1911; need a nudge...

I would buy a Colt.

I have a Springfield Range Officer in 9x19 and it is a nice M1911. I do not have any experience with the Ruger M1911s but Ruger generally makes good pistols.

The nice thing about M1911s, as long as the original pistol does not depart far from the basic design, it can be improved and updated easily. Lots of parts available.

I'd pick the one that has most of the features you desire and enjoy.

To add, I'm also a fan of Colt M1911s but besides the Springfield RO, I have M1911s made by Colt, SIG, Auto Ordinance, Kimber, and home built. I like them all and they all shoot well.

I would buy a different Colt, then.

Let us know how your better choice than a Colt worked out for you.

A beaver style grip safety with a commander style hammer will pretty much eliminate hammer bite. But, the spur hammer is easier to manipulate for me. I have both and with the pistols that have the old style hammer and grip safety, I have to remember to position my ad correctly to minimize the chance of hammer bite.

I prefer the arched mainspring housing as well but I have not gone wholesale and replaced mainspring housings on my M1911s. I like Pachmayr grips on my M1911s and they offset the need to replace the mainspring housing for me.

Also, and I do not really have a good reason, but I do not like the external extractor. My pistols that have one, they work. I'm happy with the internal extractors but I'll agree that it is in the "Ford vs Chevy" debate category.

The internal extractor probably needs a bit more attention/tuning over time versus the external.

I like to have sights on my M1911s that that are fully adjustable. Rear sights that have vertical adjustments with drift adjustable for windage are acceptable but not optimum. I generally do not change ammunition much with my M1911s so once I get the sights dialed in, the do not need to be moved.

Save it and get a Dan Wesson next year.

Or the Ruger now.

Six of one...half dozen of the other. I like the Ruger, but I like the beaver tail and black accents. My Ruger has been very accurate, needs some more break in time yet though

I like the black accents.
In fact I'm thinking about a set of black grips too.

Buy ammo for your Colt. Don't waste money on another cheap 1911.

Save up for a DW, LB, Guncrafter, 2011 etc. etc. instead.

I have both a Ruger SR1911 and a (discontinued) Springfield GI model. The Ruger is definitely the better gun. The Springfield has always had feeding and ejection problems, though the newer one you're looking at might not be that way. The Ruger's plunger tube is part of the frame rather than being staked on, which I appreciate.

I have a 1911 Mil-Spec, just love it. I find it reliable, accurate, and runs the big boy ammo just fine.

Spats, most attorney 'opinions' are at $300 per hour, right?

Mn Fats said:

... I prefer a flat mainspring housing on a 1911 (easy fix) as the curved one seems to shove the web of my hand upwards resulting in bite.

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It's not the arched mainspring housing giving you hammer bite, it's the GI grip safety. If that's a problem for you, get the gun with the beavertail grip safety, the Ruger. The Springfield Mi-Spec will give you the same problems as your Colt.

I like my Springfield, but it's a fairly simple 1911A1.
I also hate contrast accents.
IIWY, I would look around until either a straight mainspring Springfield becomes available,
or you find a Ruger that's not chromatically challenged.

Having shot both, (though owning neither) I'd recommend the Ruger. Springfields are Kimber Jr's, from my time behind the gun counter, and on the gunbench. Usually when a Springfield goes back, it is fixed. I sent one back to Springfield for a friend 25 years ago, and he's still shooting it. (A few recoils springs and new mags down the road in that quarter century) If you get a good one out of the box, and many do, great. But they do seem to have to be sent back more than Rugers. Fortunately, both companies have excellent customer service.

Here's a nudge to not buy another 1911 that your Colt is already better than, because it just keeps you further from:

Mn Fats said:

Indeed it is the safety. I can bypass the bite with the gi grip safety with a flat mainspring housing, which causes me to grip lower. I've only experienced occasional bite with arched mainsprings. My theory is it's just enough extra metal to push the web of my hand into the bite zone. Either way I prefer a commander hammer or bobbed hammer to a large beavertail for bite. I'm probably alone on that. On my Colt I don't dare alter anything. If I picked up the Springfield, I'd either install a flat housing or bob the hammer a bit.

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Why couldn't you just build your own just like you want it?
No sense in buying something then tearing it down....justbuy the stuff you want and assemble?