sandy4570
Member
I would like to get some opinion and personal experience between the Colt M1991A1 and new S&W M1911A1 . I would like to get a Colt but I want to make sure that I do not miss anything.
M1911 pistol : Colt M1991A1 versus S&W M1911A1
- Thread starter sandy4570
- Start date
- Status
Avery Goodschott
Member
I passed up a 1991A1 ($489) for the SW1911 ($689) and couldn't be happier. No hiccups. Fit and finish is great. I hope you will have a chance to compare them both in your own hands.
John Forsyth
Member
S&W 1911. Looked one over real hard. Fit was good. Very little, if any slide play. The barrel in lockup had just the hint of downward play. Fit in bushing was good. Finish was good. Came with real Novak rear sight and a WC mag. Decent trigger, ok for a factory gun. The rollmarks need help. Did not care for the black on stainless array of parts, i.e., black safeties, slide stop and stainless frame and slide. They would not let me take it apart.
Colt NRM 1991. Very little, if any slide play. The barrel in lockup had just the hint of downward play. Fit in bushing was good. Finish was good. Had standard sights, functional, not pretty. Good trigger. I personally like a little less takeup. Rollmarks looked great. Even with respect to depth and lined up with the edge of the slide. Appearance is right. Blue parts on a blue pistol, stainless on a stainless pistol. Blue has nice rosewood grips. Wished they put them on the stainless. Slide is sharp, could use a bevel job to be more holster friendly.
You can get a blue 1991 for about $550 to $600. A stainless for about $600 to $650. I have not seen a S&W 1911 for less than $700.
From an economic standpoint, the S&W has better sights. You can put the difference in the Colt and have the same sights. Hardware wise they are now even.
Colts have a soul and heritage with respect to 1911's. Get the Colt. The parts most likely will interchange, but the feel is different. I got away from Colts because their QC went in the toilet in the mid 80's to the late 90's. I now have a XSE LW Commander, a new issue S70, and a NRM stainless 1991. They are back.
Colt NRM 1991. Very little, if any slide play. The barrel in lockup had just the hint of downward play. Fit in bushing was good. Finish was good. Had standard sights, functional, not pretty. Good trigger. I personally like a little less takeup. Rollmarks looked great. Even with respect to depth and lined up with the edge of the slide. Appearance is right. Blue parts on a blue pistol, stainless on a stainless pistol. Blue has nice rosewood grips. Wished they put them on the stainless. Slide is sharp, could use a bevel job to be more holster friendly.
You can get a blue 1991 for about $550 to $600. A stainless for about $600 to $650. I have not seen a S&W 1911 for less than $700.
From an economic standpoint, the S&W has better sights. You can put the difference in the Colt and have the same sights. Hardware wise they are now even.
Colts have a soul and heritage with respect to 1911's. Get the Colt. The parts most likely will interchange, but the feel is different. I got away from Colts because their QC went in the toilet in the mid 80's to the late 90's. I now have a XSE LW Commander, a new issue S70, and a NRM stainless 1991. They are back.
10-Ring
Member
I've had the Colt, but only fondled the S&W. There's just something about the COlt that I really like....I've been back & forth about getting another one.
Josey
member
Hey Avoid the S&W 1911 and Kimbers right now. S&W is recalling their pistols and Kimber needs to. I can tell you that I have carried a M1991A1 Colt since they came out. Duty pistol, CCW and sports shooting. I have three sets of grips for each purpose. I had a full length guide rod installed. My 1991A1 has never failed me. Mine is matte finished. I like the rust resistence.
Harley or Honda? I picked up a Mark IV Enhanced recently and paid about $300 more for it than I would've for the S&W! (Can't get Colt's in Mass very easily anymore due to the Attorneys General's (Consumer Fraud) Ban he pulled a few years ago-Colt's are not on "THE LIST" of APPROVED HANDGUNS)! 
I think that the S&W is likely to be a better engineered/made gun than the Colt in the "same" way that some rice burners are "better" than Harley's. But Harley is to Honda as Colt is to _______(pick a 1911) in my own never humble opinion! Here come da flames!
