Novice 1911 Questions

E

eojk

Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
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For varying reasons, I want to make a 1911 my first pistol. I've had a very small amount of experience with them(got to use my step-grandfather's brand new Baer:eek: ), but like them all-around.

So far, I like the Springfield Milspec a lot. I like that it has a lowered and flared ejection port, versus the standard GI model. Seems like a great all-around starter 1911.

Recently, I've seen good deal of press on Taurus' new 1911 offerings. The guys on the 1911 forum seem to really like them. The standard ambi thumb safety and fronstrap checkering are cool features, though I don't care for the forward slide serrations.

What do you guys think of these models? Are there any others in this price range that I should consider? I'm well aware that the sky is the limit with 1911s, but I can't afford more than base models at present.

I'd go register over at the 1911 forum, but you guys are my family here, so I'll take your word first.

Lastly, is there anyone in the greater Lansing MI area that would be willing to show me their 1911, perhaps side-by-side with some other pistols(still haven't ruled out others)? It's be cool to go to the range with a fellow forumite.*

Appreciate any wisdom you gentleman can impart. -Joe
 
stick with springfield. great products...great support....proven track record.

you dont really need anything other than FMJ in a 45....but if you want HP...go with the Golden Saber round. Why?? because Springfield has tested and approved it in their pistols. also...the FBI HRT chose it for their springers!

Bill
 
For SD a JHP is far more effective than FMJ. Whatever you pick for ammo make sure it's a fully reliable round in your gun.
 
Of those two, I would stick with Springfield. It should be pretty good out of the box, and it's a great base gun if you ever want to have it built into a full house custom.

Ball ammo is fine for practice/competition, but as pointed out they are not the cat's ass for self defense. You would be better off with whatever JHP works 100% in your pistol. Yes, FBI HRT uses Gold Saber, but that was a requirement in the RFP for the pistols, and those pistols are a giant step up from what you're looking at. Reliability is first, ammo brand is second.

You're going to want more magazines, so do yourself a favor and buy good ones. I use Wilson 47Ds, but I've got a crapload of them. If I were buying new, I would go with Chip McCormack Powermags and nothing else.

Get some pistol instruction. You can start with a local range, but being in Detroit puts you within range of TDI in Ohio and Jerry Barnhart in Michigan. Instruction is not cheap, but it's worth the time and the cost as you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
 
You might save a few bucks with the Taurus and there is nothing wrong with that.

With the Springfield or other of the finer '11 makers, you will have a pistol that will hold it's value better, have better customer support and service.

I always seem to come out ahead when I spend the bucks up front on a quality firearm. I have never had a case where I have brought one, used and and sold it for less than what I paid for it.
 
I've seen a double-stack mil spec Springfield 1911 at my local shop. They're not as common but, if capacity is important to you, it would be something to consider.
 
COLT.... Everything else is just a copy.;)

Springers are decent enough, even brand K (Kimber) is acceptable, though soul-less, and I know next to nothing about the Taurus.
I have two Colts, a govt and a CCO. Both have been 100% reliable, and the CCO shoots like a dream.
 
I'm not a 1911 guy despite growing up on them, but if i was going to buy a 1911 right now on a budget it would be a Taurus (not on a budget would be a Sig GSR). It's the best bang for your buck. My first handgun was a PT92 and as a clone i found it superior to the original. I haven't shot the Taurus 1911, but handling it in a shop, if you put any high end manufacturers name on the slide and a four figure price tag price tag, i'd say "that's about right"

As for the Springfield's, i played with a TRP Operator at "Springfield day" at a range nearby, it jammed 3 times in a box of 50, 2 FTF and a stovepipe. Can't make a $1600 gun that works that doesn't give me high hopes for their $500 guns.
 
My Taurus 1911 works great, shoots well and seems to be very well put together. The parts seem to well finished on the whole.

Around here, common prices seem to be 425 to 475 depending on the shop. So far, the gun seems to be a winner.

