Which 1911 brand/finish?

[Big_E]

Hello, I am pretty new to handguns, I have shot them but haven't purchased one yet. From what I have gathered here on THR about companies is sort of confusing to me so I would like some clarification and suggestions to help scratch the 1911 bug I have developed.

I don't really have a budget but I would like to keep it around $1000 max since I also want a CZ SP-01. Here are the companies I am looking at and avoiding.

Colt (New and older), STI and Dan Wesson seem to have a near flawless record from my searches and appear to have a great price/performance ratio.

Smith & Wesson and Springfield are secondary choices in that I have heard Springfield's sound like they need a trip or two to the factory to be flawless, but I have a friend who says his Springer has been perfect. S&W I forgot what the one complaint was about them is there a reason they should be avoided despite them being new to 1911's? Otherwise I hear great things about them. (Maybe they use alloy frames or something? can't remember exactly)

Kimber is on the lower end because I have read that they use MIM inner parts. I do like their finishes but I am looking for a non-outsourced 1911.

One of the local shops has a High Standard 1911 for around $500 IIRC. That company seems to be well regarded, so are they any good?

Onto the finish. I plan on having at least 3 Government Models in the course of my lifetime (Parkerized, Blued and Stainless). Which finish do you prefer?

Springfield's Mil Spec Parkerized for around $550 seems like a good deal but I am weary about sending it back to the factory. Otherwise I will save up a bit more and grab a blued Colt (Colt appears to have the nicest bluing, the other brands all offer Stainless) I am looking for a range/carry/working gun, it doesn't have to have the extra doo-dads of Ed Brown's and Nighthawk's.

Sorry for the lengthy post, I am a student so paying the minimum amount is important, but if $1000 dollar guns are so much better than a $550 Spring. Mil-Spec then I will risk emptying my wallet for a gun less likely to give me trouble. Thanks for any help. Oh, and all must be .45 ACP

 

[JTQ]

A budget of $1,000 is a pretty good point for 1911's, but you may need to do some serious searching to find a Dan Wesson, S&W, or STI (other than the Spartan) under $1,000.

One of the common complaints about the Springfield's recently have been problems with their extractors. I think you can buy a Springfield with confidence though, since they have one of the best customer service reputations. S&W and Rock Island Armory (from the Phillipines) are two others with excellent customer service reputations.

Just about anything you buy will have MIM parts. You can limit your exposure to them and you can buy from a quality maker, but unless you spend much more money you will be getting a pistol with MIM parts.

If you are going to carry your pistol in a holster, blue will wear the fastest, followed by parkerized, and then of course, stainless.

The knock on S&W you may have read is usually from the 1911 traditionalists concerning S&W's use of an external extractor and their firing pin safety. However, S&W has done an excellent job of executing both of these changes to the original. They have a very good reputation and their lightweight scandium alloy pistols have also been excellent.

A thing you should do in your research is to know what you really want and need. Common custom touches on 1911's include, a beavertail grip safety, ambidextrous thumb safety, "Novak style" sights. I don't need any of those things so that opens up my options at a lower price point typically. However, if you need those things, it is best to get them right up front since they will often require a gunsmith (and more money) to install later.

Another thing is to know where your pistol comes from, if that matters to you. I can't count the number of posts I've read from Springfield owners that feel as if they were lied to when they find out their pistol was made in Brazil. Springfield is not hiding that from anybody. They make a good product, and stand behind it, it's just not made in the US. STI's Spartan is made in the Phillipines, though the rest of the STI line is made in Texas.

Good luck and have fun searching.

 

[ScratchnDent]

Of the brands you've listed, I've owned Springfield, Smith & Wesson, and Dan Wesson.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy any of them again. I still own the Smith and the DW.

Stainless is the easiest to care for and most durable. Blued requires the most maintenance and will eventually wear off if you use a holster

 

[cookmonsta]

I think you should look into RIA(Rock Island Armory) for a good starter 1911. Its the best bang for your buck with lifetime warranty for around $400 depending on model you choose. They are accurate out the box. Since your new to handguns, you would not want to put an idiot mark on a $1000 Colt etc.

 

[G27RR]

I highly recommend the Colt Combat Elite with two tone finish for about $950 or so. Very nicely blued slide, and mine shoots great, looks even better, and has had zero malfunctions. It has many of the "upgrades" people like to do already included.

