rank these 1911 manufacturers

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texas bulldog

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hey all,

i'm looking at picking up my first 1911 sometime soon. i want something that is high-quality and that is likely to run reliably out of the box. perhaps that's too much to ask, but i'd like to avoid a lot of gunsmithing if possible, as it seems to be the norm for 1911s from what i hear.

anyway, these are the ones i'm currently considering:

1. Colt
2. Springfield Armory
3. Smith & Wesson
4. Kimber
5. Sig Sauer

would you kind THR 1911 users rank them for me or, if you prefer, make a case for someone not on the list. keep in mind my priorities for this gun, in order, are...
1. reliability
2. durability
3. aesthetics

thanks!
 
Add STI to your list, and put it at the top of the production guns.
 
FWIW, SA isn't really a 1911 manufacturer (with the exception of their custom shop models). They just import and sell 1911's manufactured by Imbel and branded with the SA name.
 
Until you mention what caliber you want and what use you anticipate, it is hard to rank the 1911 manufacturers. There are lots of 1911 manufacturers, and some fill certain niches while others serve other niches. For example, my recommendation for a 9x19 1911 is going to be different than for a .45 ACP model. My recommendation for a plain-jane 1911 is also going to be different than for one with "bells and whistles". My recommendation for a gun for a custom build is also going to be different than one that will get no modifications. A carry gun recommendation will differ from a range gun recommendation.

In general, I can say that I have had good experiences with Baer, Colt, SA, STI, SV, and Wilson. I own more Colts than any other brand, but SA and STI are right behind the Colts in my collection.
 
farscott,

good point; let me clarify...

1. definitely .45ACP. for 9mm, i'd go with the BHP instead.
2. no modifications beyond picking out some grips.
3. mostly range. i like revolvers for carry.

thanks again.
 
For a pure range gun, I really like the STI TargetMaster. Mine is a 9x19, but it is also available in .45 ACP. The heft of this pistol makes target shooting easy. Another one that is good value in a pure range gun is the Baer Premier II.
 
wes you feelin ok? what did my lovely kimber ever do to you? :)

1. Kimber (stainless 2, TLE-RL, best value for the price)
2. Colt (series 70)
3. Springfield Armory (only operator model, not GI)
4. Smith & Wesson
5. Sig Sauer (only single stack models)

.45acp only, no 9mm, .45gap, .45GI, or other ridiculous caliber.
single stack only, 5" barrel. No STI, too finicky and not combat proven.
 
I'm a cheap b@st@rd...

Rock Island Armory. Had to clean it once, after the first 500 rounds of Wolf. It was getting picky about hollowpoints.
 
i guess i was feeling a bit big for my britches.... Just a small sample of kimbers that I have had opportunity to be around did not seem to be as reliable as the other 1911's that I've observed.
I am not and will never claim to be a drip-under-pressure (a.k.a. ex-spurt)
 
FWIW, SA isn't really a 1911 manufacturer (with the exception of their custom shop models). They just import and sell 1911's manufactured by Imbel and branded with the SA name.
__________________
Click to expand...

True to a point. If you happen to get a gun with the "NM" prefix in the serial number, then you get a gun where the raw slide and frame were brought into the US and the the machining and assembly were done here.
 
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I agree, there's nothing wrong with Brazillian made guns, despite the horror stories I've heard about Taurus I have many friends that have never had a problem with any of theirs. I'm actually looking into getting a 1927 Sistema as soon as I get my C&R. They're Argentinian, but built strong and reliable.
 
All good brands, all at a price-point where chance enters into the equation (I got a Colt Series 70 with an excellent, light trigger. Other folks have not.).

(nb: this is not in any kind of order)
Colt has a rep for being (almost) all-steel now - no polymer triggers or mainspring housings, only a few MIM parts. Fit and finish can be hit or miss.

Kimber has a rep for good fitting, but uses a large number of MIM parts that may have a tendency to fail earlier (I've heard that the sear, slide stop and extractor are the biggest weaknesses). Aside from a couple of models, Kimber uses a Swartz safety - trickier than Colt's S80, more prone to failures.

Springfield Armory - halfway between Colt and Kimber in terms of parts makeup and fitting. All models have the internal lock in the mainspring housing which does, I am told, have a negative effect to the trigger pull. I would like a TRP Armory Kote myself, but removing the ILS requires replacing the magwell/MSH, which then won't match the gun without refinishing.

Smith & Wesson - external extractor rather than internal (which is basically a wash in terms of reliability/service), good parts quality, good sights, nice features for the price.

Sig - ugly.
 
Springfield Armory - halfway between Colt and Kimber in terms of parts makeup and fitting. All models have the internal lock in the mainspring housing which does, I am told, have a negative effect to the trigger pull. I would like a TRP Armory Kote myself, but removing the ILS requires replacing the magwell/MSH, which then won't match the gun without refinishing.
Click to expand...

You've been told wrong. The ILS is a non event. Only paranoiacs do anything about it.

The ILS is in no way connected to the trigger. The trigger bow pushes back upon the sear spring, the sear is tripped, the hammer falls as the mainspring uncompresses, the firing pin is struck, the primer is ignited, the firing pin is returned by the firing pin spring, the powder is ignited, the bullet departs, the slide recoils, the barrel unlocks from the slide on the pivot, the trigger resets, the empty case is ejected, the slide overtravels the hammer, which transmits the force of the slide downward through the hammer strut into the mainspring cap, which compresses the mainspring until the hammer is again trapped by the sear, which has been re-engaged by the sear spring. The slide returns to battery with a fresh cartridge stripped into the chamber.

If really worried about the dreaded ILS, remove the MSH and give it some red loctite and be done with it and you won't have to refinish anything

The ILS isn't any part of the trigger sequence. It's part of the hammer sequence.
 
Choices

If the gun is just for the range, no carry, then go with Colt. They're as reliable as they can be, available in several configurations, and the original maker. Kimber, Springfield, Sig, and all the others will always be see-sawing back and forth with customers as to who makes a better copy of the Colts. Either way get what you want and be fine knowing it's just a target shooter, not your CCW piece. There are much better designs of pistols out there, but in the past 100 years no one has made a gun thats more easy to shoot and shoot well with while having tons of fun. Unless you plan on purchasing many different 1911's, I personally would go with Colt.....2nd place is Springfield Armory
 
I bought a SA Black Stainless Target a year ago. I had the extractor claw break off within the first few hundred rounds. SA had great customer service and paid shipping both ways. The trigger was every bit the 5-6 lbs advertised, and was heavier than I wanted. I did the trigger job myself. SA would do a trigger job for an additional $200+ at that time. Gun is very reliable and accurate, and quite attractive.

I bought a S&W1911PD Commander. Scandium frame. Light weight. Very good trigger out of the box. Accurate and reliable. I'd get an all steel full size for the range. Friends have Colts and Kimbers.

If I were buying another gun in that price range I'd be looking at the S&W full size and the Dan Wesson Pointman 7.

I really love the .45ACP and reload target loads for lower recoil.
 
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