Recommendation on a mid-level 1911 brand/model.

[Guest Keinengel]

Hello gents. I have been away from buying new toys for quite some time now do too some finacial issue but now I'm bouncing back and want to get back on my feet with a bang.

I'm looking into getting a mid level 1911 for carry and range use and maybe a little custom work in the future. I'm looking at a Kimber, Springer, S&W, Colt or maybe a few others.

Must haves:

*5" barrel.

*Steel Frame

*must not be a Para (Nothing against them but I intend to get a caliber conversion kit that isn't compatible with them)

*Price tag between 800-1400

*Railed frame is a plus but not at all a deal breaker.

I know there are a lot in this range but I'm just looking for some personal and recent opinions. Thanks

[Garufa]

Don't forget Dan Wesson.

[East_TN_Patriot]

In that price range, I personally would go with a Springfield as the first choice, and a Kimber as a close second choice... unless, of course, you happened across a Colt at that price and they do pop up from time to time. There are several models made by Springfield and Kimber in that price range that have various levels of customization depending on what you want to do with it. It's also pretty easy to find drop-in aftermarket parts for the Springfields if that's an important feature for you.

[JeffsSig]

Dan Wesson !

[bubbadavis]

You can get a Springfield loaded in that price range. I had one (commander length) and it was a great 1911. The only reason I don't have it now is because of the great birthday present my wife got me a couple of years ago - it made it so the Springfield just sat in the safe.

[Fourtyfive]

Outside of the 5" pipe , I would go Colt Defender , best for carry.

[deerslayer]

STI

STI International - STI

Lots of competitive shooters use STIs--mainly because they are one of the more trouble-free makes, and there are more accessories available than many other makes.

[dlm37015]

i like colts myself but i carry an uselton

[Links2k]

Springfield TRP or used Les Baer Custom on the high end of your price range

Edited March 31, 2011 by LINKS2K

[Lumber_Jack]

Springfield TRP hands down, I have one and it's awesome. If that doesn't tickle your fancy I would go with Dan Wesson but both are gonna push the limits of your budget. I have a Kimber Eclipse, that is a great gun, wouldn't hesitate to buy another

[ProjectDexter]

The Springer 1911 loaded is gonna be my next 1911. Mid to upper level quality at the bottom of your price range means more room for upgrades

[graycrait]

I like 1911s and I really like 1911 triggers. But I think some put way too much cachet into the 1911 design when it is what it is, a steel on steel, reliable enough, accurate enough service pistol that can be made into a carry pistol. I do have a friend in the FBI who is not an accountant or lawyer, being both former Army and big city PD, who now carries a Springfield Pro as his daily carry piece. Even though he is the best Glock and Sig shooter I know he really likes that SA Pro, to the point I am tired of hearing about it.

On the other end I have a friend who was an Army Marksmanship Unit gunsmith who merely shrugs his shoulders when you try to get him geared up about 1911s. If I had a spare grand I would get the the new E Series S&W. I've said this before though: I had an older fella, retired Special Forces and a former member of the AMU ask me to tune up an Armscor 5" 1911 a relative had given him as a present, as it had an 11lb trigger measured digitally. He had never shot it. I got the parts working better and took it to the range prior to returning it to him.

I met too VN era Army vets there who look at my Glocks with disdain, both members of the 1911 fan-boy club. When I started to shoot that "cheap" Phillipine-made gun I thought something was odd. For some reason I thought it shot more accurately and smoothly than either my previously owned SA Loaded or Dan Wesson Pointman. I hauled my buddies over and had them shoot the Armscor. They were both shocked at the gun's inherent accuracy. All I did was the trigger mechanism so the gun's accuracy had nothing to do with my simple armorer skills.

Will the Armscor hold up to 50,000 rds like a SA Pro is warranted to? I dunno, sort of doubt it, but don't really care because I can't afford to shoot that much. When I returned the Armscor to its owner, getting "paid" for my work with a breakfast at Becky's Diner, I asked my old friend why he thought this gun might work so well. He told me that back in the day AMU armorers would put together a gun using a bunch of parts mixing, matching those Colt parts till they got them to shoot. I went hmmmm....

