Ruger 1911s-anyone have any experience with these?

ohiojerry

ohiojerry

Joined
Jul 7, 2005
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Thinking about a Commander sized 1911 to add to the ccw mix. The Rugers seem to have pretty good reviews. Does anyone here have any experience with either of the Ruger 1911s?
 
Had one for a minute. Shot great but didn't really carry for the SS finish. Seemed to be rust aggressive for a stainless steel. It was a shooter though and I heard that Ruger had addressed the rust issue after the first run. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another one I would just oil it a bit more next time.

Garth
 
I had a full size for a while. It was a great shooter and 100% reliable while I owned it. Been thinking of getting a Commander sized one to replace it.
 
Definitely no problems with mine. Shoots very well, fit, finish and features all above price point.

Novak sights are superior at the range and not as likely to snag clothing/holster as traditional sights. Oversize safety is functional but less streamlined than traditional that might be my only criticism for CC.
 
I've had experience with them.....none positive.

Ruger knows how to put a 1911 together, but they don't know how to build one. Parts are out of spec generally, the guns are usually just thrown together.

Had the front sight fall right off one right out of the box, seen one get rebarreled.....twice....because Ruger didn't put a finishing reamer in the chamber. Extractor was out of spec, barrel ling was too long, rattled terribly.

Plus the warning label.......

IMO for a 1911, unless you're a die hard Ruger fan, pass
 
Doubtful. Ruger's QC problems started when they set out to sell 1M to raise $1M for NRA, in 2012 (I think). They actually sold 1.2M. All distributors sold out of everything except the oddest SKUs and they apparently let a few things slip trying to re-supply. The Commander size is too new to have been a first run. The original ones were great and then they took a nose dive; now they're starting to come back up again. But investment cast parts where possible is the way it'll be. That's how they do.
 
Happened about a year and a quarter into production if I remember right. But still, every Ruger 1911 I've seen sufferes from the firing pin hitting high, and the right side of the slide fitting lighter than the left. Most deform the spent case a bit (not a super smooth chamber so you have rings on the brass).

As for the NRA thing, it was 2012. The only fubar that really affected me was the batch of LC9 firing pins that were too hard from heat treat, but those never made it out of distribution. And getting a 10/22 that year sucked ass.

Didn't see other problems besides customers not being able to put their guns back together properly. 2 weeks ago fixed an LC9 that wasn't right from the factory but that's another story.
 
I have the Commander and love it. Fit and finish on mine seems every bit as good as a Kimber. I can see nothing really that needs to be done to it. I may add a full length guide rod to mine even though they do nothing to improve it. May add a ambi safety at some point. IMO the best value going in a 1911.
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A friend of mine had one and hated it. Said it didn't shoot strait as the chief complaint. Seems like something happened to the gun and he was waiting for a replacement part that never came and that was the last I heard of it. But with so many good 1911 choices, it is enough for me to steer clear.
 
Never any first hand experience but a buddy of mine got the Commander or whatever their 1911 is called and had problem after problem with it. Lots of FTF, FTE, stovepipes and such, some parts didn't seem like they were within the correct tolerance during a breakdown/assembly, etc.

Luckily, Ruger is a GREAT company that took care of every issue that arose and there were a lot. Also, my buddy is a seasoned shooter and former OIF/OEF Army Infantry Veteran so the issues were definitely not caused by the shooter. He also owns an older Colt 1911 that his grandfather passed down to him before he died (One of the most beautiful pistols I've ever had the honor to fire, had personal engravings and everything his Grandfather was a Captain (O-6) in the Navy in WW2 but I'm rambling...) and a Springfield 1911 Blued that fires flawlessly. He ended up selling the Ruger.

Now I'll come right out and say Ruger is one of, if not my absolute number one favorite firearm manufacturer. I have a GP-100 that caused me to fall in love with wheelguns, a 10/22 that is so accurate it's scary and will be the first (real) gun my son ever fires and eventually handed down to him, an SR9c (bought as a gift for girlfriend) that is also insanely accurate. Every Ruger I own is absolutely 100% reliable. I have never ever had an issue with any of these firearms and they've had a lot put through them. They're all solid as a rock. So fortunately/unfortunately I cannot comment FIRSTHAND on their Customer Service but I know people that have called with stupid questions late at night and had them answered politely, people walked through a trigger group reassembly over the phone (get internet already :)), and a few like my buddy that did in fact have problems with their Rugers. I've yet to see ANYONE not be completely satisfied by the resolution of whatever their issues were.

So all in all, I'd say go for it if you like it. Worst case scenario you'll get any problems fixed and if you decide to get rid of it you can likely sell it for at least what you paid for it if you sell it on Armslist or Gun Broker.

