1911 accuracy

[270man]

What accuracy can one expect from a "run-of-the-mill" 1911 45ACP. I have an article by Jeff Cooper that says the ordinary 45ACP should shoot into 6" at 50-yards. Over the years I've been able to test around five of these autos, including two Colt Gold Cups. None of them would group into 6" at 25-yards! Admittedly, I didn't thoroughly wring these out with large samples of different types of loads. Most of the jacketed bullets used were Remington bulk bullets from 185gr to 230gr. Mostly, I loaded cast SWC bullets from various suppliers -- the favorite being a 200gr hard cast SWC. Powders used were predominantly Bullseye and W231, with lesser numbers of loads using Unique.

Were the 1911 autos of Cooper's day more accurate, was he just a better shot, did he experiment until he got the right combination of components for his loads or ??

BTW -- It is always best to first suspect one's shooting ability. I am a pretty decent shot with the handgun and all test were done from the bench (not with mechanical rest, however). A friend who is a much better shot than I confirmed my results.

Anybody out there concur with my results or do you get the same accuracy as Jeff Cooper?

270man