Picking a 1911?

[Texas42]

....31 1911's later.....NOW he tells me!

I think you need to go into rehab. You can drop your addiction off at my place. Just give me a call.

 

[TexasRedneck]

I think you need to go into rehab. You can drop your addiction off at my place. Just give me a call.

I'll be happy to!

Of course, there WILL be a nominal "Security Deposit".....

 

[Army 1911]

Having as many 1911s as you can and wanting more is not an addiction. Having multiple Glocks is an addiction. The 1911s are just good sense.

 

[Texas42]

Having as many 1911s as you can and wanting more is not an addiction. Having multiple Glocks is an addiction. The 1911s are just good sense.

Hey man, admitting you have a problem is the first step. Think about that, . . . for your sake. : P

 

[Jason]

Cabela's has the little High Standard that seems to be a great deal for the $$$ ...

 

[TexasRedneck]

There's no such thing as too many 1911's.

Same can't be said for Glock's.<g,d&rlh>

 

[Texas42]

You ever fired one, or are you just afraid your other guns will smell the teflon coating on you?

 

[TexasRedneck]

Fired AND owned 'em. As I've posted on these boards before - it was accurate and all, just not something I could get comfortable with. There's tons of 'em out there, just none in my safe (or future). One nice thing about havin' owned one.....I can tease those that still do!<G>

 

[Army 1911]

The one with the "bells and whistles" is the "Deluxe" model. They currently have the Standard (MSRP $425) and then the Deluxe (MSRP $479).

If it truly is a well-made pistol, it looks like a good deal. Less than $500 for the beavertail safety and Novak sights - just - WOW!

They are also pretty highly regarded as being accurate and dependable.

Too bad they don't make a lightweight commander model...

You can get the deluxe for under 400 but usually around 425 at DFW area gun shows.

 

[Army 1911]

You ever fired one, or are you just afraid your other guns will smell the teflon coating on you?

No, the plastic is not hypoallergeric. Or however that is spelled.

 

[Texas42]

Fired AND owned 'em. As I've posted on these boards before - it was accurate and all, just not something I could get comfortable with. There's tons of 'em out there, just none in my safe (or future). One nice thing about havin' owned one.....I can tease those that still do!<G>

You know I'm just messing with you. : )

 

[TexasRedneck]

You know I'm just messing with you. : )

Oh, yeah!

 

[Hawghauler]

The magna porting can mess with night vision and is loud. Other than that it does reduce the recoil and it has never failed a shot.

 

[TexasRedneck]

lemme see.....bad guy entering at night....yeah - you keep the portin', ah'll take the kick!

 

[Danton]

Hey Redneck - if you don't mind sharing some trade secrets, how'd you buy that Sentinel so cheap? Now that I got the 1911 bug I can use all the help I can get...the collection is gonna grow geometrically. Thanks.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Hey Redneck - if you don't mind sharing some trade secrets, how'd you buy that Sentinel so cheap? Now that I got the 1911 bug I can use all the help I can get...the collection is gonna grow geometrically. Thanks.

It's Horse-Trading......like anything else, sometimes ya git a winner....sometimes ya git a bag o' chit!

 

[Texas1911]

Depends on price point:

Under $1000
------------
Springfield Loaded
Springfield Loaded Champion
Kimber Custom II
Kimber Pro Carry II
Kimber Stainless II
Kimber Stainless Pro Carry II

Over $1000
-----------
STI Ranger II
STI Trojan 5.0
Dan Wesson RZ10
Dan Wesson CBOB

I would avoid these things:

- Any 1911 below 4" in barrel length. They are significantly less reliable than the larger versions.
- Any 1911 with a light rail. It's a carry gun. The light rail is pointless and serves only as a snag point on the draw.
- External extractors, the Sig's and some old Kimber's have this and the platform was never designed for it.

With a full size frame you should run Wilson 47D magazines, and with the small frame opt for the 47OXC magazines. You'll gain a round, and significantly better feeding with hollow-points.

Since it is a carry gun you should put it in your hands and feel for significant hitches in the action, or any significant drag. Hitches can expose timing issues with the gun that may in the long run cause a number of seemingly unsolveable problems, and an overly tight frame to slide fit is going to require an exaggerated break-in to be reliable. Tight is OK, it's still reliable, but the frame should glide, not drag. Loose is OK, the gun should be plenty reliable and plenty accurate. Colt's and Springfield's are built loose from the factory and seem to run and shoot just the same as so-called manufactured match pistols like the Kimber's.

1911s are mechanically complex, and have alot of tolerances that need to be right to give you a good package. I would stay away from cheap 1911s, you seem to get what you pay for in the 1911 world.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Colt's and Springfield's are built loose from the factory and seem to run and shoot just the same as so-called manufactured match pistols like the Kimber's.

