First 1911... So many choices...

.45 acp ammo is much cheaper and easier to find than .38 Super, but I hear the .38 Super 1911's are superb to shoot, very mild. I highly recommend a Rock Island Armory "Tactical" model to start with, you'll be very pleased with one. A true 1911 platform, with all the cool features already installed. Very nice shooters. Usually under $450, or thereabouts.

This is the basic model, they come in different finishes now too, also in 9mm Luger.

$800 will get you a springfield loaded: http://www.dawsonprecision.com/ProductDetail.jsp?LISTID=80000D14-1278955241

if you want to save some money though, as has been suggested, buy a RIA Tactical and call it a day. just count on buying new grips if you care about looks, because the standard grips are butt ass ugly.

For around $700 you can get a Colt 1991. They are well made, are preferred by many for custom and project guns, are reliable and accurate right out of the box and best of all....they're a Colt.

+1 for the Springfield Armory Loaded 1911 @ $800.

Armscor makes the RIA line, they also make High Standard 1911's and several other 1911's. If you get an RIA Tactical, the only upgrades it would need would be nicer grips and maybe Novak night sights. IMO, they put crummy grips on them because most people replace the grips anyway.

After owning and working on these things for years, my opinion:

Colt
Springfield
STI
Dan Wesson

In that order.

+1 for the RIA tactical. It was my first 1911 and has been an excellent gun in terms of both reliability and accuracy, I dont think you will do better for a first gun. It is the perfect backyard shooter, drag it through the woods and scuff it up, for what it costs, who cares. Also a good and inexpensive platform to customize if you decide to start experimenting.

Here is mine with a set of grips I picked up on Ebay, the other side has a thumb relief and is checkered.

I have since added to my 1911 collection with other more expensive brands, Kimber, colt, but would not hesitate to recommend an RIA.

Taurus PT1911

very accurate, great price. and they also make the parts for STI so you know the quality is there.

If you buy a Rock Island/Armscor 1911, better set aside some money for a refinish. The finish that comes on the guns is very thin and wears very quickly.

I have never been into the bells and whistles custos gimics.
Night Sights yes and nice grips. Other than that it is all fluff.
Be aware Novac sights and a full lenth recoil spring guide will put the kibosh on on handed oporation if need be.
I like my Colts haven't had a SW 1911 Go American made save by going used, breaking in a 45 can be expensive if you go by the 500 round rule.

The STI Spartan? I will take a look at it...

is it worth the 150 more bucks?

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IMO yes. The STI Spartan is possibly the finest 1911 in it's price range. Also worth consideration are Springfields Range officer and the Desert Eagle 1911G. Nothing wrong with an RIA, but you may find the extra features of one of the above enhanced entry models appealing.

You gotta have a chicken to make chicken soup, buy a Colt.

Springfield or Colt if you want to build a gun. Any thing else for just some fun shooting.
And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Rocks or Paras or Taurus or other ones.
I own a Springer and a Taurus.
From what I read, people seem to really like the RIA as a pure fun shooting gun at a good price.
You could also look at the SA MilSpec and build from there. 600 bucks?

Either of the following used:
Stock Norinco
Colt 1991

Springfield Range Officer in .45 all the way.
They also have a few lesser priced options at Springfield thats great also.
Secondly the Tactical RIA would be a nice gun, But if your gonna mod it alot you will never see a return on your investment.
Some guns will increase in value as you build them up, Others will be worth $350 on trade in even if they were plated in 24k gold.

From what I read, people seem to really like the RIA as a pure fun shooting gun at a good price.

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Honestly, it can be more than that. I have nicer 1911's, but my RIA has never malfunctioned, and I would trust my life to it. It can absolutely serve in a role as a serious defensive weapon.

The only change I'd make to it would be to do a trigger job. The stock trigger ain't bad when compared to, say, a Glock... but compared to my Dan Wesson Patriot or my Springfield EMP.... yeah... it sucks

Careful with the Armscor 1911's. I don't know if there's a bit of difference between an Armscor, RIA, or Hi Standard, but I did own an Armscor 1911. I didn't have a good experience.

The one I bought may have been a lemon, but it was expensive lemon to fix. Grip bushings stripped when changing the grips. That was $80 to fix at A&J. Jammed a lot, something else A&J had to fix. For how much I don't remember, I do remember staring at the receipt and thinking I should get out of this thing while I can. So I did.

I guess if anything, when you buy a 1911, don't buy used. I did and got hosed. The $50 more I would have spent for a new one would have saved me something like $100 down the road. If you do buy used, do it from the original owner and ask him if you can take it apart first. The guy I bought from said no and I paid for it later.

The trigger on my 1991 Colt has been superb, right out of the box.
It breaks crisp & clean @ 4.75#.
$740 NIB for the Commander model in stainless

Get a bone stock Colt 80 Govt. Shoot about 1000 rounds and note what you like about it and what you don't. Contact a good 1911 smith and tell him what you have learned about your interaction with the 1911 stock platform.

Then ask for his advice on what you can do to improve the stock gun. Send it off and have the proper work done. Do exactly what you need/want done. This is the real beauty of the 1911 platform. You do not have to accept and off the shelf gun. It can be a true custom built for you.

Too many people run out and buy the low end gun with all the bells and whistles on a 1911 before they even know why they were invented or if they are even needed. Punching paper my stock Colt 70 series does everything my DW CBOB does and is 95% of my Les Baer TRS. Not enough people have shot bone stock 1911s IMHO.