If you were going to buy a higher end 1911, or a higher end shooter of any kind.............?

[Zaydok Allen]

If you inherited money and wanted to buy an heirloom quality gun that you will never sell, and that you WILL shoot, and you decided on a high quality 1911 of some variety or other high quality autoloader, which maker and model would you choose and why? Indicate what particular model you would be interested in.

I know, we've had this type of thread many times, but manufacturing quality, QC, and offered models change.

I included Coonan Arms here even though they are 1911 based and not actually 1911s.

I have no experience with guns of any of these makers. I am not married to any particular cartridge, and I'm actually kind of leaning towards a 38 Super, but 45 acp, 9mm, 10mm, 357 mag, and 357 sig are all on the table. Heck let's open it up to 44 mag and 50 AE also.

Share your thoughts, and if I forgot a good maker please tell me.

Let's say max budget is $4000, so the door is pretty wide open. One gun only though, suggestions of "Well if you can spend that much I'd get two."

Also, if there is another autoloader that comes to mind that you think you would consider, feel free to share. You can choose 2 picks. Choose a 1911 maker, and if you think a non 1911 gun should be considered, select that too.

By the way, I haven't actually inherited money and I will not be buying anything soon, but I have hit a point in my gun collecting where having more guns is a lot less important to me than having nice guns. However, I don't have gobs of money laying around, so if I drop some serious money on a nice autoloader, I'd like to make a well informed decision.

Also, I load my own ammo, so don't worry about ammo cost. For the sake of this exercise, pretend you load also and the cost of ammo is moot.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Les Baer
Havn't decided what model, probably a 9mm.
Have to support Iowa companies, and thanks Illinois for sending them across the river.

 

[WVsig]

For me if you are going to pay $6,000 for a 1911 or other custom platform you should be buying a full house custom from someone like Yost, Burton, Chen, Williams, Christiansen, Rodgers, Harrison etc... These guys will built full house custom guns to your specs. To me if you are really spending that amount of money you should be able to build a truly one of a kind pistol that speaks to your tastes, desires and wants. You end up with a functional piece of art. IMHO. This does not mean it will outshoot any of the off the shelf semi-customs but it will be more personal.

They are not off the shelf semi customs like most of the people you have listed. If I was buying and off the shelf semi-custom I would look at Guncrafter. I think that their No Name line is one of the best values in high end 1911s.

* In full disclosure I already own a Les Baer TRS, a Wilson EDC X9, Multiple custom BHPs and several Dan Wessons. I am starting a custom build with Don Williams of The Action Works in Aug. It will be well south of your $6,000 limit but will be a true full house custom.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Colt National Match in one hand and 5 grand change in the other suits me.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Just a note, I would not necessarily WANT to spend up to $6000, it would just be an absolute max. If I saw something I really wanted and it cost way less, all the better.

I thought about a Sig X-Five or Six too. Always wanted one and I like Sigs.

Thinking about revolvers too.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

For me if you are going to pay $6,000 for a 1911 or other custom platform you should be buying a full house custom from someone like Yost, Burton, Chen, Williams, Christiansen, Rodgers, Harrison etc... These guys will built full house custom guns to your specs. To me if you are really spending that amount of money you should be able to build a truly one of a kind pistol that speaks to your tastes, desires and wants. You end up with a functional piece of art. IMHO. This does not mean it will outshoot any of the off the shelf semi-customs but it will be more personal.

They are not off the shelf semi customs like most of the people you have listed. If I was buying and off the shelf semi-custom I would look at Guncrafter. I think that their No Name line is one of the best values in high end 1911s.

* In full disclosure I already own a Les Baer TRS, a Wilson EDC X9, Multiple custom BHPs and several Dan Wessons. I am starting a custom build with Don Williams of The Action Works in Aug. It will be well south of your $6,000 limit but will be a true full house custom.

Those are good thoughts. A full custom gun would not be out of the realm of possibility or consideration.

 

[mgmorden]

I can only comment on STI since that's the only brand of these that I've owned, but my STI has been absolutely 100% on function. It's accurate and has a great trigger. It's one of the few guns that I've not felt the need to tweak anything on.

I will say though that compared to the others, the STI doesn't LOOK quite as "flashy". For that I'd say Nighthawk seems to be the "purdiest" but I've never fired (or even touched) one.

 

[ATLDave]

If I were paying that kind of money, I'd get something beyond a plain 1911. I'd get a 2011 open-division race gun.

You're not going to do things with a custom single-stack 1911 that you fundamentally cannot do with a nice production single-stack 1911. You can learn to do things with a comped/dotted race gun that you cannot do with a conventional pistol.

If I had $1 million to spend on a car, I wouldn't spend it on a super blinged-out custom-build luxury sedan that doesn't fundamentally do anything different than a nice Mercedes S-class or BMW 7-series. I'd buy an actual race car. But that's just me.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Made an edit to my OP. $6000 was the top limit. In hind sight, I would really struggle to spend that much. I just don't think I could bring myself to do it.

Dropped my max to $4000.

 

[someguy2800]

I would get a dan wesson and save the rest for something else.

