Nice looking blaster. I have never seen one of those 1911's. Just shows you don't have to spend several thousand dollars to get a decent shooting 1911. I like my 1911's set up a little different (front strap checkering for sure), but if it works for you, it works! As far as holsters, I really like the pancake style from this guy: http://www.jasonwinnie.com/open-top-pancake-with-body-shield-j111/ His are made specifically for each model. I don't know about you, but I love the exotic wood grips and such, but shoot best with the VZ G10 style grips...
I had a holster custom-made ... an "extremely" hi-ride one. It will conceal under a jacket quite nicely. I am not like most people, I strongly prefer smooth grips.
Understandable, however the only thing internally I'm changing is the recoil assembly (minus the shok buff), externally are the sights, which I will be installing a set of Trijicon that I found on Amazon for $90 instead of the Wilson battlesights and another set of grips, everything else will be stock.
Shot the sh!t out of that gun. Then find what you’d make it “yours”. I kept my milspec original for about 10 years when I finally started customizing it! Internals will be the ones you find critical. Then aesthetics would later find a way into the gun. But function would be MY upgrade. And again....Shoot the damn thing. You will fall in love with the 1911. The same we we all did!
Tisas has a reputation for great guns. It shouldn't need anything to be a fine, reliable shooter. It is mil spec, so Wilson Combat parts will fit it just fine. It is just up to you if you want to upgrade it a bit. If the trigger suits you well, the single "best" upgrade I will suggest is a hand-fitted WC barrel bushing to make it all it can be in the accuracy dept. But "accuracy" is as much the shooter as the gun. Most 1911s are more accurate than their owners can shoot. The most important thing for the shooter's accuracy is a super-nice trigger and a great trigger job may be in order. Either can be done by a good, competent gunsmith. But do your homework choosing a gunsmith, they are not all equal. If it is going to be a carry gun, you do not want a super-light 2lb trigger, something in the 3-4lb range would be better ... adrenaline can screw you over with a super-light trigger, you don't want to blow a hole you didn't intend to.
I know, that is why when a member at a range I used to be a member of put his WC on consignment I bought it. The night sights had died, I replaced those with fiber optic front and a U notch rear from WC. Plus an arched MSH/mag guide. I adjusted my Rock Island 9mm by installing a fiber optic front sight, new grips and an arched MSH. But no internal parts swaps. I have a parts bin full of flat mainspring housings.
I I strongly prefer flat mainspring housings. And I use Truglo tritium/fiber optic sights for glowing dots day or night.
I tried out my preowned American Tactical Commander size 45 auto this afternoon. This is the second Filipino made 1911 for me. For entry level 1911's there are several good guns to pick from. This Commander size gun will stay stock. The gun proved to be accurate but needs another magazine. Added: The goofed up magazine was used. It works great in other guns. I'm going to give their factory mag a short run this AM with reloaded hollow points.
I live in Warner Robins/Macon area which is about 2 hours and 40 minutes away so up here it's quite common, I did mention "Middle Georgia".
To put some of this into perspective; I just bought a STI Spartan for $475. Buds last listed them on their site for $667 (now discontinued) so they were never an expensive gun. There are still quality 1911s out there for reasonable prices
How do you go about buying upgrades for a gun? Are you just buying separate, compatible, parts to customize it for yourself?
More or less, yes. Buying say Wilson Combat or Harrison Design parts and installing them in your 1911. Some folks like to replace the MIM parts with parts machined from bar stock.
My experience was similar to yours. My Tisia actually shot better groups than my friends Kimber and Springfield which cost more than twice as much as this 'government model'! The only mod I did was a modern beaver tail grip safety and a commander hammer so I could shoot it more than 25 times with out it 'drawing blood'! Enjoy!
I purchased a Tisas about four years ago. It has been a good shooter, with no jams or malfunctions. I did a little modification.