FL-NC
Member
Any gun that costs $1000 better be reliable out of the box without any gunsmithing- amateur or otherwise. Esp. when you can get a reliable ugly plastic gun like a Glock, M&P, XD, etc. for a lot less than $1,000. Just my opinion.
Officer size 1911?
- Thread starter Sammael94
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Different platform, different rules apply.
When you recall that the 1911 was designed at a time that machining was expensive and handwork was cheap, a comparable quality 1911 (especially with current expectations of included features) under $2500 is considered a good value.
When you add in what it takes to retain function when the package has been reduced from it's optimal design, it is pretty amazing that an OACP sized 1911 is so affordable
FL-NC
Member
What you said is true. This is also true: 1- $400-$500 is a lot less than $1,000, in today's $ or the $ from 107 years ago 2- current production 1911's from companies like Ruger or Remington, with the "enhanced features"- have a MSRP that falls comfortably between the price of the ugly, cheap, reliable plastic guns and $1,000.
I cut my teeth on the 1911A1, and carried one on my first overseas deployment. I don't know how many I have owned. I have paid over $1,000 for a single 1911- My series 70 gold cup and 1963 super 38 come to mind, not to mention my original Remington Rand A1 and my original Colt WW1 veteran, which are the same platform, but many would agree that yet even ANOTHER set of rules applies. I even have a commander that has been lightly customized. I think I have 8 total now, so I think I qualify as a "non-hater". My point is, the 100+ year old design, weight, and reduced mag capacity aside, $1,000 is a lot of money to pay for a carry gun (at least to me) and even more to pay for a carry gun that needs anything but ammunition added to it to be reliable. But, to each his own.
The problem with the 1911 platform is that the original specs don't really work for modern production...so they've been changed.
The first 1911 that I carried regularly was a Combat Commander that I carried as a Duty Gun when I entered LE. I picked it up from the LGS and immediately took it to my pistolsmith to put it right...this was about 1980 and before the Kimber was introduced with common mods. I had sights I could see installed, the trigger cleaned up, the barrel throated to feed hollow points, the ejection port lowered for ejection, a long tang grip safety modded so the hammer wouldn't bite me, a long trigger installed to fit my finger, added grips that could take a beating, and finally an extended thumb safety that I could reliably flip off on the draw.
That was on a Colt...because they never worked, back then out of the box, enough to stake you life on. I don't remember what I paid, but I doubt it could be duplicated for much less than $1000 today.
I've carried several since then costing about $1500. The last 1911 I carried for CCW would cost over $4000 to duplicate...I didn't pay that...and it was a working gun, not a show piece
The first 1911 that I carried regularly was a Combat Commander that I carried as a Duty Gun when I entered LE. I picked it up from the LGS and immediately took it to my pistolsmith to put it right...this was about 1980 and before the Kimber was introduced with common mods. I had sights I could see installed, the trigger cleaned up, the barrel throated to feed hollow points, the ejection port lowered for ejection, a long tang grip safety modded so the hammer wouldn't bite me, a long trigger installed to fit my finger, added grips that could take a beating, and finally an extended thumb safety that I could reliably flip off on the draw.
That was on a Colt...because they never worked, back then out of the box, enough to stake you life on. I don't remember what I paid, but I doubt it could be duplicated for much less than $1000 today.
I've carried several since then costing about $1500. The last 1911 I carried for CCW would cost over $4000 to duplicate...I didn't pay that...and it was a working gun, not a show piece
Mike .45
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If you 1k number is a hard cap then go with a Colt Defender. If not I would look at the DW ECO.
Here is mine. I have about 700 rounds through it now 150 of them being mixed hollow points. Only issue I had was when I wanted to see how it would run with a 10 round mag in it. (I think the slide is out running the mag spring but I just goofing around so I didn' care.) Mine doesn' seem to be finicky about mags other than the 10 rounder. I have the 2 colt mags 2 Wilson's and 2 Kimber mags I got for Xmas and all run 100% so far.
dickydalton
Member
Not alloy, sorry.
expat_alaska
Member
You folks will probably laugh your butts off but this is my tried and true 1911 with many mods. I have had it since 1992.