One thing I have noticed fiddling around with 1911s is that each person's hand fits various triggers, grip safetys and mainspring housings differently. So to have someone tell you that this or that model is the best may not be entirely so. Compound an ill-fitting 1911 with fatigue, injury or loss of focus and you may have a 1911 that doesn't work quite right for you. One of my greatest sick range pleasures is to hear someone tell me that their 1911 won't work right. I take a look at it, function test and then slam a mag home, slingshot the slide home and rapid fire till the slide locks back, handing a perfectly functioning 1911 back to its owner. Then I show the owner I carry a Glock. The 1911 is not a baby bird you hold in your hand so you won't kill it, hold it firm, lock your wrist and shoot that "thang."

So, when you go to buy a 1911 better than taking a brand and model name with you in your pocket you might be better off taking a 1911 expert with you to help you check out various pistols. It seems to me that as long as the gun is spec'd - never mind, read this thread:

The M1911 Pistols Organization Forums Site - The National Organization for 1911 Specifications

Although the question is different I like what the below poster said on this thread.

most accurate mid priced 1911 - TheFiringLine Forums

most accurate mid priced 1911

actually any name brand 1911.

Accuracy has to do with barrel lockup and how tight the bushing is. Just check the barrel lockup on a 1911 before buying and pick the one with the tightest barrel lockup. Then spend $85.-$100. for a smith to have a match bushing put on AS NONE OF THE 1911 COME WITH TIGHT BUSHINGS.. A match busing has to be so tight that you need a metal wrench and a rubber mallet to get it off. That is a true match bushing.

Anything else has to do with personal preference. Like checking the trigger for creep (before you buy) and GOOD sights help a lot to.

But for the guns accuracy the barrel lockup and a matching bushing that IS FITTED PROPERLY IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS ON A 1911.

All of the 1911's under $1500 don't have a match bushing that is fitted. bHowever, FOR AROUND $100. a competant 1911 smith THAT KNOWS WHAT a true match bushing is, can install one that is fitted to your barrel.

Slide loosness has very little effect on accuracy and a full length guide rod has no effect at all. A simple short GI guide rod is fine.

IMO buy a SA mil spec. Pick one with the tightest barrel lockup and have a smith install a fitted match bushing. that gun will be as accurate as a $4000. 1911. Second thing I would get is a crisp 3.5 trigger job and third good sights.

[Guest tbone]

I would highly recommend S&W's 1911. It is one of the few 1911's that features an external extractor. (I believe that this is a plus, and it is featured on almost every other auto pistol design in the world.) The new E series that was mentioned in a previous post deserves serious consideration. However, the standard model offers a lot, and sits in the middle of your price range.

I picked up the stainless model with the tac rail a few years ago and I absolutely love it. The accuracy and trigger are wonderful. My cousin owns a Springfield operator, and we shot both of them side by side. Our conclusion was that the accuracy and trigger of both are equal. There were two factors that tipped the balance toward the S&W, (in my opinion). These were the external extractor and the mags. The magazines that came with the S&W were of much better quality than what came with the Springer.

The good news is that there are a lot of quality options available. Take any opportunity to shoot potential purchases and once you decide, start comparing prices.

A final note on .22 conversions. I personally favor the unit made by Advantage Arms. It is the only one I know of that locks the slide back on an empty magazine. This may not be a big deal to you, but to me, I like that it allows me to train exactly as I would with the .45 slide in place. Two things you should know about it are:

1) When you open the box, there is a big, orange piece of paper instructing you to NOT dry fire the unit. Since the slide locks open on the empty mag, I don't see this as a big problem.

2) Advantage arms recommends that you use CCI stingers or Remington Golden bullet. However, I have shot Federal red box (bulk pack) through it with no problems. Bulk packs of Golden Bullet are available at Wall-Mart and Sportsman's Warehouse for reasonable prices. I have shot about 1500 rounds of Golden Bullet through my conversion and I can tell you that the operation is almost 100% flawless. The hand full of failures that I have had,(maybe 15 or 20 out of that 1500 rounds) I blame on the ammo. (After all, who hasn't shot bulk pack of any brand through any .22 weapon and not had a few duds?) This is a very accurate and reliable unit. It has provided hours of fun and total destruction to many a tin can! Overall, I am very pleased with the Advantage Arms product and I believe that you would be very satisfied with it also.

