1911 for carry

[Bubba8806]

Ok guys I need your help. So after shooting a friends 1911 9mm I think I want one now. It was a great shooter but I don’t want to pay what he paid for his Dan Wesson. I’m looking at buying a used one because normally you can find a pretty well loaded used 1911 for a fair price vs buying a new one. So what are some good brands to look for in the used market? Trying to stay around the 600 range. What would you guys recommend?

[Fourtyfive]

A little info here, but on more expensive guns.

Don’t know a lot about 9mm 1911’s but Springfield has some nice ones. The EMP Contour is a bobtail, it would be my choice.

https://www.springfield-armory.com/1911-series/

Unfortunately it’s around $900 new, good luck.

https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/Emp contour

Edited March 25, 2019 by Fourtyfive

[WFM]

A good 1911 for everyday carry is a Colt Defender, I have had one for the last 10 years and have not had a single issue with it. Plus it also comes in 9mm. New they are around $900.00 but I expect you could find a used one in the $600.00 range.

Edited March 25, 2019 by WFM

[ShaggyRS6]

1911 is on my wish list. I'd carry it, for sure.  Its like 2 purchases down the road!  I gotta stop buying guns or the Jetski fund is going to disappear!

[Fourtyfive]

Just now, WFM said:

A good 1911 for everyday carry is a Colt Defender, I have had one for the last 10 years and have not had a single issue with it. Plus it also comes in 9mm. New they are around $900.00 but I expect you could find a used one in the $600.00 range.

I have two and agree, but they are .45.

[Garufa]

Are you looking for full, commander, or compact (Officer) sized 1911’s?  9mm or .45?

Rock Island Armory offers all three sizes in both calibers for under $500. They are generally excellent pistols and a great value.

Edited March 25, 2019 by Garufa

[Bubba8806]

1 hour ago, Garufa said:

Are you looking for full, commander, or compact (Officer) sized 1911’s?  9mm or .45?

Rock Island Armory offers all three sizes in both calibers for under $500. They are generally excellent pistols and a great value.

I’m not up on my 1911 talk but I think I would like to have a 4” barrel configuration. That’s the commander right?

[Fourtyfive]

Just now, Bubba8806 said:

I’m not up on my 1911 talk but I think I would like to have a 4” barrel configuration. That’s the commander right?

4.25”

[Bubba8806]

1 minute ago, Fourtyfive said:

4.25”

Yep that’s it then but I would consider a shorter one if I ran across one. I just want something reliable 

[Fourtyfive]

3, 4, and 5 are the most common lengths depending on the manufacturer. 

[DWARREN123]

I have 2 1991's in 45 acp and one in 9mm. The 9mm is a RIA and has been great.

My 2 45's are a newer Ruger SR1911 and a older RIA.

I do carry a 1911 some.

Edited March 26, 2019 by DWARREN123

[DaveTN]

In your price range I would check out the Remington R1 Commander. Grab a gun has them for $560 new. I have not owned one, but they get good reviews.

Going a little over you budget I would look at the Ruger SR1911 Commander at $742 new. I owned one of those when they first came out in the full size and it was an excellent gun. Plus its stainless.

I don’t care for shorter than the full size. Functionality and accuracy suffers, and you are already carrying a big heavy gun, so the .75 additional barrel length really doesn’t matter.

Check your prices on new vs. used. Recently I haven’t been able to save enough to justify buying used; but you may find a good deal if you put a “want to buy” ad here.

[walthermitty]

Ruger over Remington or  RIA all day long.

[WFM]

3 hours ago, DaveTN said:

In your price range I would check out the Remington R1 Commander. Grab a gun has them for $560 new. I have not owned one, but they get good reviews.

Going a little over you budget I would look at the Ruger SR1911 Commander at $742 new. I owned one of those when they first came out in the full size and it was an excellent gun. Plus its stainless.

I don’t care for shorter than the full size. Functionality and accuracy suffers, and you are already carrying a big heavy gun, so the .75 additional barrel length really doesn’t matter.

Check your prices on new vs. used. Recently I haven’t been able to save enough to justify buying used; but you may find a good deal if you put a “want to buy” ad here.

