1911 low down

[none]

Ok for me at the end of the day a side arm is a tool. I am not an expert on handguns. So with that being said I drive a Honda always been reliable dependable and affordable. I have friends that are total car nuts its their thing to me its a car. For the most part I am very practical and budget conscious. Not cheap but I like to get the best quality I can afford. So now I am going to be switching to a 1911. I would like to find a good quality one for off hours that wont break the bank. I have not ruled out a TRP. And in all actuality I would prefer not to spend my money on a Springfield.( NOT THAT THEY ARE NOT A QUALITY PIECE BUT FOR ME I WILL NOT EVEN REMOTELY SUPPORT THE STATE OF IL) its a mater of principle and another. story. But if possible I would like to get the best quality 1911 for the money. I have just started my research and I am looking for thoughts and suggestions. As of now I am looking at a Ruger SR 1911 commander as well as possibly a Para Ordnance or a Colt New agent or even a Remington.

I am going to qualify my next question with this I have stock side arm in which I can out shoot some friends with their side arms costing double what mine did. Again not saying that some of the high end ones are not really nice. But is the average person going to see a difference in performance between a factory build and a custom shop unit?

Sorry for being long winded.

Edited would appreciate suggestions on ones made in the US Edited December 24, 2014 by wcd

[gregintenn]

Any of the ones you've mentioned will likely fit your criteria. I would also suggest you give a Rock Island Armory 1911 consideration.

[runco]

Me personally, I am new to 1911.  I have been in and around guns for over 40 years, and have a good respectful collection.  But until the past 60 days, never a 1911.  Finally bought my first, a Colt.  Great gun, I am still learning the platform after shooting Glocks, Sigs, and Berettas.

 

Now with that said, I did spend the past two years doing heavy research on 1911, because I knew I was destined to buy one.  I am not going to push any certain gun on my own opinion, I am just a beginner with 1911, but I know this much from my long research which was mostly on the 1911 forum.  There are three groups:  Low end, Medium and High end.  One particular gun from my research showed up on the high end of the Medium group and low end of the high end group, the Dan Wesson 1911.  There are several flavors, but all had the up most respect on the 1911 forums.  They claim for the money, it is the "best value" out there.  They are not cheap!  The 1911 forums sure do diss most 1911s, but the DW never a bad word.  Even Sig 1911 gets no love over there.  Don't take my word, research the diehards.  I started here:

 

http://forums.1911forum.com/

[hipower]

Others here can say this far better, and explain it better than I can.

But using your statement..."is the average person going to see a difference in performance between a factory build and a custom shop unit?"

I think the answer is yes and no. Confused? So am I. LOL

Yes. I think the average person/shooter can tell the difference in quality of parts, finish, and the quality of fit and finish.

There is a heck of a difference in the finish on a RIA and the Sig 1911. BTW, I own several of both.

They both function well, that is shoot reliably and are as accurate as I can be. In the hands of a better marksman, they would be even better.

On the No side now. Can the average person/shooter tell the difference in performance? Usually not.

The 1911 is a long time, tried and true platform in literally hundreds of brands and configurations. Most of them perform well, that is shoot and function reliably.

Now, there is a difference between the factory models themselves. Example...Springfields GI Model is a pretty much bare bones model for entry level use. Then go to the TRP that you mentioned which has different levels and configurations itself.

And as far as the custom shop guns like Les Baer, Wilson Combat, etc; we see a lot of differences in finish, parts quality, hand fitting and polishing, etc.

Absolutely great guns, without a doubt. Will they make the novice 1911 buyer a better shooter? Most likely not. I won't say that they won't as I believe there always will be a slight edge given to shooting a better quality firearm than an entry level gun.

But on the whole, are you going to see a big enough difference in the off the shelf entry guns and the higher end pistols?

Again, probably not in the hands of an average person.

But then, what is the "average person"? A first time shooter? Someone with experience with other pistols like revolvers and semi-autos?

The skill level of the shooter I think will also determine the answer to your question.

So, my thoroughly confusing answer is...yes or no. Depends on the person.

Now as to me as that person. I didn't like the 1911 for many years. Long story not worthy of mention here.

But I was introduced to the Colt Ultimate Officers Model long, long ago. Well, just after it was introduced.

Anyway, something changed. I really can't say what, but I really, really liked it.

At that point, could I have told the difference between it and any of the cheaper model guns available then? Probably not.

Now this was long winded. LOL Edited December 24, 2014 by hipower

[gregintenn]

     http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_141/products_id/36291/Colt+O1991+1991+Series+7%2B1+45ACP+5%22

Here's one that should hold it's value well.

 

I believe Colt is also offering a $100 rebate til the end of the year.

