OT- Best .45?

I've been extremely pleased with my Glock 21. I think I paid $600 for mine, but I've seen them for much cheaper. They are accurate, ultra-reliable, close to indestructible, hold 13 rounds, and are very tame in the hand. They also lack many of the parts found on other models such as links, safety levers, grip safties, beaver tails, and whatnot to muck around with or worry about failing. All you gotta do with a Glock is aim and pull the trigger.
 
I like my Springfield XD45, my Kimber TLE II, and my Glock 30. I was not crazy about the Glock 21 (it was a bit too big for my hands... and I wear a size 8.5 glove).

For $1200 you could get the kimber, a bunch of mags and a case of ammo, or you could get both a Glock and an XD. Wait until you can try ou the Glock 30 SF (slim frame) that just came out.

If I were you I would rent all three and get what feels best.

I love shooting my 1911 but I usually carry the Glock 30 or xd 45 because of the Florida weather (I spend a lot of time on the water).

Good luck!
 
Kimber fan here. Get a low-frills model and pick up the .22LR conversion with it for tons of cheap shootin'.

kimbercustomiiantiquefh4.jpg
 
Thanks for the responses, guys! I didn't realize that the Sig 220 comes in .45, I really like that gun. I thought it was only in 9mm, which I already have covered with my Glock (which I love). I've fondled Sig 220s several times at the gun shop, and always thought "wow, this would be perfect if it were in .45". Great ergos! Does the grip size get much bigger in the .45 version? My mitts are not overly large.

I'm not totally fixated on 1911s. For some reason, I've never been able to shoot very well with a 1911, though I've never owned one of my own, and could use some practice. But it's kind of something every red-blooded American man should own, you know?
 
I'm a Kimber fan as well. I own the Eclipse Pro and love it. I have Glock and Sig Sauer as well but in 9mm. Never a single problem with either of those pistols. If it was me and I had a budget of $1200, I'd go with the Kimber. Good luck.
 
The P220 grip isnt bigger than the P226 grip. Its a single stack, so the grip is slimmer on the P220 actually. The ergos are great, everybody I know from my Dad to my girlfriend can shoot a Sig easier than damn near anything else.
 
If you love your Glock, you may want to look into a 21sf. I had a shave/stipple job done on mine and love the gun. Incredibly reliable with any ammo I feed it, no muzzle flip, just a slight push backward.

As for 1911's, I'd suggest Springfield over Kimber for two reasons. 1st, Springfield's written warranty is for the life of the Gun, and I've had them honor it 3 times already, even going so far as to replace my gun with a brand new one. Kimber's written warranty says "1 year", and while they MAY honor warranties after that year, it's at their discretion whether they do or not. If you want a gun with a Busseian warranty, Springfield will have you covered.

2nd, and this is my experience, Kimber seems to be using stainless steels with a bit more carbon content recently. I was actually told this by a very competent gunsmith when I first bought my Stainless Pro TLE/RLII, but I didn't really believe him. About two months after buying the gun, I took it apart to lube it up and noticed some rust at the very front of the barrel. It wasn't a lot, but it was there. There was also so rust starting on the top of the slide. I worked it over with very fine steel wool and some BreakFree CLP and stopped the rust on the barrel from spreading, (the other stuff dissapeared) but I was VERY dissapointed with my 1000$ gun. Yes, Miami is a city with High humidity, but one shouldn't have problems like this if one is lubing the gun every 10 days or so and always wiping down with silicone. I sold the gun not long after. (Have left my Springfield in the safe for months at a time with no more protection than a coat of oil, a gun sleeve and a silica pouch, and not a spot of rust anywhere).

All of that being said, you also won't go wrong with the XD .45. Great warranty, 1911 Ergos and grip safety, melonite finish (comparable to tenifer) and relatively inexpensive. For your budget, you could get yourself a slightly used XD .45 AND a Springfield Loaded, then take your time and work on the Loaded til it is exactly what you want while having gotten to carry the XD.

:cool:
 
I would go XD over GLOCK. I think GLOCK was the best when it came out, but now I think the XD outclasses it. Better ergos, better internals, just a good design. I believe GLOCKS are good, but after I have a .40 S&W blow up in my hand I stay clear of em. I was impressed however, I only sustained a minor laceration to a finger
 
I'm not trying to hijack this thread, but for you XD owners or those in the know, which do you prefer: the 4" or 5" models. I'm in NJ so carry is not an option. I would think 5" for the extended sight window, but I've heard mixed reviews. Thanks.
 
I went down the 1911 route for years and can share my experiences:

Kimber Gold Match II - Doubled out of the box and had extraction problems. Kimber fixed it but made me pay for shipping to them even after arguing with their customer service guy. Sold it out of disgust with the way I was treated.

S&W 1911sc - The firing pin safety lever was bent right out of the box so I couldn't even put it back together after I took it apart the first time. S&W fixed that problem promptly and their customer service was great to deal with, paid shipping both ways without me even asking. I however have had occasional failures to feed with it. It went back to S&W twice more and they couldn't work out the kinks so I traded it back to the place where I bought it from.

Colt - I could go on for a long time here. I have a full size XSE that runs fine but the front sight fell off after shooting it the first time. I had an XSE commander that was just a mess, it could barely get through a couple of rounds without having a FTE or FTF. It went back to Colt three times and the last time they just sent me a check. I have a stainless 1991 that runs fine for the most part but has occasional FTEs. The plunger tube fell off it as well. Colt fixed that and I still have it, planning on sending to EGW someday for some work. I had two other 1991 model Colts that ran fine but had a myriad of cosmetic problems that bugged me so I traded them off.

