Which 1911?

[samsmix]

I meant Rock Island, not Rock River. Doh!


I am leaning towards a Thompson Auto Ordinance Custom 1911 for $599. It seems well made, but I've never owned one of their guns.

There is also a Ruger, a Rock Island Longslide, and a Para-Ord P•14 (a terribly plain-Jane version). I cannot make up my mind.

 

[P71pilot]

I say Springfield Range officer which can be had for $750, if that is not an option, i say the ruger

 

[vba]

I did not realize that Rock River was back in the 1911 business! I don't see the long slide model on their website but if you can afford it go with RR.

Have two Rock Rivers and both are match accurate. They are built like Les Baers and are their equal or greater in every way.

Are you sure you're not talking about "Rock Island".

Edit: I read the rest of your post and realized that you are talking about Rock Island. Got so excited when I saw Rock River in the title that my eyes glazed over.

At least the post made me aware that Rock River is back in the 1911 business.

 

[joe-lumber]

Sig 225

I sold my Springfield RO and purchased a Sig 225 and I am very pleased. Couldn't ever shoot the RO well so the best thing is to move it. My Colt and Kimber shoot very will and that is the last Springfield 1911 I will try.

 

[RickB]

If you want a (mostly) accurate replica of a WWII M1911A1, then I'd recommend Auto Ord.
Really, I wouldn't buy a "1911" if I had only $600 to spend on a handgun. It's an expensive gun to make, and when quality guns with $5 plastic frames cost $600, I question where the corners are cut on the all-steel gun?
I'd recommend the Springfield Range Officer. Great value, and one of the best warranties in the business.

 

[dgludwig]

Ruger will take care of you if things don't go right with your pistol.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...Ordinance..." Ordnance. An 'Ordinance' is a law.
Otherwise, if it ain't a Colt, it's a clone. Which brand of clone really makes no difference. MSRP on a Series 70 Colt is under a grand. A Gold Cup is roughly $700 less than a 'Basic' Rock River.
"...where the corners are cut..." They're not. The low priced stuff, like SA's, are made in Third World countries.

 

[RickB]

Springfields are "made" in the U.S., according to whomever it is that gets to decide such things.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

You're ot making it easy. Each of your choices seems to be intended for greatly different purposes. You've got a "flagship" product (albeit from a lower-tier maker), a long slide model, a double stack, and a standard model. What are you looking to do with it?

All those makers offer good, solid 1911s. Personally, I'm partial to Colt and Para-Ordnance, but Para is out of business (having been absorbed and killed off by Remington). Ruger is reputed to make good 1911s but I've never seen one in the flesh. The Thompson is a good pistol -- M1911.org reviewed it a couple of years ago:

http://ezine.m1911.org/showthread.php?196-Thompson-TC-Review

I shot a Para P.14-45 in competition for a couple of years, and will again if I ever stir my stumps to join the competition at my local range again. Mine has been flawless.

I think any of your choices would be okay, but I wonder about the long slide. I find a standard 5" 1911 to be muzzle-heavy, so a 6" wouldn't do anything for me but create problems. I prefer the Commander length - in my hands it balances better.

 

[michael t]

None of the above I have stopped buying less than a 1000. Anything but Colts . Have not been disappointed with any newer Colt.
More expensive a Dan Wesson.

 

[DHart]

I too feel that in the under $1000 price point, Colt is the only one I'd buy. And even then, I'd go the bit extra and buy the Colt Wiley Clapp Government model. Front strap checkering being one of the key attributes driving that choice. The WC models are the best appointed 1911s Colt has ever made - and priced very well.

And, as mentioned above, those choices are all over the map with regard to design and application. What IS your intended application?

 

[Darkstar888]

In my opinion the best 1911's under $750 are the Ruger SR1911, Remington R1, and Springfield Mil Spec. The Ruger especially is a lot of gun for the money.

 

[claydoctor]

Go to CDNNSPORTS .com. They are now selling the Remington R1 Carry in both 5 inch and 4.25 in versions for less than $700 . The Carry has all the whistles and bells, frontstrap checkering, beavertail , etc. Retail on these guns is over $1100 . Best deal for a 1911 anywhere . I had an R1 and they are very nice 1911's. I'd grab one before they are all gone .

 

[Eazyeach]

Ruger. Hands down. Still regret selling mine. And if I was to buy a new Ruger I might go with the model that has a rail. Didn't know it existed until last weekend when I saw it at Bill Goodman's gun show. I really want a Colt rail gun but the Ruger is half the price.

 

[Sarge]

I haven't been inside the Ruger but people I trust are reporting good results with them. I have been inside some Auto Ords and Rock Islands- take the Rock Island. The Paras I've shot have been pretty good and I personally wouldn't be afraid of one.

 

[JWT]

Have three Ruger SR1911s in my collection and all have been flawless. Very good guns for the price paid. Great value in my mind.

 

[sprouticus]

I've had my 5" SR1911 for about a year, shoots great and runs like a top.

You can find them on GB for under $650 (w/shipping) with out much trouble.


Here is a place selling them NIB for $625 shipped.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/591496218

 

[P71pilot]

Dont listen to anyone who says "anything but a colt is a clone". This is foolish thinking; as colt did not design the weapon, colt did not hold patent rights whilst in production, and colt is not the gold standard of quality anymore.

John browning designed it, hand made it, and after passing U.S military trials Colt was just the first manufacturer granted production of firearm.

 

[Sport45]

Does the Ruger SR1911 handle 200gr LSWC well as it comes out of the box? How about the Rock Island? Those are on my short list for my next 1911.

It's important that whatever I get handle semi-wadcutter as I have more invested in bullets boxed up in the garage than I'll have in the gun. The only 1911 left in my house belongs to my son. When he leaves I'm down to a SA XD45acp and it chokes big time on SWC bullets.

I'm not meaning to hijack the thread, but the OP needs to understand not all 1911's will eat anything you feed them.

 

[Gunslick]

Great 1911 for you..

So I have Rock Island GI model 1911 (I only like mil-spec GI 1911's even though I would not consider RI to be mil-spec). I have put 10,000 rounds through it without any issues BUT for a few hundred more dollars you can have a very GREAT 1911. Rock Island has a cast frame and maybe even the slide which is not as good as Springfields forged frame and slide. I suggest you go with the Stainless Springfield 1911A1, I think they put a little more care into the stainless model for some reason. If you do go with Springfield make sure it has a 1 piece barrel which it should if it is Stainless and make sure it says Geneseo IL, so you know it was assembled here in the US. All Springer 1911's start their life in Brazil in a very good machine plant. So I like to tinker or replace lesser quality parts with better parts, so as of now (at first it was all wilson combat parts) I kept the stock Springfield ignition (trigger) system, although MIM parts exist they are of high quality and will last a long time, however I did replace all the pins with the Ed Brown 1911 rebuild kit. The pins were tighter than the stock Springfield pins-meaning less slop, meaning less wear and unneccessary play. I fitted a Wilson Combat BP extractor, my Springfield did not come with the ILS (look that up) it came with a stock main spring housing which is what you want so I am using a 23lb hammer spring. The feed ramp is already polished and chamber is reamed or polished I cannot remember, but no failures with the exception of a magazine related one so I replaced the follower and that fixed that. Google Springfield 1911 torture test and you will find a page about a Springfield 1911 with like over 150,000 rounds through it. I replace my recoil spring every 2000 rounds along with the hammer spring and firing pin spring. That is a little overboard but its my EDC and I am a high volume shooter.