Buying a 1911

[AndreasW]

Looking to buy my first 1911. I have been hesitant in the past to get a 1911 because of the ammo cost, but decided that now is the time. What is a good 1911 to purchase? I have had my eyes on Springfield Armory's various selection. Ruger's SR1911 looks like a nice setup, and the price point isn't bad. Is it better to drop a lot of money on a well made gun (Les Baer), or would it be better to buy cheap(er) and upgrade to my taste? What are some things that I should look out for in a good/decent 1911? Price point is always a factor, but if the consensus is for a higher end gun I might sway. Any input is much appreciated.

Not sure if there are "those guys" on this site, but I already have a Glock.

 

[lowflier03]

One thing to consider. No matter which 1911 you buy, you will have to do a minor amount of tuning yourself to get it running 100%. Yes this is true even of Kimbers.

Ultimately it depends on what you want out of it. The Ruger comes with some upgrades already and ends up being cheaper than if you bought some other base gun and then the accessories separately. But this value does not necessarily hold on the other manufacturers or higher end models.

If you want a great shooting, reliable, mainly stock 1911, then I recommend looking at the Rock Island Armory 1911 or 1911 Commander model. (depending on if you want compact or not) Those are probably the cheapest you will ever find for a solid 1911, where the manufacturer actually stands by their product.

From what I saw when I bought mine, the Springfields are overpriced for what you get, as are the Kimbers, unless you find a decent deal on a used one.

 

[ltedge46]

My dad bought me a Colt Gov Model Series 80 as a gift last year when I screened for command. The retail ammo price is the only bad thing about it. It's a lot of fun to shoot. I've heard people say they like the commander more as a carry piece since it's a bit shorter but I've also heard other people say that the full size gov't is just as easy to carry. I'm not a "carry" guy so I've got no dog in the fight. Fits under my seat or in the nightstand just fine. Best approach as you probably know is find a shop with different models and try them out to see how they fit and feel.

Put a couple thousand rounds through my series 80 in the past year and never had a single problem (my brother reloads his own ammo so I'm not as worried about the cost), anything from a quality brand should be good.

Good luck, have fun.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

One thing to consider. No matter which 1911 you buy, you will have to do a minor amount of tuning yourself to get it running 100%. Yes this is true even of Kimbers.

Ultimately it depends on what you want out of it. The Ruger comes with some upgrades already and ends up being cheaper than if you bought some other base gun and then the accessories separately. But this value does not necessarily hold on the other manufacturers or higher end models.

If you want a great shooting, reliable, mainly stock 1911, then I recommend looking at the Rock Island Armory 1911 or 1911 Commander model. (depending on if you want compact or not) Those are probably the cheapest you will ever find for a solid 1911, where the manufacturer actually stands by their product.

From what I saw when I bought mine, the Springfields are overpriced for what you get, as are the Kimbers, unless you find a decent deal on a used one.

I would also recommend the RI, the people I know that have them have nothing but good things to say, and more expensive =/= better, I know a couple that bought 2 Les Pauls for something like 2K each, was out on the range with them and I don't think they were able to get through a complete magazine without a jam, even one of the rangemasters fired a few magazines with the same issue.

 

[AndreasW]

Thanks for all of the replies. I will definitely look into Rock Island Armory. I think this information will help me round out my search. Thanks again.

 

[Renegade One]

Still no real answer to the question of "what are you buying it for?" If it's just range shooting, campsite plinking, home defense, then anything that floats your boat will do…and, as stated above, your preferred blend of affordability and reliability are most important.
The Series 80 I bought in the 1980's was specifically purchased to be built into a "hard ball pistol" for competitive Navy shooting matches. Won two Leg medals with that fine piece of blue steel and sex appeal.
My second 1911 purchase (5-6 years ago?) was a Springfield Armory "GI Mil-Spec", to be used almost exclusively for SASS "Wild Bunch" matches. Perfect out of the box as far as I was concerned, but I did replace the A1- arched mainspring housing with an early 1911-style "straight" housing with a lanyard loop on it…to look more "period correct" for the events.
That latter pistol has now become my bedroom/home defense weapon…where reliability is almost the only thing that truly matters.
Not a pic of the pistol, per se, but a pic of me trying to be "period correct" for about 1916: (the steely-eyed among you might also appreciate the 1898 .30-40 Krag-Jorgensen cavalry carbine used for the rifle stages). Standard blue Stoeger SXS short-barreled "Coach Gun" for the shotgun portions...

 

[sodajones]

I have a springfield "mil-spec" which I've really enjoyed. Has always gone bang and looks like the classic while having more modern dot sites. I carry a concealed glock 23. The 1911 is just for funzies.

 

[B.D. Drummond]

Take a look at a Sig P220............http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2012/03/ryan-finn/gun-review-sig-sauer-p220/

Interesting review.

 

[jtmedli]

I have a Sig 1911 abd it's one of the smoothest shooting pistols I've ever had the pleasure of shooting. I highly recommend looking at them. They run about $850-900 ish but worth it. I've shot kimbers and they weren't an ounce smoother or better IMO.

 

[nittany03]

I have a Sig 1911 abd it's one of the smoothest shooting pistols I've ever had the pleasure of shooting. I highly recommend looking at them. They run about $850-900 ish but worth it. I've shot kimbers and they weren't an ounce smoother or better IMO.

Which would be great . . . if they ever arrived. Apparently when I ordered mine IN THE FALL OF 2012, they first sent a requisition to the mine for unobtanium ore. After smelting it and mixing it with the requisite unicorn farts, maybe they've at least milled the slide by now. Seriously, I know the market has gone sideways since the Sandy Hook tragedy, but 18 months for a freaking pistol? When it gets here, it'd better be the best pistol I've ever shot.