Alright, what do you all think 1911 decision?

Targa

Targa

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I would like to add one more .45acp 1911 to the collection and have narrowed it down to either a full size Kimber Custom ii, SA Ronin, maybe Garrison. What do you all think? As for me, I seem to be leaning a bit towards one then the other given the minute… :) I have spent time handling all of them and that didn’t help one bit with a decision..:thumbdown:
I really don’t feel like I could go wrong with any of them but I know some of you have owned one of them, a couple of them or all of them.
I only have one 1911 and that is an 80 series 1991 Government.
 
I've had a few models by both manufacturers. Don't own any of either brand now because I found some of another brand for not a lot more money that I like a lot better. Kimber has been a little more hit and miss for me while I had no real complaints about any of the Springfield variants I've owned. My dad has the Springfield Loaded I owned for a bit and it's his favorite 1911.
 
Get the SA Ronin. Why? Because SA has a history of closing out disc. 1911 models ever so many years. The Ronin won't last long enough before they change it or rename it. Where as the Kimber has been made for many years and will be easy to find a good used one.
 
Kimber gets a lot of negative traffic on the internet. Most of that can be traced back to some of the guns they produced years ago with external extractors. External extractors done right work as well if not better than internal extractors. But Kimber was one of the 1st to use them on a 1911 and they did have issues with them. Smith & Wesson and others have made 1911's with external extractors with no issues so it seems to have been a Kimber only problem.

But the Custom II was Kimbers least expensive 1911 and always had the traditional internal extractor. I've NEVER heard or read anything negative about that pistol. I have one that is 20-25 years old that has worked perfectly for me.

I've been out of the loop concerning 1911's for a while. But I used to have a couple of S&W 1911's and felt they were the best I'd ever owned. I hear good things about the Ruger's too.
 
jmr40 said:
Kimber gets a lot of negative traffic on the internet. Most of that can be traced back to some of the guns they produced years ago with external extractors. External extractors done right work as well if not better than internal extractors. But Kimber was one of the 1st to use them on a 1911 and they did have issues with them. Smith & Wesson and others have made 1911's with external extractors with no issues so it seems to have been a Kimber only problem.

But the Custom II was Kimbers least expensive 1911 and always had the traditional internal extractor. I've NEVER heard or read anything negative about that pistol. I have one that is 20-25 years old that has worked perfectly for me.

I've been out of the loop concerning 1911's for a while. But I used to have a couple of S&W 1911's and felt they were the best I'd ever owned. I hear good things about the Ruger's too.
Click to expand...
Smith got it right the first time. I think it’s just the purists who don’t like the external extractors.
 
I've got a Kimber Custom II, but I've only had it about a month.
So far it shoots well, handles nice, but the springs seem pretty stout to me.
I really like the looks of the Springfield, so I'd probably go with that.
 
Targa

Have had trigger time with both manufacturers and they produce some pretty decent guns. So are you looking to get another Government size pistol or are you interested in something a bit more compact, like Colt's Combat Commander with a 4" to 4.25" barrel? Some current prices of Springfield Armory and Kimber 1911s.

Springfield Armory:

Garrison Stainless $769
Ronin Operator Two-Tone $776
Garrison Commander Blued $759
Loaded Black $839

Kimber:

Custom II Two-Tone $731
Pro Carry II Two-Tone $701
ProCarry II Stainless $728
Target II Stainless $898
 
They are close enough in the running that I am really nitpicking the differences. But I have to ask, why would SA get cheap and put , what I have to assume, is a polymer trigger on the Ronin. Easy enough to change out but come on. I do really like the fiber optic front sight though, thats a nice touch.
 
I had a Kimber Custom II in the past (fell on hard times and needed to sell it 😭) but it functioned flawlessly for me. I have nothing to say bad about Kimber as other posters have stated.

Based on my previous experiences with the brand they have my vote but SA has a solid reputation as well.
 
I had 2 Kimbers at about the same time. Custom 2 and I think they called the other a pro-carry or something similar. The full size gun was fine. The carry gun was problematic to a point I got frustrated and sold both just to be rid of the kimber curse. In all my escapades I don’t recall anybody really having many issues with Springfield 1911s, although I do have and know of others who have had issue with some of their business moves… handling of lawsuits, various advertising issues, etc…

Given your list I would just not buy a pistol yet. Compare those guns spec sheets and then start looking at what guns check every box that you want checked, don’t check the boxes of things you don’t like, and then start getting serious on a purchase. I would expand out from just those brands though and would include used higher end guns in the consideration as well.
 
