Best overall pistol for my scenario?

Out of the box quality Sig Sauer p229 is hard to beat. With your budget and once a month range time you should not limit your choice of caliber. 40mm is good. 357Sig is better. Dry fire practice between range time will also improve your handling without costing a dime.
 
Carson Donovan said:
40mm is good.
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40mm.

For when pesky handgun rounds just won't do!

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Another 1911 recommendation: Nighthawk Customs.
 
.357 sig is probably just as effective a 9mm, but I don't know of any objective ballistics study that proves it to be more effective than .40, or any that prove .40 to be more effective than .45. You can certainly get a lot less ammunition for your money buying .357 Sig if you're into that sort of thing.

As a rule, I typically recommend either 9mm or .45. I own a .40 and carry it at work because I have to. I'd be perfectly comfortable carrying a Glock 17 with 18 rounds of 9mm, or 9 rounds of .45 as I have in the past. .40 is a very high pressure round with snappy recoil. It can be hard on guns that were originally designed for 9mm, and accurate follow up shots might be slower for new shooters.

The only objective, scientific, repeatable ballistics studies that I buy into rank 9, .40, and .45 very similarly for tissue damage with only marginal increases in expected lethality as caliber size goes up from the first to the third. The "stopping power" rankings in gun magazines are generally based on subjective, unique incidents with too many variables to even calculate. The notable advantages for the larger, heavier rounds are seen when shooting through intermediate barriers like walls and windows.

Now comes the part where everybody agrees with me ;)
 
Agree with AustinOX. 9mm or .45. I would pass on the .40...it's just a very snappy round. IMO (based on the firearm of course) the .45 is a flatter shooting round that is easier to do follow up shots with. The .40 is quite snappy and while my wife shot my USP .40 very well, I ended up selling the pistol just because I was not happy with the .40 overall.

It's not bad. I just feel like you might as well either go for the .45 or drop down to the 9mm.

Shot placement is more important than caliber.
 
A local dealer has a WC Supergrade, but at $5k plus taxes seems too exorbitant.

A lot of great suggestions have been mentioned but I may leaning towards a SA Loaded Black Stainless Range to hold me over while waiting for WC order -- not sure yet between XTAC or CQB. Well, so much for the 1 gun idea :)
 
paltak said:
A local dealer has a WC Supergrade, but at $5k plus taxes seems too exorbitant.

A lot of great suggestions have been mentioned but I may leaning towards a SA Loaded Black Stainless Range to hold me over while waiting for WC order -- not sure yet between XTAC or CQB. Well, so much for the 1 gun idea :)
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I was allowed to fire the range manager's Wilson Combat CQB Elite. The trigger was great at 2.5 pounds or maybe 2 pounds. Can't remember which. Accuracy was also great. Beyond that, it didn't feel like it was worth the 3.5k asking price. On the other hand, a Les Baer actually feels like it's worth the cost of admission.

I suppose that's what more money gets you. haha.
 
split your budget and spend 500 or so for a glock. that leaves you the rest to spend on a toy. the first gun i bought back in 2001 wen i turned 21 was a g26. i have spent thousands since and prefer the g26.
 
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harkamus said:
I was allowed to fire the range manager's Wilson Combat CQB Elite. The trigger was great at 2.5 pounds or maybe 2 pounds. Can't remember which. Accuracy was also great. Beyond that, it didn't feel like it was worth the 3.5k asking price. On the other hand, a Les Baer actually feels like it's worth the cost of admission.

I suppose that's what more money gets you. haha.
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Could you please elaborate more on Les Baer as to why it's so much better than WC? Thanks!
 
There are a lot of great high end 1911s out there, and at some point it there becomes a point of diminishing returns. But that is not what high end 1911s are about. In my opinion if you find one you really love, can afford it, and must have it, then just buy it and enjoy the heck out of it.

My edc for the past many years is a Wilson CQB compact in stainless steel, and the dings and wear it developed don't bother me a bit. Some years later I bought a blue Les Baer PII full size and it too is a beauty. I would say equal to the Wilson in almost every way, for a less dough, so a good buy if looking to save a couple of bucks.

I consider the Wilson, Baer to be mid tier. The high end one-off 1911s like Harrison and others are a whole nother league, and though I have never handled these, I can only imagine the extreme high quality and fit/finish.
 
harkamus said:
I was allowed to fire the range manager's Wilson Combat CQB Elite. The trigger was great at 2.5 pounds or maybe 2 pounds. Can't remember which. Accuracy was also great. Beyond that, it didn't feel like it was worth the 3.5k asking price. On the other hand, a Les Baer actually feels like it's worth the cost of admission.

I suppose that's what more money gets you. haha.
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Both make really good, maybe even great guns. There is a fair amount of "gilding the lily" when it comes to WC though. Whether or not it's worth it is a question each person makes for himself. A person who can't tell the difference should take the time to study up before dropping the coin on either.