Edited December 24, 2014 by gregintenn

[runco]

Here is my recent adventure for my 1st 1911:

 

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/83299-colt-1991o-opinions/?hl=1991#entry1209065

[Lowpower]

My very first gun was given to me by my father. It was a Remington Colt 1911A1 that he carried in WWII. It came home and was stuffed in his duffle bag until

1963 when I stumbled across it when I found the bag in the attic. I dragged it out of its holster and held it for a little while then came across a leather Leica camera case.

I opened it and found it full of .45 mil ball ammo. That kinda of scared me so I put everything back into the duffle bag and left the attic. I was 11 years old.  Roll forward

to 1970. Out of school going into the military and I mentioned it to my father. He went upstairs, pulled it out of his bag and gave it to me. I will say the gun works flawlessly but I went through the camera bag of .45 cap the first time I shot it. I probably should have kept the ammo but back then we'd buy Enfields for $20 and hack the stock up to make them fine, lighter deer rifles.  Ammo was just ammo. My Dad said he was going to bring his Garand home but figured he wasn't going hunting or anything so left it behind.   

 

Without going into the safe I'd have to say I probably have more than one and less than 10 or so   :) . My normal carry, when I carry, is my Colt Officers Model. I also have a beautiful 1976 9MM Browning HP which is a safe queen. I shoot weekly and there is always a 1911 which me at the range.  My Dad is still alive at 96 but has never asked about his 1911. I showed it to him once and he said it was just a tool he used back then. 

 

IMHO as far as a 1911 goes.... If it cycles and shoots and you want a pistol for protection you will never wear it out and in a draw and fire situation it will out shoot you. With the Remington it rattles like a toddlers toy and shoots without jamming and hits center mass every time if I do my part. I never bought one to shoot Bullseye so loose as a goose that shoots works just like it did for my Dad.  Mr. Browning got it right. All the rest are like Mr. Stoners creation with everyone and their brother trying to turn a pig (AR) into a rose for the past 50 years. The money is in perception. If I tell you I made it better and you believe it and you buy it then you're happy and I earn a living. Is it really all that better? I'll stick with my 1911's for everyday use. 

 

My stable has always had Colt's, Rems and even a few RIA's. They are dependable and I have confidence in these tools.

 

Long winded, yes but i really do love my 1911's.  

Edited December 24, 2014 by Lowpower

[Jonnin]

stay away from the para.   I like mine, sure, but I have given it a lot of TLC and it was purchased to be a mid grade target gun, not for carry so if it jams, its not an issue.   And it does jam.  Not often, but too often for a carry piece -- and before I worked it over (repeatedly) it jammed once about every other mag.  There are good paras, but the company has had all kinds of quality control issues -- its a shame, because they are one of only 2 or 3 companies that are willing to branch out of the 2 100+ year old frames to do something "new" with the general 1911 designs.  

 

Cheap is good.  Rock island is hard to beat.  The thing about cheap 1911s... they are not target guns.  This is not a bad thing... target guns are built to be extra tight which causes them to be much, much, much more picky about ammo and jamming etc.   The looser less pricy guns are actually more reliable than a lot (not all, but a lot) of the mid-grade stuff!!

 

As far as not being pure 1911... do consider some of the offbeat models.  For carry, a gun that is significantly smaller might be of some merits; I carry a sig 938 for example, which is similar to a 1911 but about 1/4 the size in 9mm.   Colt's defender is much smaller than the standard models.  There are others as well... if you are interested in a smaller package.  RIA also offers a very high-cap 9mm 1911.   I like the full size and 45 just fine, but there are options to the combined giant size and low cap of the classic, is all I am sayin.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Jonnin

[JPR1959]

I was like Runco, and have been looking for a long and researching for a long time.  I was looking hard at four models--Springfield Loaded, Colt XSE, Sig Tacops, and Dan Wesson Heritage.  The Sig has a lot of bang for the buck, but the pony won out.  I can't want to play with it tomorrow.  I ended up buying mine at Guns and Leather.  I PM'd Daniel, and he gave me a good quote.

Edited December 24, 2014 by JPR1959

[DWARREN123]

I have just recently got into 1911 style pistols. The one I have that is accurate and reliable is a Kimber Custom II. It is a basic model with blacked out sights, I painted a large white dot on the front sight and it has been the most accurate pistol I have owned. I liked it so much I purchased another one.

I have 2 Kimbers and 2 Ruger SR1911s, a government and a CMD models.

Just picked up a RIA 1911-A1 FS Tactical in 9mm. It runs quite well after the first 100 rounds..

Edited January 28, 2015 by DWARREN123

[Jct1911]

Cost vs. Value= Dan Wesson

They make many models from officer sized alloy to steel full size and in multiple calibers. You will be really be hard pressed to beat what you spend on a DW and get the same quality elsewhere.

[leroy]

The second centerfire firearm i ever owned wuz a norwegan copy of a 1911... Like lowpower wisely said above; it would always fire and will most likely outshoot you...

