Help with a 1911 purchase

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tacweapon

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I am getting ready to buy my first 1911 and need some help. What I am looking for is a 1911 in the $ 500 - $ 700 range, is going to be reliable and accurate. I have been looking at a Taurus 1911 and I like the trigger pull and I really like the sights, but the local gun shop is selling it for $ 635 and I want to be sure I am getting the best for my money. I am going to use it as a HD weapon and a range weapon and depending on the size a CCW. Thank You for your help
 
I have been looking at a Taurus 1911 and I like the trigger pull and I really like the sights, but the local gun shop is selling it for $ 635
Click to expand...

That seems rather pricey. While I don't know the model they are using, I bought mine last week for only $526.
 
Just my opinion

Be ready for some Taurus bashing. Those that can afford a major brand 1911 most likely will tell you that they (Taurus) suck. Now I am not an expert on firearms but I have looked at a LOT of 1911s, and yes I decided to go with a Taurus PT1911.
Here is how I look at it.

RIA=$399 BASIC 1911 (felt okay in my hand)

S&W=$800 Basic would do upgrades =$$$$ (felt good in my hand)

Taurus PT1911=$530 OTD with upgrades (felt Great in my hand)


Which one makes sense to you?
Now on the other hand if I had an extra $1000+ to spend I probably would have gone with one of those major brand 1911s, however I am a "poor" man.

I wanted a 1911 and I bought what I could afford, plus for the price it's a nice looking gun, even if I do say so myself.

1911avatar.jpg

Also you should checkout taurusarmed.net it's a pretty good sight.

starshooter231
 
Taurus PT1911

I have a first generation Kimber and after shooting a Taurus a few weeks
ago I think the Taurus is the best buy going. If the Taurus would have been
around when I purchased my Kimber I might have bought the Taurus.
 
I've never shot a Taurus, since we can't get them here in CA so I have no opinion on them. But there are a few other choices to consider in your price range. Springfield Armory's Loaded, Kimber's Custom II, Colt NRM Government, and S&W's 1911PD. They'll all be pretty similar, and it's splitting hairs but they all offer something over one another, either in fit, finish, feel, accuracy or the trigger pull etc... Go fondle a bunch of samples and see which feels best to you.

Good luck.
 
The Taurus may be OK, but in your stated price range you could probably do better with something from Springfield, Para-Ordnance, Kimber, S&W or many others. The Taurus at $635 sounds a little stiff.
 
I paid a bit over that for my PT1911AR (blued, railed), but my chosen shop is a bit high (I support them for other reasons). The Taurus is a quite good gun for the money. In features it compares well to SA, Kimber, and S&W, for far less. You'd need to spend about $250-300 more for any of those, and the main thing you'd get (well, with SA and S&W anyway, I'm not familiar with how Kimber does it) is better customer service.

The Taurus 1911s are good shooters, and are not heir to the same quality control issues had by other Taurus models.
 
tacweapon,
I got the PT1911 stainless about 1/2 year ago and love it. No jams yet and it's devoured SWC home cast and all kinds of jacketed, mostly using GI mags. It shoots great groups as the trigger is smooth and about 3 lbs as issued.

Smilin Jack
Western Oregon
NRA member
Hunter Ed instructor since 1975
 
I was looking at the same scenario last weekend...I was down to the Taurus, a Kimber Custom II and a Para Ordnance SSP. Taurus and Para felt the best in my hand. Decided on the Para for $589 + Tax. Very accurate, good trigger, and no malfunctions through 100 rounds. Did get a defective mag though. I'll be sending that back to Para this week.
 
i would also reccomend the para ssp.

the tauru isn't a bad deal, there are alot of happy taurus 1911 owners out there an many of them can be found here on thr.
 
You could buy an NRM Colt 1911 from one of the on line dealers. That would be near the upper range of your budget. In the under $1000 1911 world I always recommend Colt as the best bang for the buck. By and large Colt uses the best quality internal parts of guns in their price range.
 
highly recommend a Rock Island Armory 1911 Tactical, if you can find them. all the shops in my area still have them back ordered.
 
The Taurus I am looking at is Stainless Steel with the Heine sites. My local gun store does not have any Paras and the Kimbers are not in my price range they do have a few RIA's but it is the standard model. I am going to a gun show this weekend will probably pick someting up.
 
I had a long post on why the Springfield Loaded blows the doors off the Taurus but my computer froze lol.

In short...though the Taurus was flawless in reliability for me it wasn't near as accurate at 25 yds and the craftsmanship couldn't even compare.

Loaded SA is the best bet under 800 bucks. Look at the paras and Dan Wessons also.
 
Taurus and RIA = Great

I've got a Taurus 1911 and an RIA Tactical. Taurus is finished nicer inside and out but the RIA is no slouch and many dollars cheaper. Both are absolutely reliable with factory and handloads. The Taurus had an issue with the safety and I sent it back to the factory in Florida. By the labels on the box, they (factory in Florida) sent it to the shop in Brazil. I had it back inside of two weeks and someone lavished some loving care on it. Trigger went from 4lbs to 3lbs with absolutely no creep, safety became like a wall switch with no mush and the barrel to slide fit tightened up to the point I was worried about reliability with my mild reloads. Bravo Taurus!! RIA service is just as good as they are in Nevada and that's closer to me than Florida. The service there is top notch and unlike Taurus when you call RIA you get to talk to someone who actually knows the answers on the first call.
 
Taurus

My PT1911 feels and shoots better than a friend's Colt Model 70. Lighter, smoother trigger, better frame-slide fit, better barrel-bushing fit, fewer tool marks on the slide and rails, etc. On the flip side, the Colt is a much, much prettier blue. :evil:

Not saying that will ALWAYS be the case, or even on average, but there a lot of happy PT1911 owners.
 
Another vote for the Colt 1991, as was said higher quality internal parts and not plagued with out of spec chambers, poor quality MIM, and such.
 
I traded my Smith & Wesson 40VE Allied Forces and a Fobus Paddle Holster and a Uncle Mikes Magazine holster and then paid $ 100.00 and got a Taurus 1911SS. I will post a review once I go to the range.

Thanks for your help
 
Springfield Armory Milspec .45acp 1911a1

I was just on www.gunsamerica.com and saw that a great low cost(for a NIB 1911a1 pistol) Springfield Armory Milspec .45acp listed.
That .45acp pistol has all the basic functions of a 1911a1 model in that price range. The Kimber pistols are good but you may need to spend more $$$, ;).

RS
 
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