Want a carry/bedside 1911 what can I depend on to go Bang?

[spyke]

I want to get a 1911 45 ACP that is good to go out of the box. Price limit is going to be about $600. Im thinking Springfield Gi or Mil Spec.

I read a lot on the net about how a 1911 has to be tuned up to be dead nuts reliable. Not sure I buy it though.

I like Glocks a lot but I dont like the idea of not having a saftey. And I like the look and feel of the 1911. Pretty much set on that weapon. So... Is this just a pipe dream? I want this to be an all around gun. Range, carry and bedside piece. I am a little paranoid because my last auto was nothing but trouble.

 

[Hatterasguy]

My Mil Spec was $610 out the door and has been dead nuts reliable, I have 800-900 rounds through it now and its hasn't failed me yet. I'm quite happy with my purchase.

Its my current bedside/desk gun, its sitting within reach as I type this. I find it to large to carry, but if you don't mind rocking a full size 1911 than it would also serve well in that role.


Springfield also has a very good warranty, if you run into issues send it back and they will make it right.

 

[Snowdog]

Neither my Kimber nor my RIA has choked on any FMJ or JHP I've tried, though the Kimber gets a little picky if I don't load certain brands of SWC just right (OAL issues).

Both are loaded with Winchester 230gr JHP Rangers and seem accurate enough with the load.

I understand some 1911s are finicky, but I don't believe that's typical, even with modern JHPs.

 

[Balrog]

I absolutely love the 1911 and have several that are 100% reliabile.

That said, I have more faith in a Glock to run when I need it.

If you are dead set on a 1911, the most reliable are made by S&W and Colt. Avoid Kimber as if your life depended on it.

 

[digsigs226]

The 1911 is a little bit antiquated, but the design still has it's merits and I think I will be picking one up myself for a range gun in the next few years. I really like how they point.

Kimber is a great brand but a little out of your price range new, and difficult to find used.

$600 you are looking at the Springfield GI/ Mil spec, I hear good things but personally I wasn't impressed by the stock Springfield Armory triggers I have tried. The Taurus PT 1911 really is a more modern 1911 evolution with a lot of features for the price, but build quality can be sketchy (the one I held in the store had a canted front sights ). Remington also has a new plain 1911 in that price range and may be worth checking out, although I don't know much about it.

 

[klash545]

Get a Glock,Sig or HK if you worry about it going bang

 

[Hatterasguy]

The 1911 is about 100 years old, and its still in limited service with the military. Our military has counted on them to go bang everytime for quite a while, and they have.

The design is quite good, most issues are cause by people screwing with it. A 1911 built to Brownings specs, will go bang when you need it to.

 

[easyg]

Our military has counted on them to go bang everytime for quite a while, and they have.

Not really.
We were still using the 1911 when I first joined the Army, and it was not uncommon for our 1911's to jam.
I guess that's why we trained practicing clearing drills so much.

 

[sidheshooter]

Springer mil-spec or used series 80 colt. If you're patient, you can find one in that range.

I have an 80 series colt bought used.

I will be getting a springer mil-spec.

They're both cool guns.

 

[MICHAEL T]

RIA or the American Classic Deluxe Mine reliable from first shot Or the Springfield
If people would leave them alone and stop the kitchen table improvements Most of them would never have a problem . But seems if you buy a 1911 you then spend 1/2 price of gun on gadgets to make it even better. You get a POS gun and they get richer when all done.

 

[LibertySympathizer]

A 1911 built to Brownings specs, will go bang when you need it to.

That maybe the trick though.

Which ones are really built true to the specs?

Now most have tighter this, or modified feed ramp that.

 

[klash545]

i've been shooting since i was six years old,i'm turning thirty this month...i will tell you that the 1911 is a fine design,especially those with loose tolerances as JMB intended....the rattley ones are the most reliable. however they are antiquated,there are better and more simple designs now.

 

[CHEVELLE427]

i have 2 1911 one old one sf1911-a1 and a Taurus pt1911 have had not trouble out of either one , case in point the SF took a dbl charge back in the 80s and only damage was to he mag and my hand, still shoot it today same barrel grips springs etc..(no it was not a dbl charge from me) it was store bought , main reason i started reloading.... i hand load for all center fire i own and my 1911 eat all i feed it, if the slide closes it will fire.

only reason i do not carry a 1911 is my xd45acp is 13+1 it also goes bang every time as well

 

[bigfatdave]

The letters and numbers stamped on the side matter a LOT less than your own reliability testing and break-in, plus magazines.
EVERY manufacturer makes duds.

Now, I'm quite happy with my Citadel and I've been impressed by every RIA model I've picked up (both armscor from the P.I.)

