Even with the accuracy- robbing potential of some barrel and slide looseness, the Daly M-5 Government still managed to wring out some surprisingly tight groups at 25 yards.

I expected handling to change dramatically as the magazine emptied. Ten 230-grain .45 ACP cartridges weigh nearly a half-pound, so it's not unreasonable to expect increased muzzle flip and recoil. My experience was that as the gun empties handling transitions from a full gun with a solid feel and dull "thud" for recoil to a more nimble gun with a sharper kick. Recoil remains perfectly manageable, even with stout 230-grain loads.

For function testing, I used an extensive mixture of factory fodder and handloads. Whenever I accuracy test a pistol and have a few cartridges left over, I put them in a bag and eventually end up with an assortment of various hollowpoint, flatpoint, roundnose, and semiwadcutter bullet loads. Loaded randomly in a magazine, they're a tough function test that makes it easy to try several different bullet styles for reliability and to single out any that hang up consistently for more extensive evaluation. I was pleased to experience no malfunctions with the mixed ammunition in the M-5. Feeding was excellent, even with the "flying ashtray" style hollowpoints. There were no extraction problems, and ejection was robust with cases thrown almost exactly to the right about two feet.

Accuracy was determined by firing from a Ransom Rest using grip inserts originally made for a McCormick 1911. Fit of the inserts to the Daly was darn near perfect, giving me great confidence in the accuracy results for the groups I fired. All I had to do to accommodate the Daly in the Ransom Rest was tape down the grip safety because the wide body of the double-stack magazine separated the inserts too far to depress it. I gave the Daly a Blue Wonder Armadillo treatment to make clean up easier and applied the slightest hint of thin oil to the contact surfaces between the slide and frame and to locking points on the barrel. Armadillo is a dry lube that goes on like an automotive paste wax. I like it when using guns in the Ransom Rest because within the limitations of a single range session, it generally reduces the need for oil, which helps keep the Ransom Rest and gun clean during shooting. Final clean up is easy because powder fouling literally wipes right off treated surfaces, including the feedramp and breechface.

Even with the accuracy-robbing potential of the barrel and slide movement, the Daly M-5 Government still managed to wring out some surprisingly tight groups at 25 yards. The factory Ball load and my Lyman cast bullet Ball equivalent turned in identical average velocity and accuracy. They were also the most accurate loads in the variety I used. Overall, the Daly showed a clear preference for 230-grain bullets regardless of style, and all loads printed nice, round groups. Sights came regulated to point of impact for 230-grain bullets.

SHOOTING CHARLES DALY'S .45 ACP M-5 GOVERNMENT 1911
BULLET	POWDER		CASE	PRIMER	MUZZLE VELOCITY (fps)	25-YARD ACCURACY (inches)
	(Type)	(Grs.)
Hornady 200-gr. XTP	HS-6	9.5	Hornady	WLP	1032	2.80
Sierra 200-gr. JFP	AA No. 5	9.2	Starline	WLP	967	2.28
Lyman No. 452374 228-gr. RNL	True Blue	6.6	Win.	WLP	848	1.64
Federal Classic 185-gr. JHP	FACTORY LOAD				970	2.38
Black Hills 230-gr. JHP	FACTORY LOAD				853	2.06
Federal American Eagle 230-gr. FMJ	FACTORY LOAD				848	1.64
Winchester Supreme 230-gr. SXT	FACTORY LOAD				868	1.98
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of five-shot groups from a Ransom Rest at 25 yards. Velocity is the average of five rounds measured 15 feet from the gun's muzzle.

I give Daly high marks for the M-5 Government. It's no Bullseye gun, but it offers accuracy right up there with what I've come to expect from mid-priced 1911 pistols--and noticeably better accuracy than I've experienced from value-priced defensive pistols. As far as its fit and finish are concerned, externally it's a well-done gun with none of the tool marks or blueing blemishes characteristics of inexpensive arms. There are a few shortfalls in the slide-to-frame fit and the barrel lockup but not so much as to handicap accuracy or reliability. With the polymer frame, Daly has generally duplicated the weight and proportions of the venerable 1911 but added at least two more rounds of firepower and the corrosion resistance of polymer while maintaining the strength of steel. Best of all, Daly has combined all these features into a product at a price point that gets your attention. If you're forced to choose between new shoes for the kids or a new pistol for yourself, get the kids shoes. But if you're in a position to negotiate the brand of shoe with the kids and still have enough left over to afford a Daly, provided my sample is representative of the product, you'll end up with a pistol well worth the negotiation.