1911

Here is my range gun/do it all 1911. I love it and I was led to it from friends here on the forum.
LB2.jpg


I could not recommend Les Baer Enough.

On Colt, here is my one and only Colt 1911.

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My first 1911 and and trust me if I had to give up the Colt or the Les Baer... the Les Baer would be saying goodbye. I only shoot the Baer now though:thumbup:

On the other hand, the same guys that led me to Les Baer tell me Ed Brown is tops. Basically explaining to me that his pistols are built keeping reliability and fit and finish as the main priorities and Baer's are built, for the most part, keeping extreme accuracy above reliability (though I haven't found any reliability issues with mine in well over 5k rounds) and the fit and finish is lower then Ed Brown (again I have no basis of comparison but I take their words for it).

I used to shoot a SA GI 1911 at my local range if I just wanted to stop on the way home and I didn't have my pistol or something. For the price, scratch that, I loved shooting that pistol and it never gave me an issue.

So, IMO look at quality 1911's and pick one in your range and be happy with it and shoot the heck out of it:D Oh, and have fun:thumbup:
 
If you guys treat your guns like you treat your Busse's, I'd recommend a tough, durable finish on whatever you decide. I have Bear Coat on my Les Baer TRS and it's ridiculously rugged.
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colt,s&w,springfield,dan wesson,ed brown,les baer, i think im missing a few other good makers. but i was always told for my first 1911. get a good model from a good maker and up grade as you want unless you want to drop major coin and get a custom. me i havent got my 1911 yet. my grail 1911 right now is a colt special combat .
 
Not with factory ammo. When using poof hand loads I had to hand cycle it. It went through all this after being tossed in the mud.
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frc505 said:
colt,s&w,springfield,dan wesson,ed brown,les baer, i think im missing a few other good makers. but i was always told for my first 1911. get a good model from a good maker and up grade as you want unless you want to drop major coin and get a custom. me i havent got my 1911 yet. my grail 1911 right now is a colt special combat .
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Great Choice Assuming you are talking about the Government model. :thumbup:

However, word is Colt is unleashing this beauty soon

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Guys I appreciate the sentiment, and I can certainly appreciate buying the best of the best. But I also have priorities and a $2000 hand gun is not one of them. I live in Jersey so I'm not carrying anything around that my life will depend on. 99.9999% of the time it will be aimed at paper and if god forbid I have a home intruder, my 870 will probably do the job without even pulling the trigger. If someone said "take your pick", sure I'd go for the Les baer or the ed brown. But like I said, I do have a budget. Saving $2000 is not like saving $800 or $1000. Not if I want one before my new born or 3 year graduates college. I do appreciate the help and input. I know we're all passionate about our guns and knives. I'd just like the most bang for MY buck, and something I can be proud of. I think some of the colts or SAs suggested is probably where my money will land. I have to be realistic with my end use though and I'd never truely get my money's worth out of a $2000 hand gun. Same reason why I'd never buy a Moab. If I can't use it to its full extent it may as well be a $2K rock...

But anyway. I might be able to stretch that budget just a bit, so maybe the Special Combat would be in reach but I think a series 70 or SA mil-spec is more likely. Who knows... I'll do my homework and see what I stumble upon.
 
Colt.

Everything else is just trying to reach that mark.

But you have to be smart about it. RIA recently held a major auction with Pre-WWII Colts selling for under $2k. That's a price you can make a profit on, unlike buying anything and having it worked over. And guns from those years are beautiful; had fit, polished, and deep blue finishes most makers wish they could afford to do. Those are collectable handguns; new guns are like new cars, they devalue 50% the minute you walk out the door.

Old Colts shoot; I regularily shoot mine, and most of them were built before 1950.

You want some fun that's affordable? Buy a Colt Ace. You'll pay $2k - $4k for a good one, they feed regular .22lr and will shoot all day for $20, and you'll be putting money in the bank. Those guns have gone up 50% in the last 10 years.
 
richstag said:
Here is my range gun/do it all 1911. I love it and I was led to it from friends here on the forum.
LB2.jpg


I could not recommend Les Baer Enough.

On Colt, here is my one and only Colt 1911.

CC1.jpg


My first 1911 and and trust me if I had to give up the Colt or the Les Baer... the Les Baer would be saying goodbye. I only shoot the Baer now though:thumbup:

On the other hand, the same guys that led me to Les Baer tell me Ed Brown is tops. Basically explaining to me that his pistols are built keeping reliability and fit and finish as the main priorities and Baer's are built, for the most part, keeping extreme accuracy above reliability (though I haven't found any reliability issues with mine in well over 5k rounds) and the fit and finish is lower then Ed Brown (again I have no basis of comparison but I take their words for it).

I used to shoot a SA GI 1911 at my local range if I just wanted to stop on the way home and I didn't have my pistol or something. For the price, scratch that, I loved shooting that pistol and it never gave me an issue.

So, IMO look at quality 1911's and pick one in your range and be happy with it and shoot the heck out of it:D Oh, and have fun:thumbup:
Click to expand...

IMO Baer, Brown and Wilson all have negligible differences that all come down to the preference of the shooter. Out of the three, having had all, I prefer Brown, but both Baer and Wilson are top notch. I'm still considering a Wilson in 10mm though.
 
What about Sub-compact or compact models. Most hold around 6-7 rounds. Smaller profile is always a plus.
 
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE:

You're talking to a bunch of Busse fiends, of course they will be advising you to only get the best. BUT I would recommend spending $450 or so on an "American Classic" gov't model 1911. http://www.americanclassic1911.com/classic-ii-model.html It's made in the Phillipines like all the other cut-rate brands (Armscor makes Citade, STI Spartan, ATI, etc) BUT the AC has a forged slide (instead of cast - forged is more durable & slightly more dense). The AC also has all the helpful custom goodies standard, esp. beaver-tail safety & extended thumb safety. They are well-reviewed in every review I have seen.

