There's been a lot of 1911 talk lately, which is great. I'm looking for my next 1911, and I want to get opinions on various 1911's a notch or two (or three) up from the $650 range of pistols like the Springfield Loaded or basic Kimbers. Don't ge me wrong, these are fine firearms and I already have a Springfield, but I want something a bit better.
Best VALUE in a 1911 $900 - $1,200
- Thread starter Pilot
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Marko Kloos
New member
The Kimber CDP and Eclipse II series are fine pistols, and they run right in the $900-1000 range around here.
The CDP is intriguing. The Eclipse is nice looking but it's really just a regular stainless Kimber with a different finish.
In that range, you can get an STI Trojan at the low end and maybe a basic Rock River or Valtro at the very high end. Kimbers are very nice but those three are a cut above.
You could also drop $600 on a Kimber Classic and take it to a smith for some nice work. With $600 to spend at the smith you could have a very nice 1911 that's unique too.
In that range, you can get an STI Trojan at the low end and maybe a basic Rock River or Valtro at the very high end. Kimbers are very nice but those three are a cut above.
You could also drop $600 on a Kimber Classic and take it to a smith for some nice work. With $600 to spend at the smith you could have a very nice 1911 that's unique too.
The Kimber Eclipes Custom II target is not like a basic Stainless Kimber.
The Eclipse Custom II and Eclipse Target II are based on the Stainless II. (A Kimber Custom is loaded with more enhanced standard features than other brands. Match grade barrel and chamber, a stainless steel barrel bushing that gives full ring contact, rounded and blended edges, beveled front and rear slide serrations, match grade trigger group and dovetail-mounted low profile sights are all standard).
Each pistol has a 5-inch match grade barrel and front slide serrations. The Eclipse Custom II has fixed night sights and the Eclipse Target II has adjustable Bar/Dot night sights.
Just some Information for someone looking for anouther 1911.
I have the Kimber Custom Eclipes II and the Eclipes Custom II Target. Both are great looking and function perfectly. The accuracy is awsome.
Tony
kalibear45
New member
CastleBravo
New member
I'd skip the high-end Kimbers... you aren't getting any more performance from a $1,000 Kimber than you'd get from a $650 Kimber, and there are better guns at the $1,000+ price point than Kimber sells. If you must get an off-the-shelf gun, an STI Trojan is worth a look, as is a used Wilson or Baer at the high end. Or you can get a basic gun and spend the extra cash on custom work by a good pistolsmith.
Most people think of pistolsmiths in terms of $2,000-$4,000 money pit ego guns. Heck, that's what I did. Money pit ego guns are FUN!
But it doesn't have to be that way. See, there are hardly any modificaitons that ACTUALLY MATTER for performance. If all you care about is objective shooting performance, then all you should think about is:
1. Reliability. Even if your gun runs well already, consider replacing the extractor and slide stop with heavy-duty parts made of good steel, since these are the parts that Colt, Kimber and Springfield Armory cut corners on... and are the ones that shouldn't have the corners cut. The most expensive C&S spring steel extractor I could find is $30, so we aren't talking big money. Think of it as long-term insurance. A complete reliability job is usually $100 or less.
2. Hammer bite. If you are starting with an "old-skool" 1911 with a spur hammer, spring for the $30 or so to get it bobbed so it doesn't bite... paying for a skeleton hammer and beavertail just to get rid of hammer bite is superfluous.
3. Trigger. A good trigger job is only $100 from an excellent pistolsmith, and can make a world of difference. Some off-the-shelf guns don't even need THAT; I've got a Colt 1991A1 that came off the shelf with a super-crisp 4.5 lb trigger (!!!). Think of this as maximizing the main virute of the 1911.
4. Accuracy. Alot of Kimbers, and even new Colt 1991A1s, are very accurate out of the box. $250 or so gets you a match barrel fitted to your gun (parts + labor), and will make any halfway decent 1911 as accurate as a $3,000 full custom gun. But you can often get the same results by having a match bushing fitted & the muzzle re-crowned, which are way cheaper.
So to get maximum performance you need to at most spend $500, and maybe less. That's not cheap; heck, that's a whole other gun worth of work. Depending on the base gun that's $950-1,150 total. Alot of money, but you are getting equal or better accuracy, reliability and durability than an off-the-shelf gun at that price point... or $2,000 or $4,000 for that matter. So it depends on what you consider a bargain.
And if you have a relatively well-known pistolsmith do the work, your gun will keep its value; I sold (this was a heartbreaker ) my Dane Burns-customized Delta Elite for $2,000 within 24 hours of placing it on sale, which is about exactly what I had put into it.
So much for the myth of custom guns not having any resale value...
Most people think of pistolsmiths in terms of $2,000-$4,000 money pit ego guns. Heck, that's what I did. Money pit ego guns are FUN!
But it doesn't have to be that way. See, there are hardly any modificaitons that ACTUALLY MATTER for performance. If all you care about is objective shooting performance, then all you should think about is:
1. Reliability. Even if your gun runs well already, consider replacing the extractor and slide stop with heavy-duty parts made of good steel, since these are the parts that Colt, Kimber and Springfield Armory cut corners on... and are the ones that shouldn't have the corners cut. The most expensive C&S spring steel extractor I could find is $30, so we aren't talking big money. Think of it as long-term insurance. A complete reliability job is usually $100 or less.
2. Hammer bite. If you are starting with an "old-skool" 1911 with a spur hammer, spring for the $30 or so to get it bobbed so it doesn't bite... paying for a skeleton hammer and beavertail just to get rid of hammer bite is superfluous.
3. Trigger. A good trigger job is only $100 from an excellent pistolsmith, and can make a world of difference. Some off-the-shelf guns don't even need THAT; I've got a Colt 1991A1 that came off the shelf with a super-crisp 4.5 lb trigger (!!!). Think of this as maximizing the main virute of the 1911.
4. Accuracy. Alot of Kimbers, and even new Colt 1991A1s, are very accurate out of the box. $250 or so gets you a match barrel fitted to your gun (parts + labor), and will make any halfway decent 1911 as accurate as a $3,000 full custom gun. But you can often get the same results by having a match bushing fitted & the muzzle re-crowned, which are way cheaper.
So to get maximum performance you need to at most spend $500, and maybe less. That's not cheap; heck, that's a whole other gun worth of work. Depending on the base gun that's $950-1,150 total. Alot of money, but you are getting equal or better accuracy, reliability and durability than an off-the-shelf gun at that price point... or $2,000 or $4,000 for that matter. So it depends on what you consider a bargain.
And if you have a relatively well-known pistolsmith do the work, your gun will keep its value; I sold (this was a heartbreaker
) my Dane Burns-customized Delta Elite for $2,000 within 24 hours of placing it on sale, which is about exactly what I had put into it. So much for the myth of custom guns not having any resale value...
slickpuppy
New member
Buy a Norinco and donate the difference to a starving family.
cleanharry
New member
I'd have to say Para P-14 Ltd if you have the hands for that big grip. Something about 14 rounds of 45acp that just gives me a nice warm glow. Mine has been very reliable and is very accurate.
All this could change as i'm going to pick up my KZ-45 tonight, though. As you can see I'm a definite hi-cap 45 fan.
All this could change as i'm going to pick up my KZ-45 tonight, though. As you can see I'm a definite hi-cap 45 fan.