1911 Afficionados and Acolytes: $1K for new CCW

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alpinewhitey

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Good evening 'gents,

Well, I'm in a new state (VA), far from home. My beloved CCW is no longer valid (lousy lack of reciprocity), so I'm putting in for a new one. I've been waffling on whether I want to continue carrying my Glock 19 (belongs to fiancee) or go with my gut (if not my wallet) and get a nice commander size (probably) 1911 for my new "Welcome to the Commonwealth" CCW piece.

Thoughts? I'd like something nice and reliable, ideal for a CCW. I've already got a nice VMII and belt to carry it IWB (I've also carried a SA1911), so the gear's ready to go. Dan Wesson CBOB? Kimber CDP? SA Champion?

I'm looking at spending less than $1,000, but I don't want to skip on quality, you know?

I know the topic's tedious, but I couldn't scrounge up a titled thread in the search, and I'd really appreciate some veteran advice.

Thanks,
alpinewhitey:eek:
 
I've had good luck with my Kimbers, but Springfield makes great 1911s as well and I can personally testify that the folks in Geneseo stand behind their product. You shouldn't have to test that, but it's good to know the lifetime warranty and friendly people are there if you need them. I paid $760 and change for my parked full-size Springer Loaded in Southeast Texas about 9 months ago. Not sure what the prices are on the Champion or the CBOB, but I don't know why you wouldn't be able to get either one for a grand, and I've heard nothing but good things about Dan Wesson 1911s as well. I would think the Kimber would be right at $1,000, though...
 
If you just have to have a 1911 I would take a long hard look at the Para LDA type action. I don't personally have one but a friend of mine does and if I was going to buy a new carry gun this would be the one.
Here are a couple of links:
http://www.paraord.com/product/product.html?id=373
http://www.paraord.com/product/product.html?id=34

If can get a chance to checkout this action it is well worth it. It's the only double action I like. Most double actions the trigger pressure is used to compress the main spring. Not so with the Para. There is very little difference in trigger pull between double and single action. Check it out I think you will like it.

The Tac-s is under a grand and the one I would buy if it was me.
 
I use and recommend Colt. I have owned Kimber and Springfield, and I had issues with both. The Springfields were good guns after a bit of work however, and they would be my second pick. I gave up on Kimber after having to send a Pro Carry II back to Kimber three times for feed problems, and it still didn't work right, after three trips to the factory(!), so I got my money back. I tried everything with it, but it just wasn't reliable no matter what I tried.

Then I bought a NRM M1991 Colt Commander, and it has been perfect with everything I've fed it, from 200gr LSWC target loads to 230gr Speer Gold Dots, right out of the box. Not one malfunction in over 2000 rounds so far. It has been the best 1911 I have owned. I paid $675+tax for it, and I still see them for around $700 for blued, with stainless being a bit more. The next step up in the Colt line is the XSE series in both the all stainless steel Combat Commander, and the Lightweight Commander with aluminum frame and stainless steel upper half. The XSE's are comparable to SAInc's "Loaded" series in features, and usually run about $800-850, and if you shop around you can sometimes find them for less.

Just my $0.02, YMMV, IMHO, yada, yada, yada.....
 
Check out the Para Ordnance LDA models. They have the feel of a 1911 but have an amazingly smother "light double action" trigger, which has a relatively long but very light take up then a very crisp break. Personally, I find these firearms a great mix between a DA CCW firearm and a 1911.
 
Colt, Kimber, Springfield. No particular order, although I would probably go with a Colt "70 Series" or XSE Model.

I like the fact that the Springfields and the Colt 70 Series remakes do dot have a fireing pin safety and that would wieght heavy with me. I wish my Kimber CDP II did not have it.
 
Well, Im gonna go against the grain and not reccomend the same ones that everyone else always does (and likely get some grief for it too, but hey, I can take it:)).I have had this gn for 5 years now, and carry it whenever routinely, and fire a couple hundred rounds with it evry time I o shooting, so its had a LOT (like multiple thousands) of rounds fired thu it, and have had exactly 1 stove pipe, and that was from a friends reloads that kept jamming his Colt, and his dad's Kimber with fail to feeds, stovepipes, and fail to ejects.Maybe I lucked out, and got the only one ever made that wasnt crap, like most people wll say about the manuacturer and thier guns,but Ihave another by the same compay, and the results so far re the same (I've only ad that one a year so it hasn'd had NEARLY as many rounds thru it, but at least a thousand).The gun is a Firestorm (made by Llama, just imported/marketed/assemled under the Firestorm company).Its a 4.5" with grip safety, beavertail, sticky rubber grip panels, and extended slide release.It also has a unique finish/color scheme that I like (they do come in boring black too though).The same black, stailness, green, whatever that everyone else has just gets old after a while.The vast majorty of the parts are (or so I've read anyway, I've never had to replace any) standard 1911 compatable.Its more acurate than I can shoot it, and goes for about $300 NIB.All I can say is I am 100% convinced of this guns durability, quality, accuracy, and relability,and routinely stake mine and my families safety on it.If my gun isnt a fluke, and the others are just as good, then I dont think you could find a better NIB gun for the price. I just cant see paying close to $1000 when I got something just as good for 1/3 of the price.No reason to pay $700 just for a name in my opnion.(FWIW, the other Llama I referred to is a full size MAX-I, for anyone curious, and its in boring flat black :D).Just my opinion and experiance, YMMV, etc.Also, I have to say I dont think there'ss anything WRONG with Kimbers, Colts, Springfields, Den Wessons, etc.I 'm sure they are all good, reliable, quality guns(I dont want anyone getting upset thinking I was "bashing" thier favorite 1911, that's like disrespecting their mother to some of us gun nuts :D), just overpriced based soley on ther name recognition for the most part . Well now that I've built it up like the second coming :), here it is:

Firestorm "compact" .4acp "duo-tone" finish
firestorm45.gif
 
I keep reading of finish issues with Paras, do a search on m1911.org. 1911's are great guns with a long history, but I always go back to the k.i.s.s. way of thinking. My pick would be Glock.
 
I have a S & W SW1911 .45 ACP 5 inch Bbl.
Stainless Steel with Novak dot front / Lo-Mount
"carry" rear fixed sights, beavertail grip safety
a stock gun, only thing I want to change is the
checkered aluminum main spring housing to a
stainless steel serrated flat style. I also have
a Jarvis Gunsmithing .400 CorBon Bbl.
Total just under $1,000
 
My primary CCW is an S&W 1911PD Gunsite version. I love it! However also on my CCW is a Colt Defender Lt. Wt and an Officer's ACP and a Colt Agent (revolver). The Defender has worked well from the get go, but is new and a little small for a .45 IMHO. The Officer is small and sweet BUT it took Heine customizing it to make it 100%. Get the 1911PD!;)
 
I just picked up a used SA Champion. It will use any magazine I have, and eats any diet I feed it. My RIA is getting dependable. It was NIB about 1 month ago and is breaking in nicely.

After the horror stories I've heard of Kimber lately I would go with the Para or another SA, Colt, DW CBOB.....the list goes on.

My next will be either another Para or another SA.
 
For a Commander size carry gun in your price range I recommend a Commander.

Colt Lightweight XSE to be precise.

Johnny Bravo
 
I'd actually suggest the PT1911, although it's not a commander size. I have no real experience with commander size 1911s, but can tell you that a full size 1911 is just as concealable as a commander since they share the same frame.
 
I love my Kimber Custom II - external extractor and no issues at all...

some love em - some dont. Mines perfect and has been right out of the box.

Im looking to get another soon.

:)
 
I have an old model Kimber compact that is perfect. I also have a Colt Officers Model which is perfect. Both are accurate, reliable, fit the same leather, etc. They go with me quite often!

Both are all steel and a little heavier but that does not bother me one bit. I also sometimes carry full sized 1911's in all steel.

The 1911 .45 just WORKS.
 
I have had two Kimbers. One was a Compact and it was just not a great gun.
The second one is a Tac Pro in 9mm and man is it FANTASTIC!
I have Colts that run like tops.
My SA Champion was good but not great.
I really like the SW1911 series. I have one of their 5inch blued models.
Nice solid gun.
I think you should stay away from the Para Ord guns. The LDA linkage is not robust.
 
Dan Wesson CBOB. Best buy in the under-1K 1911 world. I had one failure-to-feed on the very first magazine,and zero problems after that for nearly 1,000 rounds. Here's mine,slightly customized:

DSC03213.gif
 
Ive had good luck with Kimbers but if I were looking I'd look at the Sig GSR 1911 series.
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_28/products_id/50951

GSR_compact_ST_left.jpg
 
I had one Para Ordnance. It made a great paperweight. Stick with a quality product for CCW.
Click to expand...

I have 2 Para Ordnance, a Tac-4 and a 6.45 Carry, and both perform exceptionally. I have never had so much as a hiccup out of either of them. In addition, I also have 2 Kimbers, a Springfield "loaded", and a Sig GSR. I find them all of them to be excellent weapons. But, my collection just hasn't shown me (at least not yet) that the Paras are of any less quality than the others.
 
I had one Para Ordnance. It made a great paperweight. Stick with a quality product for CCW
Click to expand...
did you make any attempt to get the para to function? like. load a magazine and fire it? or did you just give up?
my para eats everything andkeeps ticking

did you "Customize" your para?
did you buy it used?
did you use quality magazines?
did you buy it beat up?
did you try to get it fixed?

so far all im getting from your responce is
" i had a bmw once, it had a problem. buy a porsche"

elaborate.
 
I would pick up a Taurus PT1911 and save yourself the 400 bucks and buy your soon to be wife a nice gift :D

no need to spend 1000 bucks for a quality 1911 when the Taurus is just as good as those high priced pay for the name not the quality guns for a lot less cash ;)
 
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