My very rich boss wants "the best" 1911

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and there's one thing that a Colt can do that no custom can......be a national icon.
 
Ed Brown Les Baer Wilson Nighthawk. All four make very good top end semi customs.
 
I dout colts come with tight lock-up or a good trigger out of the box. You need a good gunsmith to make a colt on the level of a nighthawk, Les Baer, Wilson, ect, ect.
 
conan- No way. I did it. I held one in each hand, a Nighthawk and my Kimber, I switched them. The Alumagrips felt great, but they weren't worth $2k. If there was any difference in the trigger I couldn't tell. The Nighthawk guarantees 1" @ 25 yards, my Kimber will do 2, in unscientific conditions. Either of them would outshoot me. Good? Sure. Great? Ok. Worth three times as much as my Kimber? Absolutely no way.
 
I am very happy with Ed Brown Exec. Target, and Les Baer PII with 1.5" guarantee. I would like the Executive Carry if I wanted to carry a Brown. Would probably lean towards a Dan Wesson CBOB just because It would be less $ at the cop shop if I had to use it. For carry I like the S&W1911PD Commander with CT Laser grips. I just saw where a guy did a DIY bobtail on one, an intriguing thought for the winter months.

If I needed to spend $3,000 plus I'd get the Brown Classic Custom.

Then I'd get the Wilson Super Grade to compare.
 
I dout colts come with tight lock-up or a good trigger out of the box. You need a good gunsmith to make a colt on the level of a nighthawk, Les Baer, Wilson, ect, ect
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The fit and finish of the custom would probably be better. The trigger might be better, but might not. From a practical shooting standpoint, there is not going to be a significant difference in performance for most people.
 
The factory customs are neat.... but if I was spending that kind of $$ I'd be wanting more a more personalized design, and some kind of exclusivity.

If he just wants a cool 1911, then show him lots of pictures and let him buy whatever looks pretty to him. He doesn't seem like a hardcore shooter (which isn't a knock, many/most aren't), so the actual performance gains these guns have likely will go unnoticed.

Much like buying exotic cars, really the performance potential is only there for bragging rights. Style, exclusivity, a "personal" feel both with the gun and the builder - these are the kinds of intangibles likely to matter more to a man buying a gun as functional artwork. There is certainly nothing wrong with that (I like pretty things myself at times), but I've known several people like your boss. Them buying guns is somewhat of a different prerogative than likely me or you.


I'd just slip him a Rogers Precision business card (or one from anyone else off LTW forums, I just personally like their work) and tell him to give them a call.
 
If money's no object, I'd +1 the suggestions already out there about having him give a big name custom 'smith a call.

Will the finished product at all justify the price for whatever he expects the pistol to do? Good question, but I wouldn't stop someone spending their own money however they want.
 
How does that saying go ...

"You show your expensive custom 1911's to your friends ... your enemies get to see your Glocks." :evil:
 
I work with a master pistolsmith that builds custom 1911's. He uses STI frames and Infinity slides exclusively. One of his ISPC guns holds 19 rounds of .45 ACP! Pretty sweet gun.
 
After owning and selling/trading a slew of these things, I'm back down to none.

My next and hopefully final 1911 will be the Colt Gunsite. To me, it's 1911 nirvana. It has everything you need, and nothing you don't. Not cheap, but not ridiculous like some of them.
 
Since he is already partial to Detonics, only a full sized one, I'd recommend a 9-11-01. I have one, and love it.

Detonics is supposed to have moved to southern Ill somewhere, not sure if they are fully operational yet.
 
I have owned high end customs, and standard production guns.

There is very little a $2500 Wilson can do that an $800 Colt can't do.
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+1
I'm a "rich boss" myself (not bragging, just stating for relevance to the OP topic), but I started with a Colt Lightweight XSE Commander, then added a Colt Stainless Government, then finally a Colt Stainless Commander.
I'm extremely fond of all three, and while I could buy into one of the "ultra custom" 1911's, I see no reason to.

My Colts always work with just normal cleaning and care, they're durable as hell, and as I look through all the cute custom things that can be done to a 1911, not one of those things would improve my chances in a real gunfight (my Colts are carry pistols).

So for the price of one $2500 Wilson (or whatever), I have three fine examples of 1911 pistols made by Colt.
 
A Ted Yost or CT Brian built gun would be super high end! Or Don Williams or Chuck Rogers or Alan Tanaka. Lots of others I am leaving out because my brain is full of other stuff right now.
For the Semi factory guns, I think Brown and STI are better than Wilson and Baer. Just my opinion.
Infinity makes AWESOME guns but I don't if they make any officer's sized guns.
 
Springfield Professional. These pistols are essentially hand fitted and custom rigged for maximized reliability and performance. It is pricey, ranging from 2k-3k, but you get what you pay for.

Members of the Firearms Institute worked with the DOD during the pistols trials of 2005 to test 9mm, .40S&W, and .45acp pistols. Although 1911s were not part of the trials, several makes were purchased by the DOD and tested in addition to the others. I know that Wilson Combat, Springfield, Kimber, Colt, and Les Baer were tested along with several others. Some pistols faired better than others, but the Springfield Professional was consistantly more reliable with different types of ammo and with adverse conditions such as the sand test which emphasizes reliability and accuracy consistancy with sand around the locking lugs..

I don't shoot 1911s anymore, but if I had the money and inclination that would be my top choice.
 
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