high priced 1911s

[Revolver Ocelot]

I'm considering adding a nighthawk custom to my collection and was curious what you guys thought of them (aside from the price), I'd lov to here what you guys think of them and if you own one or any custom 1911 for that matter please do post picks and tell us where you got the work done.

 

[Black Majik]

All I'm gonna say is, with 1911s you do get what you pay for.

Go for it.

 

[DHart]

I've got an Ed Brown Class A Bobtailed Commander which I think is a really fine 1911... now that I've replaced the ambi with a Colt mil spec single sided thumb safety (I don't like ambis for CCW as the ambi makes being swept off safe a little too easy to do inadvertantly)... this is one of my carry guns. Perfectly reliable.

And I recently looked at RRA and Wilson 1911's and ultimately gave the nod to the Wilson CQB in two tone black slide over grey frame. No pics yet, but they'll be coming. I'm really impressed with both the Brown and the Wilson. RRA is no doubt a great 1911 as well, but somehow I just felt a little more confidence in going with Wilson. Wilson's customer service and backing on their guns is so legendary that it just "tipped the scale" for me... plus the CQB is just about as fine as a 1911 can get... much beyond that is pretty much just fluff to me, nice, but fluff nonetheless. The feel of the slide to frame on my CQB is as good as I've ever felt... not that the slide to frame feel is *THE* defining element of quality, but it's nice anyway. Of course, reliability and accuracy have been superb.

You don't need to buy a high end 1911 to achieve reliability or good accuracy, as that can be found in production 1911's like Colts (of which I have quite a number). But if you want a 1911 that has extra attention to fitting and quality, the high end 1911's are great guns.

 

[varoadking]

My thoughts:

 

[Glockfan.45]

It depends on what your looking for. Do you want a range toy, or a fighting gun? I had a high dollar 1911, and while it was fun at the range I would not trust my life to it. The problem with high dollar 1911s is that to get match grade accuracy the makers will go out of spec, and create tighter tolorences. Doing this while gaining accuracy can and often does effect reliability. On the other end of things I have a cheap Mil-Spec 1911 that runs 100% reliable, and shoots just as well off hand. The only time I ever saw difference in accuracy was when shooting from a rest.

If you just want something pretty to look at, and punch paper with then by all means spend as much as you like. If you plan on using the gun as a carry or home defense piece avoid high end target models.

 

[huntershooter]

I own several Baer 1911's (two with the 1.5" option) that are 100% reliable. They are used as "carry guns". I would trust my life to their function in a SD scenario. The statement that "match grade accuracy equals less reliability" is not correct.

 

[farscott]

I am one of those persons who trusts his life everyday to a custom 1911. While the conventional wisdom holds that a custom is too tight to be reliable, my experience is that my customs are extremely reliable. The only issues I have ever encountered are bad ammo or the inability to sling shot Commander-length guns. I carry five-inch guns, and I take them to class with me. They run even after those clearance failure drills that beat the heck out of the extractor.

My regular carry 1911 is a 1976-vintage Series '70 Colt smithed by John Harrison. This gun has well over 20,000 rounds through it and it is still tight and accurate. The upper is on its third finish as the original bluing and first polymer finish have both lived out their useful lives. The second polymer finish is showing the base parkerized finish underneath in spots. The chromed lower is about ready to be redone as I have worn it off the gun in certain spots. It still shoots lights out. Its backup is a stainless Series '80 Colt smithed by John Harrison. The Series '80 is my dress gun but that did not stop me from taking it to a class. Its backup is a SA Mil-Spec smithed by John Harrison. The Mil-Spec is almost an exact copy of the Series '70, and it runs like a top. I found a smith whose work I trust, and he goes over every one of my serious 1911s. I will post a few pics of my Harrison guns tonight.







As for Nighthawk, my opinion is too much money for what one gets, and the aesthetics do nothing for me. For that much money, function and looks count. Nighthawk has the former, but the latter does not work for me.

