Help me decide which 1911 to get!!!

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crash32

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There are two decisions that I need to make. One being which 1911 to get and two being if I should go with the famous .45 ACP or the interesting .38 super.

I have narrowed my choice to 3 manufacturers being Ed Brown, Wilson Combat, and Fusion. I handled a few Nighthawk 1911 and did not care for the feel of them.

The Models that I am considering is the Ed Brow Kobra, Wilson Combat Classic, Wilson Combat CQB, Wilson Combat Tactical Elite, Fusion Hunter Tact 5, and finally the Fusion Pro Series Government.

Can anyone give me any input on their personal experiences with any of these models and also their opinion of .45 ACP vs .38 Super. Yes, the .45 ACP is more nostalgic, but I could care less.... I am going for function and performance.

Thanks guys
 
Go with 45 ACP. The 230 grain JHP is a great round for self-defense and is accurate for target shooting. It is very easy to reload. Ammo is available and stores carry it. 38 Super limits the commercial defensive loads that are available. There are some great 45 ACP loads out there and it seems to me to more advantageous to go with the cartridge that is heavily supported by the market. Remember, you're going to need quality magazines and there are many 45 ACP mags to choose from.

As for the guns...your call on that. My initial inclination would be Ed Brown first, Wilson second and I wouldn't even consider Fusion.
 
Don't get the .38 Super unless you reload. Factory ammo is scarce, expensive, and typically not loaded to levels that take advantage of its capabilities.
 
Not mentioned and IMO as good as any higher end 1911's but after owning Kimbers and Colts ,Springfields ect I ended up become very happy with the STI line ...there well made and have a great customer service dept if you where to ever need them. Take a look maybe they have what you're looking for
 
I handled a few Nighthawk 1911 and did not care for the feel of them
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You need to handle the others that interest you too. With the exception of Fusion, I own guns from those makers, yet different models.(Special Forces, Professional) Nighthawks checkering is a little more aggressive than the others. I like it, but can see where some people may not. Just as I personally dont care for the feel of the Kobras "snake" pattern.

It really boils down to personal preference you cannot go wrong with the EB or WC.
 
I do not have the models you mentioned; I do have two 4" Wilson's (Xtac and BW Carry) and an Ed Brown 5" Special Forces. All three are exceptionally accurate, smooth operation and highly reliable. I would, however, give a very slight advantage in reliability to the Brown and a nod in workmanship to the Wilson's.

FWIW, although not on your list, my Springfield TRP ranks right up there with the Wilsons and the Brown in all categories except price and pride of ownership. I think you'll enjoy whatever you get from your list. Have fun!
 
I have looked at the STI line and gave it consideration since Ted Nugent raves about them, but none of the models caught my eye.

Nobody seems to support Fusion which kind of surprises me. When I am looking at the Fusion models they look extremely clean and sleek. I like that many of their models do not have any type of engraving, lines, or checkering on top of the barrel. Many of the Wilson Combat and Ed Brown models do not have the option of omitting the lines on top of the barrel which I personally find to be unattractive.
 
I like that many of their models do not have any type of engraving, lines, or checkering on top of the barrel.
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are you talking about slide top serrations? or are you talking about the stamping on the barrel?
 
I have no experience with the weapons you proposed, however, I would heartily endorse the 45 ACP.
 
Slide top serrations
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Okay,

Only one of my semi-customs has them. (NHC Falcon) my LB, EB, WC do not.
Last CQB I shot did not have them.

You can order a WC slab slided (No markings at all ) or front serration deletion. Im willing to bet you can delete the Top serrations. (Which are only really useful on Stainless guns.)

Have you called them?
 
Every time 38 Super is brought up, everyone says you have to reload. Ammo is hard to get and expensive. My EDC is a LW Commander 38 Super, I don't reload and have never had a problem finding ammo at a decent price. Fiocchi at our local range is $20 for a box of 50. They are the highest in the City, you can find SD ammo and it is around $30 for a box of 50. Maybe this is too high, I don't know but it seems reasonable.
 
Go with Wilson Combat. Send that money to Arkansas. :)

And I would definitely go with .45 ACP first. If I already had a 1911 and wanted another, I would consider the .38 Super then. But that's just me.
 
I have no experience with Ed Brown or Wilson Combat but everything I've seen with Bill Wilson makes him out to be a pro and a great guy to boot. If I had to pick between the two of them, I'd pick Wilson just based on that. And their parts have great reviews. I've never seen anything bad on them.
 