Good luck in your search!

[Lumber_Jack]

The reason I don't own a S&W or Sig 1911 is that they have an external extractor. I don't see it as an advantage. Sure they work fine but I don't like they way they look, and let's face it internal extractors work just fine.

With that said I have heard a lot of good things about the Sig 1911s. Truth is in your price range you can't really go wrong. There is always an outside chance you could have problems, it's just the nature of the beast. So whatever you buy make sure they have a good rep for customer service. Springfield CS is outstanding, just so you know

[Jonnin]

Colt gold cup is only $1000, in the middle of his range, and awesome out of the box. They have other models in that range as well, its not that hard to find a new colt for under $1400.

[I_Like_Pie]

graycrait gives great advice here. Remember that the 100 year old G.I. specs demand accuracy of sub 4" at 25 yards. That is honestly better than most people can shoot offhand, on par with many current issue pistols, and more than adequate at any SD range. The main reason being a loose bushing to improve field serviceability.

There isn't an honest difference in shoot ability between an entry level $600 and mid level $1000 gun if you fit up your own tight bushing immediatly after you purchase your gun.

That being said I do like (and own several) 1911s made by S&W. They are good out of the box and I happen to like the external extractor. It is an improvement in my opinion of the original 1911. The series 80 style disconnect....not so much, but it isn't even obvious to me in the S&W design as in other series 80 1911s.

[hipower]

graycrait gives great advice here. Remember that the 100 year old G.I. specs demand accuracy of sub 4" at 25 yards. That is honestly better than most people can shoot offhand, on par with many current issue pistols, and more than adequate at any SD range. The main reason being a loose bushing to improve field serviceability.

There isn't an honest difference in shoot ability between an entry level $600 and mid level $1000 gun if you fit up your own tight bushing immediatly after you purchase your gun.

My comments:

For what my opinion is worth, I totally agree with graycrait and Pie. Unless you are a world class shooter, the newbie and many other shooters can't do one dang bit better with a 600 1911 than a 1500 one. I've owned S&W, Colt, Kimber, Springfield, and Taurus 1911's. I like some better than others, but they all function and do what I ask of them, most more than I'm capable of.

My personal preference is for the SA and the Taurus. I might feel that a mid-range price SA, like a TRP, or a KImber Raptor looks and feels a little better in my hands; but really can't say that with __my__ abilities that I'm any better with them than my old Colt Officers or the second-hand, well-worn Kimber Pro Carry, or the latest Taurus 1911 I just traded an extra XD9sc for.

Edited March 31, 2011 by hipower

[Guest Keinengel]

Thanks all for the replies! The has been a lot of good inforamation here and I appreciate it. That was a good read graycrait and I see where you are coming from. I've owned a couple 1911s in the past (Old Colt 1991 and a Springer GI45) and shot many so I'm new to the design. I'm healthy and have big hands so besides the compacts I don't any trouble or comfort differences as far as they go.

But I'm going to be honest, I'm more concerned with having one that looks good and has a nice fancy name than I am with how well it shoots. I understand that 450 dollar RIA beater with some better sights and a tight lock-up will probably handle as well as a Kmber in my hands but I'm looking to step up from those guns. My old truck may get from work and back just as well as a BMW but the beamer still looks a lot better while doing it.

*added* just for the rcord I was going to try my hand at one of the .460 Rowland conversions not a .22 kit. Hence why i'm not looking at most Paras or Aluminum framed 1911s.

Edited March 31, 2011 by Keinengel
added

[gregintenn]

*Price tag between 800-1400

Buy a Rock Island, a range membership, and more than enough ammo to become proficient with it.

[gotigers]

my first choice would be a TRP

springfield makes a hell of a 1911 and the TRP is a great springfield.

[eapking]

I'm thinking about the new SA Range Officer.

[graycrait]

Colt Pistols

For around $1,000.00 you could get a Colt, an elegant sufficiency.

[tnhawk]

Colt and Springfield would be my choices. I have a few of both and have never had any problems with them.

[Guest 10mm4me]

Colt XSE Government

[Guest johnmattwill]

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