I wouldn't say that Baer makes better guns than Wilson or vice versa. Wilson strives towards technical perfection. Baer makes awesome guns, that strongly lean towards the old school. I'd trust either for a personal weapon, though I keep a Baer nearby. I like his aesthetic more, not to mention the solidity his hard fit guns exhibit.

As I mentioned earlier take a look at the Baer Thunder Ranch Special, UTC, or Custom Carry. They are better guns than the Springfield Loaded, better built with better components. You can pick one up fairly easily, without the 2 year wait for a Wilson. If you decide to pick one up, shoot it for a while. You might not even see the need for the WC.

lesbaerconceptii4.jpg
 
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paltak said:
Could you please elaborate more on Les Baer as to why it's so much better than WC? Thanks!
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I had this lengthy response typed out and then the forums crapped out on me, so you this short response will have to do.

It's just that the WC didn't feel like it was worth the money being charged. The Baer has a more hand crafted, old time-y feel. You can't go wrong with either, but if you can handle both and some other high end ones, I would strongly suggest it. You'll have an easier time deciding.
 
With a $5,000 pistol budget I'd buy myself a gold tiger striped Desert Eagle inlayed with jewels and what not, just for bragging rights of course. You know a super blinged out pistol that a Mexican drug lord would carry.
 
harkamus said:
Heirloom Precision is another fine choice too.
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Not the best choice for the OP though. It's best that a person develops his tastes and ideas before commissioning a full house custom. That only comes with time and experience. Things like the barrel, sights, finish, and so on and so forth. You don't know what you need, want, or even like until you've been exposed to the design for while.
 
kamagong said:
Not the best choice for the OP though. It's best that a person develops his tastes and ideas before commissioning a full house custom. That only comes with time and experience. Things like the barrel, sights, finish, and so on and so forth. You don't know what you need, want, or even like until you've been exposed to the design for while.
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Oooh, good point. I was under the impression that they also had a line of guns ready to go. Just checked the site and you're right in that the commissioner basically picks a base gun (Colt, etc) to get worked over.
 
You can't go wrong with a 1911 as long as you get a good quality piece. I'm going to recommend a couple good options and TRAINING, TRAINING, TRAINING. The 1911 is a single action semi-auto with just about the best ergonomics of any gun ever made. Also when you combine speed and accuracy, nothing beats it! You must become intimately familiar with it though as there are several conditions the gun can be in. However anyone who uses a 1911 knows the proper condition is cocked and locked with a round in the chamber. As for recoil, the slow heavy 230gr. shot from a 42 oz. pistol is a breeze compared to a .40 cal. out of a polymer pistol. As for the right 1911 considering your budget, Wilson Combat and Les Baer are great guns. If you want the best bang for your buck, I would whole heartedly recommend a Springfield Armory TRP. This is Springfield's semi-custome version of their Professional model. The slide and frame are hand lapped, the barrel is hand fitted and pressure gauged, and the components are all numbered to match. I own several 1911s and the TRP is gold. You are looking at a price tag between 1300-1500 and I would put the TRP against any custom on the market. Also, don't go with any 1911 smaller than commander length, they aren't reliable. Crossbreed makes some of the best holsters for concealing such a large weapon. Good luck and god speed friend.
 
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I like the 1911. The Springfield Armory TRP is a phenomenal value @ around $1400. Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, Les Baer and Springfield Pro/Custom all make some of the finest production 1911s available. The entry fee starts about $3k and the sky is the limit.

I would look at striker fired polymer framed pistols. Glock, S&W and Springfield all make great pistols. All of them are reasonable priced, very reliable and have much aftermarket support. I prefer Glock gen4 but they are so close you should probably just pick the one that feels best.

I would buy a polymer pistol and spend the remainder if your budget on ammo, range time/training and maybe a couple hop up parts when you really figure out what you like.
 
http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w672/eodtoad/TRP1911_zps37c1df52.jpg

Here is a good pic of the TRP. Most 1911s have 30 LPI (lines per inch) checkering on the front strap, the TRP has 20 LPI which makes it much more aggressive allowing for an extremely secure purchase. Match grade barrel (3in.group@25yds). If you do decide to get a polymer pistol, I'd recommend either a S&W M&P, or a Springfield XDM as they have been in service long enough to prove their reliability. Unlike the Glock's acute grip angle, they have the same grip angle as the 1911 making them point naturally. Basically they improved on the only flaw Glock has other than longer range accuracy. I'd also recommend staying away from the .40 cal. It discharges at nearly twice the pressure of a 9mm or .45acp making the recoil impulse grossly exaggerated, and harder for follow-up shots. Choose wisely :)
 
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