Which make of 1911?

[smitty12b]

A 1911 is on my someday list. I personally am looking at a Springfield GI model. Nothing fancy, but I will not be using it for competition. I have seen them for $549 at Acme Sports in Seymour.

For around the same price you can get the STI Spartan which is a much better gun than the springer. I have owned a gi and mil-spec, good guns but I prefer my spartan over them both. I also agree with previous postings that the Taurus is a great gun for the price.

 

[kingnereli]

As far as factory guns are concerned Kimber sells the most 1911's. With that said I'm not particularly fond of them. Too many MIM parts for me. I'll take a Colt any day. I am also not above getting a Springfield if the price is right. I prefer Colt because I trust them. I try to stay away from models made in the mid to late 90's when they were having probems, but before and after you are Golden. My EDC is a National Match Gold Cup. What, IMO, is the pinnacle of a factory produced 1911.

Custom/semi-custom guns like Ed Brown, Wilson, Night Hawk, etc. you are going to get tighter tolerences and more detail then can be done with factory production. You will have to pay for it. I prefer to get a factory Colt and modify it to my liking. With a Colt you don't pay for the name, you pay for the heritage.

I see good things in Colt's future. They seem to be returning some of their focus back to the civilian market. Some of their current offering such as the New Agent, Combat Government Carry and more are fit that role. They are also, finally, converting over to CNC and newer methods of manufacturing.

I am looking forward to this baby:

It is the prototype for Colts entry for the military handgun contract in hopes to replace the M9. Although it will be available to the public.

 

[Gav-n-Tn]

Is Colt really the end-all of 1911s? Are other brands as good? Better? For the money, are other brands a better deal?

Colt? Kimber? Springfield? Taurus?

Boy did you open up a can. Ask the same about ARs and you get the same responses.I personally am hung up on Springfield. I'm dying for a factory loaded one. They ALL need to thank John Browning for the whole design.

 

[roscott]

Hmmmm...

Thanks everyone for the input thus far. I'm probably looking to spend up to 800 or so. Also, I'm looking to get one in stainless, so that might narrow my search a bit. From what I'm hearing so far, it sounds like everyone is mostly good with Colt, so I might end up going with that. It is, after all, a safe name.

But I'm not settled yet. I'm looking forward to being able to join all of you in first-hand knowledge of the 1911.

 

[Bshaw]

Colt

I own SAs ,kimbers and Colts
Stay with the Colt You have the name ,the history and also a better resale value down the road

 

[johnwaynes44]

Dan Wesson 1911. Do some research on this company. By far the best .45 you can buy for the money. At around $1000, these pistols should probably be twice the price.

 

[NHT3]

Up to 800 and stainless you should be able to find a Kimber.. No experience with Colts recently but the 70 series guns I had years ago weren't all that great. My suggestion would be Kimber at the moment and Nighthawk if you decide to upgrade in the future.

 

[drbarnes]

I have a taurus 1911 and love it. I shoot it better than any of my other guns.

ive shot my friends kimber and i still like my taurus more.

 

[bigkahunasix]

If cost is an issue-
used Norinco
Springfield GI
Taurus
RIA

$ not a big issue-
Colt
Kimber
Dan Wesson
Higher end Springfield
S&W- yes it's weird, but they are good guns.

You only live once $$-
Ed Brown
Nighthawk
Pat Rogers (google is your friend)

If you want to seen true high end 1911's then check out- louderthanwords.us

 

[MoparMan]

$600 or less
Para GI Expert
Taurus
Springfield GI

$600-$800
Colt
Kimber
Springfield

 

[Hoosier45]

Kimber Stainless II

 

[paintball_addiction]

I've got a Kimber Classic Custom Royal and have no complaints with it. It seems accurate enough but I haven't done any bench shooting with it. I also have a Taurus but I can't comment on how it shoots. This may be blasphemous to say, but I bought it new about 10 months ago and haven't shot it yet. I was extremely busy with work the first half of the year and just haven't forced myself to shoot it yet. Bought it while they had the $75 rebate so I've only got $500 in it.

 

[Mgderf]

I've got a Kimber Classic Custom Royal and have no complaints with it. It seems accurate enough but I haven't done any bench shooting with it. I also have a Taurus but I can't comment on how it shoots. This may be blasphemous to say, but I bought it new about 10 months ago and haven't shot it yet. I was extremely busy with work the first half of the year and just haven't forced myself to shoot it yet. Bought it while they had the $75 rebate so I've only got $500 in it.

I'll give you back your $500!

 

[jpserv]

love it

 

[wetidlerjr]

Is Colt really the end-all of 1911s? Are other brands as good? Better? For the money, are other brands a better deal?

Colt? Kimber? Springfield? Taurus?

I buy nothing but Colts when it comes to 1911s and I don't say that. In fact, most Colt owners don't. No one brand of 1911 is the "end-all" of anything and each, (well, most) have good and bad in their lines despite what a "kool-aid" drinker will tell you. Take your time and look at all of them or better yet, find a buddy that has one and shoot his. Then find another and shoot it. Regardless of what you buy, most GOOD 1911s are not inexpensive.

Here are a few of mine:

 

[wtfd661]

^^^WOW^^^

 

[MACHINEGUN]

I want me an Ed Brown Special Forces.. that thing is beyond sweet.

 

[Jeremiah]

avoid kimber, some older paraordinances had bad frames that were porous and prone to cracking,.

springfeild is a great budget gun,

Danwessons are very comparable in preformance and fit to low end offereings form custom makers,

Les bear, wilson combat, nighthawk customs, make great Guns,

Caspian has an excelent reputation,

Colts, I would seriously avoid short guns ( commander length or smaller) for a serious shooter. I would also reccomened the series 70 based guns as they avoid some unessacary " weak links" in the saftey system. I used to be under the impression of " paying for a name" with colts, however if you ever get to shoot a custom shop gun or a tuned gold cup you will know where that little extra went.

STI makes some very exceptional firearms and if your willing to pay the money go for it.

If you are really getting into the 1911 I reccommend you take a class or too on 1911 pistol smithing, Larry Vickers offers some very exceptional course, I have not been through one yet but they com highly reccommended. I recommend the class, for a lot of reasons, and I will probably get my head bit off for this. but 1911's can be finicky and high maintence,. it is important to learn to tune your 1911 or have a reputable person do it for you. on initial inspection there are many things that will conribute to the overall preformance of your pistol, and there are things to look at and consider, if you want a target gun then the tighter the better, however if you plan to use it as a main defenseive handgun then You can get "too tight" which could effect reliablity.

My advice if you decide to take a pistol smithing course it vickers, or someone like him, a man that trully loves the 1911, has carried it, and maintained it. seen all that can and will go wrong with it. someone passionate but objective, that will shouw you all the good and bad, not fill your head with his opinions and won't turn you off them completely, its my understanding that if you have a compenten 1911 pistolsmithing instructor should should leave the course with and adequate understanding of the time, dedication and cost that will accompany running the 1911, and if you are un willing to do that, then consider a sig, glock or XD.

And I am a glock fan boy, I love my 19 and my 35, and carry both but if I ever decide I need to carry a doublestack . 45 auto There will be an XD on my side.

Oh and you may thank John browning for the design and fawn over the gun, keep in mind John Moses Browning beleived the Hi-power to be his most perfect design .

 

[John Galt]

Wilson's are really hard to beat. More money, but you get what you pay for. My humble opinion only.

 

[beez1954]

I bought a Colt Gold Cup National Match Series 70 in 1976 for $265.00 and have never regretted it.

Of course you'll have to pay a bit more nowadays but you should check one out if you can.

Greg