..

[hammAR]

Surprised that Taurus even made the list, being they've only been making 1911's for a short time.

Hey, if they sponsored you, gave you gun(s) to play with, and paid all your expenses,
wouldn't you do it, even if it was a prototype.....I would

[justaguy]

I know someone taking their carry class at Bills on Sat. And he also at some point wants to buy a 1911. I emailed him to see if he wants to try some with me, and save a couple dollars. Bills lets two people rent one gun, right? I was planning on renting about all they had just to see what the hype is all about with Nighthawk. If there site is right I wont get to try the Hawk, but anything hands on is good. Maybe I’ll try the Hawk and just have to have it, or it could be the same with the Taurus. I haven’t heard good things about Taurus customer serv. but haven’t had to deal with them. After reading some posts I think a middle of the road gun will work. I don’t buy something and not use it or baby it. I have a motorcycle that I bought to ride not to wash and look nice and shiny in the garage. I get to hear from everyone “you ever wash that thing?” I always tell them the dirt protects the paint from the UV rays.

Thanks for all the responses it gave me a little direction and maybe saved me some cash. Unless I just have to have a $2000 gun. And then I blame all of you. I like the IDPA results I wouldn’t have thought of that.

[DeanC]

I haven’t heard good things about Taurus customer serv. but haven’t had to deal with them.

I have heard both good and bad. My theory on Taurus is the whole company has ADD. They just have too damned many different models of guns. And they drop and pick up product lines every five minutes, so quality control suffers sometimes.

On the 1911 I beat myself up about buying it, but then I figured: "Frick - it's very cheap compared to other 1911's - I think I paid $450 - and hell, it's a 1911 - basically all of the parts except the hammer lock are interchangeable. If something goes south, I can just drop in a new part out of the Brownell's catalog." So I bought it.

[JoeH]

A simple point for a relative reference, look at the IDPA Championship Survey Results. They have listed in there the guns, holsters, ammunition, bullets, powder, etc. used by the best of the best in the IDPA game.

I will not retype the entire list or all of the models,
but the highlights by manufacturer of the 1911's are:

Springfield 39
Kimber 22
STI 18
Sig 10
Colt 9
Para Ord 8
Les Baer 6
Wilson Combat 6
SVI 3
Dan Wesson 2
Nighthawk 2
EAA 1
Rock River 1
Taurus 1

For what it is worth.......................

I do not have that issue of the IDPA magazine in front of me. Are these 1911s only or would the Springfield number include XDs?

[justaguy]

I haven’t heard good things about Taurus customer serv. but haven’t had to deal with them.

I have heard both good and bad. My theory on Taurus is the whole company has ADD. They just have too damned many different models of guns. And they drop and pick up product lines every five minutes, so quality control suffers sometimes.

On the 1911 I beat myself up about buying it, but then I figured: "Frick - it's very cheap compared to other 1911's - I think I paid $450 - and hell, it's a 1911 - basically all of the parts except the hammer lock are interchangeable. If something goes south, I can just drop in a new part out of the Brownell's catalog." So I bought it.

Why do you beat yourself up about buying it?

[DeanC]

Why do you beat yourself up about buying it?

Because it's a Taurus - LOL.

It's like buying a Hundai or riding a moped.

[cobb]

It's like buying a Hundai or riding a moped.

Oh Oh.

[DeanC]

Despite my best efforts, I own 3 Taurii. I can say that.

[justaguy]

Dean after shooting all the different types was the Taurus the best one for you or just the best deal?

Mac I’m assuming this is your first 1911. Did you shoot any others before you bought yours? What made you buy the Taurus?

I own a Hundai and a moped.

[DeanC]

Best deal.

There were other 1911's that were certainly better for me in the same way that a Porsche Carrera would be better for me than my old Ford. I would have to spend over $1k for the gun to make a major difference for me in terms of quality, and I am just not ready to spend that kind of money on a gun that I will not carry every day.