 

I've had a bunch of 'em since then;  among them a frankenstein military 1911 with a springfield frame and an old colt slide... It came back from Viet Nam in a cotton sock... It still shoots like a dream... I'm a colt fan at heart and i own several series 70 government models... They all shoot better than i can hold... A 1911 is a great thing...

 

I see the whole 1911 thing as a "whistles 'n bells" thing... The more the goodies attached, the higher the price...  Outside of good sights, the goodies are just that.... goodies for folks to play with and talk about...

 

There used to be two kinds of government models... Humble carryin guns used for self defense, and target guns made for bullseye shootin...

 

The bullseye guns will outshoot the carryin ones; but they are more finicky... A bullseye gun will shoot into an inch or so at 25 yards... If i remember right, a military government model shoots into 2 1/2 inches at 25 yards, or a mean spread of 5 inches... Take a look at your chest and see if it makes much difference between 1 inch or 5 inches at 25 yards or less... It aint a big deal...  

 

Most folks dont need a target gun; but they like them... I do too... I cant hold better than 2 1/2 inches at 25 yards with two hands... Neither can the other ninety percent of folks i know that shoot and shoot a lot...

 

I like a reliable 1911 with good sights and an ambidexterious safety (...im a lefty...)... If ya happen to be right handed, ya dont need anything but the good sights... If you are young, like lots of us geezers were in the long ago; ya dont even need target sights... The military sights work just fine...

 

Moral of this little story... Buy the 1911 ya like and can afford... It will, in all likelyhood, outshoot you unless you are a bullseye shooter...

 

Every finished gunman (...or woman...) needs a 1911...

 

leroy

[hipower]

Well said, Leroy.

When the 1911 bug got me, I bought a Colt Officers Model. A few years later I got my first Springfield, a lightweight Champion Operator, then a TRP; thinking how much better I could shoot with it.

LOL That idea was soon blown up.

And then being of very limited funds, I sold the TRP, and bought a used Kimber ProCarry II. Nothing wrong with it, but I traded it for another Springer.

Soon after that, I bought a Sig 1911. Since then I've 5 or 6 Sigs. And until I got the RIA, The Sig was hands down my favorite 1911.

Now I'm not saying the RIA is better than the Sig, just that I shoot well with them, enjoy it just as much as shooting the Sig.

It still makes a loud boom and puts big holes in paper targets, but I can buy two RIA pistols for the price of one Sig. Or have a lot of extra ammo for the one RIA.

JMO

[graycrait]

I love 1911 triggers, 9mm 1911s for range play and have 0 interest in high dollar 1911s unless you are a competitor or are required to carry a 1911 as LEO (FBI SWAT for one). The most expensive 1911 I owned was a Dan Wesson Pointman and it didn't do anything better than my 3 Rock Islands I used to have.  I have a Springfield Loaded in my safe that is the biggest POS 1911 I have ever hand in my hand and I have had a couple of turd 1911s.  If this SA Loaded were mine and I had an interest in getting another 1911 I would trade this off for a NIB or used Rock Island Tactical in a "New York minute." I used to have a an all original '68 IH Scout. It worked, rode rough, horrible gas mileage, high maintenance.  Reminds me of a 1911 compared to newer designs. 

Edited December 25, 2014 by graycrait

[Lowpower]

Many moons (read years) ago I had a sig 220, .45acp. I bought it on a Friday and after stopping by wally world to get two boxes of ammo I went over to the local indoor shooting range to 

try it out. When I arrived there was a line at the counter and I asked what was going on. Where they having a sale or something? Come to find out they were signing up for their HCP class on Saturday, I've been shooting for 40 years and figured maybe I should get one so I don't have to carry my ammo separate form my guns. I signed up and figured I could test fire and go through 

the class at the same time.  To make this part of the long story short...I went home and showed the next day for class. After all the legalese and written was done we all headed out to the range for the fire quals. The 1st target was like 5 yds. I said to myself, self...you gotta be kidding at this range. But I had never fired the Sig before so figured I would take my time. 

The darned thing shot the center out of the target and as the distance went back to 75 yds then back in the hole just got bigger. I asked the range guy how he could tell if I shot a good score. 

I still had lotsa of shots left and he said don't they way yer going you'll end up with a perfect score. 

 

That Sig has to be the most accurate pistol I've ever shot. Sadly, it's way to big to carry else I'd still have it....pity.

 

My .45's are still around tho....get my drift?  :) 

[graycrait]

Lowpower,

 

The best 1911 shooter I have ever seen, and he is good with a lot of pistols, told me that he thinks the Sig SAO 220 is the most accurate fastest shooting .45ACP this side of $3,000.00. 

 

He has to carry  a SA 1911 for his federal job and he ain't a lawyer or accountant.

[Lowpower]

I agree 100% with him. It's just too big to carry. As a duty pistol it'd be fine but not as a concealed carry. 