 

[browningguy]

Nighthawk seems to be the flavor of the day in 1911's. But I think an Ed Brown or Les Baer will hold it's value better. They are well known guns, relaible and accurate, with a well developed following.

 

[Jimmie]

Nighthawk

I shot a rental Nighthawk about a year and a half ago. It made me look like a lot better shooter than I am!! If I had the money, I'd have one!

 

[MarshallDodge]

I have handled one and if I could afford it then I would own one.

 

[robctwo]

I just got back from the range. Shooting an Ed Brown Exec Target two tone and Les Baer Premier II with 1.5" guarantee. I think the higher end guns are a great idea. This is what they looked like last week.

 

[10-Ring]

My father taught me that it's cheaper to do it right the first time than to compromise & go through a few cheaper versions before you make the right decision.
Get the one you want 1st & do it right from the beginning!

 

[gudel]

My father taught me that it's cheaper to do it right the first time than to compromise & go through a few cheaper versions before you make the right decision.

intelligent people think like that. they see the bigger picture.
others compromise, some don't.

 

[dmuff]

First post to the highroad,

Fortunate to own 3 nighthawks, one colt, four paras, and one kimber.

If the best is good enough then the nighthawk is in the running. I bought mine early on (Talon at $1800.00) and paid more for the others. I think they are the finest 1911 made as a semi to full custom. Having shot and said that, I believe that they are now overpriced. A case of providing the very best and now starting to charge for it.

Most full house custom guns are even more expensive. However, there are a few gems in the rough that will make your purchase of a full house custom gun slightly less expensive, but will take a long time to deliver and are often small one or two person operations.

I have shot the Les Baer, Rock River Arms, and the Wilsons and all are fabulous weapons. I have not yet shot the Ed Browns.

For my money I would buy either a Colt or a Para and send it to Ken Crawley for a performance package and smile while you shoot more ammo with the savings.

 

[Rinspeed]

If the best is good enough then the nighthawk is in the running. I bought mine early on (Talon at $1800.00) and paid more for the others. I think they are the finest 1911 made as a semi to full custom. Having shot and said that, I believe that they are now overpriced. A case of providing the very best and now starting to charge for it.

I think they are overpriced too but I haven't shot one so maybe they are all that.

 

[wooderson]

Hard to say what's overpriced.

Expensive 1911s are, for all intents and purposes, objets d'art. And lovely ones at that. I view a $2000 1911 no differently from a $2000 guitar - most people buying them are hobbyists with a little extra money to spend. That vintage Les Paul (really, we're not even talking 'vintage' money) probably isn't going to be used to craft a rock'n'roll masterpiece, nor is that 1911 going to be at the front lines in the war on terra'. In both cases, a select few will be used to record or save lives, but most won't.

You're paying for craftsmanship and prestige and aesthetics as much as anything. The time of a single master smith will set you back twice as much as a custom from a gunsmith shop (Nighthawk Talon, Yost-Bonitz) which will set you back, in turn, some money from a high-end production shop (Les Baer Thunder Ranch, Ed Brown Special Forces).

Nothing wrong with paying for craftsmanship and design.

For a defensive pistol (cop or civilian - military/SPECIAL FORCES BLACK OPS CIA OPERATORS OMG may be a different story), once you get past functional, safe and combat accurate (Glock, M&P, Sig, H&K, CZ from $400-800), how much more security does a $2500 1911 offer you?

 

[DHart]

wooderson... I agree with you... the high end stuff is certainly nice, built very well, beautiful... but not necessary for reliability. My recently acquired Colt XSE Government is as reliable as the sun with anything I stuff into it... very accurate, and only cost around $800. AS you said, beyond that you don't really *need* to go. I have every bit as much confidence and trust in the performance of my $800 Colts as I do in my 2k+ Brown, Wilson, etc. They're all good shooters and all RELIABLE... just different.

 

[SilverState]

Rock River:


Ed Brown:

 

[bp78]

NHC is a good choice.

