I am looking to buy a 1911. I've been looking at Colt and Kimber, but I am open to anything. I have heard good and bad about both, so I want to make sure I buy an accurate, reliable pistol the first time. I have shot a Taurus and a Springfield, not to crazy for the Springfield, and the Taurus was very accurate but had a few issues, any ideas?
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1911's
- Thread starter plumber
- Start date
S&W makes a good 1911.
S&W is a favorite 1991 for me, especially one I have that was plated by Tripp Research. Sweetest shooting gun I've ever seen.
W
wolf223
Smith and Wesson 1911 - hands down for me
*but that's because I own one and live in the gun-friendliest Bay State... LOL
*but that's because I own one and live in the gun-friendliest Bay State... LOL
Knob Creek
NES Member
I've got 3 Series I Kimbers that I like, but I'm not sure that I would recommend a new Series II Kimber -- I just don't trust its Swartz-style firing pin safety. If you can find a Series I Kimber, that would be a decent gun.
I haven't had great luck with a Springfield Armory 1911, so I don't recommend those. I also have a ParaOrdnance P14 and I REALLY don't recommend ParaOrdnance.
I do have a Wilson Combat and that is a really sweet gun if you can swing the cost.
I have a Colt Delta Elite and that is an excellent gun, but I had to have a fair bit of work done to it to make it how I want it (better sights, trigger, beavertail grip safety, extended thumb safety).
I haven't had great luck with a Springfield Armory 1911, so I don't recommend those. I also have a ParaOrdnance P14 and I REALLY don't recommend ParaOrdnance.
I do have a Wilson Combat and that is a really sweet gun if you can swing the cost.
I have a Colt Delta Elite and that is an excellent gun, but I had to have a fair bit of work done to it to make it how I want it (better sights, trigger, beavertail grip safety, extended thumb safety).
W
wolf223
**just to add**
I had a ParaO Nite Tac 9 - neutered MASS Compliant Version and it did NOT give me any problems.
I've read about issues with double stack .45 auto versions of ParaO as well.
I did a lot of reading on: http://forum.m1911.org/forumdisplay.php?f=24 before I got my SW1911.
The High Road (dot-org) may be of help as well. However, if you live in the Bay State, your options are limited
I had a ParaO Nite Tac 9 - neutered MASS Compliant Version and it did NOT give me any problems.
I've read about issues with double stack .45 auto versions of ParaO as well.
I did a lot of reading on: http://forum.m1911.org/forumdisplay.php?f=24 before I got my SW1911.
The High Road (dot-org) may be of help as well. However, if you live in the Bay State, your options are limited
He's not in MA, so he has more options.
Most of the problems that I had with my P14 are NOT issues with it being a double stack. I did have many failures to feed, typically near the end of the magazine. Those may well be due to double-stack design.
However, after a few thousand rounds the hammer started to follow the slide down. My gunsmith said that the hammer and sear were very, very soft and had to be replaced. The hammer and sear are the same for a double-stack 1911 as a single stack 1911.
In addition, the slide stop notch on my P14 has significantly deformed, due to the slide being soft. Again, the slide is not unique to a double-stack gun.
W
wolf223
it's all good. this is why I love this forum...
I didn't notice a location on him, so I posted "Ma**h***" point of view...
regards -
As Colt no longer thinks mere citizens should own its products - and has not for quite some time - I no longer think I have any interest in its products. You may have a different opinion.
Kimber would be a logical choice, as would Springfield; S&W has an excellent product, locally produced.
If you want to get a tad more exotic - and expensive - consider STI. These are quality production guns.
If you want a gun made FOR you, right down to the serial number - AND are willing to pay for that experience - consider SVI. The gun will cost you about 3 times what a new S&W will, but it will be built to your design with cutting-edge technological features.
So - how much do you want to spend?
I am pleased with the 2 S&W 1911's I have. Also Springfield Armory makes some good ones and if you want to spend more there is Wilson Combat, Nighthawk, Les Baer and others previously mentioned in this post. Also if you want to look at some beautiful work on 1911's check out the www.louderthanwords.us website.
I don't think that you could go wrong with a Kimber, but there is so much out there in the way of 1911's, that for you living in the state of Providence Plantations and Rhode Island, have some great options. It all depends on your budget and how many bells and whistiles you want on it.
Mark L.
Mark L.
Are you planning to carry it, or will it be a range/home gun? For carry, I think the scandium frame Smiths are hard to beat. For the range, I'd look at the steel S&Ws or Springfield. I've heard a bunch of good and a bunch of bad about Kimber, but I haven't shot any. If you're looking for great out of the box, I think S&W is great. If you're looking to do some customizing, the Springfield GI or MilSpec are great starting points.
Curious as to what you mean by this?
I'm really appreciating the input here! After pricing Les Bears and the like, I think Kimber or Colt will be my upper limit, unless Ed Brown would throw in a complementary divorce lawyer! I haven't given S&W any thought before this post, I am a huge fan of their revolvers, but don't own any of their pistols. I'm trying to get some input because all I have seen on shelves up to this point are Taurus and Springfield, so I will be ordering online sight unseen.
This may be a dumb question....but does having a custom pistol like this made for you jive with the MA approved firearms list? I understand the OP is not from MA, just curious how one in MA would fare.
SVI has two guns on the approved roster.
Thanks, I missed that last time I looked.
Not sure if they do this on a regular basis, but I have a 2004 anniversary edition Kimber 1911 and it was set up as a series 70 gun. That's right- no FP safety at all, no series 80 crap, no swartz crap.
-Mike
