I am buying a 1911 and want feedback Please

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epr105

New member
I am buying a 1911 and would like some feedback from people who have owned newer manufactured 1911s.
This is not a first gun and I am not going to carry it daily. I just want to own one and I want a good quality at a good price. I have been looking at Springfield GI 1911 they look good and I hear that Springfield is good with service. Kimber looks good and I have drooled over some of the pictures like ths crimson carry. I don't know how the service is and they are a little more in price. Colt has a high price tag and I don't know anything about how they deal with service and I have heard that they can be on order for a long time. (I would like to get it this year). Smith and Wesson looks good and I know that the Service is good if I need it. I understand that Sig is making 1911 also and wonder if they are any good. I have seen posts about Rock Island Arsenal I know nothing about them at all.
I have looked through some posts about this but I would like to get some feed back from people who own a 1911. BTW I want to try to keep this purchase under 1000 (one thousand dollars)
Thank you for taking time to read and respond to this post.
Ed
 
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scottperk

New member
For a thousand bucks you can own two unless you insist on fancy
bells and whistles that none of our soldiers ever really needed.

The cheapest street price basic GI guns(RIA brand) have cast
frames and will probably last you a lifetime if you are a typical
shoot a few boxes a year guy. Next step up are the Springfield
forged frame basic models the Springfield GI and MilSpec.
Street price around $500 probably. The "Springfield Armory"
brand name to me has just about as much "status"
as does COLT as the same name company made a hundred
thousand or more of the original pistols a century ago.

All my guns have been used purchases from pawn shops and
rental gun ranges... They are cheaper because they are used
and also already well broken in.

Sounds to me like you would like to make the statement
when showing off your pistol to friends, "this is pretty damn
close to exactly the COMBAT WEAPON what the soldiers
carried in our first two world wars" That is why I own
the basic models myself.
I dont want any of the Girley extras.

Now if you have lots of money, the real deal is the Colt.
a couple hundred bucks there just to have the designer
label name.
 
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darkgael

New member
Colt

Got a grand.....buy a Colt.
S.A. - also nice.
I have both a Colt Gold Cup and a S.A. Loaded.
They both shoot well. The Colt has never had even a hiccup and has at least 60K rounds through it.
I bought the S.A. used. The slide broke one day (improper heat treatment). Sent it to S.A. They replaced and refitted the slide. Turn around time was very fast. I was satisfied. Fine for the years since.
Pete
 
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Giorgio

New member
If I had money I'd buy 45 Colt Gov. SS - SA, definitely. IMO the best handgun and best caliber ever built. Powerful, accurate, soft recoil, reliable, long tested, strong and... beautiful! Much more than others by far.
I find his shape pretty confortable for CC.
And I'm an average one. 6" - 200lbs.
 
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greyson97

New member
if youve never owned a 1911, look up idiot scratch, or idiot mark. i would purchase a 9mm 1911 if you can find one. if its just going to be a range toy, you can shoot it twice as much as a .45

in regards to a idiot scratch, buy a used cheapo 1911 and practice disassembling and reassembling it. you dont want a nice curved scratch on your 1k 1911 slide and frame.

and the idiot scratch is most apparent on blued finishes, and harder to notice on stainless.
 
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rptrower

New member
I own Colt, Kimber & Springfield Armory 1911s. IMO for the price & lifetime warranty, you can't beat SA. If you were to buy an SA I would go with the Mil-Spec rather than the GI. The Mil-Spec has 3 dot sights & lowered/flared ejection port. I bought the MS about 6 months ago & couldn't be happier with it's performance out of the box.

i would purchase a 9mm 1911 if you can find one. if its just going to be a range toy, you can shoot it twice as much as a .45
Click to expand...

This is a point to consider. It can get expensive quickly if you shoot much with a .45.
 
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Hunter Customs

New member
My choice out of all the guns you listed would be the Springfield GI model.
Take the money saved from purchasing the others , buy some ammo and shoot the heck out of the gun.
Then later on down the line if you wish to make changes to the gun to suit your taste or personalize the gun you can.
Springfield Armory is tops in customer service if you would have a problem.
Regards
Bob Huner
www.huntercustoms.com
 
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rsxr22

New member
my problem with the SA is that unless you buy a TRP, you cannot get front strap checkering. I personally, would never buy a 1911 without it and the pieces that you can buy to go on the front of the frame to offer checkering scratch the crap out of the gun. If you have a grand to spend, i would check out Kimber's, Colts, and most definitely the STI Trojan! I have all kinds and the STI is definitely one of the nicest but they dont get much publicity because they do not advertise nearly as much as the other companies
 
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Barbicatter

New member
With the Springfield you get alot of value for your $$$. I have a Kimber Ultra Tactical II. Which I love. However my husband just bought a Stainless SA Loaded which has many of the same features plus it's full size, Stainless, Two magazines and it was $300 cheaper. They both shoot where I aim and they both go bang every time.
 
