Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby Randygmn on Wed Oct 03, 2018 6:21 am

linksep wrote:One of my coworkers estimates he has over 250,000 rounds through his Gold Cup. If a GC is good enough for him it's probably good enough for you (he doesn't tell a lot of people, but he was invited to join the USA Olympic shooting team so he's a little better than an average shooter).

Then I would take $1,800 or so and buy 3 more cheap import 1911s in other lengths/finishes/calibers and finally drop the last $500 on accessories and/or 'smithing.


Well, let’s be honest.... most folks out here aren’t reloading. Shooting 250,000 rounds of just .45 range ammo is gonna cost north of $100,000.
I shoot between 10,000 and 15,000 rounds per year, but that’s just been in the last 7 years. In the 20 years before that, I was lucky if I’d shoot 500 in a year. I’m guessing even I’m above average for run of the mill gun owners. Racking up 250,000 rounds through all combined firearm platforms (let alone a single one like a 1911) is a Herculean task very few gun owners will ever approach in a lifetime. Just sayin’.
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Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby gun_fan111v2 on Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:18 pm

I am surprised with all the recommendations for a cheaper gun that is below the OP's desired budget. It sounds like Eli is not completely new to shooting, is pretty picky about getting a high end 1911, and can afford the gun of his dreams. He is not talking about robbing a bank or living on Ramen Noodles for 2 years to do so, so I assume he will be able to afford some ammo to enjoy his dream gun.

Few more things to consider when at the store looking at different makes/models:
- Sights: two main flavors are Fixed or Adjustable, with a blend option available of Novak cut adjustable sights. Slide is milled differently for both so this is an important decision point. Than you get into the alignment systems - all black, fiber optic, white dots, tritium, gold dot, etc. Everybody is different and these can be changed between of you stay within Fixed and Adjustable categories. Another "newer" option is Red Dot, but that requires special milling as well and drives up the price considerably.
- Magwell: the heel of a 1911 will have multiple flavors as well - standard, round butt, bobtail, round bob (Kimber and Sig and S&W use these), and extended magwell. Take a look at these.
- Trigger: you mentioned trigger before but we kind of ignored this topic. Common these days is a Curved Long trigger, but they come in three length (Short, Medium, Long) and either Curved or Flat trigger face. Flat is not as common, but all high end manufacturers offer it as a custom option. Also the face of the trigger can have different texture - serrated, smooth, frag - at different aggressiveness levels. Trigger length and thickness of grips (standard, thick, slim) will change the feel of a 1911.
- Accessory Rail: if you want to hang a light/laser under the muzzle, get that accessory rail frame right away. Laser grips are also available as another option. This will also soften the muzzle flip as you are adding weight to the gun. These also come in full length or shorter versions.
- Extended dust cover w/o accessory rail: you get some extra weight but no rail. Check out Les Baer Monolith and Heavyweight Monolith as examples.
- Finish: too long of a topic to write about...
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby Bessy on Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:30 pm

If you are looking for a 1911 will shoot well, and continue to shoot well for a long time... look at what the USPSA/IPSC guys are buying....
Here's a hint... it's not Les Baer, or wilson. those are pretty guns for people who like to look at their 1911... then put it back in the safe.

On the lower end look at STI, COLT, or SIG. I have an early sig gsr with over 100k through it that worked well, before I retired it in favor of shooting other divisions.

On the high end take a look at http://grundhausergunworks.com/ they are local, and do spectacular work.
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby Ghost on Wed Oct 03, 2018 2:07 pm

Bessy wrote:If you are looking for a 1911 will shoot well, and continue to shoot well for a long time... look at what the USPSA/IPSC guys are buying....
Here's a hint... it's not Les Baer, or wilson. those are pretty guns for people who like to look at their 1911... then put it back in the safe.

On the lower end look at STI, COLT, or SIG. I have an early sig gsr with over 100k through it that worked well, before I retired it in favor of shooting other divisions.

On the high end take a look at http://grundhausergunworks.com/ they are local, and do spectacular work.

Colt is my EDC 1911, it shoots great, feels great and works.
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Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby gun_fan111v2 on Wed Oct 03, 2018 3:40 pm

Bessy wrote:If you are looking for a 1911 will shoot well, and continue to shoot well for a long time... look at what the USPSA/IPSC guys are buying....


Can you please elaborate a bit more on why these disciplines will match OP's needs? He may not be familiar with them. Perhaps his priority is with target shooting and he should look at guns recommended for Bullseye?

Bessy wrote:Here's a hint... it's not Les Baer, or wilson. those are pretty guns for people who like to look at their 1911... then put it back in the safe.


Just because most people choose not to spend the $$$ does not mean that these more expensive 1911s will have an issue or break down easily... You are talking about competitors who put lots of rounds down range and some of them do have to make a budget choice of Expensive Gun vs. More Ammo.