If you are going to jump up price level, the S&W's seem to be the class of the current offerings in the 700 or so range, SIGs came out with a try, but contrary to SIGs standard level excellence, the ones we had exposure to around the shop I deal with seemed to have some issues. Many of these were getting fixed right away, but it was a bit of a downer to have a 1911 come in that was not up to the SIG name.

If you can find a used series 70 or earlier Colt's, that would be my choice in a used gun
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If you reload, the top choice for range work is the SWC lead between 185 and 200 grains.
 
The Taurus is actually pretty decent for the money, and most guys seem to like them a lot. Springfield is very nice and their entry stuff is very affordable. A decent dealer can get you into a Springfield, Smith and Wesson, Para Ordinance, and Kimber for $950, and for the SW and Para, they can be pretty high end models. A basic end Kimber and Spring can be had for about that price. If you plan to shoot a Kimber, the gun will sometimes not cycle properly on crappy loads with second class powder.

Mongo said:
COLT.... Everything else is just a copy.;)

Springers are decent enough, even brand K (Kimber) is acceptable, though soul-less, and I know next to nothing about the Taurus.
I have two Colts, a govt and a CCO. Both have been 100% reliable, and the CCO shoots like a dream.
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Good luck with being a civilian and getting warranty help from Colt...they SUCK! None-the-less, the Gov't Model is an amazing gun.
 
mete said:
For SD a JHP is far more effective than FMJ. Whatever you pick for ammo make sure it's a fully reliable round in your gun.
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Indeed. I recommend to customers the Remington Golden Saber Bonded in a production defensive ammo. Other high end performer are the Federal HydraShok (although this is an arguably dated round), Speer Gold Dot, Hornady XTP, Winchester Ranger/SXT/Black Talon (all essentially the same thing), Cor-Bon Power'ball which is now owned by Glasser, and Magtech Gold. For the absolute best ammo, I recommend Double Tap, as it has ballistic performances which other loads cannot touch. For any gun, one will want to shoot at least 200 rounds they will use for defense to be sure the gun functions properly with that load.
 
Im a huge 1911 freak, and while im a colt man all the way, and twice on sunday, a milspec springfield is a DAM fine pistol, and its all youll ever need. ever.
it fought its way across many a battlefield, and has worked fine. the ONLY complaints youll ever hear from a servicemember, about his .45, will be from guys in units, that never sent their pistols out to depot, for their scheduled reburbishing, and were left really used and worn out, hence the "when I was in, i remember that dam thing was soo inaccurate... and I could shake the thing back and forth, and it sounded like a 3 foot long piece of chain rattling." story.
other than that, theyre fine pistols. In my opinion, theyre a perfect balance of utility and appearance.. they have everything you need, and nothin ya dont. Sure, some of the more modern 'wondernines' out now, (especially the european jobs) are dam nice, and function GREAT. but are their 700 dollar pricetags worth it, when the springfield still gets the job done for less? thats all on you to decide. I think theyre very rugged, and have a bit of old history in em too. I carried a colt 1911 for a while now (not anymore) and its the perfect pistol in my eyes. All i know is, is if one cant get it done with a .45, then they most likely wont be able to get it done with anything else. (thats a little bias in there too, as a sig in 357 sig, or a glock .40, both loaded with black talons, will get the job done too. theyre both HIGHLY reliable, and HIGHLY accurate too, but im just a 1911 man myself)

As far as ammo, depends on what ya need it for. for most of the time, any brand name self defense ammo will work fine. but just like ANY ammo, for ANY gun, ya always gotta test it out. make sure it functions in the gun, and your particular gun likes it (in terms of accuracy)
 
for 1911's i prefer colt or kimber, but springfield isnt too bad, i have heard good things about the taurus, but ya know i have yet to actually see/handle one, one bud of mine will buy a 1911, cheapest he can find, change to a bar-sto bbl, flat mainspring housing, STI hammer, sear and trigger, novak sights, sometimes a beavertail safety, he knows how to fit it all/smooth the ramp/etc for JHP's, he'll fix one up, keep it a few months, then sell it, i have shot a couple of them and they all work well, point being i wouldnt mind getting a taurus 1911 and having him help me fix it up, if i did i would probably get a taurus myself.
 
