What's your favorite 1911?

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The one I WISH I could have (sentimental value) would be the one I was issued in L Trp 3rd Squadron 2nd ACR from 1981-1983... Yes, I still know the serial number.

However, my favorite is my current Dan Wesson Guardian. A well built, 9mm Commander sized 1911. Very nice piece, and real accurate.
 
treetop_66 said:
Favorite is my Alchemy Custom Weaponry's Prime Classic Carry in 38 Super.
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Love the 38 Super, everything the 9mm punybellum wishes it could be. Of my six current 1911's 3 are .45ACP 1 is in 40 Super ( 10mm to all you sillymeter folks) and the remaining 2 are in 38 Super. Whats not to like about a 124gr. bullet @ 1400fps.;)
 
azrn said:
the 1911 that I consider my favorite is my Dads colt gold cup that he bought back in 1975. I went with him and boy he loved it. He passed it on to me and I in turn have passed it on to my son. A wonderful good shooter.
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Around the same time frame my first centerfire semi was a Browning Hi-power, I was influenced by the movie Serpico, had it for about a year when I tried a friends Gold Cup.
Traded in the Hi-power the same day. Have had that Gold Cup now for 46 years and will never sell it, never had a single problem with it unlike my 2 Kimbers.
After all these years of use the trigger pull is now around 2lbs. relegating it to target use only.
 
My fav was a 1928 govt model, converted years ago for bullseye shooting, glass break trigger great retro sights tight lock up and very accurate. Second a series 70 steel combat commander king tappens and a nice trigger. Carried that one for 22 years
 
Favorite is impossible to say. My least is a 9mm Kimber because it doesn't fit my hand. I love my Valtro, but it seems to stay in the safe. It has been a flawless performer, but will probably sell it soon.. I like my Springfield with aftermarket trigger. I've just started shooting a Wilson CQB, but my 15yo daughter is in love with it. She thinks that it is pretty.
 
My three 1911 style pistols are currently a Kimber Pro Carry, a Kimber Stainless II and a Rock Island GI FS. I have had no issues with any of the three. Well, the Pro Carry did need a break-in and a Wolf Spring and I did give the supplied mags away and replaced them with the Kim-Pro mags, after that it has been 100%. The two Kimbers shoot very well and are quite accurate. The Rock Island is still running in and is a lot of fun and thus far no feeding or other issues, getting smoother and smoother. I think I want one more, maybe a Dan Wesson or a Colt, not sure. Or maybe another RI and just do some custom work on it and a lot of after parts ;).

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3C
 
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First off, great thread! Enjoyed reading every entry.

Gonna be hard naming my favorite. My dad's WWII 1911 was the first handgun I ever fired, probably 1964 or so, age 8 or so. He had to sell that pistol due to financial hardship, and after he left our family, well, let's just say that was a loss at many levels.

I will also digress by saying that I was born and raised less than 50 miles from the Hartford, CT Colt Manufacturing Plant, and my dad took us kids to tour that plant on at least one occasion, so I have a bit of a built-in Colt affinity...

After I joined the military and got to shoot a 1911 again, it re-kindled a memory, and an urge, I guess. Anyway, I ended up buying The World's Worst Piece of Crap Colt 1911 (circa 1982). The experience turned me away from 1911s for probably 10 years, and I spent a long time in 9mm Euroworld (mostly HKP7s, etc) .
The internet re-opened my eyes in the latter part of the 1990s and boom, I was back into 1911s, and have stayed there ever since.

I think I have owned 25-30 1911s in my lifetime, and probably 6 or so currently.

Probably have a hard time letting go of any of them, but in no particular order:

My Kimber Pro Eclipse has more rounds downrange that any pistol I have ever owned. Yes, it is steel framed, so it's a bit heavy but it is the best shooting pistol I own. Not for sale, ever.

I bought my alloy-framed Les Baer for about $1000 and it is probably the most fortuitous purchase I ever made. Not for sale, ever.

S&W E-Series, bobtail grip, alloy frame, drop-dead gorgeous, but I haven't put enough rounds through it to carry it. Jury is out.

Dan Wesson C-BOB 10mm, very nice 1911. Bought used, put some rounds through it. Had some issues with smashing the case mouths on ejection, but resolved with the help of a good 1911-smilth (feel free to email me for particulars).

The Scandium Gunsite S&W I also bought for a fire-sale price--$850, IIRC. Lightweight Commander sized 1911, accurate, reliable as sunrise...probably the 1911 I carry most. Not as pretty as the others, but pretty only goes so far.

Kimber Stainless UCIII--this 3" alloy model one was modified to be a .45Super by the prior owner. I was somewhat intrigued--perhaps not the wisest choice.

But it is a very small, lightweight and powerful 1911. Not sure what it's lifespan will be, but so far, so good.
 
Like a moth to a flame I have always been drawn to the 1911 guns. Especially the Colt Series 70 flavors to include a .38 Super in the mix.

45%20Colt%20Series%2070%20Guns.png

Last year I came into a Kahr Arms GI version and a Colt 5 digit serial number 1914 gun. The above mix includes a few Gold Cup flavors. They all get shot. I wouldn't mind finding a Colt Series 70 in 9mm. The 1914 gun is a little rough and could use a few correct parts. I also have this little 3" Kimber which I have become fond of. A friend needed money and we know how that goes.

Kimber%201.png

Anyway, it is apparent I have a thing for 1911 guns leaning towards the Colt Series 70 guns. :) As to a specific favorite? No one in particular, I like em all.

Ron
 
I know I mentioned the VBob but didn’t add a picture. Plan to get a compact Wilson within the next two years if my back holds up to carrying a 1911 again.

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JR24 I have to ask if that's holster wear on the end of the slide. I have the Valor with the duty finish, really like it even though you have to be careful what cleaning solvents you use. Thought the Nitriding was pretty much impervious to wear like that, please tell me you just forgot to clean the pistol before snapping the photo.
 
brutus51 said:
JR24 I have to ask if that's holster wear on the end of the slide. I have the Valor with the duty finish, really like it even though you have to be careful what cleaning solvents you use. Thought the Nitriding was pretty much impervious to wear like that, please tell me you just forgot to clean the pistol before snapping the photo.
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Nope, that’s wear. It’s spent probably, geez, 4 years all told in Kydex. Can’t tell you how many dry fire presentations and probably 10k rounds down range. You can’t see it too well but there’s wear on the slide stop and safety as well. Looks a lot better than my Wilson which has been carried for a quarter of that time. I don’t mind honest wear on a carry gun and am notoriously hard on stuff, though I keep it clean and maintained.

I heard early about the solvents and use Ballistol on the exterior.
 
Bummer, I was hoping you wouldn't say that. Mines a home defense gun so I keep it in a Remora holster.
Unfortunately my CCW pistol is a Guardian alloy frame with a duty finish slide which I carry in a couple of Milt Sparks leather holsters, haven't seen any apparent wear as of yet but now I know it's coming.:uhoh:
 
I just picked up a RIA CCO in 9mm/.22TCMr, which is fantastic so far - but my favorite is still my Kimber good ol' .45ACP full-size. It's not old enough to be a Clackamas gun but it's an early Yonkers example without the Swartz components. It's highly accurate and reliable. First gun I ever bought, and it'll be the last one I ever sell if it comes to that.
 
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