Best Self Defense 1911?

[wally]

After 15000+ rounds through my RIA I'd have no problem carrying it if I could somehow actually conceal it, or open carry passed.

 

[KCAce]

+1 on Sig...C3

I love 1911's and have several. For concealed carry I like the smaller Sig C3. I got mine new a couple years ago for about $1100, and like it as much or more than my kimbers and dan wesson (which are also great shooters). Lots of great choices offered...I don't think you can go wrong with what's been suggested. Good luck,

KCAce

 

[MICHAEL T]

A new Colt Commander will for SD work as well as any high dollor Bauer , Wesson , Brown or Wilson. You need a relieable pistol, good trigger, and sights . The Colt out of box will shoot accurate enough . Most owners will never be able to use the accuracy of the colt. Let alone a 2000+ pistol
KISS is always best answer. Buy Colt and spend rest on gear and ammo for practice.

 

[Dirt Diver]

+1 this ^^^.

My 1/50th of a dollar:

I think with using a 1911 as an everyday carry, KISS is the best principle. A pistol so rattly that it practically field strips itself if you shake it long enough will eat virtually anything you feed it under almost any condition of cleanliness. A pistol that is set up so tight that you can shoot 2" groups at 50 yards will proove finicky about ammo, springs, etc before the rattle trap will.

Not implying by any means imaginable that the Colt is a rattletrap, but the closer you stay to the way JB designed it, the more reliable it will be, IMHO.

Another option may be a Ruger SR1911, IF you can get your hands on one. Let the hoopla die down a bit and see if you can get one at a decent price. American made, and so far, mine seems to be a decent compromise between reliability and accuracy.

 

[jmr40]

I don't like those S&W 1911's. I don't care for external extractors.

Do you want a gun to look at or use. The external extractor is not true to traditionalist, but is actually an improvement to the design. Lots of modern 1911's do not have traditional features. Flat mainspring housings, oversize beaver tail grip safeties, ambi safeties, FLGR's, 8 round mags, useable sights, oversize safey levers, and long triggers are all accepted, but an external safety is not traditional enough. Yet it probably does more to improve the original design than any of the more acceptable changes.

Done right the internal extractor works fine, but is the biggest problem area with a 1911. While not traditional, the external extractor works better.

 

[foghornl]

I have 2 1911's...a Springfield Champion 4" barrel with the night sights, and the GI-45 with the 5" barrel and itty-bitty sights.

I prefer the GI-45. It just fits me better. There is "Something" about how the original sized 1911 feels in hand.

Your Mileage Will Vary

 

[OregonJohnny]

Do you want a gun to look at or use. The external extractor is not true to traditionalist, but is actually an improvement to the design. Lots of modern 1911's do not have traditional features. Flat mainspring housings, oversize beaver tail grip safeties, ambi safeties, FLGR's, 8 round mags, useable sights, oversize safey levers, and long triggers are all accepted, but an external safety is not traditional enough. Yet it probably does more to improve the original design than any of the more acceptable changes.

Done right the internal extractor works fine, but is the biggest problem area with a 1911. While not traditional, the external extractor works better.

Very well said. I think there is a huge group of 1911 fans out there that won't even give the S&W or Sig Sauer 1911s a second look because of the "non-traditional" external extractors. My full size S&W 1911 Stainless may not look like a WWII era gun, but it's been incredibly reliable, it's more accurate than I am, and it's just tight enough to feel like a very high-quality piece of American steel.

S&W 1911 guns are certainly the best kept secret in American made 1911s.

That pretty much sums up what I feel, also.

 

[vba]

I have many 1911's but my main carry is an Old Roll Mark (ORM) Colt 1991A1. It is flat out reliable and is carried often.

I've also got a New Roll Mark (NRM) 1991A1 and it is a very nice pistol as well. If Colt is still making the NRM's that's what I would pick.

 

[Skylerbone]

You're getting the gamut of great to wretched advice so far. Not to exclude other posters but 9mmepiphany and rcmodel both posted square with the facts advice.

If I had to choose one in your price range to pick up, put 300 rounds down range with and holster for EDC I'd buy a Les Baer period. As for cheap rattle traps, well every Yugo driven away from a dealership was not proof-positive that what runs day one will run in the long run.

 

[LeonCarr]

STI Spartan if you must have a 1911.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[HorseSoldier]

With a max price of $2K, I'd look around and see what you can find on the used side -- you may luck out and find something in the Wilson/Ed Brown/Les Baer price range used/consigned market.

