Looking for a good pistol

fyurstarter said:

I'm a bit surprised nobody has mentioned Kimber...
Anyone have any thoughts on Kimber pistols?

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Stick to the cheaper models. Don't spend semicustom levels of cash on a Kimber.

The TLE, Custom, and Pro models are decent. Easy to fix up. Needs some upgrades if you're going to be picky about combat reliability.
-mags
-sights
-a few small parts, etc.etc.

I like Kimber better than Springy. I like Colt better than both right now, at least Colts XSE, Rail, and Special Gov. models.

fyurstarter said:

Anyone have any insight on the Colt 1991 series pistols?
I'm seeing that they're comparable in price to a nice Springfield Armory......but I know nothing about them.

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fyurstarter,
I have had the Colt 1991A1 Compact Model (Same as the Officers Model but Blued) since 1997 and it has never choked on anything, that being said, I've never had nor had the opportunity to fire the Government or Commander sized 1991A1 pistols, but I would imagine thery would be just as reliable and accurate!

Stoeger 45 are pretty nice and cheap. It's pretty much a Turkish beretta.

The 1991 is the 80 series plane jane Colt and is priced similar to the Loaded Springer. The Loaded will have more "upgrades" like beavertail safety, novak style rear sights, dove tailed front sight, extended thumb safety, flared and lowered ejection port, skeleton hammer, and maybe a few others. As said before the Colts advantage is its made in the US and uses better parts, so its a trade off as far as what you get for you money. The XSE line of Colts will be more expensive than the Loaded but you get US production, better small parts and all the upgrades as found on the Springer.

If you like the original style 1911 you can't do any better than the Colt 1991, if you like the upgrades and know you will want them it will cost about $500 to add the features of the Loaded to a 1991, it aint cheap. So its best to figure out what you want ahead of time and buy the gun that best fits that description. Go pick up all the guns you can find, maybe shoot some if you can. Some guys like old school and others like the new stuff.

For me it would be between the XSE and 1991 depending on what features I wanted. If I was going to spend less it would be much less, the Metro Arms American Classic series is a good starter/beater 1911 out of the Philippines. $450, super slick and pretty good looking too. You can have plenty of fun with that, learn about 1911s and what you like/dont like. Then trade it in for a pricey Colt later. Sorry, just can't warm up to the Springers, I've owned two and sold them both.

Oh yeah, the 1991 uses most the same parts as any 1911. They do have Colts firing pin safety though as does the XSE line. This is a non-issue to me but worth mentioning as to some it causes some heartburn. Also worth mentioning is that the sights on a Loaded or XSE do not interchange with sights on a 1991 or any other GI style pistol. Totally different sight cut on the slide and several hundred bucks to go from GI to Novak style plus usually a refinish. Also most GI style guns have a staked front sight, not dovetailed.

I've got two Springfield 1911 A1 "Loaded" models (see below) and I can honestly say they have been great guns for the money. Other folks may have had issues with their particular Springers.

My OD Green/Black Springer has been an absolute gem from the get go. I have used it in all of my shooting qualifications and I can't get the darn thing ta choke on any ammo I throw through it. It has been exceptionally dependable and remains my favorite sidearm for non-concealed use. The Stainless model Springer was a bit of a "problem child" in the beginning. She was built in Springfield Armory's Imbel plant and had a scored breech face and the ambi slide safety was touching (barely) the slide. I bought her knowing she had these issues and even managed to get a decent price reduction on the purchase.

I notified Springfield Armory of the issues and sent the girl off for repairs. In less than ten days, they had her all fixed up and shipped back to me postage paid. It cost me not one red cent for all this. On that point alone, Springfield will get my support. Their customer support is excellent.
The Stainless is as accurate and dependable as my other 1911 A1 "Loaded". I most often use her to test out new loads or as a sidearm for practice drills, but I have used her as a carry in the winter.

Now, all that bein' said, me EDC is...

I bought the Commander with the specific intent of concealed carry. It is a fairly heavy sidearm bein' all steel, but once I got the Crossbreed Supertuck holster and a dedicated carry belt the Colt just doesn't feel like it's there anymore. The secret to good carry is in the holster and the belt.

My vote goes to the Springfield as a first 1911 as it will give you a good reasonably priced firearm that you can go to the range with or carry. Later, you can always pick up another 1911 (and believe me you will want many more) like the Colt. Whatever you get, if you decide to carry, invest in a good belt and holster. Do not go cheap on these. Good luck, nephew!

Tilting the gun sideways is common place for reloading handguns and is taught in professional shooting classes. I do it when I reload no matter what handgun I'm shooting. Although Glocks do have a small mag catch so I do understand you not liking it. I don't like it either.