Mine was a single/double. You could push down and drop the hammer on a loaded chamber for DA 1st shot. 

I was never of a fan of it but the single action is unbeatable. If only it was the thickness of my 1911's I'd probably 

have carried it from time to time. Someone else is enjoying it now. 

[none]

Lowpower,
 
The best 1911 shooter I have ever seen, and he is good with a lot of pistols, told me that he thinks the Sig SAO 220 is the most accurate fastest shooting .45ACP this side of $3,000.00. 
 
He has to carry  a SA 1911 for his federal job and he ain't a lawyer or accountant.

Guess that's the nice thing about having a Tennessee HCP now I can carry what ever I choose off hours now. With that being said I am still going to make the switch to a 1911. From where I am sitting it really looks like the Ruger is going to be hard to beat for the money. If I could get one not in stainless I would consider it a done deal.

[Grayfox54]

Very few shooters can really wring out that little bit extra from a $2000 + 1911. For us normal folks its just wasted money. Pretty much any box stock medium grade pistol will do just fine. 

Just about everybody and his brother is making 1911s these days, so its pretty much up to you. 

 

Ya can't go wrong with a Colt. They set the standard a long time ago and are still right up there.

 

I personlly like Springfields and have four of them. But you already ruled them out for personal reasons. Although I think that's a mistake, its your choice.

BTW graycrait: If you contact Springfield about that POS gun you have, I'll pretty much bet thet they'll be happy to fix it for you under warranty and likely pay the shipping too. One of the big bonuses with Springer is they have the best customer service in the business. 

 

I keep hearing good things about all the new guys in the 1911 game such as Ruger, Sig, etc and so on. IDK, I just can't seem to warm up to them. Maybe because I feel like their soul is really with the products they started out with and the 1911 is just a money thing to them. But then, there wouldn't be so many companies making them if it didn't pay. 

 

Having said that, I really believe the hidden gem out there are the Remington 1911R1s. Yeah, its kind of a plain matte finish and there ain't nothing special about their looks, but these are some very well built guns. I bought one when they first came out just because it said Remington on it. Frankly, its amazed me. These are very well fit, accurate guns and IMHO have the best right-out-of-the-box trigger on a 1911 I've ever felt.

 

I'm guess that if you stick to a good brand in the medium price range that you'll be happy with whatever you end up with. After all. its a 1911.  :up:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tnhawk]

I would like to find a good quality one for off hours that wont break the bank. I have not ruled out a TRP......I am going to qualify my next question with this I have stock side arm in which I can out shoot some friends with their side arms costing double what mine did. Again not saying that some of the high end ones are not really nice. But is the average person going to see a difference in performance between a factory build and a custom shop unit?......Edited would appreciate suggestions on ones made in the US

The TRP is an excellent pistol.  Ruger is made in AZ and Wilson Combat is made in AR.  Any of these will provide a good 1911.

[MphsTiger1981]

Guess that's the nice thing about having a Tennessee HCP now I can carry what ever I choose off hours now. With that being said I am still going to make the switch to a 1911. From where I am sitting it really looks like the Ruger is going to be hard to beat for the money. If I could get one not in stainless I would consider it a done deal.

 

You might want to check out the Ruger SR1911 Talo Edition. Comes with a black/blued finish and night sights standard. I looked at one recently here in Memphis in the commander size. Retail price at that shop was $789 plus tax and tics. 

[DJTC45]

If your dead set against Springfield, get the Dan-Wesson, or a COLT Govt.  1911 you won't be disappointed, if you change your mind get a Loaded SA and go from there. Warning buying one 1911 will lead to more and before you know it you'll have several if your not careful, just ask me I know. 

[jh225]

You failed to mention budget, which leaves the field wide open.

 

You say you want best bang for the buck, and to me, there is only one answer...... Dan Wesson.

 

I have been carrying a 1911 for many years, and have gone through numerous brands. For quite some time, that brand was Kimber. Problem is that my Kimber was one of the first Ultra CDP produced, and while I still have and still love my Kimber, I would not take a current model if you gave me one.

 

I currently own Wilson's and DW, Springfield also. When I say that Dan Wesson absolutely destroys any other mid range 1911 produced today, I truly believe that. There is a night and day difference between DW vs Colt, Ruger, S&W, etc. DW is also made in the USA

 

You say you don't want a Springfield, but it is a fine weapon and made in the USA.

 

Comes down to two choices at different price points in my opinion......... Low end is easily Springfield (Range Officer) and mid range is Dan Wesson.

[gregintenn]

I'm a revolver guy, but pretty much everything about a 1911 seems "just right" to me.

[tnhawk]

I'm a revolver guy, but pretty much everything about a 1911 seems "just right" to me.

I was a revolver guy, but went to a range in Texas and got bit by the 1911 bug.