Beyond that, I was quite a fan of my Dan Wesson CBOB for a carry pistol before it got sold towards a higher end 1911. I believe the CBOB is out of production now, but they do an another bob-tailed model in its place. I'd give that a look, if you can find one in your area.

 

[gym]

Every gun is an individual piece of machinery. To recommend something as being the end all 1911, would be a mistake, as you may get one that dosen't perform as well as mine. Usually in these situations you go with the name brand. Springfield, Colt, Wilson etc. You might like a defender or an agent, but none is better, the word is subjective, and who is anyone to say which is really better for you.After 40 years of carrying, the only thing I can say that is always true, is everyone values things differentlly. What sucks for me, is terriffic for someone else, just as perhaps my favorite pistol is someone elses worst nightmare, trial and error, A reliable alternative would be a Glock 30 or 36, I can say with total honestlly, few people have had a bad experience with them, as they are much simpler guns with fewer parts and the ability to fire under adverse conditions, I know you didn't ask for a glock, but if you want a fairlly priced reliable 45, this would suit your needs and I have bet my life on it several times. I haven't had the same experience with a 1911, although it is my favorite weapon to shoot.
Sometimes our favorite is not the best one for the job at hand.

 

[JR24]

I'm in the what works category. I've got a Remmington R1 and a Springfield GI (gee, I guess I like the no-frills style) that have been dead reliable out of the box for a few thousand rounds each. I'd trust either for CCW or home defense. Although my GI has those little, itty, bitty, GI sights that are almost useless in low light.

 

[Shovelhead]

New is nice......BUT
My used $500 Colt Lightweight Commander goes bang everytime, is acurate, and is comfortable to carry.

 

[stinger 327]

Just curious why is the 1911 so popular and has a following?
I know it's 100 years old by design
It's single action only.
There are more modern designed guns out there like the Sig Sauer P-220 right out of the box that are accurate, quality made.
The P-220 is both double action and single action and you can safely have one in the chamber like a revolver.

Let's say I did want to add a 1911 to my collection how about the Sig Sauer 1911,
Springfield Bi-Tone Light or Rock Island Armory .45 GI gun that costs $400+?
All of these would be full sized models with 5 inch barrels. Which one?

 

[Brockak47]

might be considered troll comment, would you be ok with giving up a 1500-2k 1911 up to the cops if you had to use it. Not knowing when you'll get it back or in what condition.

 

[Baba Louie]

... how about the Sig Sauer 1911, Springfield Bi-Tone Light or Rock Island Armory .45 GI gun that costs $400+?
All of these would be full sized models with 5 inch barrels. Which one?

Any one would be a good shooting choice depending upon your wallet. One of the things to look for/at, might be the mfg. companies warranty and customer service track record, just in case you ever need them.

Or perhaps a "Custom Shop" which Springfield has, do not know about SIG (would assume so) or RIA.

One other small factor to ponder when considering a handgun for self defense use... say you use it. Bad guy is down, cops are there, your gun... now becomes evidence. As it is. How soon will you get it back? Dunno. Which is why you always have a spare at home (or can at least use that to justify a second purchase if you feel the need to justify anything to anyone, like a spousal unit)

Just curious why is the 1911 so popular and has a following?

The consistent trigger pull? Straight back, adjustable to your preference. Also, no real recoil per se, not to mention the history behind it. In .45, .38 Super, 9mm or even 10mm, so you got choices as well.

Wanna trick it out? Sure. Open wallet, easy as pie. I suppose you could do the same with a 220... within limits.

But other than that, maybe it's the whole John Moses Browning designed it thing.

 

[gym]

Got back my customized walther ppks, in 1989, from an incident, "in NY they take all the guns on your license", if there is an investigation. My guns were ruined when returned. That German gun would have been an easy 2 grand now, it cost me over a thousand then with engraving and action and trigger work. The gun was etched with a file or punch of some kind, purposlly, the baretta not so much.The case number was scratched into the slide and frame of the gun. So that is what may happen should you have a problem. And there is no one to take any resposibility. Here in FL, they don't have your serial numbers and make model etc on your license. So you are looking at 1 gun.But the gentleman is correct, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Always better to have a glock, and buy a new slide if that happens for a couple hundred dollars, than a Wilson.

 

[Magoo]

Not really on topic, but since the last two responses brought it up...If you ever have to use your pistol in SD the cost of the pistol you hand over will likely be far down on the list of your financial concerns. Don't buy a cheap personal defense weapon on that flawed logic.