I did much recent research b/c my current 1911 is a Frankensteined Springfield and I wondered what a well-made entry-level factory gun would be like (but
I ended up spending the $$ on a Colt Delta Gold Cup in 10mm).

I say - get a good basic 1911 and see if you like it - if you do, it will become a disease just like INFI and you will end up spending $$ for the good stuff. If not, hey you're not out too much $$. Most importantly, you can spend the $$ you save on ammo, to get used to the gun and learn why people love the 1911 so!
 
Did Glock win yet? :D

I wish I had advice on this. I have a Kimber CDP sitting in my dads safe with zero carry time by me. I really wish that I carried a pistol day to day but it is not possible. Between working for the local government and working as an EMT it would never fly. I am glad I am not regulated on knives!!

I am surprised my dad hasn't posted on this thread.

Zach
 
Just buy a Colt or Springfield Armory. You can always add aftermarket mods to fix up the trigger and what not. Bar-Sto Precision Machine can fit a custom barrel for you when you can afford it. It's fun to play with all the aftermarket toys. Can't really do that with an expensive custom model.

http://www.barsto.com/
 
DowntownDM said:
A new (or even used) Springfield 70 series will serve you well and not break the bank.

;)
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Did you mean Colt 70 Series?

eisman said:
Colt.

Everything else is just trying to reach that mark.

But you have to be smart about it. RIA recently held a major auction with Pre-WWII Colts selling for under $2k. That's a price you can make a profit on, unlike buying anything and having it worked over. And guns from those years are beautiful; had fit, polished, and deep blue finishes most makers wish they could afford to do. Those are collectable handguns; new guns are like new cars, they devalue 50% the minute you walk out the door.

Old Colts shoot; I regularily shoot mine, and most of them were built before 1950.

You want some fun that's affordable? Buy a Colt Ace. You'll pay $2k - $4k for a good one, they feed regular .22lr and will shoot all day for $20, and you'll be putting money in the bank. Those guns have gone up 50% in the last 10 years.
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I may lean towards Colt over SA. Even if they're not Top Of the Line, just having a Colt will make me happy.

fishface5 said:
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE:

You're talking to a bunch of Busse fiends, of course they will be advising you to only get the best. BUT I would recommend spending $450 or so on an "American Classic" gov't model 1911. http://www.americanclassic1911.com/classic-ii-model.html It's made in the Phillipines like all the other cut-rate brands (Armscor makes Citade, STI Spartan, ATI, etc) BUT the AC has a forged slide (instead of cast - forged is more durable & slightly more dense). The AC also has all the helpful custom goodies standard, esp. beaver-tail safety & extended thumb safety. They are well-reviewed in every review I have seen.

I did much recent research b/c my current 1911 is a Frankensteined Springfield and I wondered what a well-made entry-level factory gun would be like (but
I ended up spending the $$ on a Colt Delta Gold Cup in 10mm).

I say - get a good basic 1911 and see if you like it - if you do, it will become a disease just like INFI and you will end up spending $$ for the good stuff. If not, hey you're not out too much $$. Most importantly, you can spend the $$ you save on ammo, to get used to the gun and learn why people love the 1911 so!
Click to expand...

I'm leery of a $450 1911, simply because of the "get what you pay for" idea, but I will certainly read reviews and consider them. If it fits my needs, I wont dispute a cheap well made alternative. The link you gave me, shows the Classic II Model. Is that what you intended?

shunsui said:
Just buy a Colt or Springfield Armory. You can always add aftermarket mods to fix up the trigger and what not. Bar-Sto Precision Machine can fit a custom barrel for you when you can afford it. It's fun to play with all the aftermarket toys. Can't really do that with an expensive custom model.

http://www.barsto.com/
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. Upgrading bit by bit has always been fun for me. It feels more custom than an off the shelf "custom" and you don't take the hit to the wallet all at once.
 
adrock1978 said:
Did you mean Colt 70 Series?
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Nope, a Springfield. They make both 70 and 80 series 1911s, and I'm generally anti-80-series because there's just no need for lawyer-features on any firearm, so I was just making it clear which variety I was suggesting.

Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, a bone stock Springfield will (in almost all cases) be a better and more reliable pistol than a new Colt. Sad but true. And I like Colt pistols...

Both are great base pistols, and (IME) Springfields are the 2nd most common base gun for custom builds (2nd only to Colts, and very few people I know run stock modern Colts these days) - which says a lot I think.
 
and lastly, do not (IMO), under any circumstances, fall into the "upgrade it yourself" pattern so many others do. a substantial portion of the bad rep many 1911s have is from shade-tree gunsmiths and do-it-yourself-ers.

get a decent pistol, shoot it as is, any *maybe* later - once you really know what you like and need, find a *very* well respected 1911 specialist to do *any* work you want done on one. it doesn't have to be super expensive either...

a few years ago I helped a friend with a similar situation. he bought a used Colt for $700, shot it a lot for a year, then spent ~$450 on upgrading the trigger/ignition system and a few minor parts (sights, grips, etc), and for less than $1200 it's (now) an awesome pistol.

anyway.

good luck.
 
STIguns.com has some pretty cool new double stacked 1911 models they call the 2011. Kind of pricey but about the same as a nighthawk or les baer with double mag capacity. The Nuge has good things to say about the 10mm they made for him on the site too. I have heard alot of people say that Kimber has one of the best balances of quality and affordability of the higher end 1911 makers.
 
I would also have to vote for a Springfield for your price point:thumbup:

Stick with the "Loaded"models or better. The G.I. models are too much of a novelty IMHO.
 
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