I would not recommend a 1911 as your first and only pistol.

I've owned two 1911s, a Series 70 Gold Cup and a "Colt's own" dated 1944.

Learn the trade on a .22 first (possibly a Ruger 22/45 as it was designed to mimic the 1911).

The 1911 is heavy, mechanically-complicated and relatively hard-kicking (to a non-gun person). Its ammo is expensive.

All of the above means that you will not shoot it as much as you should to gain familiarity. You will probably develop a flinch from the recoil, which will harm your future shooting.

Start off with a smaller, cheaper, more easily-managed pistol, and work up to a 1911.

maximus otter
 
I went shooting today. Normally go at least once a week. Mostly my shooting budy and I shoot .22, .22 WMR and 9mm. well today I rented the Springfield GI model. That gun is awesome! It's the first 1911 I've ever shot and did better then I thought I would my first try. Wow! Have heared good things about the Mil-spec models and actually like the sights better then the GI.

Called a gunsmithing friend of mine when I got back and we talked for about 20 minutes all about 1911's. He recommended that I get a basic model like the GI or Milspec as a starter then customize it if I want something fancier. Thats what I'll probably do. Unless another friend will cut me a good deal on is Kimber Custom II. Then again I might have to get both.

My first hand gun was a Ruger Single Six in .22/.22 WMR. Got it last summer and love it. Next I got a Beretta U22 Neos 4.5" Barrel in .22. I picked it up 2 weeks ago. I bought the Single Six after handling it at the store and hearing good things about it. The Neos I rented a bunch before buying it. Will be renting the Springfield GI again Monday to finish off the ammo I bought today. :)

Personally I don't see any reason why you couldn't make the 1911 your first gun. People say they are complicated. I don't see that. Also The two Glocks and the S&W Sigma I've shot are almost scary to me because they have no manual safetys. I'd rather have all the manual safetys that complicate a gun. With the Glocks I can't tell if the gun is safe or not if a magazine is in, at a single glance. But with a 1911 if the hammer is down I know the gun is safe. My friend Josh (shooting buddy) really likes the XD's. Fits his hand nice and has manual safetys. He is planning on getting an XD in 9mm and I'll go with the 1911. If you do have a chance to practice with them before you buy, I'd highly recommend it. Sure helped me with the Beretta and I'm sure it will help with the 1911. Thats my take for what it's worth.. Hope you don't mind hearing from a Newbie.

Heber
 
kimber guy myself. kimber offers quite a few 'custom' features on their base model.

ive never shot the taurus, but have heard some good things.

i have shot smith and wesson, springfield, and wilson combat. springfields are very nice, forged slide and receiver instead of cast, which is nice.

the milspec is a good deal, between that and the taurus, i would suggest the milspec.
 
wildmanh said:
Personally I don't see any reason why you couldn't make the 1911 your first gun. People say they are complicated. I don't see that.
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If you do a full strip, and remove the mainspring housing from the receiver, you will understand why people say they are complicated.

I have been a gun guy for over half my life, and had to go to the manual, big-time, to get it back together, properly, and it took over an hour. Have dissassembled and re-assembled double actions in 20 minutes.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
If you do a full strip, and remove the mainspring housing from the receiver, you will understand why people say they are complicated.

I have been a gun guy for over half my life, and had to go to the manual, big-time, to get it back together, properly, and it took over an hour. Have dissassembled and re-assembled double actions in 20 minutes.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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yeah they can be a pain in that regard. and definitely leave the sear and backstrap alone. have a gunsmith or armorer to the work on that stuff.
 
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