Edit: I say go for it under the assumption you don't want to pay for a Colt and don't care for the Springfield. I plan on getting my first 1911 in the somewhat near future and I'll be saving up for a Colt, I LOVE Ruger, but not their 1911's. I said go for it because the worst that can happen is you get your money back basically.
 
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I had horrible experience with their American series rifles. They'd come in with the magazine box in pieces, short chambered, one failed to fire from new. My father-in-law bought one in 308 and I had to open and inspect the 4th one before I found one I though would work. I found a winner. They do fix problems tho. Ended up sending me a few hundred $ in free accessories as well as issuing call tags on all the bad ones.

As for the 1911s, I've shot about all the non-custom ones. IMO Spring is not better; Colt is not worth the $ diff; Taurus is not better; Kimber not worth the $ diff; S&W is; Rock Island (Enhanced Tactical) is; and Sig would be if they could resolve that butter-soft trigger reset I can't stand.
 
ak585479 said:
Luckily, Ruger is a GREAT company that took care of every issue that arose and there were a lot.
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They have their ups and downs.

The 1911 I mentioned earlier, it had to go back to Ruger twice. First time, rough chamber maring brass pretty good. I told them about it and said that the owner was worried that the brass might get too deformed and stick in his resizing die when he reloads. Lady gave me the generic "our warranty doesn't cover reloads). I told her it's.45acp, many people reload, and it doesn't excuse the fact it's making the cases look like shat. Plus the high primer strikes, and accuracy was so-so, and the extractor was out of spec.

We send it in, got it back in 3 weeks, Ruger put (not fit, put) a new barrel in it, new slide, kept the old bushing, new extractor, and new barrel link. Owner too k it out and shot it, the new barrel still left some minor rings but he got over it, primer strikes were still high (barrel link was wtill too long), and accuracy was still so-so. I took the pistol and shot it and was lucky to get 10" groups at 25 yards.

Send her back in, they do the same thing as the first time, but this time they put a new barrel bushing in it (at this time, it would have been cheaper for Ruger to trash the old gun and give the onwer a new one). When it got back, owner infront of me, we both notice the front sight is pretty far to the left. I put minimal pressure on the sight, and the damn thing popped off. I took it in back, staked it, and we both agreed this was the last straw. If it didn't shoot halfway decent he'd sell it. Haven't seen that owner in a long time though, not sure if he got rid of it or not. 3rd time we sent it in I had my 1911 gunsmith write a letter on his company letter head with the problems begging a Ruger gunsmith to call him about it, they never did.

Me and a gunsmith friend have had a lot of bad luck with quality and fit and finish issues regarding their 1911s. He sent me the link to a forum (unfortunately it was on a Ruger forum if I remember right and it got deleted "cause the hate") where a guy's primary notch on the hammer broke or the sear sheared. I forget the issue. But the guy wrote a not to Ruger telling them the issue, he got it back, gun isn't fixed, wasn't even touched. He called them and Ruger claimed they fixed it, he put black permanent marker on the area that was fubar, sent it in again, and got it back claiming it was fixed, black permanent marker still there.

3rd time he sent the thing in pieces with the broken part in a baggie making it obvious to them. They said it wasn't covered by warranty because their 1911 wasn't intended to be taken apart all the way.

WTF.

Plus, before I had a connection at Ruger, I had to bitch a CEO out to replace my SP101 that according to them needed a new crane, barrel, and cylinder; but was the older style and the new parts wasn't compatible with the older ones. When a snub nose .357 is in need of that much work, that's had 200 rounds or less through it, it wasn't right from the factory. But they wanted to charge me $360 or so to replace it. Ha. My e-mail got them to replace it though.


So Ruger....they have warning labels, but at least their 1911 doesn't have a mag disconnect. And it's a shame they don't make a double stack 9mm 1911 that's 15 rounds cause that would make ol Bill Ruger cringe big time

But, since I've made contat with a person actually at Ruger, it makes working with them and getting parts so much easier.
 
I have a Colt-blued government model that I'm happy with but wanted to go stainless and Commander size if I was going to carry it often. First instinct is Colt but am just exploring other options. Certainly wouldn't want to get into something like M67 describes but it's always possible to get a dog, regardless of the manufacturer. Fortunately I'm in no hurry and not lacking for firearms so I can take my time to decide.

Thank you for all of the input. Keep it coming-it gives us something to talk about while we wait for our blade show ganzaa emails!
 
1911 conversations will almost always derail because there is a difference between the expectations and impressions left on a 1911 connoisseur compared to a "gun user". My question is to the OP: which are you? Because I assure you there is already more than a lifetime of pages and pages of very specific discussion on the "$600 1911" topic (I've read a months worth).

Millions of typed words and YouTube hours of reviews, tests, and measurements will still yield nothing but argument and cause for further discussion.