My Colt .45 Defender has a short barrel, has been completely reliable, no plastics, all metal and weights 25 ozs. Pretty light for a metal 1911 .45 very easy to conceal and carry.

[hipower]

2 hours ago, WFM said:

My Colt .45 Defender has a short barrel, has been completely reliable, no plastics, all metal and weights 25 ozs. Pretty light for a metal 1911 .45 very easy to conceal and carry.

Same for my Colt Officer's.

[Bubba Fett]

I carried a 4" 1911 from RIA in .45 for a long time.  If their 9mm are as good, they'll probably be perfect for you (with some money left in the budget for ammo!)

I don't carry mine anymore, because I had a small (range remediated) malfunction during a tactical pistol class after about 1000 rnds through the gun.  It's still my favorite range gun and I've not had a single problem with it since, but I lost my "confidence" in the gun as an EDC.

Plus, they're heavy and I'm lazy.

[mikegideon]

7 hours ago, Bubba Fett said:

Plus, they're heavy and I'm lazy.

This ^^

[tnhawk]

Although my Kimber Ultra CDP II and Springfield EMP have been dependable with 3" barrels, a 4 or 5" barrel 1911 is usually a better choice.

Ruger, RIA and Springfield offer dependable, accurate 1911s at a reasonable price.

[ca survivor]

Word of advice, I'm fresh to this forum but know my way around 1911s and if you don't know how to work on 1911s, please buy new, you will thank me later, the 1911s are great CC weapons though. 

Edited April 5, 2019 by ca survivor

[Radtekk]

I have a full-size e-Series in 45.  Great gun, reliable, never an issue.  I carried it for a year or so in a Crossbreed SuperTuck.  Love the gun, a blast to shoot, and who doesn't like a 1911?  At 6'4" and 285, carrying at 4 o'clock the gun just disappears on me.  But that's a LOT of weight dragging the jeans down, so in the house and on the bike it rides in a Gould shoulder rig, a pair of spare magazines strong side and another in my weak side pocket.  A while ago I switched over to a Springfield xD mod.2 in 45, once we were finally graced with their purchase here in MA.  Good little gun, light, accurate enough for close-in, but plastic guns just have no soul.  But they're light, and good for carry, and if one drops, wgaf?  But that's another topic...

Anyway, LOVE my 1911's, have a Para as well.  Lady Radtekk's first purchase when we get down there and we don't have to worry about crazy people calling the po-po cuz "OMG gun!" will likely be a 9mm 1911 Commander size.  So I'll be watching this thread

[Grayfox54]

The perfect carry 1911 is a lightweight Commander. The Colt version is a 4.25" barrel, but many companies make basically the same gun under different names with a 4" barrel. The alloy frame makes the gun easy to carry and the flat 1911 design just disappears with a proper holster. 

I don't trust 1911s with barrels shorter than 4". Its hard to get them reliable and they're harder to shoot well. The minor size and weight saved just isn't worth the trouble. 

[owejia]

They also come in 38 acp/ super colt, popular back in the 80's as competition guns.Hickok45 has a very good video about the 1911 38's. Have my brother-in-laws, Dads pistol in my safe. Been looking at dies and brass trying to decide if need another project to do. These are 9 + 1 pistols. Four pages of them on Gunbrokers, if you like something different. Hickok45 says they are popular in some South America countries that don't allow citizens {peons] to own any guns that can fire Nato ammo.

[ken_mays]

You might want to consider a 5" 9mm 1911 with an aluminum frame.  The lighter frame counteracts the added weight from the full length slide, while the long slide carries better (for me, at least) than the Commander size and the sight radius makes it easier to make accurate shots.  

[Magiccarpetrides]

I used to carry a Dan Wesson Cbob in 45 all the time....it wasn't too bad as long as you get the right holster...just don't go cheap there...but do hunt a used one..ppl ditch them for a fraction of new price all the time.....that being said I prefer a lighter weight firearm...currently im a USP 45 "compact" winter carry and a Sig P365 Summer carry.

[cch2a]

Wish they made the Springfield Champion Operator Lightweight in 9mm. Loved my .45 version