 

[TomJ]

I've had my eye open Wilson Combat's EDC X9 since they released it. I was in a LGS a few weeks ago and one of their customers was picking one up. He let me hold it and dry fire it. I don't know that I've been that impressed by a gun before. It was, to me, perfect. Everything from the fit and finish, the trigger, the way it fit my hand was fantastic. I've been seriously considering selling enough guns to fund the purchase of one, but am having a hard time justifying spending close to $3000 for a gun, especially since I like the guns I'd have to sell. Their warranty follows the gun, so if I came across a good deal on a used one I'd be tempted to pick it up.

 

[tarosean]

For me if you are going to pay $6,000 for a 1911 or other custom platform you should be buying a full house custom from someone like Yost, Burton, Chen, Williams, Christiansen, Rodgers, Harrison etc... These guys will built full house custom guns to your specs.

This if you want to go the 1911 route..
I own or have owned all the makers on your list. Of those Nighthawk is my favorite maker, made to run hard not necessarily look pretty. That said, they will all lose value quickly.

My money I would probably go with an original P210, Wolf Ultramatic, Benelli B76S, P88 Champion, USP Match, etc. etc. etc. or wheel guns like the Python, Manurhrin Korth. In other-words something that might make some money one day.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

an original P210

Hmmmmmmmmm I like that idea.

 

[entropy]

I chose the last option, but $4000 might buy back the Python snub I sold, or if it has to be a 1911, one of Mark Krebs' 1911s.

 

[WVsig]

This if you want to go the 1911 route..
I own or have owned all the makers on your list. Of those Nighthawk is my favorite maker, made to run hard not necessarily look pretty. That said, they will all lose value quickly.

My money I would probably go with an original P210, Wolf Ultramatic, Benelli B76S, P88 Champion, USP Match, etc. etc. etc. or wheel guns like the Python, Manurhrin Korth. In other-words something that might make some money one day.

Add HK P7s to that list. IMHO they have gained more value over the past 10 years vs anything else except for the Python.

 

[JDR]

If I could come across a Nighthawk HP which is now out of production since they can’t get frames & slides, that would be my 1st choice. Otherwise I’d like a Wilson 1911, Lord Knows what that would look like & cost after I get done optioning it out!

 

[FL-NC]

Colt USMC M45, just because.

 

[Winkman822]

As someone who owns a couple of Wilsons, if I were placed in this position and had everything to do over again, I'd probably elect to have a gun built by Heirloom Precision or Volkmann Precision.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

As someone who owns a couple of Wilsons, if I were placed in this position and had everything to do over again, I'd probably elect to have a gun built by Heirloom Precision or Volkmann Precision.

Just a better value for the dollar, versus what you get from Wilson?

 

[George P]

A custom gun by Terry Tussey in Carson City, NV

https://www.tusseycustom.com/

 

[CDW4ME]

I have an Ed Brown Special Forces, it gets shot and carried.
Mine is from 2010 - I've replaced the grips and sights, as pictured.
Pic is my typical carry, 1911 IWB plus two spare mags and 2nd option in weak hand front pocket.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Yep, in order, I would go:

1) Vintage, pre WW2, Colt, blued, unarsenaled, M1911 or civilian Govt' Model. Maybe a .38 Super, NM, or ACE if you really want to get flashy.

2)H&K P7M8

3)Vintage SIG P210

4)A super clean matching numbers pre-war Luger, maybe a Swiss or Naval/Artillery model

5)Red 9 Mauser Broomhandle, long barrel with the wood clamshell stock/holster

 

[WestKentucky]

Very tempted to say Nighthawk just to support Korth, but you specifically said semiauto so that shoves me over into the realm of Coonan and Baer. I have shot an STI and it was a great gun, but unless your shooting competition with it then I don’t see any reason for it. My money would be headed towards a truly nice CZ pattern gun, but you didn’t list any of those either.

My experience has been that you get what you pay for up to about $2k (unless you are buying a Colt then you just pay for the name) Beyond that, you are getting a prettier version of the same pistol.

 

[Old Dog]

Of the semi-customs listed, I'm good with Ed Brown or Les Baer. Brown's have a clean look with no silly front-cocking serrations; Baer's a well-deserved reputation for accuracy. Have seen a couple Nighthawks that truly didn't impress me. WC (and I owned one for years) still makes nice guns, but Dan Wesson makes comparable models at a much lower price point.

 

[Winkman822]

Just a better value for the dollar, versus what you get from Wilson?

Not that at all, it's just that the Herloom Precision (built by Jason Burton) or Volkmann Precision (built by Luke Volkmann) will be a full house custom build as opposed to a semi-custom like an Ed Brown, Nighthawk Custom, Les Baer, Wilson Combat, Springfield Custom Shop, etc. Kind of the difference between a fully bespoke made to measure suit versus grabbing a Zegna or Armani and turning it over to an excellent tailor to fit you.

Having said the above, the answer to the question posed will also have a bit to do with WHEN you want to have the gun in hand. If you want it like, yesterday, then get a Brown, Baer, Wilson, Nighthawk, Guncrafter, or possibly a Cabot. You can grab any of those with less wait time, and often can get the configuration you want from a stocking dealer. With the Heirloom or Volkman, you're going to be in for a good wait. Last time I looked into an Heirloom (a couple years back), Burton's lead time was about two years give or take a few weeks.