Which 1911 9mm would you choose?

Which 1911 9mm would you choose?

  • Ruger SR1911 Target

  • Kimber Stainless II

  • Springfield Range Officer

  • Remington R1 Enhanced

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Mn Fats

Mn Fats

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I love the 1911 platfrom. Great design, still selling strong after 100+ years. I just hate the recoil from a 1911 in 45 acp. Not painful or anything. Just...snappy. Grips too thin for my large hands? I'm not sure. I frequently shoot hot 357's and 44's out of my 686 and SBH with no issues, so I'd like to think I'm not too picky on recoil.

Before anyone says "well JMB intended his 1911 to be .45, and anything else is blasphemy" -thats total B.S. He intended his design, which became the 1911, to be in .38acp -which is closer to 9mm than 45acp.

Now that that's cleared up...;) Which NEW 1911 9mm would you pick? Looking for American made only. Around $700 and under. This will be a range/fun type gun. No HD. No CC.

Auto Ordnance has a 1911-A1 GI style (very close budget repro imo, not that I care...) in 9mm for close to $530 nib local price but not nearly as many features as the others...

Your thoughts/votes/suggestions (within the parameters above) are greatly appreciated.
 
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Conversely, I'd rather shoot all day with a 1911 in .45 ACP than 50 rounds of .357 Mag out of a S&W 686.

I also don't particularly care for adjustable target sights on a 1911, but if it is just a range gun, you might as well get them.

I'd probably pick the Range Officer. I think they've got that gun pretty well sorted out, and Springfield has a very good customer service reputation.
 
JTQ said:
Conversely, I'd rather shoot all day with a 1911 in .45 ACP than 50 rounds of .357 Mag out of a S&W 686.
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Disclosure; I did discard the 686 rubber grips for Altamonts... Helped big time on recoil. The SBH I've learned to let roll back in the palm -as designed.
 
on the subject, anyone know a 9mm 1911 thats not tacky? I would love one, but in the style of a usgi, or at least with no weird checkering/forward serration/beavertail. No interest in RIA, but any others?
 
I have a Springfield Range Officer in 9x19 and it is a good shooter. I do not have any experience with the Ruger or Kimber. I also have a Kimber Eclipse II in 38 Super and it shoots well as well.

Generally, I've found most 1911's that are above lower tier pistols in the category shoot fine and shoot similarly. Choose the one with the small features that peak your interest.

I'm partial to Colt 1911s but I do have several other manufacturers examples including a couple that I built from parts.

The only lower tier 1911 that I have experience with is an Auto Ordinance in 45 ACP. With a little TLC, it became as reliable as a light switch with suitable accuracy for a service style pistol.
 
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mjsdwash said:
on the subject, anyone know a 9mm 1911 thats not tacky? I would love one, but in the style of a usgi, or at least with no weird checkering/forward serration/beavertail. No interest in RIA, but any others?
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The Auto-Ordnance 1911A1 9mm. Low priced GI, American made. Everything your looking for. $520 something on Bud's.

In fact, I would have that on my list but.. I feel like i'd be wanting a beavertail and after market sights after awhile. They can obviously be put on later... But for a plain 1911A1 GI made in the US, Auto-Ordnance is very close to the orginals. Just look for a newer A.O. The old ones can be awful.
 
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Springfield R.O.

I have had good luck with Springfields and like the look of it over the others, but I am sure any of them would serve you well.

9MM 1911s are a blast.
 
I bought a Springfield Range Officer 9mm as a present for a friend (he has yet to receive it though). After researching 9mm 1911s, I decided the RO offered the best platform to base my gift from without going full custom from the start. While I had the trigger worked on, sights and grips replaced as well as the gun itself refinished and engraved, it was actually decent to begin with. The only reason for all the work was to make the gun into a presentation piece. My only problem is I desperately want to shoot it and I have to wait awhile yet to (maybe) even be offered the chance! At least I have ammo to match the finish of the gun too!

If I could do my 1911 purchases all over again I would buy the 9mm Springfield RO in a heartbeat and not look back.
 
Mn Fats said:
The Auto-Ordnance 1911A1 9mm. Low priced GI, American made. Everything your looking for. $520 something on Bud's.

