Affordable .45s?

[AndyC]

Without a doubt a Norinco 1911. The Norinco is Chinese made version of the 1911 made to the exact specs of the 1911 so all aftermarket parts can be added. This makes the Norinco a great platforn to build up a custom 1911 on. As for quality, the Norico is made of solid forged steel not cheap alloy and its barrel is just as accurate and many match grade $2000+ guns. All of this with a price tag of around $350-$400. As for a Springfield, I also have one of their "loaded" 1911-A1 models. It is a great gun but my $350 Norinco is just as accurate.

Agreed - I owned one when living in Africa. Best damn .45 I ever owned (after I had a carry package installed and a reliability job done) - are they still available here in the US?

 

[Ala Dan]

Another vote for a Sprinfield Armory firearm; either the XD, or one of their
1911's from the basic G.I. model up too and including their "LOADED model".
The latter, in stainless steel sells for $679.88 in our shop~!

 

[Zen21Tao]

Agreed - I owned one when living in Africa. Best damn .45 I ever owned (after I had a carry package installed and a reliability job done) - are they still available here in the US?

I don't think they are still being made but I imagine used ones are around if you are lucky enough to come across one at a gunstore/pawn shop. I would also try auction sites like gunbroker and maybe classifieds like Gun List to see if you can find any.

 

[BigO01]

Here's a few links to some 1911's from gunbroker that will fill the bill .

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=48884885

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=49270085

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=49127951

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=49239219

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=48996441

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=49212509

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=49054950

 

[Baba Louie]

...are they still available here in the US?

Used only. Link from this mornings (Sun May 21 '06) GunsAmerica, 1911 Copies, search using word "norinco" shows this...
http://www.gunsamerica.com/search.c...=0&uid=&words=NORINCO&category=1354&state=All
4 bills +
If you live in Canada, you can get them cheaper, plus the Commander size from Marstar
http://www.marstar.ca/
Too bad we can't have them imported. My Norinco is one fine shooting, inexpensive 1911 clone, albeit Chineee AND Communist to boot.

 

[AndyC]

Ah, pity - thanks, guys.

 

[Navy87Guy]

I'm happy with all of my .45's:

Used Glock 21 ($300)
NIB RIA 5" 1911 ($329)
NIB CZ 97B Satin Nickel ($490)

If I could only keep one....it would be a tough call. The CZ is brand new (picked it up on Friday) but it is a very sweet and accurate shooter. If you like the 1911 platform, then I think the point about the RIA has been made. I swapped out the trigger, hammer, grip safety and sights....not because I had to, but because I wanted to. It was a great shooter right out of the box. Even for a range gun, the Glock 21 is a great shooter -- although it feels pretty "big" in my hands (but worth it to carry 14 rounds of .45!)

Everyone has listed some great choices - you should probably get one of each!

Jim

 

[Foxtrot427]

baby eagle

 

[the pistolero]

I have three .45s -- a Ruger P90, a Springfield GI 1911, and a Kimber Tactical Ultra II -- but as you're looking for something less than $650, the Kimber's out. The P90 was about $420 plus tax, and the GI 1911 even less, at $390 plus tax. I'd always heard good things about the Ruger P-series pistols, and I have nothing but good things to say about the P90 -- it's bulky, to be sure, but shoots very well, it's built like a tank and eats anything I feed it.
As for the 1911, of course people's mileage will vary, but so far my experience with Springfield -- the company and the pistol itself -- have been great. When I got the 1911, I noticed about once every 100 rounds it'd get a stovepipe jam, and this was pretty consistent. After about 400 rounds, I wrote the good folks at the Springfield Custom Shop and told them what it was doing, and they recommended I send it in. Not quite four weeks later, I got it back, with a new extractor, and it's run flawlessly ever since.