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Hunter Customs

New member
07232008b.jpg


I shot and prefered 20LPI checkering for years until I started doing the front strap teratment like the one in the picture.
I get a much better grip with the speed grip treatment and it's easier on the hands.
You can take a GI model and have it checkered or have the speed grip treatment done and you don't have to spend a grand.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
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greyson97

New member
personally i dont like front strap checkering.

but i do use it to check loaded chamber status.

however, most good guns today have a loaded chamber indicator that you dont have to move the slide to see if there is a round inside.

however, i still do it to see that theres a snap cap inside and not a live round

;)
 
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EdInk

New member
The "idiot scratch" is something that is easily avoidable. If you are unfamiliar with the 1911 disassembly, have someone (that's not an idiot) teach you. Also, I personally prefer 1911's that don't need a bushings wrench. I plan on getting a 1911 next year (I want something stamped 100yr anniversary) to round out my handgun collection. I will probably have to overpay a little to buy a Colt because of that reason. However, if Colt gets real proud (read: absurd) of roll marking "100 years" on the slide and tries to charge triple what the gun is worth like they did with the WWI reproductions then I will not have a problem giving up on the whole 100yrs thing and buying a Springfield Armory instead.

I know the current SA is not the same company that made the military guns years ago. They simply are using the name (and IMHO have resurrected an iconic American brand) by making/importing some of the best guns in the firearms industry. There 1911s are as good (or better) than those manufactured by Colt.

FWIW Colt isn't the "same" company it was back then either. They simply managed to keep the name running without a total shutdown of production.

IMHO it breaks down like this...
If you want good quality and care about a historic name buy a Colt. However, you are paying for the name.
If you want good quality and the best value for your money buy a Springfield Armory.
 
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Sturmgewehre

New member
For the money, I would go Springfield. Dan Wesson is another great choice, but they will be a little over $1k (Buds has them for $1158).

Colt is a good option too.
 
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Andrewh

New member
so for 1k you can get any production gun out there.
Here are the different choices.

GI type/mil spec
Base gun like issued. Generally no beavertail, arched main spring housing, and GI guide rod.

Tactial type
Generally this gives you a flat main spring housing, a beavertail or duck bill grip safety and most give you a full length guide rod.

Match type guns
added match grade barrel, some flairing and lowering of ejection port.

Colt- anything else is a copy phiosophy
You pay a bit more for the same basic gun because it has the colt name.
These hold their value as long as they are not modified. Unless you have a known smith work on it, as soon as you make a change, it becomes a 600 dollar shooter.
A lot of people like them, but the low end is a base gun that runs for around 800 bucks that most other companys sell for 500.
You pay for the name here and history.
Colt has had some QC issues lately, so inspect closely before you buy.

Springfield- best customer service
same offerings as colt, but 70 series type actions, so no firing pin safety, but they added the ILS lock for the main spring housing.
They run about 200 less than the equvilant colt offering.
I think the main complaint here is MIM parts and the guns are mostly made in Brazil, till you step up to the higher end.

Kimber- bad customer service
at least that is what the current feel is. Good guns when they work, good luck if they don't.

Somewhere between kimber and colt in price depending on the gun. They don't offer a lot of low end guns, so you are starting out in the tactical/loaded level here.
External extractors, mim parts, and bad customer service.

Para ordanance
bad customer service is the main complaint.
But they offer everything from single stacks to double stacks. I think they are the only production seller of 9mm commanders at this time.

RIA/Armscor
There are a few makers here. These are the sub 500 dollar 1911 group.
Very good customer service, lower end price, about 200-400 cheaper than the equivalant featured guns from any of the other major brands.
Complaints
made in the philipines(sp) Cast frame instead of forged.
The lower end cost makes people question the quality of these guns, but they seem to have quite the following.

STI
low production, made in texas, good customer service.Might bump your budget.
The only issue I hear about them is again, some are cast frames instead of forged. There low end gun is actually made by armscor and sti internals are put in it. Otherwise they make everythign from carry to race guns.

Sig
Higher priced because it is a sig. Will also bump your 1k limit.
they are considered quite good.
main complaints are external extractor.

s&w
They really only make the tactial style and run about the same as the equvilant springfield or kimber.
Haven't really heard anything good or bad. But have seen poor resale value on these.

Taurus
everyone rags on them for customer service.
They get it fixed, but take forever to do it.
It is hit or miss if the guns runs great, or is a dog.
They only produce the tactical style as well. Their price point was the same as the low end springfields, but have gone up in price. Many feel this makes them a poor value, others defend them.

then you step up to the semi custom stuff like Fusion and DW.
All will be higher then your 1k even used.
 
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Wildalaska

Moderator
Colt. Call me I'll get you a railed one for less than a grand.

Kimber: junk. Springfield: Junk. S&W and SIG...clones and just as expensive as Colt.

WildtheyahvethebestservicetooAlaska TM
 
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SmokyBaer

New member
Not much to add... Lots of great advice above.

Bottom line is how they FEEL in your hand. The options like front strap checkering, arched mainspring housing, beavertail safety, extended magwells, ambi controls and match bushings are all additional comfort and function enhancements.

I just got a Rock Island GI from a buddy going thru a divorce sale and have found this new pistol to be WELL made. It even has a polished ramp. I am impressed that they could make one that nice and sell it for less than $400. For a carry, knock around the truck weapon, the RI would get it done.

All that said... for $1000, the Springers have all been good to me in the past. Also, have been very lucky with my 2 Paras (P-14 and a Carry). My shooting buds have Kimbers and had FTE troubles. A good note on that is Kimber finally did come thru and replace the slides with known good parts.

Looking back, if I knew then what I know now... I'd have a super reliable 1911 stainless for carry and knock around THEN saved my money to get the Les Baer of my dreams a LOT sooner. ;)
 
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