I've been comparing these two guns. I had a Rock that got me hooked on 10mm, but now I need something a little nicer. I don't want 2011 style bull barrel and captured recoil spring, but do want a regular barrel bushing style 1911. Also, What about the Eclipse?
Custom Eclipse is nice, but I had to send it back. I also had to send back my RZ10. Both are running great and DW lets you send in the gun for a .40 conversion, Kimber does not offer that.
The Eclipse also scratches real easy if that upsets you they make a custom and TLE also.
I do read many reports of the "tight" stainless guns galling and locking the slide. The frame on the sentry is hard chrome, is it less likely to gall? I guess same question for the duracoat on the eclipse frame.
My DW locked up due to galling. I sent it back and they lapped it and polished the heck out of it. The Kimber had either the wrong extractor or ejector in it.
I recently bought a 6 inch Rock Island and it had to go back as it was just messed up. Hope it comes back right.
The horror stories of "sent it backs" have me nervous. I haven't had a single hiccup out of my cheap guns.
Welcome to the world of 1911s :P
So I settled for the eclipse. It seems to fit well, and it has most of the 1911 features I like. I will still keep an eye out for the sentry and silverback though.
Very cool; fingers crossed that it works out well for you!
I've got a Custom Eclipse II
Runs great. The only problem I had early on was slide lock on a partial magazine.
Started looking at it and figured the 'ledge' on the slide lock extended to far inside the pistol and was getting nudged up by the cartridges.
Took a fine swiss file and took just enough material off the slide lock so that the cartridges weren't hitting it anymore.
After cleaning and heavy lubrication, I ran the first 100 rounds through it today. First, this is the tightest 1911 I've had my hands on, maybe too tight. On the first charge it failed to chamber a round. It appeared as though the extractor is so tight that it is not allowing the case head to slide up into the breech face. So I gave it a nudge to get the round chambered, and it would cycle a couple and then bind up again. After 70 rds or so, it started to bind less frequently. Second, the spent cases were coming out so violently that they did a bounce of the slide and went about 30 feet high and right. Using factory mags and SIG elite FMJ ammo. Should I remove the extractor and tune it? Should I add a stiffer recoil spring?
I'm not too interested in sending back to NY for these issues.
If you send it back make sure you take pictures. Mine came back with a few factory nics and it was a pain to get them to refinish it.
Also call them if you have any slide stop issues, they will send you a different one similiar to a Sig.
Ok, I think I fixed the operating issues with a 22lb recoil spring, and tuning the extractor from bill wilsons instructions. however, I attempted to remove the brass marks from the slide, and I wiped the black finish right off the slide with hoppes 9. I think I will send the stripped slide to NY to have them remove the black finish and polish it. The black finish on the kimber eclipse custom II sucks that bad.
I'm still looking for a silverback.
There is a review of the Dan Wesson Silverback in the Oct. issue of Handguns. Reviewed by Pat Sweeney. The 10mm version has an MSRP of $1885 USD. Gun will probably retail for around $1500 dollars. Pistol has the "Ragnorok" grips.
(http://cz-usa.com/hammer/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/DW14_Silverback_L-500x335.png)
Pat must have been quoting the 45. I can't seem to find one for much under $2K.
The original DW Razorbacks are "The Cat's Pajamas" and are superb in every sense of the word. (I have one of the original 150). I also have one of the 1991 vintage IAI Javalina 7" Longslides.
Let's go hunting with some Underwood ammunition! ;D 8)
Captain O