$1000 1911

[Brian S]

In your opinion what is the best option for a 1911 in the 1k range?

We all have different experiences, and opinions. I'd like to hear yours and the why's.

Thanks in advance!

 

[lklawson]

What fits your hand and shooting style and shoots nice? Do you like a standard bbl length or prefer something shorter? Or longer? Do you want an extended bbl with porting? Do you want dovetailing, accessory rails, mag welling, etc.? What kind of finish do you want? Park, blue, hard chrome, some sort of duracoat/alumahyde? Do you want trigger jobs, or other wiz bangies? Is this going to be a CCP piece, a hip holstered duty weapon, or a "Range Gun"?

I'm not a 1911 fan but these have got to be the most customized pistols on the PLANET with more available options, addons, and geegaws than all other pistols combined.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Carol]

One can get a lot of gun for 1K. Lots of possibilities.

So...if it were me...I'd first ask myself how long I'd be keeping the gun. Is this something that I know I will love and have in my collection for years? Or is it something that I'm going to try for awhile and trade in later?

If the latter, I'd buy used and keep the gun as close to stock as possible in order to get as much value as I can at trade time.

If the former....some people like to buy brand new guns. Others like to buy used and save a few bucks.

I'm not personally in to fancy finishes and graphics, etc. Other folks are, and if they want to deck out their piece one way or another....go for it! Make it yours.

My good buddy Andy has a commander 1911, with a single-stack that fits my hand well. So if it were me, I'd probably look at reputable dealers for a similar used one that gave me enough headroom to add some Crimson Trace grips without going over $1000.

 

[KenpoTex]

what your intended use for the pistol? Some features that are great on competition guns are pointless or even dangerous on carry guns. The size of the weapon (Government, Commander, Officers length) can affect reliability. lot's of considerations.

If you're looking for a defensive gun and/or something for concealed carry. I'd spend the money on a pair of Glocks, or one Glock and a bunch of mags.

 

[Deaf Smith]

If you're looking for a defensive gun and/or something for concealed carry. I'd spend the money on a pair of Glocks, or one Glock and a bunch of mags.

If you look around in pawn shops you can find slightly used compact Glocks like the 19 or 23 AND slighty used Glock sub-compacts like the 26/27 for $1000 a pair! Yes you can get one of each! Nothing like a good compact for a belt gun and the sub-compact for the IWB t-shirt gun!

As for $1000 1911s, well $1000 don't bring as much as it used to.

My Kimber Gold Match 1911 .45, first model, cost my a K buck, and it shoots like a rifle.

But today, expect to pay more for that quality.

If I was going to pay near a thousand, I'd look at the Dan Wesson 1911s first.

But I admit, I'm a Glock man who happens to own and shoot a bunch of other good guns!

Deaf

 

[lklawson]

He didn't ask for recommendations about a "G-lock."

There's a crap-load of good alternatives, both new and used. Everything from surplus Maks through new Kel-Tecs on the inexpensive end up through Sigs and the like; as expensive as you want to go in any caliber you want.

I've shot just about every kind of pistol and, frankly, I just don't grok the Cult of Glock. Then again, I don't grok the Cult of 1911 either. Both nice enough in their own way, but...

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

EDIT: Maybe I'm just getting cranky in my old age. ;-)

 

[Grenadier]

EDIT: Maybe I'm just getting cranky in my old age. ;-)

Negative on that... You probably haven't have your coffee yet?


On the 1911 front, anyone can take a decent quality 1911 and customize it to his heart's desire. The entry-level Springfield Mil-spec (about 500-600 bucks) is a good platform to start with, and you can spend the other 400-500 on various customizations to fit you.

Or, if you want something that's already nice "out of the box," you should be able to find a Kimber 1911 Gold Match for around 1000 or less. You can definitely find a new Kimber Custom II for around 900.

 

[Jdokan]

Nobody mentioned Taurus's 1911...anybody have experience with it?

 

[Grenadier]

Nobody mentioned Taurus's 1911...anybody have experience with it?

The Taurus isn't a bad offering; it's just that the pricetag is too high for what it is.

I did a bit of a review on one. It has a lot of nice features, but in the end, you could have had a Kimber II for just a wee bit more.

 

[searcher]

Tex and DS are both right on the money. As I am a huge Glock fan and not really high on the 1911 train, I suggest a G19 or G23 for CCH, even though I carry my G17 & G21sf.

I would be on the 1911 train, but the reliability is a bit lacking. Too many misfires and malfunctions for my taste.

 

[Skpotamus]

As others have mentioned, it really depends on what you're wanting to use it for.

For a competition gun, you can get a fullsize springfield milspec or a para ordinance (high capacity = nice). Then part them out and make them match grade. You can also buy a little bit nicer one, such as a Springfield Loaded, or Para limited, or S&W DK (this one might break the 1k mark). You might also get something not in .45automatic caliber. (that's where the para's really shine, the high capacity of their 45's is usually mitigated by competitions putting magazine restrictions so the single stack 1911's don't get crushed, the 9's and 40's usually don't have that restriction imposed on them).

If you just want something to plink around the range, anything will do, from the 1k models down to the bare bones milspecs. I'd recommend closer to milspec though.

Personally, I'm a big fan of the para and the S&W 1911's. Both have been 100% reliable for me with multiple thousands of rounds through them.