I guess I've been lucky with 1911s and not had any reliability issues except from two bad magazines. Pretty amazing the crap magazines Baer supplies with their guns . The Baer, a Colt, and a Springfield have each been great for me. And despite what I said above, no I don't carry the Baer. A monolith heavyweight ain't exactly an ideal CCW. The New Agent does that role much more comfortably.

ETA: gym added this while I was posting

"in NY they take all the guns on your license"

 

[9mmepiphany]

I've never let the concerns of Problem 2 (surviving the investigation) dictate my decisions in Problem 1 (surviving the encounter). I never gave it much thought when I chose to carry a Colt Python, H&K P7 or SIG 220...that are all in the same price range of any 1911 than I'd carry for SD.

The 1911 I carry more than any other nowadays would cost $4K+ to replace

If you need to use your gun for SD, the least of your worries will be how much the gun cost or how much to replace it. If it is damaged, when it is taken as evidence, you can always file a claim or a law suit...that is why they have insurance. If they don't pay the claim or settle, they will be on the hook for triple the damages when they lose in court

 

[gym]

Not to start a side bar, but in nyc they won't hear the case, it used to be an issue brought up on occasion, but if you want your license and sue the PD, they won't renew it, so you are out of luck.They do this at the bequest of the political machine that runs the city.They actually waited almost a year, to make sure I wasn't ging to sue. After 7 court appearences they agreed. But I still had to go to a captains hearing, you can't win as a gun owner there. ask an old timer who was in the pistol licensing bureau,it's an unspoken rule, get the guns away from all those who did qualify to get a permit, for any reason. Real or manufactured

 

[stinger 327]

Any one would be a good shooting choice depending upon your wallet. One of the things to look for/at, might be the mfg. companies warranty and customer service track record, just in case you ever need them.

Or perhaps a "Custom Shop" which Springfield has, do not know about SIG (would assume so) or RIA.

One other small factor to ponder when considering a handgun for self defense use... say you use it. Bad guy is down, cops are there, your gun... now becomes evidence. As it is. How soon will you get it back? Dunno. Which is why you always have a spare at home (or can at least use that to justify a second purchase if you feel the need to justify anything to anyone, like a spousal unit)The consistent trigger pull? Straight back, adjustable to your preference. Also, no real recoil per se, not to mention the history behind it. In .45, .38 Super, 9mm or even 10mm, so you got choices as well.

Wanna trick it out? Sure. Open wallet, easy as pie. I suppose you could do the same with a 220... within limits.

But other than that, maybe it's the whole John Moses Browning designed it thing.

I would say a gun that shoots well right out of the box. No custom work needed. I have heard Para-Ordinance has terrible customer service (Warthog compact .45 ACP). Already have other guns so not worried about what was brought up about police. 1911 is cocked and locked single action only or you must rack it vs. P-220 Sig double action / single action also. Unless of course you get the Sig 1911.

 

[gym]

Para is awfull, even to store owners, they seem to just not care about what they tell people. They built a custom gun for a shop owner who I am friendlly with, 3 month overdue, and he just threw in the towel, the smith rep got him a custom commander size gun with everything he wanted in 3 weeks. They wanted the business, Para could care less.
He shoots compitition and they should have tried to make him happy, not, I won't get another one, and I actually liked my alloy p13, as far as weight and accuracy out of the box. 14 rounds was in comander size.They started out building the hi cap frames for other companys, like 20 or more yrs ago.I remember my uncle getting a frame for a build he made, I had never seen a hi cap 45 at the time.

 

[stinger 327]

Does the Sig Sauer P-220 have that safety in the handle like most 1911's if the sig was locked n cocked? or is there only one safety on the side?

 

[stinger 327]

Para is awfull, even to store owners, they seem to just not care about what they tell people. They built a custom gun for a shop owner who I am friendlly with, 3 month overdue, and he just threw in the towel, the smith rep got him a custom commander size gun with everything he wanted in 3 weeks. They wanted the business, Para could care less.
He shoots compitition and they should have tried to make him happy, not, I won't get another one, and I actually liked my alloy p13, as far as weight and accuracy out of the box. 14 rounds was in comander size.They started out building the hi cap frames for other companys, like 20 or more yrs ago.I remember my uncle getting a frame for a build he made, I had never seen a hi cap 45 at the time.

I have heard from different people that Para-Ordinance has terrible customer service.