I have a Brown and a Wilson. I prefer the Wilson between the 2 but both are excellent guns. You can order the Wilson virtually anyway you want and I think Brown will also do about anything cosmetically that you desire. I also like the 45 ACP as ammo is more abundant and less expensive.
 
.45 is more readily available in my area.

I do not have any of those 1911s you listed, and therein lies a rub: internet shopping vs. shooting them.

To figure out which you want to spend that much money on, they should be held and shot. So, here's just a couple of more aspects to look at.
a.) Rail or no rail.

b.) Weight.

c.) Feel in the hand.

d.) Your pistol tear-down comfort.

e.) Shooting feel to you, in your hands.

My first 1911 was an STI TargetMaster in .45 through Dawson Precision. IIRC it was $1400 and is just an incredible pistol to shoot, but rather large for daily carry.

A Master shooter in our club was changing over his competition inventory from .45 to 9mm, and was selling off a part of his collection. I grabbed his Caspian which he had customized himself, for all of $600. It shoots every bit as well as the STI, is just as balanced, etc..

Are you a member of a local pistol club? If not, find one, and join. You'll find folks who will talk your ears off about their 1911s, or refer you to someone in the club who will.

Perhaps you have the bank to experiment with a whole bunch of these. If so, do not overlook the Baer TRS.
 
As at least one previous poster noted:
Unless you are a reloader, the .45acp is the easy choice. And even at that...you can have a 1911 in a number of chamberings, and I can think of several I would pick (and have picked) before the .38 Super. Interesting? Maybe. Compelling? No.
Those are all quality 1911s, and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.
 
I would recommend the 45 over the 38 Super. I owned a Colt stainless 38 Super with target sights, Kart barrel, trigger/action job and mudflaps, set up to run IPSC and similar matches where you have to make major power and want lower recoil to get back on target faster. When I stopped the IPSC matches (moved :( ), there was no real reason to shoot it over the 45. As a reloader, I hated it, because it tossed brass about 30-40 feet over my right shoulder, and I can't stand to lose brass! But, the 45 will do everything you need, and do it well, and ammo is universally available (at least in my experience). I own and have owned half a dozen customized, super-charged, full-up custom pistols, but the last 1911 I bought was a Remington 1911-R1 because it is a good basic pistol and it looked and felt right (at the LGS). I am going to put GI plastic grips and a GI-style mainspring housing with a lanyard loop and carry it in a GI shoulder or hip holster out in the big wide open, and on the lake. It shoots great (Remingtion sent me a new front sight to replace the low-shooting one), and it functions perfectly. I would say buy the one you like, after looking at them and holding them. If you're going to buy one over the internet, you'll take a chance on getting one that doesn't feel just right or that doesn't grab you...
 
Do not get a .38 Super, having a caliber that is that much harder to find is a pain. If anything get on in 9mm or .40 if you don't like .45. I've owned many different versions and brands, Colts, Springfields. The only one that is never getting sold is the S&W.
 
I have to MAKE a 1911 my own. So all of those are too much $$$ for me to hack up. Paying extra for the features I add just breaks the bank. If any of those companies has EXACTLY what you want go for it!

I usually sensitize the safeties, replace the sights, cut the thumb safety paddle to a teardrop shape, and polish/stone the guts up nicely. So I prefer starting with a Dan Wesson. Worst part on the newer DW's is an Ed Brown part. LOL. And DW is oddly building 1911's exactly the way I'd build them right now.....so it's a no brainer. Most are night sight models. My daytime setups are specific to me.
 
45 gets my vote.

I would go Brown or Baer over Wilson based on personal experience, but hard to go wrong at those price points.

My Brown Kobra Carry is still one of the finest 1911's I've ever held in my hands, even compared to ones costing more.

Since you are already willing to drop the funds I would encourage you to check out Rob at Benchmark Precision. He's doing some full custom builds that are absolutely drool worthy, and made by him, not a crew working under his supervision.
 
Of your 3 choices, my picks would be Fusion, then Ed Brown, then Wilson. But the Ed Brown and Fusion are almost equal. I give the edge to Fusion because they will tailor fit the gun to your desire where you basically pick from a predefined set of pistols with Ed Brown. Still, AMAZING guns, but I'm picky about what features I want and I can't get EVERYTHING with an Ed Brown and I could with Fusion.

I currently have a Fusion being built as I type this. My last update from the president of Fusion was that I'm about 3 weeks away from completion. I designed the entire gun from the most minute detail to the largest piece. Everything about the gun is tailored for what I want and factors my personal preference.

As for the caliber, go with 10mm! I did. :cool:
 
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