It is an AMT Hardballer .45 (Covina) that I bought outside of a gun show in Anchorage in 1992 for $150 with two original AMT mags. After money and gun changed hands, the seller said it was a very dangerous gun.
Got it home, did the checkout procedures, and when on safe if the trigger was pulled the thumb safety and the hammer would drop. Took it apart and after about a half hour I found the sear pin was bent. AMT Covinas were notorious for soft stainless steel parts. Replaced the sear pin, hammer pin, thumb safety, hammer strut, and extractor with carbon steel parts and throated the barrel per Jerry Kuhnhausen.
I have it to this day and would not give it up. It aint pretty but it runs with just about anything you put in it. It is a tool (kudos to a previous poster) and not a BBQ gun.
I have less than $300 in it. Match that.
The ClipDraw attachment is because at 65 I wear suspenders and no belt due to back problems. It works well for me for carry here on the 14 acre mini-farm.
It is an AMT Hardballer .45 (Covina) that I bought outside of a gun show in Anchorage in 1992 for $150 with two original AMT mags. After money and gun changed hands, the seller said it was a very dangerous gun.
Got it home, did the checkout procedures, and when on safe if the trigger was pulled the thumb safety and the hammer would drop. Took it apart and after about a half hour I found the sear pin was bent. AMT Covinas were notorious for soft stainless steel parts. Replaced the sear pin, hammer pin, thumb safety, hammer strut, and extractor with carbon steel parts and throated the barrel per Jerry Kuhnhausen.
I have it to this day and would not give it up. It aint pretty but it runs with just about anything you put in it. It is a tool (kudos to a previous poster) and not a BBQ gun.
I have less than $300 in it. Match that.
The ClipDraw attachment is because at 65 I wear suspenders and no belt due to back problems. It works well for me for carry here on the 14 acre mini-farm.
Sistema1927
Member
expat, Interesting 1911, but it could hardly be called "Officer size".
expat_alaska
Member
I guess it all depends upon how big (or small) you are as an officer. Bo, that is only a bit smaller than mine, and yours is a 7-shot Commander with a few frills, not an Officer's model. Very nice looking gun, though.
I'll take the 5" anyday. What is an extra 3/4 inch?
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bikerdoc
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ATI TITAN 1500 rds without a hitch.
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Great Scot
Member
Detonics Combat Master. Have to buy used, but reliable and concealable.
Winkman822
Member
I'd recommend a Dan Wesson CCO, a Springfield Range Officer Elite Compact, Sig Sauer 1911 Compact, or a Colt Defender. Based on my experience with Kimbers, I'd steer clear of them. When I was first getting into 1911's, I bought a few and had varying degrees of success with them being reliable, the most serious issue that I encountered with one was that the firing pin safety was mistimed. Kimber uses a goofy firing pin safety system that runs off of the grip safety (i.e. depress the grip safety and a pin comes up from the frame to disengage the firing pin block plunger in the slide). It was a brand new gun and it didn't work. If, however, you're dead set on a Kimber, get one that is not a Series II gun (these won't have a II after the model name). The Series II guns have the goofy firing pin block system. A common issue with Series II Kimbers and new Kimber owners is the owner shearing the pin that disengages the firing pin block while reassembling the gun after field stripping.
Another vote for the Kimber. My ultra carry is great to shoot and has been completely reliable.
someguy2800
Member
I don't understand how people sleep at night selling guns they know don't work or are dangerous. Its the same as selling a car that you know the transmission is going out on or a house full of mold and termites. Its amazing to me on this forum you see 20 post a day about someone saying they had this or that gun and it didn't work or was doing something unsafe so they sold it.
MidRoad
Member
"Ones mans trash is another man's....errrr....umm....trash?"
Or something like that.
shooter1
Member
Kimber Ultra Carry. Light, reliable, and accurate. Should be in your price range. Great 3" 1911!
str1
str1
Officers'Wife
Member
I can't speak for the officers model, but I have a 1970s era Colt Commander in 38 Super that is light enough for my somewhat small frame, completely reliable and easy to conceal. It is a "legacy" weapon though and I have idea none what the previous owner did to "tune" it.
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