What 1911 do you recommend to buy?

[brauchma]

I am in the market for a new gun(wife wants to buy me one) and want to own a nice 1911 style handgun. What are your suggestions? I may carry it someday...who knows.

S&W,Kimber..etc?
Full size, Smaller,...etc?

Thanks....

What's your budget? Would you like to spend $600, $1200, $1800, more?

Stick with names like Kimber and Springfield. It is kind of a Ford/Chevy thing. However, until you get into their higher-end guns, Springfields are made in Brazil. Kimbers are made in the USA.

Now I'm not against imports in general. I have guns from the US, Croatia, Japan, Finland, Italy, Brazil, and more. However, you are getting the AMERICAN original that changed handgun combat. This is a historic firearm. If you only have one, it should be made in America IMHO. (I know that JMB did have to go to Belgium to get his guns made.)

As others have said, decide on your frame size and barrel length first. Then decide on an alloy or steel frame. Remember that checkering, sites, triggers, etc can all be done later.

For the Kimber line, the models I see mostly are the Raptor, TLE, and Eclipse.

Lastly, from what I've heard, the best buy in higher-end 1911's is the Les Baer 1911 Premier II, 5” Model, .45 ACP. It's on my wish list.

I just want a good one...I like the sound and feel of steel. I agree with American made 1911's. Price may not make a difference.

[macphisto]

My to-buy list:

1. Keltec P3AT
2. 12 gauge pump shotgun
3. S&W 642
4. 1911
5. AR-15
6. Bolt-action rifle in .308

I can hardly wait to own a 1911, but I'll have to because it's probably over a year away.

[mnglocker]

The 1911 I've got on my list is the Sig Revolution STX. :drool:


http://sigarms.com/Products/ShowCatalog ... ductid=130

Beware, really nice gun pron in the link.

[plblark]

Guy I know is looking to get into NRA Bullsyeye shooting and wants a 1911. He's been all over Bill's North comparing.

So, Questions to you all:

Which 1911 for the job?
Which .22 for the job? HE has a Ruger Mk III which should be sufficient but is considering a 1911 .45 and something similar in .22


Thoughts? Ideas? Should this be in a topic of its own?

[cobb]

Guy I know is looking to get into NRA Bullsyeye shooting and wants a 1911. He's been all over Bill's North comparing.

So, Questions to you all:

Which 1911 for the job?
Which .22 for the job? HE has a Ruger Mk III which should be sufficient but is considering a 1911 .45 and something similar in .22


Thoughts? Ideas? Should this be in a topic of its own?

A Baer or Rock River will serve him well, Baer makes a model specifically for bullseye and you can get an accuracy guarentee. I own both, but lean towards a Baer because I have shooting one of mine for about 4 years now and am extremely happy with it.

Or is there a price range that we should know about?????

On the starting end for 1911's I would go with the Springfield milspec. As the price range goes up, I go up in the Springfields and then bring Kimber into the picture. Colts, well I don't own any except 2 collectors a 2 Defenders and I bought the Defenders both used and nobody else offered a 3" 1911 back then.

I have heard good of Sig and S&W, do not own either, but would look at the S&W 1911 because of the good things personally I have heard about them. All I here about a Sig, is that it is a Sig and it has to be good. That is maybe why the price is what it is on a Colt, because it is a Colt.

[Spartan117]

I've got an all stainless Springfield milspec that I've been very satisfied with. It's been solid with no failures at around 800 rounds so far with mostly cheapo Wolf ammo. I like the weight of it, although maybe I wouldn't if it were my main gun.

[brauchma]

The 1911 I've got on my list is the Sig Revolution STX. :drool:


http://sigarms.com/Products/ShowCatalog ... ductid=130

Beware, really nice gun pron in the link.

Wow...that is a nice looking gun!!!! There are so many choices! AHHHH!!!!

[1911fan]

I would advise you to be careful in your search for a sig revolution. Although the word SIG usually means dead reliable, I have been hearing and seeing other results with the revolution.


Google it and see what you come up with, I know I talked to the gun writer Charlie Petty and he was of the "you can do better" mindset, which from him means "Don't touch it" as he will never slam a current companies product, but he will off alternatives if you read between the lines that means no go

[jac714]

[quote="brauchma]I just want a good one...I like the sound and feel of steel. I agree with American made 1911's. Price may not make a difference.][/quote]

I would take a serious look at the high end 1911s (Baer, Ed Brown, Nighthawk...) in my case I cannot shoot well enough now or probably in the future to benefit from the marginal difference between them and the Kimber, SA, S&W, Sig level 1911s.