I made the same choice. My custom Talon was delivered in about 8wks, two weeks sooner than quoted when ordered.

5" Nighthawk Custom Talon
* Standard top serrations, checkering rear of slide, magwell, etc.
* 25lpi checkering
* french walnut logo grips
* solid trigger used on the 10-8 pistol
* full diamond black treatment
* flat slot grip screws
* Heinie Straight 8 NS

 

[farscott]

... how much more security does a $2500 1911 offer you?

Short answer: A gun set up exactly how I want it that allows me to make shots I cannot with other pistols. A gun that I do not have to wonder if it will run; I know it will run. A gun that fits me like no other.

The result: The confidence in the gun allows me to focus on the shooting and not the gun. That confidence is worth much more than the price tag of the pistol and the work that has gone into it. Heck, the 20,000 rounds through the gun cost $4000 if a box of fifty rounds costs only $10.00. Puts the price of the pistol into perspective.

 

[Geno]

I will keep this short and to a bitter point...

I spent $2,000.00 on a worthless "Custom Shop" Kimber Gold Combat. It was defective and had to go back to the "Custom Shop" twice...still, it was not right after 2 times for repairs!

I spent $779.00 on a Colt Series 70 reissue (STS). My Colt series 70 reissue remains my undisputed most accurate pistol across all ammunitions. Also, do a search with my name, "Doc2005", for the torture test that this Colt 1911 pistol and a Glock 17 pistol endured...wow...3,000 rounds, no cleanings and zero failures! Need I say more? Yes, I need!

Note that I do not mean that Kimber is bad...on contrary, Kimbers are excellent...but, the ordinary, run-of-the-mill Kimbers. I have owned 14 or 15 Kimber 1911s. All but 5 were excellent. The 5 that were defective? ALL 5 of the defective Kimber pistols came from the Kimber "Custom Shop"! Here's they key...all 5 defective pistols were manufactured in a 6-month period, and all 5 had external extractors. Ever ask yourself why Kimber stopped the externals? I ask why they ever started...that's another story. They learned a hard lesson.

But, save your money! Get either a simple Colt series 70 reissue or a Kimber Custom. Either will cost you about $850.00, and will take you as far for self-defense as any other 1911. My point, get an inexpensive pistol...save your money for ammo!

Bet you thought I was going to say Kimber is a POS, didn't ya? Nope...just stay with the cheapie Kimbers...they're good, or stay with the Cheapie Colts...they're the best.

 

[Revolver Ocelot]

I definitly agree that it is no more practical then your run of the mill 1911 (asuming it functions properly) but if you could aford it why buy the the best bargin when you can have the cream of the crop, I had considered getting a kimber at one point but when nighthawk told me that they had a lifetime waranty covering all work on it I was essentially sold, now its just depating is there somthing better I should give a look.

 

[Ala Dan]

I got my brand new Les Baer TRS [that shoots like a dream gun], for much
less than you folks are paying for the Nighthawks, Browns, and Wilsons.
Saved enough to buy some ammo~!

 

[lunde]

I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Nighthawk Custom 1911s, and I plan to own one some day, but you should also explore Ed Brown's 1911 offerings. I find their simplicity appealing. Their five-inch 1911s don't have the front slide serrations that are plagued by so many brands. And, you can order them with bare slides. Their standard slides have lettering only on the right side, forward of the ejection port. At least for my needs and tastes. Ed Brown's 1911s are done just right. My latest is a "Special Forces" Commander with Bobtail:

It was ordered with a bare slide:

In terms of front strap and MSH texturing, Ed Brown offers traditional 25-lpi checkering (their "Executive" line), Snakeskin (their "Kobra" line), and Chainlink (their "Special Forces" line).

See: http://www.edbrown.com/

An excellent place from which to order Ed Brown 1911s is KWB Sales. See: http://www.kwbsales.com/

 

[gandog56]

All I'm gonna say is, with 1911s you do get what you pay for.

Not always.