into the works ejection port that for some reason has the "AMU/Gold-Cup" relief cut on it. I guess Tanker folks like to save their brass to reload. I prefer the high wall port. Its the way JMB designed it. It works for good and powerful ammo. Fast forward to wimpy sissy/girly ammo on target guns. The first thing that they did was put the relief cut on the upper corner of the slide to prevent brass from low powered ammo from flipping back and having its case mouth dented. Yup, that's what its for. I'm not sure if the AMU started that, or Colt, but they both did it when building National Match pistols. Makes reloading better, as you don't have to deal with dents. The lowering of the port wall.... was an addendum to the relief cut, as an aid to cycling with non full power ammo. I'm not sure who started that, but it doesn't belong on any self defense pistol, IMHO. You can see under the damn barrel. Crud, stray cat hair, body lice, you name it... can fall in there and create a non functioning gun. For a range toy, or competition gun, do what ya want. For a defense gun, give me the high wall, and full powered ammo.
* And it comes with one of those hideous extended 8 round magazines with the finger rest that "hides" the magazine extension. I've got a quite a few magazines here, so no biggie on that.
A few Tisas 1911A1 "clones" have been examined by me, and they all seemed well built, fairly tight pistols. I check things like barrel play (front back) in the slide while its off the frame, how the disconnector is doing, how the relationship of the plunger tube to thumb safety is situated. They look good, feel good, smell good, taste good. Hoping the Tanker will up to that.
Pictures of exterior and internals when it arrives....