Best 1911 for 1000.00 or less

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ezypikns

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5" barrel, .45 ACP. When I say "best", I'm looking for accuracy and reliability out of the box. Not intending to use for CCW. Also, I'm looking at a new weapon. There are some great used firearms out there, but you do run some risks buying used.

Opinions?
 
Well, just remember that you run some risk buying new too. Out of the box, most manufacturers give you a good experience and some manufacturers have quality control that will give you a less-than-good experience. Maybe they make more of their product on a Friday. :D

You'll get a lot of opinion here, for sure. Many are going to suggest you buy what they themselves have or quote a gun rag or online source for your best bet.

Me? If new, I'd go for a Smith only because mine has been flawless out of the box. Actually, because I have a Smith (and my fave, a flawless Dan Wesson that I bought used), I'd next get a Colt, but I'd be a fool to think I might not get one that needed some tweaking. And that goes for Kimber, Springfield, and all the rest. Ya' plays da percentages...


Okay guys and gals who own many 1911s under a cool grand, what advice have you got for ezy? I'm curious as well.

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I've fired numerous 1911's over the years and last July bought my first one. I always thought I'd end up with a Colt, but ended up getting a S&W 1911 stainless. It has Novak low profile 3-dot sights, Wilson Combat 8 round mags, and has been very reliable and accurate. It's been fed both factory ammo and my reloads, with FMJ and HP's and they all work fine. I bought this mostly for range shooting, but it's become my #1 CCW pistol.

I'd also looked at Kimber, but their prices were always a few hundred more than the Smith, at least in my area.
 
In my opinion, a Dan Wesson would be a great choice. A PM7 if you can find one. Right now DW direct has 4 brand new 1911's on gunbroker.com. They have cosmetic blems but are priced $250-$350 or more below MSRP. Good luck and make sure to read all opinions as you will get many.:D
 
Until I fell into a deal for a new TRP w/ Armory Kote for $1000 a few weeks ago, I too was looking at what 1911 to get for $1000.

I had narrowed it down to 3 -

MC Operator
SW1911 DK (the cheaper one - $899 here)
Sig Revolution w/o rail

It doesn't matter now, as I have spent my money, but I really wanted one w/ checkering or grooves on the front strap, and also a mag well. That eliminated the MC Operator.

I finally got to hold a SIg 2 weeks ago, and I was not impressed. I just commented on this gun on another post, so I'll just reference it here - it is post #5 - I wrote a detailed opinion of the Sig 1911 here: http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=9552

That left the SW1911 DK - I think I would probably have bought this gun. Now, the only neg for me was the sights - they are all black - no dots. But I figured I would buy a Dawson fiber optic front sight, and that would have taken care of it. Nothing else to do to the gun...

So, just my opinion. Unless you just by a loaded springfield, which you can get for the $700 range, or just a tiny bit more for a Springfield TRP ($1100-$1200 range), then I would recommend the SW1911DK - I looked and read everything I could on all these guns for quite some time, trying to figure out what I wanted.
 
Here's a few, SA Loaded/MC Operator, S&W(any of them), or Sig GSR.


I recently got a Sig GSR(Granite Series), and while there were a few with problems mine is dang near perfect. Accurate, reliable and no MIM parts.

But in all honesty, most of the current crop of sub $1K 1911's are really pretty good guns. Some will have problems out of the box, but hows that any different than buying a $60K car that breaks down the first week?

The great thing is that most/all manufactures stand behind there guns, and will fix any problems.

Steve
 
My Dan Wesson Patriot ran me $650 new a few years ago. It has been flawless so far (~ 2000 rounds) and it very accurate. I shot a Kimber Gold Match once that I would say was as nice as my Patriot, but I think they run a little over $1000.
 
Okay at the risk of being boood and hissed at I just got a RIA 1911, before I did anything I replaced the springs with wolf 18.5, Wilson Combat trigger, extended slide release and a ramp job.

Went out Sunday and put 150+ rounds through it with no issues at all. In fact it was the only Auto Pistol that did not malfunction once all day. Out of the box I can't be 100% sure how happy I would have been, I had 2 days to burn before I hit the range so I could not leave it as is. But even with the above upgrades It is still below $500 ($300 for the pistol) and the accuracy is dead on at 20 yards fantastic grouping. Everyone that shot it said it shot great for an $800+ gun. The stock trigger had a 5.5lb pull so that had to go. She now pulls about 2.5lbs.