Personally I cannot justify $2500 for a Baer or Nighthawk when I will put the bullets in the same palce with a $1200 Kimber or SA. If I was going to buy my first 1911 right now, knowing what I know now I would buy a Kimber Pro Raptor. Steel frame, 4" barrel good solid shooting and a reasonable carry gun. Plus it will with proper care last longer than you do. It is also a good starting point for the collection of 1911s you will eventually end up with.

I would definitely shoot all 4 (5 or 6) sizes, Defender (3"), Officer (3.5"), CCO (Officer frame 4" barrel), Pro (4"), Commander (4.25) and Full (5") before I made started to make any decision. In my case I cannot stand to shoot or for that matter shoot an officer sized frame 1911, it hurts. Other I know absolutely love the Officer size frame.

Just my .02, probably wourth about 1/2 of what you paid for it.

[brauchma]

I would definitely shoot all 4 (5 or 6) sizes, Defender (3"), Officer (3.5"), CCO (Officer frame 4" barrel), Pro (4"), Commander (4.25) and Full (5") before I made started to make any decision. In my case I cannot stand to shoot or for that matter shoot an officer sized frame 1911, it hurts. Other I know absolutely love the Officer size frame.

Where can I get this wide range of 1911 to try out? Bills in the cities? I have had my eye on the Kimber Raptor for quite some time. The higher end - There is no way I can get a $2500 gun...at this point. I am also looking at the S&W SW1911PD.

I think I just need to shoot a few different ones and then decide. I like all the recommendations and point of views as well. They are very helpful.

[jac714]

I would definitely shoot all 4 (5 or 6) sizes, Defender (3"), Officer (3.5"), CCO (Officer frame 4" barrel), Pro (4"), Commander (4.25) and Full (5") before I made started to make any decision. In my case I cannot stand to shoot or for that matter shoot an officer sized frame 1911, it hurts. Other I know absolutely love the Officer size frame.

Where can I get this wide range of 1911 to try out? Bills in the cities? I have had my eye on the Kimber Raptor for quite some time. The higher end - There is no way I can get a $2500 gun...at this point. I am also looking at the S&W SW1911PD.

I think I just need to shoot a few different ones and then decide. I like all the recommendations and point of views as well. They are very helpful.

Bills south has a nice selection of rentals, I don't think they have a CCO but they might, it is essentially the same as a Kimber Compact size.

Let me know when you want to go I have some rentals to use up that came with my membership.

[phorvick]

I handled and shot a new Taurus 1911 today. It had a great trigger...superb accuracy...and the 25 or so shots were very nice to shoot. The only thing I did not like, was that it was not as "pretty" as some others. And, even as dumb as thay may sound to some, the 1911's can be so beautiful that this actually bothered me a bit. Superb fun to shoot, accurate, lots of gun for the money...but it did not generate lust in the heart.

[DeanC]

Where can I get this wide range of 1911 to try out? Bills in the cities?

Yep - and they do have a Nighthawk for rent too. You really need to try it just so you can see what you get at that price point.

To me, on 1911's, the price is logarithmic while the quality is only marginally better as you go up.

[plblark]

Here's the rub with renting anywhere and using that gun as THE example and THE choice maker... Range rentals get used by anyone who puts the money down. They get cleaned less and maintained less than you would your custom bullseye gun for example. Perhaps Bill's treats the top line rentals different than say the Beretta 92 they had. I don't really know.

If I was getting down to where I was split between two choices, I'd try and convince someone who owns one to go shooting with me to make a final decision.

[cobb]

Here's the rub with renting anywhere and using that gun as THE example and THE choice maker... Range rentals get used by anyone who puts the money down. They get cleaned less and maintained less than you would your custom bullseye gun for example. PErhaps Bill's treats the top line rentals different than say the Beretta 92 they had. I don't really know.

If I as getting down to where I was split between two choices, I'd try and convince someone who owns one to go shooting with me to make a final decision.

Can't help you with the Nighthawk, all I have is a Baer Priemer II and Concept VI, also Rock River Arms Limited Match and a Commando, which are no longer made. Not to put anyone down, but I know there a people that would have a hard time telling much difference between a $800 1911 and a $2400 1911. Not that they couldn't, but I don't think they would see the $1000 difference.

It is nice to compare the Baer next to the Rock River, they are very different in my eyes, not so much in quality but how they are, I have to say formed for lack of a better word. One has a smoother this, the other has more mass here, etc.