If you want something for "Range, carry and bedside piece" you should consider the honest imports (Springfields are made in Brazil and assembled in the US if you didn't know ... not a deal-breaker for me but it is for some) from the Philippines, for carry I like Officer's size (actually, I just like the officer's size all around) some claim that a short 1911 can't be reliable, mine (3.5") seems to not follow that rule and I've been unable to induce failures in it except for some initial ejection bobbles in the first ~150 rounds (the last empty would end up sitting backwards on top of the mag about 1/3 of the time, and would drop out with the mag so I can't really call it a malfunction, just odd)
You may get a shorter spring life in an officer's model, I recently ordered a pair of springs in different weights for experimentation purposes, they were about $10 each from a good manufacturer.

You'll need magazines, you can take the money you save on a armscor 1911 and spend it on better magazines, I like Wilson for a number of reasons, pick your own but be aware that most manufacturers toss in an 'OK' mag while third party mag suppliers know their customers need something better than a range mag or something to sit in the safe.

 

[LawofThirds]

Magazines are the one place you should never skimp, most unreliable 1911's that I've encountered suddenly became very reliable when fed from good magazines. Chip McCormick shooting stars and Wilson Combat 47D's are the only ones I would recommend.

 

[Old Shooter]

The Springfields you mention should work just fine for you.

My personal choice has been mostly Colts and Rock Islands and I've had good luck with them.

Whatever you get be sure to take it out and run a box or three of ammo thru in it in a couple of sessions just to ensure there are no problems and then you should be good to go.

What sort of auto did you have the problems with?

 

[Lar1911]

I own two springfields, a full size loaded and a micro compact.

Love both (Compact does kick)

Go to thier website and to the custom shop.
http://www.springfield-armory.com/custom.php

I am pretty happy with mine, I bought it in 2001 but the Novak sights are not tritium. I can send the slide back and they will install the tritium in it for $135.00

Or if I want my gun to become the Tactical Response model, I can send it to them and for $765 they turn it into the $1,300 TRP.

The point is you can start with a 1911-A1 cheap now, and have it upgraded through the factory.

I am sending mine back to make it two tone, green on the bottom and black on top, a little over 100 to have it done. (I am doing the sights also)

 

[Lar1911]

As another thought

The Ruger SR9 feels like a 1911, great gun and Rugers are very reliable.

Or go with another one of the Ruger P series guns. You can get into one pretty cheap and every one describes them as "built like a tank"

It may not be as nice looking as a Kimber, but it will ALWAYS go bang.

 

[Babarsac]

The only 1911 not built to spec that I know of are the Llamas. Yes they are cheap but not all parts will exchange with USGI\Mil-Spec parts.

 

[Lar1911]

If you want a reliable semi auto, look at Rugers. No one will ever tell you they are not solid reliable guns. I own 45's and 9mm's. The 9 is cheap to shoot.

Look at the P95 in 9mm, a 3.9 inch barrel it is a good shooter and concealable

or SR9

I would also look at the P345 in 45

I carry a full size Springfield 1911 the majority of the time., but would def would carry a Ruger instead

 

[Guns and more]

Get a Glock,Sig or HK if you worry about it going bang

10-4.
and I'd second the vote for a Ruger P-345, Mine has never missed a beat.
Also a CZ is about as reliable as a crowbar.

I like 1911's, but reliable? Not at the top of the list. YMMV.

 

[spyke]

Or go with another one of the Ruger P series guns. You can get into one pretty cheap and every one describes them as "built like a tank"

ha ha just sold the one I had.

No one will ever tell you they are not solid reliable

Mine has never missed a beat

Guess I owned the only one that FTE 5-6 times out of 100 rounds from what I hear.
I love Ruger wheel guns but my experience with my P94 left me a little sour about ruger semis. Bad luck I guess

 

[migkillertwo]

about the rugers, is there anything I can do about the trigger reset? and do the slide-mounted safeties "bite" your thumbs when shooting?

 

[FLAvalanche]

$600 budget?

Rock Island Tactical, spare mag, and a few 100 rounds of ammo to break her in.

 

[EHL]

Get a Colt. Preferably a series 70 government. Get it bone stock and put 500

rounds through her. If she feeds good you should be good.


On a side note though, every gun can have a malfunction, 1911's being no

exception. But to say that the design is "antiquated" and therefore

unreliable, is a poor judgment call. Several elite military and police units

currently use the 1911 as their standard side arm. If this design were truly

so "antiquated" and there were indeed so many superior offerings in todays

world of ubiquitous firearms, why would these soldiers/police entrust their

lives and those of others on such a sub-standard firearm design? Who's opinion are

you going to value more, guys who put their lives on the line everyday they

put on the uniform or a couple of armchair commandos?