Are you saying that if you were given a choice (at no extra cost) between a high end 1911 (Wilson, Baer, Ed Brown, Nighthawk, Guncrafter) and a Sig GSR you would honestly pick a Sig??? Not your trusty early production GSR with a bunch of great EGW parts, new off the shelf :)
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby Eli on Wed Oct 03, 2018 7:43 pm

gun_fan111v2 wrote:I am surprised with all the recommendations for a cheaper gun that is below the OP's desired budget. It sounds like Eli is not completely new to shooting, is pretty picky about getting a high end 1911, and can afford the gun of his dreams. He is not talking about robbing a bank or living on Ramen Noodles for 2 years to do so, so I assume he will be able to afford some ammo to enjoy his dream gun.

Few more things to consider when at the store looking at different makes/models:
- Sights: two main flavors are Fixed or Adjustable, with a blend option available of Novak cut adjustable sights. Slide is milled differently for both so this is an important decision point. Than you get into the alignment systems - all black, fiber optic, white dots, tritium, gold dot, etc. Everybody is different and these can be changed between of you stay within Fixed and Adjustable categories. Another "newer" option is Red Dot, but that requires special milling as well and drives up the price considerably.
- Magwell: the heel of a 1911 will have multiple flavors as well - standard, round butt, bobtail, round bob (Kimber and Sig and S&W use these), and extended magwell. Take a look at these.
- Trigger: you mentioned trigger before but we kind of ignored this topic. Common these days is a Curved Long trigger, but they come in three length (Short, Medium, Long) and either Curved or Flat trigger face. Flat is not as common, but all high end manufacturers offer it as a custom option. Also the face of the trigger can have different texture - serrated, smooth, frag - at different aggressiveness levels. Trigger length and thickness of grips (standard, thick, slim) will change the feel of a 1911.
- Accessory Rail: if you want to hang a light/laser under the muzzle, get that accessory rail frame right away. Laser grips are also available as another option. This will also soften the muzzle flip as you are adding weight to the gun. These also come in full length or shorter versions.
- Extended dust cover w/o accessory rail: you get some extra weight but no rail. Check out Les Baer Monolith and Heavyweight Monolith as examples.
- Finish: too long of a topic to write about...


Thank you for comments. You understand exactly what i`m truing to find out.
In gun shop i try this gun - https://secure.arnzenarms.com/sites/def ... ey%201.JPG
than i just make research to find another 1911 with 25 LPI checkered frame and minimalism looking. So i find this guy - https://www.edbrown.com/executive-elite/ and i think this guy is almost perfect for me.
But few things are bothering me:
1. Wich sigts i must choose? (practice at range, carry, self defence) i do not have so much experience with all kind of sights.
2. Trigger lenth: how to find best trigger length for my hands (i wanna order 1911 with right trigger strait from E.B. )
3. Trigger lbs.. Also need to find the best for me to order 1911 with ideal settings
4. I want add magwell to executive-elite to have easier reload. Will ask e.b. guys about that.
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby Eli on Wed Oct 03, 2018 7:48 pm

And yes, i believe that you always get what you paid for. I really disappointed with Springfield 1911`s and other guns with this price range.
Looks like i`m very picky.
But i want to be able to trust my life to this gun. That`s why i plan to buy the one that feels great in my hand. And only E.B. feels like a part of my own hand.
Should i pay for that feeling?
I think yes. It`s make sense for me.
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby Holland&Holland on Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:08 pm

Eli wrote:And yes, i believe that you always get what you paid for. I really disappointed with Springfield 1911`s and other guns with this price range.
Looks like i`m very picky.
But i want to be able to trust my life to this gun. That`s why i plan to buy the one that feels great in my hand. And only E.B. feels like a part of my own hand.
Should i pay for that feeling?
I think yes. It`s make sense for me.

Just because you paid big bucks for a gun does not mean you can trust you life to it.
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby Ghost on Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:21 pm

Eli wrote:And yes, i believe that you always get what you paid for. I really disappointed with Springfield 1911`s and other guns with this price range.
Looks like i`m very picky.
But i want to be able to trust my life to this gun. That`s why i plan to buy the one that feels great in my hand. And only E.B. feels like a part of my own hand.
Should i pay for that feeling?
I think yes. It`s make sense for me.

I'd make an appointment and go there and work with them to get the best you can then. Only a little over 7 hour drive.

Ed Brown Products, Inc.
43825 Muldrow Trail
PO Box 492
Perry, MO 63462
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Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby gun_fan111v2 on Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:36 pm

Eli wrote:...But few things are bothering me:
1. Wich sigts i must choose? (practice at range, carry, self defence) i do not have so much experience with all kind of sights.
2. Trigger lenth: how to find best trigger length for my hands (i wanna order 1911 with right trigger strait from E.B. )
3. Trigger lbs.. Also need to find the best for me to order 1911 with ideal settings
4. I want add magwell to executive-elite to have easier reload. Will ask e.b. guys about that.