Sig - I've loved the Sig 228 and Sig 229 for years but for some reason resisted the 220. After all my problems trying to find a reasonably priced 1911 that would run I bought a cheap used 220. After shooting it the first time I had a big "duh" moment. Here was the perfect 220, reasonably priced, lightweight, thin especially with the new thin grips, and reliable as hell. I kicked myself for not getting a 220 sooner. Now I have several and have never had a problem with any of them. I still feel the draw of the 1911 and will probably get a Baer later this year but if you want something that works without all the hassle, I recommend a 220. Heck, for your price point you could find two pre-owned ones.

I do not have any experience with the Sig 1911s but have read about a lot of problems with them over the years.

Whatever you pick, good luck! The .45 is a great caliber :thumbup:

Here are some pics of my 220:

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I have a 3" actually and it's absolutely awesome. 4" is fine, 5" is good, but not necessary IMHO.

Another thing, not to bash the 1911 platform, but EVERY 1911 I have shot, has given me some issue. Maybe the platform just doesn't like me, but everything from the cheapest Spanish copies to a TGO-1 to a .40 EMP. My friends Colt Govt model, my Dad's old Govt. model, all have had numerous problems. My buddy who was a range master for Soldier of Fortune magazine back in the 80's swears by the platform, but his Gold Cup didnt seem to want to go through a mag without giving me problems.

As for the XD, no issues, but I only own one and it probably only has 3000 rounds through it. I was at the SHOT show test shoot this year at my local range, and the Springfield EMP had a stovepipe on me,I only put one mag throuh it. I put 300 rounds through an XD40 as fast as I could, mag after mag, and didn't have a problem.

Sig is the same way, not one issue the whole time I have owned them
 
Hard to beat a Glock. I've had a G30 for 10yrs now. Got it right when it came out. Very partial to 1911's though. Have 2 Series 70's. Nickel Gov, and Blue Combat Commander. Both were new when I got em. Gov 1st in 1985 it sat in a box forclose to 15 yrs unfired. I had to pay a whopping 200 for it. Its sister Combat Com I acquired a lot later 400. That being said I'd look into a Colt. After all a Colt is a Colt. The new ones are made really well from what I hear. 95% of jams in most quality guns are usually the mags, so I'd get several Wilsons. My Commander was failing to feed, (with the old factory mag) but after a switch to a Wilson that halted immediately, even with the "flying ashtry/cans".. For your money You could get just sbout any Colt including GC or the Special Combat. Or you could get the lower end Commander which faired well in a recent article and a Glock 30/30SF. I hear great things about the Taurus, but I'll admit I'm very apt not to get one just because, well its a Taurus 1911. Give it a few years. My short list includes another Colt of sorts, another Glock ah.................in a ah .356 x 19. ONLY because of the Hi Cap 33rd sticks. Think about it. Finally I crave a Wilson, Baer, or Ed Brown. Plus the one I build which will be 100% reliable and shoot 1/8 at 50 yds. ( That one may take awhile) Actually I'd settle for 1".
Their are so many choices, but for a 1st 1911 I'd go with a Colt, and maybe put a little into it (perhaps removing mimmed parts..thats just me. Who wants a mimmed Busse??) There are a lot of others, and I'll probably chime back when the Colts start getting dissed. I did hear bad things about the Sig, which shocked me. Anyone want a Glock 1911? Stick with what you do well.
 
I have been spending alot of time on the 1911 forums. I want one really good 1911 . There are many to choose from. Im making fianacial adjustments accordingly....this year im gonna get a Springfield "Professional " . Or a 10-8 Springfield "Operator" limited run...or a.....
 
Since you're askin'...

Kimber all the way. Have 3, two from the custom shop. I've never had a problem with the custom shop guns. Had to send the Compact back for FTF problems, and they basically turned it into a custom shop gun for zero $. Incredible customer service.

To all the SIG fans, aftrer seeing the slide blow off a P226, I have a really hard time recommending them to anyone. I have a Glock 23C that's an awesome gun, but will never be a family favorite. Glocks are like toothpicks.. they always work for their intended purpose, but its not something you're going to pull out of your pocket and show someone.

For $1200, you can get quite a gun.
 
Are we showing off Sigs? Heres my two STs. Scarab I would like to hear more about this slide blow off a 226, Ive read more stories about Glocks blowing up then Sigs but have never seen either with my own eyes.

sigsta.jpg
 
A great while back I bought a Springfield loaded model for about 550 at the same time I bought a Colt Custom for my wife for about 650.
That Springfield never ever failed me, the Colt needed a heavier spring to reliably cycle with all ammo types. I've been a Springfield fan ever since!
 
I carry a Glock 21 on duty and a kimber compact off duty. All of the kimbers shoot great....
 
For carry or target/match shooting?

Carry - polymer frame type: Glock 30 & 36, S&W MP series, SA XD's.

Target/Match - 1911's: SIG GSR, Kimber, SA, etc. The 1911 design is basic and you can polish it up oh so much. There's nothing you can do with a LesBaer, Wilson Combat, or Ed Brown that you can't do with an out of the box Kimber or SA. Everything else "custom" or "match" is just bragging rights.

I have, but would never carry an all metal frame/slide pistol again. The weight and size just doesn't outweigh the benefits and practicality of all these polymer guns out there. That's why all my Caspian 1911 sits in a safe only for range use and showing off, and my Glock is on my hip all the time.
 
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