[STAGE 2]

I was surfing the web yesterday, continuing my search for a new .45 when I came upon something that caught me completely by surprise. Sitting in my chair I was astonished as a picture of quite possibly one the the nicest 1911's I have ever seen loaded onto the screen. Dubbed the Panther from Dan Wesson, this was a cherry looking pistol with nice clean lines and a wonderfully blued finish. Completely giddy thinking I had finally found the pistol for me I eagerly scrolled down to the specs... that was my fatal error. In fine print read "cast alloy frame".

I know that some of you are shaking your head in confusion but let me explain. Everywhere you go you see all sorts of options and customizations for 1911s enough to make one's head spin. However what you dont see is just the opposite, a solid all business 1911.

I understand that there is a market for these racey guns, and thats fine. However I dont think I'm wrong in saying that there are a fair amount of people like me who dont want all the hokey do dads that push up the price...

I dont want front cocking serrations (a thread in of itself), I dont want MIM parts, I dont want tolerances so tight that it will malfunction every time you sneeze in its general direction, I dont want some really new spaceage super-light alloy, and under no circumstances should there ever... and I mean ever be plastic parts inside a 1911.

Honestly I could care less if a manufacturer didnt put on any "upgraded" parts such as the thumb and beavertail safties as long as the gun was made of forged steel and looked reasonably original. Dont misunderstand me as I'm not one of those "JMB got it right the first time and it shouldnt be messed with" people. I'd be more than happy with night sights and even an external extractor. I just dont understand why there arent any options out there for people like me. Am I missing something or am I just wasting air?

[Preacherman]

I'm afraid that manufacturing economics, plus the boom in IPSC-style shooting with all its bells and whistles, have pretty much doomed the "basic-chunk-of-steel" 1911. The last one I owned was a WWII Remington Rand, that I customized to suit myself. Any of the modern guns (with the exception of top-of-the-line makers such as Les Baer, Brown, etc.) are going to have a certain amount of MIM or plastic parts, purely and simply as a result of manufacturing economics.

[9x19]

Why not just buy a New blued Colt Government model for $559?

Like this... http://www.galibois.com/marshfield/CT1991B.jpg

OR... a new pakerized Springifeld government model for $445?

Like this...http://www.galibois.com/marshfield/SPB9108L.jpg

[STAGE 2]

You're right 9 x 19, I could very well get one of those two, but your suggestion reinforces the point I'm trying to make. If I want to purchase a "stock" looking 1911 I either have to get the most bare bones of versions i.e. milspec, or I have to construct one myself, which is probably the better bet since up grading either of those 2 pistols is gonna be costly as well. I just want some middle ground.

[JoeHatley]

Picked this up last weekend for $660. Nothing fancy or trick, just a solid value.

http://elwood.pionet.net/~hatley/sw1911_l.jpg
http://elwood.pionet.net/~hatley/sw1911_r.jpg

You may want to give them a look....

Joe

[themic]

have a colt commander 1991, and for a very reasonable price you can put in purtier grips, full length guiderod, and heaveir spring... currently working on a new bushing mostly because i want it to match the SS guiderod. it isn't a whole lot of customization, but it's kinda fun and the overall pistol is still a big hunk of steel.

[Boats]

On the SW 1911 you must have missed the poster's aversion to front cocking serrations, one that I share and avoid through buying Commander sized pistols.

However, my next 1911 is already chosen, a Colt Series 70 reissue.