Hank,

The LPA is exactly the type of sight I was warning against. I sent an earlier model to the great sight graveyard in the sky. But at least you understand the limitations. Something else I noticed about the R1 is that it uses a standard beavertail and hammer. Depending upon your grip style, that might eat you up, or at least make your hand pretty raw with extensive shooting.

Just throwing out ideas, but Novak does refinishing. If your thoughts were to treat the R1 as a base, and decided to upgrade the grip safety yourself, as Novak refinishes the slide when doing their cuts, you might opt to treat the gun as a builder, perhaps make some mods yourself, then plan on dealing with a refinish and sight installation down the road, with a refinish?. And the .330 width of the dovetail is good, if the angle of the cut is not goofy, then you are in good shape. But yes, I would start with what you have to get ideas. At the price point, that R1 looks like a very solid investment, as the 1911 is very easy to go bonkers with doodads and goodies. I just picked up a Browning 22 lr 1911, and while it is scaled down so goodies are not avialable, I am having a good time tweaking it ;^) It looks like my Bearcat may no longer be my go too bunny and grouse duster. And I only live a few hundred yards from the Rio Hondo here in NM ;^)

1948, the acp is going to be easier to get more bullets to feed and function due to the case lengthening I mentioned above, but once set up properly, a 250ish at 1100 is not a top end with the Rowland.

Craig