I think that the S&W is likely to be a better engineered/made gun than the Colt in the "same" way that some rice burners are "better" than Harley's. But Harley is to Honda as Colt is to _______(pick a 1911) in my own never humble opinion! Here come da flames!
Rob96
Member
During my quest for a 1911, I fondled many pistols. None felt as good as the NRM Colt 1991A1. They work right out of the box, come with everything you need in a CCW, made out of better steel, and very few (I think 2) MIM parts.
A lot would depend on what features you want on the gun.
The Smith has an extended beavertail, extended safety and better sights.
It appears to be well fitted, but there is a recall on some in regards to the firing pin safety, so I would check that out first.
The Colt is a well made mil-spec style. To have the same features as the Smith, you might spend an additional $200-300- maybe more, depending on what/who and where you have it done.
You will spend more, so the Colt is not a good value in comparison to any of the big three "loaded" type models. That's the bad news.
The good news is, depending on who does it, that the added parts will be fit better than production models and you have a choice of those parts.
Colt does have a better firing pin system than Smith.
I avoided the internal/external extractor difference- no opinion as of yet.
The Smith has an extended beavertail, extended safety and better sights.
It appears to be well fitted, but there is a recall on some in regards to the firing pin safety, so I would check that out first.
The Colt is a well made mil-spec style. To have the same features as the Smith, you might spend an additional $200-300- maybe more, depending on what/who and where you have it done.
You will spend more, so the Colt is not a good value in comparison to any of the big three "loaded" type models. That's the bad news.
The good news is, depending on who does it, that the added parts will be fit better than production models and you have a choice of those parts.
Colt does have a better firing pin system than Smith.
I avoided the internal/external extractor difference- no opinion as of yet.
Nightcrawler
Member
That's assuming that you WANT to add all of the "features".
Me, I'm adding an ambi safety to my Colt, but only because I'm left handed. No commander hammer, no beavertail, no front serrations, thanks.
Me, I'm adding an ambi safety to my Colt, but only because I'm left handed. No commander hammer, no beavertail, no front serrations, thanks.
sandy4570
Member
Thank everyone for the information. I will have to visit the gunstore and handle them both to see which one feel better .
Colt!!!!!!!!!
Yeah the S&W has other doodads you may want, but I have heard of problems with both S&W and Kimber's!!
I had three M1991A1's and they were all champs, so much so I gave two of them to close friends and the last I traded for a ParaLda I 'needed' for work(mandated DAO or DA/decocker).
With the Colt you get History and Classic status! And a better trigger system and access to all the doodads you feel you need to add on later. I added a drop in beavertail(wilson's with 'bump'...still has to be fitted), a tactical thumb safety and a bunch of Wilson mags..then I was set. The sights on the 1991A1 could be improved(lower snag free profile), but they are quite servicable. My three hit to point of aim and digested anything I fed 'em!
Actually, I am asking Colt for a 1991A1 Officer's frame combined with a 1991A1 commander slide(steel CCO) to serve as a basis for further customization.
Jercamp45
Yeah the S&W has other doodads you may want, but I have heard of problems with both S&W and Kimber's!!
I had three M1991A1's and they were all champs, so much so I gave two of them to close friends and the last I traded for a ParaLda I 'needed' for work(mandated DAO or DA/decocker).
With the Colt you get History and Classic status! And a better trigger system and access to all the doodads you feel you need to add on later. I added a drop in beavertail(wilson's with 'bump'...still has to be fitted), a tactical thumb safety and a bunch of Wilson mags..then I was set. The sights on the 1991A1 could be improved(lower snag free profile), but they are quite servicable. My three hit to point of aim and digested anything I fed 'em!
Actually, I am asking Colt for a 1991A1 Officer's frame combined with a 1991A1 commander slide(steel CCO) to serve as a basis for further customization.
Jercamp45
45R
Member
Kimbers need to be recalled based on fact or opinion?
Sandy-
Pick up the one that feels the best in your hands and shoots the best for you. There are alot of people who love the Colt 1991A1s. I've had several chances to shoot Colt variants. They are nice guns, you cant go wrong picking out a Colt.
The S&W is still in its infancy you might run into what I call "teething problems" but S&W has been good about addressing the issue.
Good luck with your purchase.
45R
- Status
Similar threads