So if you want to save some cash and do a little work you can't go wrong with this one. Just my 2 cents.
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+1 for the Colt Series 70 Reproduction in SS

I think that my Colt Series 70 Reproduction in SS is about the best 1911 I have ever owned. It has nice sights, although I would like night sights. It's as-reliable-as my Glock, and is more accurate than I. Cost was around $740.00ish (to the best of my memory). I must add that my 1911 experience (owning) is limited to Colt and Kimber.

Edit to add, the Series 70 may have cost around $840.00 Truth is I don't recall exact how much. It's been a few months and several pistols back. :)
Doc2005
 
I am not trying to hijack this post, but I would rather understand why there are so many problems with current 1911s? This post like many others out there are just every day gun people looking for a halfway decent 1911.


I want a 1911, but the more I reasearch the more I realize that I am taking a gamble with most of them.

why does it have to be like this? Just the other day I read about some Para and Kimber owners who said that although they like their pistols, everyone that they have gotten they had to send it back to the factory.

Why cant the majority of 1911 manufactors make a 1911 that is reliable out of the box?
 
I think the idea that 1911's are hit or miss is pretty overblown. Every gun has its quirks and the 1911 is no different. You hear so much about the 1911 because they're so common. I own two 1911s and have had exactly one failure and that was on a new hollowpoint I was trying.
 
phantomak47 said:
I am not trying to hijack this post, but I would rather understand why there are so many problems with current 1911s? This post like many others out there are just every day gun people looking for a halfway decent 1911.


I want a 1911, but the more I reasearch the more I realize that I am taking a gamble with most of them.

why does it have to be like this? Just the other day I read about some Para and Kimber owners who said that although they like their pistols, everyone that they have gotten they had to send it back to the factory.

Why cant the majority of 1911 manufactors make a 1911 that is reliable out of the box?
Click to expand...

To some degree, it is a crap shoot. Every once in a while, I will see someone make a post stating that they do not understand all the problems w/ 1911s, because everyone that they have owned never had problems. But, there does seem to be an extraordinary amount of problems. Part of the problem, I think, is that they try to make the guns tighter and tighter.

Overall, I see the most complaints about Kimber, followed by Para Ordinance. I just got my 3rd Springfield. Always had luck w/ them.
 
I don't own one, but my mother has a Colt that she got from my Dad, and my Dad later bought a Springfield to replace his Colt.

Both guns worked perfectly as far as I know, and the Colt was pretty heavily ignored by mom. She just bought a 92 FS and seems to like it better.
 
Helstrm said:
Okay at the risk of being boood and hissed at I just got a RIA 1911, before I did anything I replaced the springs with wolf 18.5, Wilson Combat trigger, extended slide release and a ramp job.

Went out Sunday and put 150+ rounds through it with no issues at all. In fact it was the only Auto Pistol that did not malfunction once all day...<snip>
Click to expand...

Well it appears someone has already beaten me to the obligatory "I love my Rock Island Armory..." I don't own one yet but I'm planning for a couple in my collection.

As a Bullseye shooter, one of the preferred platforms for starting a wadgun or ballgun is the Springfield Armory Mil-Spec. As a project gun; barrel, bushing & some internal parts are quickly replaced and the sights improved. If you want acceptable out-of-box preformance, any one of the "loaded" models make fine pistols. Do you want fixed sights or adjustable? The available units are listed on their website and provide quite a variety of choices.

If you want a custom 1911 pistol, best foundation is a Caspian frame/slide combo.

For $1000, get a loaded Springfield Armory .45acp, I'd suggest a stainless steel unit with either adjustable or fixed/Novak sights AND spend the rest of you money getting into reloading equipment so can really enjoy shooting a .45acp pistol!!!

Happy shooting.
 
Can't speak from experience but I've pretty much narrowed mine down to one of these two...........I want adjustable sights though. The Springfield's are also night sites.


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Colt

I'm a sucker for a Colt....that's why I have four of them.....but I also have a RIA as my throw-around gun, but I am absolutely stunned at its accuracy and reliability...so far. My most recent Colt is a new XSE LW Commander. I really like it, and it only cost me $790. My other Colts have been in my possession for over 15 years. My newest one is a 1989 stainless Series 80 Government that I bought new.
 
There are some great used firearms out there, but you do run some risks buying used.
Click to expand...
Funny you should say that, I was going to reccommend a series one Kimber. The ones they built before the drop safety that would occasionally keep the gun from firing, the small parts that kept breaking, and the external extractor that had to be redesigned 4 times.

You know, the ones you could trust out of the box...
 
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