If you're looking for a carry gun... I'd still recommend a full size 1911, or at the smallest a commander. The reason being that the smaller 1911's are VERY hit and miss on their reliability. I worked in gun shops for about 8 years, and there was a disproportionate number of the smaller 1911's that came back with jamming issues. The brands that had the most problems overall were Kimber* and Colt. *The kimber problem was because of their Series II guns have a very poorly designed external extractor that just didn't work well at all. The new kimbers are quite nice, if you get one, make sure it doesn't have the external extractor.
Keep the carry gun as close to milspec as possible. The more bells and whistles on the 1911, the less reliable it usually is. Also, keep it clean and well lubed, 1911's tend to be a bit more finicky than modern designs.

As always, YMMV.

 

[KenpoTex]

Keep the carry gun as close to milspec as possible. The more bells and whistles on the 1911, the less reliable it usually is. Also, keep it clean and well lubed, 1911's tend to be a bit more finicky than modern designs.

That part just bears repeating...

 

[Grenadier]

If you're looking for a carry gun... I'd still recommend a full size 1911, or at the smallest a commander. The reason being that the smaller 1911's are VERY hit and miss on their reliability.

Similar experiences here...

I used to have a really nice Colt Defender. Very accurate pistol, and a joy to shoot, but the gun would choke on most hollowpoint loads. The only hollowpoint load I could ever get to feed with good reliability was Remington's classic 185 grain JHP (standard pressure), which uses a very conservative profile (resembles round nosed ammo).

 

[Skpotamus]

Similar experiences here...

I used to have a really nice Colt Defender. Very accurate pistol, and a joy to shoot, but the gun would choke on most hollowpoint loads. The only hollowpoint load I could ever get to feed with good reliability was Remington's classic 185 grain JHP (standard pressure), which uses a very conservative profile (resembles round nosed ammo).

Even the full size 1911's from most manufacturers can choke on hollow points pretty easily. They weren't designed for those and have a minimal feed ramp (almost non existent). Para Ordinance uses a full feed ramp (only 1911 manufacturer that does I believe) that feeds pretty much anything with no problems.

 

[lklawson]

Even the full size 1911's from most manufacturers can choke on hollow points pretty easily. They weren't designed for those and have a minimal feed ramp (almost non existent).

This is one of the reasons that Pow'rBall and similar "plugged expanding point" (or whatever you want to call it) ammo was developed.

The other big one is to get around failure to expand due to the cavity being filled with material after passing through cloth.

For what it's worth, Cor-Bon just cribbed straight from Winchester's "Expanding Point" .25 ACP which plugged a .25 ACP hollow point with a steel BB so that they'd feed in those finicky little 25 pocket guns.

There's also the various frangible ammos if you trust them (I don't).

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Deaf Smith]

That part just bears repeating...

And repeating!

I've been in IDPA and IPSC for something over 20 years. I have seen tons of guns jam. 99 percent of them had fancy aftermarked stuff on them, AND THAT INCLUDES GLOCKS!

Just get good sights and a decent trigger, All these extended slide stops, extended safeties, guide rods, mag well flairing, fancy mags, etc.. all add up to jam-a-matics.

Like I said, good sights and trigger. Everything else can be ignored.

Deaf

 

[Sigung86]

...
Kirk

EDIT: Maybe I'm just getting cranky in my old age. ;-)

That could be, Kirk... :lol:

I have a Glock Model 22, that's a .40 cal for you non-gunners. LOL!

But, I prefer my Model 19 Smith with the inch and a half barrel.. And I really, also like my auto-ordinance, 1911, with the rattle snake skin finish.
(For a good deal less than 1k. That's my only real surrender to fashion, as it were)

For purpose? I keep them all three clean, loaded and ready in strategic places in my house. Even though I live in the country, life in "nearby" cities is beginning to take strange twists and turns, and I'd rather be seen as a gun radical than dead.
Dan

PS While I'm thinking about it, unless your really into the accurate-accurate target shootin for competition, it seems to me, that knowing how to use whatchu got is as important if not more so than how many pazoozas you drop on it.

 

[Jdokan]

The Taurus isn't a bad offering; it's just that the pricetag is too high for what it is.

I did a bit of a review on one. It has a lot of nice features, but in the end, you could have had a Kimber II for just a wee bit more.

I thought they were @ $ 700.00??? Or is that just the price they show in the magazines....

 

[Hudson69]

I had a Springfield GI model 1911. It was great out of the box, smooth, no hang-ups and I really felt I could beat it up and it would function. I paid $390 for it brand new ($415 after taxes and what not). I think they are going for $450-500 now though.

You dont need to spend a grand to pick up a good 1911 but there are numerous 1911 manufacturers out there that will offer a nice weapon for that price; Before giving up a solid answer (opinion) though, what options do you want/need?

This can vary quite a bit now-a-days.

 

[Hudson69]

what your intended use for the pistol? Some features that are great on competition guns are pointless or even dangerous on carry guns. The size of the weapon (Government, Commander, Officers length) can affect reliability. lot's of considerations.

If you're looking for a defensive gun and/or something for concealed carry. I'd spend the money on a pair of Glocks, or one Glock and a bunch of mags.

This is a really good point; unless you have to have a 1911 then you might be better off looking around and really shooting a lot of different guns in the arena you want to be using it in; CCW, target, home defense?