In fact, I would have that on my list but.. I feel like id be wanting a beavertail and after market sights after awhile.
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wow, fast and didn't disapoint! I will try to find one to handle. I personally don't care for beavertails, the standard safety fits me perfectly, sights are another story, but I can live with GI type.
 
I'm torn between the Ruger and the SA. The Ruger has a lot of potential, but the SA RO already has a track record. My taste run toward the STI Trojan in a 9mm 1911.

I guess it would depend on if you prefer the feel of the SA or the Ruger...their frames feel different; at least in my hands
 
Are Springfield 1911's genuinely 100% American made though? With American parts? Rugers are.. Auto-Ordnance 1911 are I think.
 
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Mn Fats said:
In fact, I would have that on my list but.. I feel like i'd be wanting a beavertail and after market sights after awhile. They can obviously be put on later... .
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Usually, the only recommendation I typically make in these "which 1911 should I get" threads, is to decide whether you want/need a beavertail grip safety and whether you want/need adjustable sights. I noticed in your OP all your choices had beavertails and adjustable sights so I left the comment out, but for those other's heading down that path...

Sure you can change them after the fact, but usually that's going to require some welding or grinding and it will require a gunsmith or some fairly advanced skills and tools on the owners part.

Most folks don't seem to realize a 1911 is not like a Glock/SIG/Beretta/M&P/etc. All 1911 sight dovetail cuts are not the same and most beavertail grip safeties will not fit on a GI style frame.
 
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The Ruger SR1911 10mm Target is an excellent pistol, so I fully expect the Ruger 9mm Target version will too, be excellent. My Father's Kimbers never met expectations. Have never shot the Springfield.
 
I'd go with the Springfield Range Officer. I own and have owned a number of 1911's and I can categorically say that the Kimber 1911's that I've owned have all required some effort to get them to run 100%. Over the years I've owned an Eclipse Target II, a Royal II, a Custom TLE II, and a Desert Warrior. The only one that ran 100% out of the box with no tuning needed was the Desert Warrior, though I did have the right side safety lever shear off (and no the gun was not abused). I've owned a number of Springfield 1911's over the years and still have a couple (TRP and MC Operator), and I've had no issues with function on any of them. I don't have enough experience with Ruger 1911's to form an opinion one way or another.
 
I have 3 Ruger 1911's, the Commander stainless and lightweight 45's and the Officer 9mm. They've never had a malfunction, with thousands of rounds through them. I had a SA EMP which was sent back 4 times as it wouldn't feed hollow points. They offered me an exchange, in which I chose their lightweight Loaded Operator in 45. I wouldn't say the Operator was a problem gun, but it was a little finicky in that it didn't reliably feed my reloads that a number of my other guns, including the Rugers, had no problem with.
 
9mmepiphany: said:
My taste run toward the STI Trojan in a 9mm 1911.
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And I’m glad I got my 9mm Trojan before STI discontinued all of their 1911’s. I highly recommend one of these, it’s the best shooting 9mm I own, followed closely by my BHP Mk II and Mk III, and my CZ-75B. But a 9mm Trojan would be a hard find in the first place, and at probably much higher than $700.

I had a Springfield Loaded 9mm 1911 before I got the Trojan, good gun but very particular about which ammo it would reliably shoot.

At the OP’s price point I’d have to go hunt for a decent used BHP Mk II or Mk III, or a CZ 75B, probably the SAO model.
 
I have no knowledge of the three. I do know the 9mm is an easy shooting round in a full sized 1911 as I own a couple of them, just not the one's you mentioned. My only preference for the uses you stated would be if one of the three has adjustable sights I would get that one. Choose the ammo you want to shoot, dial in the sights, and enjoy. If you decide to change ammo and it shoots to a different point of aim just adjust your sights and you are good again. That's my only reason for choosing one of them.
 
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Just added the Remington. Totally forgot about it. Looks like Buds has them for close to $100 less than the rest.
 
JTQ said:
Are you still looking for a gun with adjustable sights?
Click to expand...
Just something a little better than the standard GI sights. Bomar type are a plus for me. I believe the Remington has Novak style? Should be plenty good.
 
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