A person who walks out of a gun store with one of these pistols and never reads about it on the internet will probably not find cause for complaint.

So ohiojerry, yes I/we do have some experience with them but I have a question; are you planning to use the pistol like a tool, or like an aficionados object of desire and critique? As a tool, there is no question the sr1911 is a winner. As a micrometer measuring test subject, you won't like it.
 
Jake_Lucas said:
1911 conversations will almost always derail because there is a difference between the expectations and impressions left on a 1911 connoisseur compared to a "gun user". My question is to the OP: which are you? Because I assure you there is already more than a lifetime of pages and pages of very specific discussion on the "$600 1911" topic (I've read a months worth).

Millions of typed words and YouTube hours of reviews, tests, and measurements will still yield nothing but argument and cause for further discussion.

A person who walks out of a gun store with one of these pistols and never reads about it on the internet will probably not find cause for complaint.

So ohiojerry, yes I/we do have some experience with them but I have a question; are you planning to use the pistol like a tool, or like an aficionados object of desire and critique? As a tool, there is no question the sr1911 is a winner. As a micrometer measuring test subject, you won't like it.
Click to expand...

That is insightful stuff. Thank you, Jake. I agree, sometimes too much information is a bad thing. This would definitely be a tool to be carried regularly.
 
My father just picked one up. I haven't had a chance to check it out but hopefully this weekend.
 
I don't buy that at full price, because when conditions exist that cause a manufacturer to triple sales inside of a year, even though it was to raise money for an ostensibly worthwhile organization, something has to give or else they may lose market share indefinitely. And when someone tells you about catastrophic manufacturing defects that occurred during and since that time, it's hard to ignore. If you pick up a firearm and the front sight falls off, it's not exactly a "winner," micrometer measurements aside. Yes; they have had problems. Every time in my personal experience they have made it right. But this isn't exactly a Ford vs. Chevrolet argument. You can theoretically get a bad one of anything, but when 4 out of 5 are bad, you have to wonder what happened, not whether it mics to +/- 0.001".

Jake_Lucas said:
1911 conversations will almost always derail because there is a difference between the expectations and impressions left on a 1911 connoisseur compared to a "gun user". My question is to the OP: which are you? Because I assure you there is already more than a lifetime of pages and pages of very specific discussion on the "$600 1911" topic (I've read a months worth).

Millions of typed words and YouTube hours of reviews, tests, and measurements will still yield nothing but argument and cause for further discussion.

A person who walks out of a gun store with one of these pistols and never reads about it on the internet will probably not find cause for complaint.

So ohiojerry, yes I/we do have some experience with them but I have a question; are you planning to use the pistol like a tool, or like an aficionados object of desire and critique? As a tool, there is no question the sr1911 is a winner. As a micrometer measuring test subject, you won't like it.
Click to expand...
 
What standpoint do you want the opinion from? I can give you the "it's an ok pistol for the price" bla bla crap, or the custom firearm maker's opinion that says: "A defensive pistol should be the best you can get. Not some sub $200 pile of crap and MIM pars that the company charges $500+ for."

For a range pistol, who cares about what the gun is, it doesn't matter. If someone wanted to buy a High Point to shoot at the range... it doesn't matter. Now... a defensive pistol that you trust your life, and your families life with is another issue all together. I think it's funny that we're on a knife forum where we go out to buy the very best of something that we might use for fun, or recreation... but then buy sub par stuff that we may have to depend on with our lives........ Sorry, some people do that, I'm definitely not one of them. When someone talks about Rugers, Remingtons, and the other big box brands, I can't think but to compare them to the $20 knives at the local hardware store... Will they work? Ya, for most situations, but if you knew that your life was going to depend on only one knife in the knife case, and there was a wide array of CRKT's, Buck, Case, Busse, and the rest of them... which would you choose? Yes the Busse does cost more, but would you save up for it if it was going to be your only knife, or buy something that you had the cash for right now? We all as Busse fans and proud owners know the correct answer to this question.
 
For $600 I'd say its worth the risk but not for a penny more. In my experience, unless you are buying a high dollar 1911 (Ed Brown, NightHawk, Les Baer, Wilson Combat) or a Colt you will encounter some issues...... and even then sometimes. The 1911's of today are far different guns than a real old Colt 1911 and most just look like 1911's and have external extractors instead of internal and that means something to a traditionalist.

Oh just for the record on 1911's, my brother who is the Chief of Police for a smalltown in Texas "did" issue Kimber Tactical Pro's and Custom's to officers but they've had so many problems with reliability and poor customer service that they are changing duty guns after only 2 years. Kimber's lost their shine around 2000 when they came out with Kimber II series IMO and so did 1911's when everybody and their mom started making them for cheap.
 
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