[Matthew Courtney]

I want to add a 1911 style .45 to my collection. I am looking for a full size, all steel reliable pistol. Could you guys give me input on the various makes available, Colt, Kimber, Wilson, etc?

[jem375]

Dan Wesson, Springfield, Kimber, Colt, Wilson, STI, Para ordinance, the list is endless..........

[cratz2]

All depends on what you're looking for...

If you want a nice basic traditional piece, the Springfield MilSpec is a solid gun for the price $400-$450 It will be gray/black parkerized.

If you want a bit more upscale but still fairly traditional 1911, the new rollmark Colts seem to be consistantly good. Nice blue finish. $550-$600

If you're looking for something with the more modern 'custom' touches, either a Springfield Loaded or the Kimber Classic might be worth looking into. $650-$700 With these, you'll be getting extended and maybe ambi thumbsafeties, beavertails, better sights esp for carry.

If you want a truly beautiful gun and you don't mind waiting 18 months, look into Rock River. Excellent guns, beautiful, semi custom and they'll build pretty much anything you want from $1,300-$1,600 Plus you can pay it off as you go so it won't hurt as bad as a one time $1,500 check. ;)

[Matthew Courtney]

Does anyone have any 1st hand experience with these who might be able to advise me regarding reliability, customer service, etc.?

[Sven]

Top notch product and customer service?

Valtro, all the way.

http://www.ValtroUSA.com

My Valtro Pictures (http://www.imageseek.com/valtro/)

100% reliable with every load I've tried, accurate as hell (1" at 25 yards), and amazing customer service from a true legend (not to mention great guy) - John Jardine.

[.45FMJoe]

I just paid $550 for a brand new Colt 1991 fullsize in stainless. Can't wait to be able to pick it up :)

[RANash]

Another vote for Valtro!

[railroader]

I have a kimber custom. I've had it for about 4 years. Super reliable and very accurate. I have shot alot of rounds through it and it is still very tight. Mark

[Wildalaska]

Colt colt colt all the way

[BigG]

I've had a bunch of Colt Government Models and Gold Cups and you can't beat them as far as I'm concerned. Get factory mags, also. The aftermarket mags are probably the biggest source of mystery malfunctions!

[dacinokc]

Ed Brown, Les Baer, Wilson, Kimber, Valtro all make a fine 1911- it is a function of how much you are willing to spend... :scrutiny:

[Peter M. Eick]

I think Les Baer makes a great 1911, but that is if you want it accurate, tight and solid. If you want it sloppy, rattly or loose, you can find that nearly any place.

[Nightcrawler]

Springfield MilSpec is a solid gun for the price $400-$450

God, you guys have cheap guns where you live. Mil-Specs run $515 NIB around here. Saw one that had been test-fired by the shop reduced to $450 or so, but that didn't stay on the shelf long at that price.

[cratz2]

Yeah, I bought two (a different times) for $400 and $420. Most I've seen recently was $450 I'm pretty sure.

But in the UP of Michigan, you can open a CD with that one bank and get a Weatherby rifle. You gotta love that! I've been meaning to call them to see if they're still running that and if it's open out adjacent staters... ;) I'd love to get a 257 Weatherby this year.

[cratz2]

Does anyone have any 1st hand experience with these who might be able to advise me regarding reliability, customer service, etc.?

I have experience with all those that I listed along with several others. Never had a failure with the MilSpec after the first 200 rounds or so when shooting ball ammo. Never had a failure of any sort with my Stainless Loaded. No failures ever with the Kimber Classic except when loading 8 rounds of aluminum-cased Blazer ammo into the mags. Wouldn't feed the second round.

I've had a couple junkers. Plus my early 90s 1991A1 wasn't reliable enough with HPs to carry until I had some very basic work done to it. Overall, I've had very positive experience with my 1911s. Just can't be afraid to have a couple things tweaked here and there. Most of the guns in the last year or two seem to be pretty reliable.

[ruger357]

Colt, Kimber.

[Pendragon]

Best thing to do is not ask "whats the best 1911?"

Ask "whats the best 1911 for $xxxxx"

Also - figure out a few things if you can - full sized gun, type of finish, sights, etc.

The Valtro probably has the best quality to dollars ratio available right now - it is easily comparable to Wilson and Baer and several hundred dollars less. I have one and not exaggerating at all, mere words are not enough to impart how great a gun it is - pictures help, but they really are incredible guns.

[Matthew Courtney]

Thank-You to everyone who posted. I bought a Kimber Eclipse Target II today. It is simply the most beautiful pistol I have ever seen. I will report back in a few days about how it shoots.

[Captal_de_Buch]

Wilson.
They are about the only 1911 mfg that didn't put the safety thingy in... I was "shocked" when I found out Kimber did it because I have a "pre-safety thingy" Kimber and I was going to get a second one.. and now.. I'm bummed...


