Affordable 1911s that aren't trash

How bout the Sig 1911's? I've haven't owned one of those, how are they. I would say they are in the "reasonably priced" category. I've heard they won't fit properly in a 1911 holster?
I have an XO that fails to fully return into battery more often than I'd like
 
My research and discussion with others is steering me towards a SW E series
The E-Series are actually decent guns but you may run in a typical S&W quality control problems my dad's e series, the f****** safety levers fell off of it because it wasn't fitted properly.... a quick fix by any gunsmith of any consequence but it's still a stupid thing to let go out the door.
 
The E-Series are actually decent guns but you may run in a typical S&W quality control problems my dad's e series, the f****** safety levers fell off of it because it wasn't fitted properly.... a quick fix by any gunsmith of any consequence but it's still a stupid thing to let go out the door.
In 2nd place would be the Garrison by SA.. any thoughts?
 
While it depends on the holster, Sig (with only a few exceptions, which I think are no longer available) uses a proprietary, nonstandard slide profile and that, indeed, may not fit in a holster. Ditto for any gun with a rail.
Yup. I had to modify a normal holster to fit a sig TTT 1911.
 
My research and discussion with others is steering me towards a SW E series

i have one. trigger rattled bad in the frame. watch out for plastic mainspring housings. you def want to break it in then send to greg derr and have him de-crapify it slightly. new MSH, sear, trigger, and hammer is probably a good idea, as well as checking fit of safety and safety plunger.
 
i have one. trigger rattled bad in the frame. watch out for plastic mainspring housings. you def want to break it in then send to greg derr and have him de-crapify it slightly. new MSH, sear, trigger, and hammer is probably a good idea, as well as checking fit of safety and safety plunger.
If it's that bad by that point he could have just bought a DW and saved a lot of money..... a heritage at around 1300 bux or so is unlikely to have any of those problems.
 
If it's that bad by that point he could have just bought a DW and saved a lot of money..... a heritage at around 1300 bux or so is unlikely to have any of those problems.

I bought it for iirc $850 and put another $300 into it, still a great gun just wish it didn't have the rail. I was lucky I didn't have to mess with the safety or safety plunger. I've heard from others who had.
 
In 2nd place would be the Garrison by SA.. any thoughts?
I haven't seen one of those some SA are decent others tend to be a little dodgy on the lower
end. My SA vtac masterclass is a nice gun but that's an unusual product for them.
 
How bout the Sig 1911's? I've haven't owned one of those, how are they. I would say they are in the "reasonably priced" category. I've heard they won't fit properly in a 1911 holster?

I have one of those Sig TTT , which I think now they call an STX.
Couldn't tell you the difference. Maybe the rear sights.
It shoots like every other .45 caliber 1911 that I've ever shot, and probably the same as every other one ever made.
 
I haven't seen one of those some SA are decent others tend to be a little dodgy on the lower
end. My SA vtac masterclass is a nice gun but that's an unusual product for them.
I was very disappointed with the Emissary I recently got however SA customer service was good and they got it back to me quickly and it seems to be ok now but I only put 150 rounds thru it since I got it back, and this was a $1200+ gun
 
I was very disappointed with the Emissary I recently got however SA customer service was good and they got it back to me quickly and it seems to be ok now but I only put 150 rounds thru it since I got it back, and this was a $1200+ gun
9mm emissary?
 
i have one. trigger rattled bad in the frame. watch out for plastic mainspring housings. you def want to break it in then send to greg derr and have him de-crapify it slightly. new MSH, sear, trigger, and hammer is probably a good idea, as well as checking fit of safety and safety plunger.
I don't know if they still do it, but I have seen plastic mainspring houses on factory Colt 1911s years ago.
 
I had two Colt LWT officers mods that had plastic MSH. Stupid but not the end of the world.
I wrote Colt a letter about this decades ago suggesting they find the new hire from MBA school who obviously cooked this idea up who paid too much attention to his professors and too little to customers and arrange some remedial training. I never got a reply.
 
I have the SA Range Officer in 9mm. Added my preferred Pachy grips and been shooting the snot out of it for the past 7 years. Definately my highest round count handgun . Got to be upwards of 3k . Never a hiccup. Its my goto for my serious proficiency improvement training. I also used it to qualify for my clubs indoor range which is 10 consecutive shots on a 50' pistol target at 50ft offhand .
 
I actually just contacted Greg Derr about a 1911 and his "base model" starts at $6k. That just seems ridiculous. How . I am willing to spend 4k maybe 5k.

If you're willing to spend up to that amount, I'd look at Alchemy

 
I actually just contacted Greg Derr about a 1911 and his "base model" starts at $6k. That just seems ridiculous. How . I am willing to spend 4k maybe 5k.
That price is typical of builds from known gunsmiths who operate at the point part of the quality pyramid.

Don't discount the "known" part. Greg is "Brand name". The resale value of a custom build from a name like Derr will generally be higher than an equally good gun for a "nobody will recognize the name" gunsmith. It's like art - very often there is more value in who created the art that it's actually quality.
 
Last edited:
If you're willing to spend up to that amount, I'd look at Alchemy

They won't sell to Massachusetts residents ..... Just a FYI
 
Back
Top Bottom