[macphisto]

Mac I’m assuming this is your first 1911. Did you shoot any others before you bought yours? What made you buy the Taurus?

Yup, my first .45 and my first 1911. I shot a couple different Springfields before getting the Taurus. After seeing one guy in particular have all kinds of trouble with his Kimber at some of the steel shoots, I realized that it doesn't matter what name is on the slide or how much you spent, you can still have problems. 1911s are awesome guns, but finicky. I believe there are far more reliable platforms, but it's hard to beat the beauty, magic, and history of a 1911. In the end, I bought the Taurus because I had heard nothing but good things and it was cheap. So far it's been great and is my new favorite gun.

[westberg]

After seeing one guy in particular have all kinds of trouble with his Kimber at some of the steel shoots, I realized that it doesn't matter what name is on the slide or how much you spent, you can still have problems. 1911s are awesome guns, but finicky.

Macphisto, I don't know if your referring to me or not, I hope you didn't make your decision based on what happened with my guns. I have three Kimber and all are now very reliable. I had two of them at the steel shoots these summer and I did have problem with them, but in a sense this was planned. The first one was a Super Match II which I normally shoot at matchs, I was not cleaning it to see how long it would run before a failure and it turned out it had a weak recoil spring after a whole lot of shooting. Now that I replaced the spring and regularly clean it the gun it has not failed to go bang every time. The second gun was the Desert Warrior which was a new gun. Kimber finishes this gun with the Kim Pro finish on the feed ramp which started chipping after a few mags thru it and I was concerned that it would create problem, which it did. I polished the feed ramp after the match and again not any problems.

Ron

edited spelling

[cobb]

I always joke that I think that some 1911 owners have the same mind set as some Harley owners. They both work on their own gun/bike because they think they should and cause a lot of their problems. The bike leaks oil because the goof ball has no idea what a torque wrench is and then tightens bolts until it is tight, so the gasket is smashed and the cover warped. Same with a 1911, the dremel will fix what their personal trigger job doesn't. I am seeing some of this on Glocks also, they are doing some modifications on their own because there is getting to be a lot of after markets parts for Glocks, just like 1911's.

The only problems that I have had that I can recall were with a Springfield Armory, and I use to own quite a few and still recommend them, and a STI. I still own the STI, but with the problems I had with it, plus the poor cosmetics, I cannot understand how it ever left the factory. I guess most will tell you that a STI is a quality 1911 and that I am wrong, bottom line, I maybe just got a lemon, it happens.

[cobb]

The second gun was the Desert Warrior which was a new gun. Kimber finishes this gun with the Kim Pro finish on the feed ramp which started chipping after a few mags thru it and I was concerned that it would create problem, which it did. I polished the feed ramp after the match and again not any problems.

Two questions. Does the Desert Warrior have an alloy frame and did the magazines have the split followers like 8 round Chip McCormich have? I stay away from the split followers because of their track record of damaging feed ramps on alloy framed guns.

[macphisto]

After seeing one guy in particular have all kinds of trouble with his Kimber at some of the steel shoots, I realized that it doesn't matter what name is on the slide or how much you spent, you can still have problems. 1911s are awesome guns, but finicky.

Macphisto, I don't know if your referring to me or not, I hope you didn't make your decision based on what happened with my guns. I have three Kimber and all are now very reliable. I had two of them at the steel shoots these summer and I did have problem with them, but in a sense this was planned. The first one was a Supper Match II which I normally shoot at matchs, I was not cleaning it to see how long it would run before a failure and it turned out it had a weak recoil spring after a whole lot of shooting. Now that I replaced the spring and regularly clean it the gun it has not failed to go bang every time. The second gun was the Desert Warrior which was a new gun. Kimber finishes this gun with the Kim Pro finish on the feed ramp which started chipping after a few mags thru it and I was concerned that it would create problem, which it did. I polished the feed ramp after the match and again not any problems.

Ron

Ron, you're not the guy I was thinking of; he shall remain nameless unless he chooses to speak up.