I also recommend the STI line, though it is hard to find many models under $1000. My Ranger II has a full size frame with a 4" barrel and was about $1070 if I remember right. I am planning to work that one into my carry rotation, which also includes an STI Shadow 3" officer size, and a Colt Defender 3". The Defender was under $1k but not a government size as you requested.

 

[Big_E]

Thank you. I will probably go with S&W because I have seen some at the local shop and they have some features I really like already installed: beaver-tail, skeleton hammer, flat grip, novak sights.

Now I remember that Springfield is made in Brazil, that is a turn off. RIA I have handled in a shop and they seem decent its just that they are Phillipine and I would like a mostly US made for my first 1911.

 

[BlayGlock]

The best $1000 and under gun as far as fit, accuracy, ect is the STI Trojan.

 

[jeepguy]

i have a s&w 5" & 2 kimber 4" one ss .45 cal. the other black in 9mm. they have all been great. they were all under $870, the smith was used. although all three have been perfect, if i could only have one it would be a stainless steel smith or colt in 4.25".

 

[Big_E]

Gah! So many choices.

The more I read about the Kimber Custom II and how many other people enjoy theirs, my opinion is changing, I will try to rent one at a range and as long as the frame/slide are forged and US made I can get over the MIM parts.

Only gripe about the S&W is the external extractor, but this is an aesthetic preference because I want that more authentic look. It will most likely come down to price and availability.

Colt's seem to be difficult to find. Dan Wessons are still up there but the website says most models are discontinued so are they going to have an entire new line?

 

[yeti]

Only gripe about the S&W is the external extractor, but this is an aesthetic preference because I want that more authentic look.

Last time I was 1911 shopping that was the exact thing that turned me away from the SIG 1911, their slide just didn't look right. The extractor on the S&W doesn't bother me, it's kind of like their signature look, but those SIG slides .

With 1911's Colt is never the wrong answer.

 

[Big_E]

If Dan Wesson, STI or Colt isn't easily available, then I could get over my shallowness of the SW. I have decided on stainless even though this will be a fall+winter carry and I will be picking up a P3AT for summer carry.

I still have a few more months until I turn 21 so options may open up locally, but if a FTF deal comes around I will buy then if the gun is in good condition. Only problem is finding .45 ACP at a decent price.

 

[trickyasafox]

MIM isn't the end of the world when executed properly- I have a colt, a springfield mil-spec, an american classic II, and a citadel cs. The springfield is on its third recoil spring, so its coming up on 3000 rounds with no issues. The colt was bought used, and was a bit finicky but that was an age / lack of upkeep from the previous owner issue. The American classic II is still relatively new, and has a bit over 500 rounds through it.

The citadel is the newest, and is right around 200 rounds.

as far as value per dollar- I really really am enjoying the ACII. The springfield was my first 1911, so i'll never part with it (nor do I regret it in the least) and both of these guns have MIM parts.

The colt is a good gun, but don't get wrapped up in the colt name. If colt has something specific you want that you cant find elsewhere- get it. If not, don't get caught up in the 'if its not a colt its a lesser copy' mentality (not accusing any colt aficionados here- they are great guns). as a fellow student, I can tell you with full confidence you can get a good 1911 that will meet or exceed most people's expectations for under 1k.

 

[Lar1911]

Dan Wesson.

 

[GJW1911]

Dan Wesson's are still up there but the website says most models are discontinued so are they going to have an entire new line?

Dan Wesson streamlined their product line (changed and removed models) and made made improvements to their guns this year (forged frames, replaced MIM parts, etc.), they also reduced the total number of guns output as well.

Look for a used Dan Wesson. I have owed colts, and Springfield's, but my CBOB is the favorite.

 

[Big_E]

After doing a little research on Springfield's, it appears that IMBEL makes the frame, or at least most of the frame and SA finishes it here. I know IMBEL makes some good products. I don't know why I was so adamant about 100% US made. I own foreign guns, optics, and other things.

As much as I would like Dan Wesson, browsing around locally pretty much yielded a large selection of Kimbers, Spingers, and S&W's. No DW's, STI or Colt (in my price range). I really like the Springfield Loaded, and Springfield has a lifetime warranty and what appears to be much better CS than Kimber. I was worried about Springfield's Brazilian frame because I have seen a lot of problems with Taurus' but IMBEL can help relieve the caution I have.

Thanks again, sorry to keep bumping this but 1911's sound like they are so finicky and there are almost too many options out there.