Best Carry 1911? Good Manufacturers?

[shooter1]

My two favorite carry 1911s are the Kimber Pro Carry SS and the Ultra Carry SS. Both have been 100% reliable and outperform some of the full size 1911s I own. I frequently shoot IDPA with one or the other of these pistols. They do quite well against the full size pistols. Both carry well!
str1

 

[Chuck R.]

If the ability to tolerate indignity is important to you, an STI and a Les Baer Stinger acquited themselves well in a recent "dunk it in the bog" thread.

No malfunctions from either.

'Course I suspect a number of pistols would have done as well, it's just that only two posters were loon enough to actually do it. Chia pet recoil spring, indeed.

But after spending an hour detail stripping and cleaning my Stinger, there’s no way in hell I’m doing that again……....on purpose!

I like the Stinger because of the CCO concept, commander length slide and officer’s grip. The longer barrel in a IWB holster is a non-issue, it conceals well and being all stainless it shoots well. I can run the same COF with it and my 5” Baer and the results will be similar. I cannot do that with a lightweight 3-3.5” 1911, I've tried. So I deal with some extra weight, spend some money on a good holster and belt and a heavier gun is still comfortable. How’s that saying go, “a gun is supposed to be comforting, not necessarily comfortable”?

So far my Stinger has been utterly reliable for over 5K now, and even functioned after going for a swim. So I trust it.

Chuck

 

[Ala Dan]

My 1911 carry piece is a 3" KIMBER Stainless Ultra Carry II; that has been
totally 100% reliable~!

 

[DHart]

My absolute favorite carry 1911's are bobtailed Commanders. I highly recommend them. I have three "bobs" (Colt Commander, Colt LW Commander, Ed Brown Class A Commander). They carry magnificently, still have good velocity (terminal ballistics are good with conventional 230 gr. JHP ammo), are reliable, accurate, and hold full size mags too.

 

[AndyC]

Boy oh boy - fabulous, DHart (we need a drool icon on THR)