Recommendation for a replica WWII 1911?

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cluttonfred

cluttonfred

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Does anyone have a recommendation for a basic, WWII-style 1911 that won't break the bank? I mean a gun that comes close enough to a WWII G.I. issue 1911 in features and finish to be considered a replica, even if there are some minor differences under the skin. Thanks!
 
The Rock Island does it for me.
If you watch the ads in Shotgun News, you can pick one up for ~$400+ shipping, FFL.
 
Everybody has a different "eye" for what they like, but to me, the Auto Ordnance is the closest. http://www.auto-ordnance.com/Firearms/Auto-Ordnance-1911BKO.asp

Lots of guys recommend the RIA, like the poster above, but the roll marks look awful, if you're looking for a WWII 1911A1. It also comes with a flat mainspring housing, and the grip safety looks short and pointy, more 1911 than A1, to me at least.

The Auto Ordnance does have a Series 80 firing pin safety, which is not 1911A1 correct, but you can't see it.

Another option is the Colt Series 70. http://www.colt.com/Catalog/Pistols/Series70™.aspx

It is blued, and has slightly taller (read useful) sights, but it is a Colt.
 
Thanks, guys. The Auto-Ordnance models do seem like a good combination of authentic looks and reasonable price made in the USA. I notice that they make one with a matte black finish, actually the one in JTQ's link above, as well as the parkerized models. Is a matte black finish actually authentic for a WWII gun? I seem to remember something about black-finished WWI guns.

PS--What about the High Standard GI 1911?
 
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I have an early production Springfield Armory M1911A1 that looks very much like a WWII era G.I. issue 1911. Maybe see if there's any available on some of the auction websites.
 
The Turnbull is also a 1911 and not a 1911A1. The OP could correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he is looking for a WWII era looking 1911A1.
 
Thiis thread is useless without pics:

Cimmaron
Cimarron-1911-Compare.jpg

Turnbull
Turnbull_1911_heritage_ad.jpg

USFA :)(out of biz vaporware, We have such bad taste that a cool 1911 and SAA company went out of biz :()
USFA1911.jpg

Colt 1991 (you'll have to replace the MSH and trigger on the Colt, they're made out of old Kraft cheese)
LinkClick.jpg

CZ (CZ roll marks though)
29cuc8g.png
 
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I would go with the Auto-Ordinance. It is the closest thing to an EXACT replica of a WW-2 1911 that I have seen. The sights are correct (Tiny) It has the correct hammer (wide spur) and safety (properly shaped polished) and most important, it has a high ejection port. That is the failing of almost all 1911s today that claim to adhere to G.I. Specs. They all seem to have a lowered port to one degree or another. And the final item is the finish, if you want a WW2 looking gun then it must be a grey or greenish phosphate.....which the A-O is.

It isn't the cheapest option, but for my money it is the most authentic.
 
Note in the picture above the lanyard loop on the mainspring housing, the proper short trigger with checkering, not serrations, and the re-enforcing rings around the grip screws; all correct and proper.

Now, the original 1911A1 specs called for a narrow serrated hammer, not the Flared and checkered one on the A-O, but an awful lot of the WW2 A1s had a factory installed wide hammer. There were a lot of them laying around, they fit just fine, and the Army wasn't about to just throw them away! Finding an original WW2 A1 with a wide hammer is not uncommon, so A-Os use of this part is correct.

My vote is still with the Auto Ordinance.
 
This is my older Springfield Armory M1911A1 that I referred to earlier than is a fairly close replica for a WWII issue 1911.

guns2013_zpsc4bd3205.gif
 
The Springfield GI 1911 is very close. Or, get a Colt 1991, replace the trigger with a short one and MSH with an arched one, and you'll be as close as it gets.
 
The OP is looking for "a gun that comes close enough to a WWII G.I. issue 1911 in features and finish to be considered a replica, even if there are some minor differences under the skin."
JB357MAG wrote,
The A.O. is the closest being made right now
Click to expand...
I agree. As I said above, "Everybody has a different "eye" for what they like", but I just don't see how folks are making some of the suggestions they are making. Some of them just aren't even close. Ruger SR1911?
 
USFA (out of biz vaporware, We have such bad taste that a cool 1911 and SAA company went out of biz )
Click to expand...

I don't think they went out of business. As I understand it, the owner is Koo Koo for cocoa puffs, and decided to stop production on the SAAs and start making those little .22lr zip guns.
 
JB357MAG

Yes I never understood why Springfield Armory had slide serrations that were slanted like that. I remember seeing a few of the 9mm. versions like that (I believe they also had a slight rib running the length of the slide as well), but not another like mine.
 
Keep in mind that I am very unobservant, but my $400 Turkish TISAS 1911 looks pretty close to me, and it works well.
 
Springfield also makes a different gun - the Milspec GI - that has the tiny sights and straight slide serrations. They are both described here:
Click to expand...
I'm a big fan of the late Mr. Camp, but Springfield doesn't offer that model any more.

The current Mil-Spec has a lowered and flared ejection port and larger 3-dot sights (two items also on the Colt 1991 somebody recommended above)

http://www.springfield-armory.com/products/1911-mil-spec-45-acp/
 
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