Got my Nelson, and wonder......

After a false start with an early model Marvel, I got my new Nelson conversion today......  And while I haven't fired it yet, I'm impressed with the quality of the piece, which I'm gonna run on my Series 70 Colt Combat Commander.   One thing I don't understand, I received in the kit an elastic little recoil buffer, pictured, which isn't mentioned in the instructions for assembly or reassembly.   Why, and where does it go? 

It goes on the recoil guide rod between spring and barrel lug. Flat side to the lug. The slide will hit the protrusion thus protecting against slide battering.
Jon

Jon Eulette wrote:It goes on the recoil guide rod between spring and barrel lug. Flat side to the lug. The slide will hit the protrusion thus protecting against slide battering.
Jon

Ah, thank you, sir.....  And, yeah, now I see that there's already one installed, this is an extra!   (My momma didn't raise no engineers!)

Got mine today also, was bemoaning the fact they didn't send any magazines when I dropped the empty plastic box and 3 magazines mysteriously appeared beneath the eggshell padding.

Thanks Larry!

Jim

Mine should arrive in the next couple weeks from Larry.  Please post range reports if possible!

What is it that makes the Nelson a better choice than the Marvel?

Gus

From my understanding it is an updated and possibly a more accurate version of the Marvel unit. I have had my Nelson unit for a bit and have the iron-sight rail and picatinny rail for it, the only issue is the recoil shock buffer wore out but can't say for sure how many rounds it has lasted. Mine is running on a 80-series Taurus 1911A1 frame, with just about everything replaced inside the frame it should live a long and happy life now.

What is it that makes the Nelson a better choice than the Marvel?

They run MUCH more reliably.

I've heard they use a Shilen barrel.

Last time I spoke to Nelson about barrel manufacturer it wasn't Shilen. Marvel was using Shilen. Nelson doesn't Ransom test their barrels; last time we spoke (around year ago). Is it better? They seem to run better right off the bat when reduced mainspring is added and proper recoil spring for ammo being used. The Nelson magazines seem to work pretty darn good, but I'm not a plastic mag fan personally. I like Colt steel mags because I have control of the bullet feeding into chamber. Plastic mags and GSG don't control tip of cartridge and they will sometimes flop up during/recoil/feeding and you get bullet deformation from feedramp. I've built more Marvels than Nelsons and since I'm a gunsmith they always work because of my experience. I've never seen a Marvel shoot worse than .700" with good ammo and have seen .500" groups. I will be Ransoming a Nelson soon. Nelson anodizing is nicer quality. I also don't mind locking slide back myself with Marvel on last shot because I've done it for so long. Some of the best sf targets I've ever seen were with Marvel conversion. Haven't seen too many HM shooters use the Nelson yet for comparison.
Jon

james r chapman wrote:I've heard they use a Shilen barrel.

and, I've heard they don't! 

Thanks Jon.

Gus

I would take issue with the "more reliable than the Marvel" statement.

I own 2 unit ones.  I've had them on 6 different 1911 frames and run everything from GSG to Colt magazines.  With the sole exception of the last frame (belongs to a friend who wanted to try a Marvel) they have run 100%, yes 100% function on every single frame, with every ammo tested.  The only time they don't go off is when I'm shooting Remington SV (IE:ball & dummy ammo) and get a dud round.

To his issue, his magazine release was a bit shallow.  We swapped out the one from my wad gun for his & it ran 100% for him also.

Not to take anything from the Nelson.  While I don't own one, several of my friend do and they have been excellent.  If I didn't already own mine, I honestly don't know which way I'd go.  Both are excellent.

Al

where can you get the colt magazines?

pull out your wallet and search Flea Bay as bad as the colt 38 special mags..

And those would be Ace Magazines?

Got my Nelson yesterday and took it to the range tonight.  Ran 125 rounds of Federal Automatch through it with zero problems.  Did strings at 7, 10, 15, and 25 yards.  Accuracy was way better than I can shoot with touching shots when I did my job. Very impressed with workmanship and function.  Will put a bunch more through it this weekend.

Couldn't resist and went back to the range last night.  Put another 100 rounds through it of Blazer with zero problems.  A little frustrating kind of since it shoots much better than me and I can tell it.  I know when I goof, no excuses.  Big fun.

I now have a few thousand rounds through it and zero problems.  Shooting mostly Federal Automatch bulk boxes and some CCI Blazer.  I can see myself getting better each time out, now shooting mostly at 25 yards and focusing on hitting center instead of just trying to hit the target.  Big big reasonable cost fun.