:uhoh:

Your humble 14th century mercenary who hates the new safety thingys on 1911's
Captal de Buch

[Nightcrawler]

Dan Wessons have Series 70 triggers (lacking the firing pin safety). Colt sells an expensive replica of the M1911A1 with a PRE-Series 70 trigger, and it'd probably make a great base for a custom piece.

[Sven]

The Valtro also has a Series 70 style safety thingy, but still passes the CA drop-test with flying colors.

It's also cheaper than the Wilson.

Also:

-

GUN TESTS report:

Full-Size Fighting 1911s: Valtro Beats Wilson’s CQB

http://www.gun-tests.com/pub/14_7/features/5018-1.html

http://www.gun-tests.com/newspics/14_7/1911.jpg
"Senior Tech Editor Ray Ordorica applies an
Ayoob Wedge hold to the Valtro as he wrings
it out on the test range. The gun had all the
accuracy you could want, and an outstanding
trigger."

[Daguerre]

Of a dozen 1911's I bought this last year, including Colts, Kimbers and Springfields, if I were to go out and buy another tomorrow, I'd buy another one of these:

Colt Series 70 -new manufacture, re-issue
http://www.legendportraits.com/Images/Guns/Colt2937.jpg

This awesome pistol functions with flawless reliability with over a half-dozen different brands/types of magazines and with every hot ticket hollow point (or FMJ) round I can find to put into it. I just changed to a Colt Commander XSE trigger because I like a longer trigger than stock on this pistol. The rosewood double diamond grips that come with it are gorgeous, but I liked the tactical rubber double diamond grips (avail. from Kimber and other suppliers) so I put them on. Other than that, this is box-stock and a defense dream gun. There are lots of nice 1911's around, but there is really something special about a Colt. These new Colt Series 70 pistols are readily available right now. Expect to pay about $800 for one of these and, yes, they are available to any FFL dealer from distributors such as RSR or Jerry's. Enjoy! :D

[rick458]

I bought a Kimber Stainless II last year and I'm am nothing but happy with it I believe you will love your new Eclipse, and would have loved your new colt as well (never had a springer or anything else):)

[noklue3]

Dan Wesson Patriot. $800 or less.

Art

[noklue3]

Dan Wesson Patriot Picture:

[Dacos]

Daguerre,

Is Colt selling new series 70 1911's or did you pick it up secondhand? If the latter, was it refurbished by someone? Where can one find the tactical, double diamond grips?

Dacos

[Daguerre]

Dacos... Colt is making and selling these re-issued Series 70 pistols right now. Don't know how much longer they will be doing so, however, so if you want one, I'd recommend going for it asap. They are a superb platform for building up a custom Colt (as I planned to do when I bought this one). But after owning and shooting it I realized how perfect the gun is just as is and decided that messing with it beyond a longer trigger and black grips would just screw it up. This is the classic-style 1911 which is timeless. And Colt is making them with better metalurgy than they ever have. I still want to buy another blue Series 70 just to customize more, though, just for fun, not because the pistol needs it. I heard that Colt is considering making the Series 70 in stainless in the near future (for a small run). I imagine if they sell well, Colt may continue to make more. Keep your eyes on the Colt forum over on the 1911Forum for latest developments in the Colt world. Colt's website is terribly out of date and incomplete and most dealers don't know much about them either. You have to go to the people who know to find out the real scoop on what Colts are available. They are here:

http://www.1911forum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=26

The black rubber double diamond grips are from one of my Kimber 1911's, but are also readily available from Kimber and from other grip suppliers as well.

[Drjones]

What is the difference between series 70 and 80 and why does the 70 seem preferred over the 80 by most folk?

BTW: That is one GORGEOUS Colt you have there!!!:what:

[Wildalaska]

Series 80s have a firing pin block that is operated only when you pull the trigger (actually de-operated :))...some purists think it makes for a crappier trigger pull altho I dont think so having shot HUNDEREDS of both styles...

In any event the new series 70 is an absolute GEM! They have been a little tough to get, but they are worth the wait. Stainless ones are coming soon as is a repro of the 1920 commercial 1911!The 70s should be produced for this entire year...

[Daguerre]

I agree with WildAlaska... Series 80 Colts from recent years have very nice triggers on them... practically indistinguishable from Series 70's. Any good pistolsmith can achieve a very sweet trigger with either the Ser 70 or the Ser 80. I have both and enjoy the Series 80 just as much. The Series 80 safety design is a good thing and well proven. Almost all of the latest designs of semi-auto pistols incorporate a similar firing pin safety mechanism. But there are many who prefer a simpler design, without a firing pin safety, which is what the Series 70 is. It is not quite as safe under all conditions, however. If you want the safety, Colt's 1991A1 Government Series 80 looks nearly identical to the Series 70 above and is available in blued (about $575) as well as stainless (about $650). They are a superb "buy" in my opinion.