Remember, all of these are what I would pick. Don't know what is right for you :)

1. Defense would be more important to me, so I would go with tritium front with white outline and fixed all-black rear (likely ledge style). This is a picture of XS Standard size front and .140" wide rear sight. Most other makes have rectangular sights versus round but you get the idea. Fiber optic front with all black rear is very popular these days as well.

Image

2. I like medium flat triggers paired with standard width grip panels. Medium is a good place to start unless you have very small or very large hands. If ordering directly from Ed Brown and willing to spend a few extra dollars, ask them to fit 2-3 different triggers to your gun so you can experience them. Should be around $50 per trigger at most...

3. Since you are new to 1911s, I would recommend asking for 4-4.5lb trigger. You can always get that adjusted later but going too light can cause an accidental discharge and going too heavy can cause accuracy issues. What kind of triggers are you used to?

4. Another flexible option that Ed Brown can help with. They should have magwells of two types - One Piece and Two Piece. If you order Two Piece, the bottom portion can be removed when you feel like it (will leave a screw hole). If you order One Piece, you can also ask them to fit and extra standard MSH and those can be swapped in about 30 seconds whenever you feel like it.

Small unsolicited advice: Its usually a bit cheaper to custom order through a master dealer versus you calling manufacturers like Ed Brown and placing the order. Ask these guys who the top 2-3 dealers are these days https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread ... /forums/53. If you decide to buy a stock model, Gunbroker has some unbelievable deals on high end modern production pistols just make sure you are buying from a reputable seller.
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby Holland&Holland on Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:46 pm

gun_fan111v2 wrote:I am surprised with all the recommendations for a cheaper gun that is below the OP's desired budget. It sounds like Eli is not completely new to shooting, is pretty picky about getting a high end 1911, and can afford the gun of his dreams. He is not talking about robbing a bank or living on Ramen Noodles for 2 years to do so, so I assume he will be able to afford some ammo to enjoy his dream gun.

Few more things to consider when at the store looking at different makes/models:
- Sights: two main flavors are Fixed or Adjustable, with a blend option available of Novak cut adjustable sights. Slide is milled differently for both so this is an important decision point. Than you get into the alignment systems - all black, fiber optic, white dots, tritium, gold dot, etc. Everybody is different and these can be changed between of you stay within Fixed and Adjustable categories. Another "newer" option is Red Dot, but that requires special milling as well and drives up the price considerably.
- Magwell: the heel of a 1911 will have multiple flavors as well - standard, round butt, bobtail, round bob (Kimber and Sig and S&W use these), and extended magwell. Take a look at these.
- Trigger: you mentioned trigger before but we kind of ignored this topic. Common these days is a Curved Long trigger, but they come in three length (Short, Medium, Long) and either Curved or Flat trigger face. Flat is not as common, but all high end manufacturers offer it as a custom option. Also the face of the trigger can have different texture - serrated, smooth, frag - at different aggressiveness levels. Trigger length and thickness of grips (standard, thick, slim) will change the feel of a 1911.
- Accessory Rail: if you want to hang a light/laser under the muzzle, get that accessory rail frame right away. Laser grips are also available as another option. This will also soften the muzzle flip as you are adding weight to the gun. These also come in full length or shorter versions.
- Extended dust cover w/o accessory rail: you get some extra weight but no rail. Check out Les Baer Monolith and Heavyweight Monolith as examples.
- Finish: too long of a topic to write about...


Because he is all over the place on what he wants so I think most are saying shoot one first before deciding on what your dream gun is. Doesn't seem like bad advice to me but as I said if he wants to buy a specific high end one he found, go for it. We need more high end 1911s at used discount prices posted here.
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Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby gun_fan111v2 on Wed Oct 03, 2018 9:08 pm

Holland&Holland wrote:
gun_fan111v2 wrote:I am surprised with all the recommendations for a cheaper gun that is below the OP's desired budget. It sounds like Eli is not completely new to shooting, is pretty picky about getting a high end 1911, and can afford the gun of his dreams. He is not talking about robbing a bank or living on Ramen Noodles for 2 years to do so, so I assume he will be able to afford some ammo to enjoy his dream gun.

