Best of the Low End 1911's and Why?

[jrdolall]

Problem solved. I ordered an ATI from CDNN so I will have it in a week or so. Review upcoming in the next couple of weeks. I already have a couple of 1911s and I am always willing to give something "new" a try.

 

[tekarra]

Looking forward to your report as I have been curious about theose pistols.

 

[coalman]

ATI has superior fit and finish. Good value gun, but as price increases value declines.

 

[Girodin]

Norinco. I think it is telling that one can use a 460 rowland conversion with the Norc but not any of the others mentioned in this thread. Also the Norcs don't have any MIM parts either if you are the type that cares about that.

The RIA tacticals are a good buy with the added features though if one desires them.

 

[stevekozak]

I have an ATI commander size that I like pretty well. The fit and finish are really good. Tight gun out of the box. Only problem I had with it was the recoil spring that came with it was weak. Replaced it with a standard weight Wolff spring and perfect since!!

 

[weisse52]

Norinco for all the reason already mentioned. If not a Colt then a Norc!

 

[ares338]

I bought my American Classic Commander in Hard Chrome for $550.00 and it's very solid and accurate.

 

[silicosys4]

I have a RIA I paid $350 for, and a Colt 1991A1 I paid $550 for. The RIA was great because it allowed me to "test the waters" so to speak, but the Colt has been a far superior handgun for me, and well worth the additional $200. The RIA has occasional hiccups, and won't reliably feed cast handloads. The Colt will eat anything with no issues, and has only stopped on me when gummed up by excess bullet lube to the point rounds won't chamber....several hundred handloaded rounds without cleaning though.
RIA has my vote for a cheap plinker with factory ammo. find one used for a reasonable price and you'll never lose money if you resell. For a serious multi-purpose handgun that you can rely on through hell or high water, see if you like the handling and ergo's of the RIA, sell it, and move up.

 

[farlie]

^^^^^
Other than the RIA not reliably eatting the handloads, what other differences have you noticed?

 

[rdhood]

RIA. I bought an RIA tactical about three years ago. It is the most reliable gun I own.


Someone said

Other than the RIA not reliably eatting the handloads, what other differences have you noticed?

I feed my RIA handloads of MBC Softball (230 Grain RN). These are 100% reliable in my gun (seriously, I went through 1000 without a malfunction). I also tried some berry... or other... semi wadcutters that just would not feed reliably. "Handloads" has little to do with it. The type of bullet and OAL is everything.

 

[scythefwd]

I believe the Remington's can also be had for around $500.00 and I have heard good things about these as well. But for a little more <$800.00 it would be hard to go wrong with a Kimber. IMHO

I wouldn't call a 60% increase in cost a little more. Especially when you can get a ria thats got a rough finish, but functions for the same cost as the increase. You could walk around with two, not 9 like I just edited out, 1911's for the cost of a kimber.. and they would work fine.

 

[nathan]

Many positives on the RIA Tactical for around $ 450.

 

[GZOh]

RIA first... ATI second.
Both are excellent entry 1911s for at or under $400.
Have had two ATIs (Military and Commander) both were very well made and flawless shoots... Sold both only to buy a NIB Colt!
Armscor (RIA) has EXCELLENT customer service... been around for years and totally back their pistols... very important for an 'entry-level' $400 pistol.
Would go RIA basic for about $375 (or Tactical for a couple $$ more) and end the 'process!'

 

[Buck Nekkid]

I've got a pair of Metro Arms American Classics and couldn't be happier!!

​

 

[silicosys4]

My RIA will fail to feed handloads that my colt doesn't break a sweat over. My RIA also shoots about 1' above point of aim at 25yds. It has had feeding issues specifically related to certain high quality mags that my other 1911's don't blink at. My Colt feeds any handload I've ever tried to put through it, and shot dead on as it came, never had a mag issue with it. I'm not knocking RIA, but if you do your shopping and take your time, you can find quality used 1911's for the same price or a little more as a RIA. Hell, I just picked up a new Sig Sauer TacPac on Gunauction.com for $640 the other week...only about $200 over what a new RIA would cost, sell the factory sig accessories online and you will be right in the ballpark as a RIA tactical, with a much nicer gun with an MSRP of $1k, one of the lowest MIM parts count on the market, a machined not cast stainless steel frame, and all the bells and whistles off the factory floor.

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/11136...cpac-2c-.45-acp-2c-holster-2c-laser-2c-2-mags

 

[7thCavScout]

Norinco if you can find one.

+1 Tough as nails. Mine ran like a top and ate everything I fed it. I traded mine years ago....Worst trade I ever made. :banghead:

 

[Deltaboy1984]

WOW I guess my LGS are over pricing them; I keep seeing used RIA and other lowed priced barnds at the 425 and up.

 

[Rob1109]

I have a Norinco that I wouldn't part with. One week I baught one it was beautiful inside. A month later my friend bought one it inside it seemed built by elves! I guess the slave labor camp had both good and bad weeks.

 

[jrdolall]

I saw ATI in a LG today for $499. didn't pull it out as my "guy" was not working today but it would have been at least $425 if I had haggled.

 

[coalman]

I saw ATI in a LG today for $499. didn't pull it out as my "guy" was not working today but it would have been at least $425 if I had haggled.

IMO, that's getting steep for an ATI. I consider it a <$450 gun, like any of the Filipino 1911s. But, inflation and popularity may change that in time.

 

[Jed Carter]

Up until a few weeks ago I would never have considered a Taurus for a 1911, that has changed. I had an opportunity to shoot a PT1911 in 9mm, price around $560. Wow what a good shooter, equal to my $1400 STI, way better quality than I expected. PT1911, forged frame and slide, real Novak sights, ramped barrel, well fit and finished firearm. The trigger was the best I have ever seen out of the box in a 1911 this "cheap". I also was able to shoot a S&W E series 1911, price about $1300, nice "pretty" pistol with a really ugly trigger pull, what a bargain. Really impressed with the Taurus 1911, not so much the S&W E series 1911. Taurus not under tha $500 but does come in under $600 on some models, to get a Rock Island that has a finish other than parkerized may cost just as much as the Taurus

 

[Rmiller31]

I have Taurus 1911 in 9mm as well and while they get a bad wrap sometimes my trigger pull is as you describe and the gun is more accurate then I am.

 

[Upstater]

@scythefwd, you would need at least 2 to have the same quality as a kimber, it would allow you to still shoot one while the other was being fixed. spending a 60% more for a good quality weapon you can rest your life with is more than worth it, as before IMO!

 

[GZOh]

Two good sources for a new RIA 1911 Mil-Spec are Centerfire and Sarco. Both are selling this model NIB for $359 and $379.

 

[Roadking Rider]

I have a bare bones RIA GI45 that I have no problem trusting my life with. That gun is more fun to shoot, and has never missed a beat know matter what I've fed it or how fast I've shot it. The gun just flat out works, and works well. If memory serves me right I believe I paid $419 at a local GS for it. I didn't care for the grips on it and changed them out. The finish on it seems a little thin and is showing some wear marks on the edges, but to me that just adds character to a GI 1911 so that's no big deal with me. It has the best trigger of any gun I own I believe because the GI model does not have the firing pin safety that needs to be activated when pulling the trigger.