Ummmmmm.....I'll differ with you SLIGHTLY here - I own both, and will say that the "out of the box" Colt's I've shot (post series 70) were *not* as accurate as the bulk of the Kimbers I've shot......

1911s are mechanically complex, and have alot of tolerances that need to be right to give you a good package. I would stay away from cheap 1911s, you seem to get what you pay for in the 1911 world.

Really? Norinco? A REALLY cheap 1911 that became the basis for a LOT of customs? High Standard? Some of the other Phillipines-based 45's that have done pretty good in terms of both reliability AND accuracy?? And in the "over" bracket, I didn't see any Wilson, Baer or Brown....

As to the sub-4" - sorry, I'll disagree with you here, as well. My Sentinel has performed flawlessly, as have my HS Compact Crusader AND my "Old School" Randall LeMay.

The external extractors....well, don't own any, but I've heard of issues - just haven't seen any for myself, although they are well-documented. The light rail....no argument w/ya there - I never have figured out how a CC pistol would be worth a hoot w/a light hangin' off it....but that's just me, ah reckon.

 

[Texas1911]

Ummmmmm.....I'll differ with you SLIGHTLY here - I own both, and will say that the "out of the box" Colt's I've shot (post series 70) were *not* as accurate as the bulk of the Kimbers I've shot......

Really? Norinco? A REALLY cheap 1911 that became the basis for a LOT of customs? High Standard? Some of the other Phillipines-based 45's that have done pretty good in terms of both reliability AND accuracy?? And in the "over" bracket, I didn't see any Wilson, Baer or Brown....

As to the sub-4" - sorry, I'll disagree with you here, as well. My Sentinel has performed flawlessly, as have my HS Compact Crusader AND my "Old School" Randall LeMay.

The external extractors....well, don't own any, but I've heard of issues - just haven't seen any for myself, although they are well-documented. The light rail....no argument w/ya there - I never have figured out how a CC pistol would be worth a hoot w/a light hangin' off it....but that's just me, ah reckon.

All of my basis are generalizations, there are so many damn guns on the market that I could write out a 50 page report on this and that.

I see the general shooter with home cooked skills, and I see 300+ of them a week come through the range when I am there. I've seen every kind of gun fall apart, jam, fail, etc. but I tend to see significantly more issues with the sub-4" guns. It's simple physics really ... there is less room for parts to move, timing is more crucial, more recoil, and all of that needs to have a human that knows what they are doing behind it. That last part is the BIG deciding factor in the small 1911s.

There is always going to be someone that has the Jenkin's .25 Auto Snub-Nose 1911 that was built in 1923 Chinese Sweat-Shop using Donkey labor out of high tin content stainless steel tooth fillings that has no problems what so ever with the gun. When you see 10 - 20 of the things in a weekend, you find the other 99% of them that don't run worth a damn.

I can produce a 1953 Colt that by face value you'd expect to shoot like utter horse shit (the bushing has actually fallen out once), and the thing is a .75 caliber hole gun with a magazine at 10 yards. I learned alot from that gun, that it's not always what meets the eye, that you really have to base an equal amount off of what runs.

Accuracy is a broad statement. First off, it's a carry gun ... the most inaccurate 1911 out there is accurate enough to hit a 2 legged varmint. Secondly, I've seen new shooters that shoot 12" groups with a Kimber 1911 and then proceeded to shoot 4" groups with my STI. Is the STI that much more accurate? No... the shooter was more accurate because the trigger was 1/2 the weight and they didn't know when it was going to go off.

I've shot Kimber, Wilson, Dan Wesson, STI, Nighthawk, Les Baer, Springfield, Rock Island, Colt, etc. and I've never found a single 1911 that I couldn't put all the rounds into a single hole with. Sure those high end guns like the $4300 Wilson Supergrade made a slightly tighter hole and had a sweet trigger, but was it really that much better of a gun? No. Is it a fun toy? Hell yeah. Is it worth $4300 ... to him it was. Was my STI worth $2000 to me? Yes.

I didn't recommend the cheaper 1911s mainly because they are nitrided ... and are very prone to rust issues with carry. I had even typed out to re-coat the Kimber, as they will rust with carry as well. That's why there are a number of Stainless guns on the list, which also will rust, but they resist oxidation quite a bit better. The cheaper guns also do not have alot of emphasis put into reliability like the "Custom" guns do, and that makes a BIG difference when you start talking about feeding hollow-points. Most of the people that have the Brazilian Imbel made guns and Philippians guns are shooting 230 gr. ball ... and if a 1911 can't feed that it needs to be melted down.

 

[Tehgruu]

Get a good ole Colt

This.