Few more things to consider when at the store looking at different makes/models:
- Sights: two main flavors are Fixed or Adjustable, with a blend option available of Novak cut adjustable sights. Slide is milled differently for both so this is an important decision point. Than you get into the alignment systems - all black, fiber optic, white dots, tritium, gold dot, etc. Everybody is different and these can be changed between of you stay within Fixed and Adjustable categories. Another "newer" option is Red Dot, but that requires special milling as well and drives up the price considerably.
- Magwell: the heel of a 1911 will have multiple flavors as well - standard, round butt, bobtail, round bob (Kimber and Sig and S&W use these), and extended magwell. Take a look at these.
- Trigger: you mentioned trigger before but we kind of ignored this topic. Common these days is a Curved Long trigger, but they come in three length (Short, Medium, Long) and either Curved or Flat trigger face. Flat is not as common, but all high end manufacturers offer it as a custom option. Also the face of the trigger can have different texture - serrated, smooth, frag - at different aggressiveness levels. Trigger length and thickness of grips (standard, thick, slim) will change the feel of a 1911.
- Accessory Rail: if you want to hang a light/laser under the muzzle, get that accessory rail frame right away. Laser grips are also available as another option. This will also soften the muzzle flip as you are adding weight to the gun. These also come in full length or shorter versions.
- Extended dust cover w/o accessory rail: you get some extra weight but no rail. Check out Les Baer Monolith and Heavyweight Monolith as examples.
- Finish: too long of a topic to write about...


Because he is all over the place on what he wants so I think most are saying shoot one first before deciding on what your dream gun is. Doesn't seem like bad advice to me but as I said if he wants to buy a specific high end one he found, go for it. We need more high end 1911s at used discount prices posted here.


Fair enough :)
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby Pat on Wed Oct 03, 2018 9:17 pm

Eli wrote:Hi guys, i really need help with the choice of 1911 in .45 caliber. (budget is from $1,500-3,500).
more than 20 years I wanted to buy 1911 and now I can do it. But how to choose?

I need 1911 for practice at shooting range (once a week) & 4 personal protection (everyday carry). Looking for high quality but reliable 1911. Because i plain to use it hard. In couple videos i heard than the high grade 1911 can afraid dirt and dust. Is it true? Coarse i do not wanna buy cheap piece of crap.
Looking for design close to original 1911 but with good sights for everyday carry.

I was in the Bill`s Gun Shop in Robbinsdale, but none of the 1911 that they have is not fitted me perfectly. So, did anyone know, where a can found is the largest selection of 1911 in Minnesota?
Also, I think I need to find a REALLY good gunsmith specializing for 1911 (someone who understand mechanic of 1911 & can customize it well) to then set up my new 1911 gun.

Sorry 4 my English, hope you guys can help me to choose right 1911.



I have owned a series of Nighthawk Custom pistols and have them all to be beautiful, well made (by hand), accurate as hell and uncompromisingly flawless in action. You will love it!
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby crbutler on Wed Oct 03, 2018 11:40 pm

The difference between a high end builder like Wilson, Ed Brown, etc. and the guys who do action competition guns is generally in what the extra time is spent on.

My experience with Baer and Wilson was that I needed to shoot the piece a bit and break it in before it became what I consider reliable... as a IPSC/USPSA shooter, I insist that the gun shoot 500 rounds minimum without malfunction between cleanings. Baer and Wilson guns do that after break in, but the IPSC guys have that out of the box on day one.

The fit and finish are nicer on the Baer and Wilson guns.

The accuracy is about the same.

My reason for not offering suggestions on what to get is that you need to try them and decide. Frankly, my likes move around a bit. All of the options have pros and cons- light trigger is more accurate and usually faster in a competitive sense. It's also more prone to wear and then be dangerous. It's also potentially an issue in a defensive situation when your nervous system starts being balky from stress and you fire the piece when you don't realize your finger is on the trigger... training can help with that, I've been told, but until you see the elephant you won't know if you trained enough to keep the booger hook off the bang switch in a stressed situation.

Sights... similar issues. A really high visibility fiber optic sight vs tritium vs reflex type sights, etc. all have pros and cons.

You like the way the Ed Brown fits, great, get it.

But you will decide to change things on it over time. You will not be able to order perfection regardless at this point. That is part of why folks are saying get the cheaper ones and play with it. If you haven't a lot of experience, you are going to be changing things and the higher end gun will cost more to modify without mucking it up than a generic over the counter gun will.
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Re: Help me to make my dream come truth. 1911 in .45

Postby aprilian on Thu Oct 04, 2018 6:21 am

crbutler wrote:
The fit and finish are nicer on the Baer and Wilson guns.


My Baer slide has turned plum colored. Lots of info on 1911forums.com on that peculiarity of the Baer finishes.
crbutler wrote:
My reason for not offering suggestions on what to get is that you need to try them and decide.

You like the way the Ed Brown fits, great, get it.


Good advice, but like most good advice on the internet, an OP rarely wants advice, just confirmation of their decision and you covered both in a single post - well done! :D
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