Best non-custom 1911 for the $

[MT GUNNY]

+1 on Smith & Wesson product code #108282

View attachment 94140

 

[Techsan]

Look at the Dan Wesson models if you can spend $1K. The CBOB is very popular, although you may have a hard time locating one. Good luck with your search!

 

[Cloudpeak]

Of the three I now own I'd rate the Dan Wesson CBOB first, the STI 9mm Trojan a close second and the Springfield SS Target (45) third. The fit and finish rating would be the same. Both my CBOB and STI have always been 100%. Initially, I had some FTF problems on the Springfield but this problem was solved by lessening the tension on the extractor and changing from a Lee 200 SWC to the Lyman 200 SWC. It always fired the 200 gr SWC's from Penns bullets 100%. Just had problems with the Lee.

Cloudpeak

 

[mljdeckard]

I shot and carried many guns before I came back to a Kimber Custom II, and I use it for everything, I don't ever see myself switching regardless of price.

 

[claiborne]

1911's purchased by me in order.
S&W Target .45
Springfield mil-spec loaded .45
Springfield mil-spec 38 super
Dan Wesson Pointman 7 .45
Springfield mil-spec .45

The S&W wouldn't chamber or fire much of anything. It was sold.
My Dan Wesson needed work out of the box just to feed correctly., it is now a 460 Rowland.
Only the mil-specs have chambered and fired all ammo tried.
I have worked (added and deleted parts), over my mil-spec loaded a few times and the standard mil-spec I am saving for my boy who is just 2 years old now.
The 38 super mil-spec was a gift to my Pop.
My vote is a SA mil-spec of some kind.

 

[Supertac45]

Les Baer.

 

[Damon555]

Of all the 1911's I've shot nothing comes close (as far as a factory gun in your price range) to the Kimbers. In my opinion it has the best factory trigger bar none.

That's just my opinion though and it's worth what ya paid for it........

 

[mongo4567]

Kimber Custom

 

[benderx4]

Dan Wesson PM7

 

[sohcgt2]

C'mon guys non custom, bang for the buck, and I saw Kimber, Colt, Springfield, Smith & Weson, Dan Wesson, Les Baer, Sig GSR, STI Trojan, These are all nice guns but hardly fall into bang for the buck category. I've heard good things about the Taurus PT1911, handled it and it feels solid. Springfield Mil-Spec GI series is solid but a little high for what you get. RIA if you can find one are very inexpensive. Ive never held one so I can't speak to their quality. Its a 100 year old design so functional reliability should be available for less than $600 and those three are. That first group all list over $1000 and some close to $3000 or more depending on options. Bang for the Buck has to come at a price that is competitive with polymer pistols. The true bang for the buck is probably the Ruger P345 that lists for $550 and will go out the door at your local dealer for around $525 w/a box of ammo.

 

[theswimmer]

Thompson ,late 80's production.
Still the best 1911 out of the box I have ever picked up. You could spend more, but?

Oh yeah,
$318.00 in '87'

 

[weisse52]

A Colt is always the right answer!!

A Norinco is nice when you can find them.

 

[mljdeckard]

I bought my Kimber for $608, NIB.

 

[Damon555]

A Kimber is a lot of bang for his buck.....They can be had for much less than a grand.

 

[DevilDog0402]

My vote goes to the Springfield Loaded Models.

 

[sohcgt2]

mljdeckard, damon555, I did not intend to get anyones dander up. If you can buy Kimbers as inexpensively as you say then I agree, that certainly qualifies in my mind as bang for the buck. They are not available in my area at those prices. In fact $608 here will limit you to GI models, Taurus, Asian mfg guns, or used.

 

[Jason_G]

C'mon guys non custom, bang for the buck, and I saw Kimber, Colt, Springfield, Smith & Weson, Dan Wesson, Les Baer, Sig GSR, STI Trojan, These are all nice guns but hardly fall into bang for the buck category. I've heard good things about the Taurus PT1911, handled it and it feels solid. Springfield Mil-Spec GI series is solid but a little high for what you get. RIA if you can find one are very inexpensive. Ive never held one so I can't speak to their quality. Its a 100 year old design so functional reliability should be available for less than $600 and those three are. That first group all list over $1000 and some close to $3000 or more depending on options. Bang for the Buck has to come at a price that is competitive with polymer pistols.

Maybe in your mind, but if a company can sell steel as cheaply as plastic, then what does that lead one to suspect about the quality of the steel and/or workmanship behind the pistol? Remember, "cheap" does not equal "value".

If all you are looking for is a pistol that goes bang most of the time, then there are plenty of cheap pistols that do that, assuming you are are okay with sacrificing fit and finish, metallurgy, longevity, accuracy, reliability, and just about anything else you would want in a pistol.

There are some real values out there, but not too many in the price range you are talking about.

JMHO.

Jason

 

[feudalson]

pt1911

 

[cyclopsgrips]

probably the best 1911 deal on the planet-on gunbroker the new taurus 1911 with rail for 589 plus shipping,or vouch for the alloy framed one for 6 something.

 

[Hostile Amish]

Smith and Wesson, they cost a bit more than some other 1911's but are usually on the low end of the price scale. They are also very reliable, look very nice, and use excellent steel.

 

[Sapper771]

-STI Trojan(not custom), excellent pistol for the money ($900-$1000).
-Wilson Combat CQB (was custom, but still a good bang for the buck $$$$)
- Colt Combat Elite(not custom, but it worked well).
-No Kimbers( poor QC , Poor customer service, a lot of money on shipping it back to them, just my 2 cents of experience).

 

[mr2guru]

Dan Wesson

 

[str8shuter]

A note on the STI Spartans, With STI on the frame you expect quality, well I have read some posts about quality being what you pay for, guess what guys, the STI Spartan is the same gun as the Armscor and the Rock Island Tactical.
That means that a lot of you are paying for the name, not the quality. If you buy the STI you are paying double for the same gun from Armscor. That should tell you 2 things. 1. the quality of the Armscor products is top notch.(Armscor makes the RIA and the Spartan) 2. Just because you pay more does not mean you are getting better quality. If you want quality for price, check out the Armscor, the Rock Island Tactical, or the Taurus PT 1911. I have at least 1 example of all of these pistols and can tell you that my favorite of them all is a RIA. In order of value in my opinion, best value is the Rock Island Tactical, and very close to that is the Taurus.

 

[skeeter_08]

The Springfield Loaded I have now has a better trigger pull out of the box than the SW1911 I used to have (due to the FPB), but my gunsmith fixed the trigger pull on that SW so it broke like a glass rod. But the level of workmanship on the SW was noticeably better than the Springer; wish I still had that SW!

 

[Quack]

RIA Tactical

or

STI Spartan.
Frame & slide by Armscor, fitting and everthing else STI.