Not trying to derail the nice thread here, but I was recently in the same boat as the OP and went with a blued Colt Competition series 70, NIB for 1000 OTD. I considered Kimbers and Springers, but the Colt was local and called to me every time I saw it in the case. I eventually made the offer and they accepted. It is not the fanciest or flashiest 1911 out there, nor is it absolutely perfect in every way. The trigger is pretty bad for a 1911 and some of the parts could be fitted better, but the thing is as reliable as a hammer. Ive fed it well water weak reloads, cheap ball ammo, plated hollow points, and full house hollowpoints and it has not hiccuped a single round. It is very accurate, almost rivaling my GP100. I honestly couldn't expect anything better for the price i paid. Arms Unlimited lists them for 865 right now, though they are out of stock.
 
PistoleroWadcutterGANG said:
Man SA made a bad decision dropping the range officer line. Not a day goes by at the store I don't get a call or walk-in customer wondering if we have a used one.
Click to expand...
They made a huge mistake dropping the Range Officer line mine is in 45 the only thing I did was put in a Swenson 2 piece full length guide rod I am considering having it ported with V-10 porting by SW Precision. I have a Springfield V-16 Longslide also in 45auto/ 45 Super they could bring that back also.
 
Targa said:
I would like to add one more .45acp 1911 to the collection and have narrowed it down to either a full size Kimber Custom ii, SA Ronin, maybe Garrison. What do you all think? As for me, I seem to be leaning a bit towards one then the other given the minute… :) I have spent time handling all of them and that didn’t help one bit with a decision..:thumbdown:
I really don’t feel like I could go wrong with any of them but I know some of you have owned one of them, a couple of them or all of them.
I only have one 1911 and that is an 80 series 1991 Government.
Click to expand...
Series 70 Colts are best series. ;)

IMG_20220803_194816916_HDR.jpeg
 
Mark you stress that out on your own I suppose?

Sig 1911 XFull is next on my personal radar. Waiting on the Commander version to come out this spring...
 
I think with most of the 1911's these days, you're just going to have to pay your money, 'take your chances and see how it goes. Up until recently, I got out of them about 25 years ago, and Kimber and Springfield had a lot to do with that, especially Springfield. I swore Id never buy another of either too, and up until about 5 years ago or so, I didn't.

I broke down and bought a Springfield "Defender" series and pretty much instantly regretted it. It looked good, but was so tight it needed tools to disassemble it and choked about as much as it shot.

More recently, I bought a couple of Tisas 1911's because so many were raving about them and they have been pretty finicky and annoying too.


Dont misunderstand here either, Im not a hater, far from it. I carried a couple of different Colt and GI 1911's on a daily basis for around 25 years, shot them regularly, and still do, and have owned close to 50 various makes of them over the years. When you have a good one, you have a great gun. When you don't, and that seems to be more often than not, they can be quite aggravating.

I agree with S.Crockett, the Series 70 Colt's were about the cream of the crop. And even those needed help to be counted on to carry. Basically, all of them do.

If you're going to go with one that you intend on counting on for anything serious, Id find a good, well-known 1911 mechanic and let them go over it and make sure its up to it.
 
There are other things besides full-sized 1911's...

Back Home, Years Ago I had a stainless Springfield Government model... but I wanted something a little more compact. I rolled my pennies and headed to the LGS... with the intention of buying a 3" 1911 of some sort, but reason prevailed, and I came home with my first 4" 1911, and my first Kimber (ProEclipse II.) Then I bought my 2nd Kimber 4" 1911. Then, after a brief interlude with 2 horrible Taurus full-size 1911's, I bought a slightly Bubba'ed used 5" Custom II. While it's a great pistol, I much prefer the 4" .45's.... they point better and handle better... for me... than a standard 5". I have never had problem one with my Kimbers.

Top R is my Custom II... a 2-tone version. I like it, and I have had no problems with it... but, as I said, I much prefer the 4"ers...
Bottom R is my Pro Carry (alloy, not a 'II') and L is my ProEclipse II.

ghXbey9l.jpg



If I were 1911 shopping today, I would look at Kimber first... then Springfield. If my budget allowed, I would also look at Dan Wesson.
 
Can't speak for the Kimber, even though I've heard both good and bad about them. I have a SA Ronin, bought on a whim a few years ago and I love it.
 
If I were shopping for one now I would probably be looking at the Garrison . Next would be the Ruger SR1911 . I had 2 of them and wish that I still had one of them . I have a 70 Series Colt now and it is my least favorite of any that I ever had . I sold the Ruger to buy it , mistake on my part . I also have had an external extractor Kimber that was very good , good trigger and good accuracy . A Springfield TRP that I didn’t like . I still have a Dan Wesson Pointman 9 . It didn’t make it through the first range session and had to go back to the factory for repairs . They fixed it fast and it works now and is now one of my favorites .
 
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