Which 1911 for a newbie....

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MonacanMan

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I'm relatively new to guns.....just over a year and a half. I read alot...want more than I will ever be able to afford. My first gun was a Sig Sauer P225. I'm very pleased with it and intend to buy a P220ST but I am interested in something different as my next purchase. Which manufacturer's 1911 would you recommend for a first time 1911 owner. I am looking at some of the kimbers and I really like them but I would be interested in what experienced gun people have to say. I would really like to make an educated purchase. I hope I'm not sounding too ignorant here :confused: . Thanks in advance!
 
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I don't have a 1911 (yet) but am considering a Springfield Armory "Mil Spec" as my first. The price is right, you can find them as low as $400 depending on where you live. It's also a "no frills" model, which I like.
 
Steer clear of the newer Kimbers, with the Series II/Schwartz type safety.
Go over to 1911forum.com, and do a search on Kimber and Schwartz. There have been failures to fire with the newer Kimbers.

Original Kimbers, or Springfields are good though, just as JMB designed them.
 
Go to:

http://www.1911forum.com

see what they are saying in the Dan Wesson forum. I have looked over these guns at my local shop and they are VERY nice for the money. The Pointman Minor is the entry level gun and the Pointman Major is mid level, the new Patriot is their high end gun. All are less expensive and than the comparable Kimber and finished nicer in my opinion.

I have also heard good things about the Rock Island Armory guns at the low end. They are made in the Phillipines. Get a copy of Shotgun News and check out the ad for The Dealer Warehouse. Guns are $350 plus transfer plus $15 shipping.

Depends on what you want to spend.
 
There are a couple of things you need to figure out first. One, what are you going to do with it? Two, can you comfortably shoot a no frills 1911? I can't, the lack of a wide grip safety eats me alive.

I'd also check the 1911 forum for reports and make your decision.
 
Well I have big hands so I was thinking that a wider grip of a double stack mag would be better for me. I'm still reading and looking around so I don't know as much as I would like about the gun or its operation. I like to be able to hold something and take it apart and put it back together but I will definitely start looking at the forum that has been recommended. I was mostly looking for input to lead me some of the more revered manufacturers so I don't waste too much time on something I won't be happy with or that won't hold up to alot of use . Thanks for the input so far. It gives me alot to consider. When the time comes I don't want to spend more than 800 dollars at the most but would be much more interested in a quality firearm that I can get for less but then isn't everyone. I'm still a couple months from making the purchase. I want to look over all the options. When I make expensive purchases its for something I am going to want to keep for a long time. Thanks again!
 
I'm in the market for a first 1911 myself. Kimber, Springfield, Colt, I can't decide. Had one of each laid out in front of me at the shop the other day, they all felt good.
Found a magazine on the rack the other day with lots of good 1911 info, "The Complete Book of the Combat 1911".
Just read the label on the front cover, it says "Display until 02/26/02" ?? Surely it hasn't been in the rack for a year now.
 
Best “bang for your buck†would be a Springfield milspec. Around here (at least last time I looked) they could be had for a about a penny under 400 bucks. Second choice (and the one I went with when I was in your shoes) is a Colt. Quality is by and large outstanding. Every line will have its lemons and people that get a Colt lemon love to talk about it, but my personal experience is nothing but incredibly positive. Buying a Colt is like buying a Harley, its a piece of Americana. If you just want the cheapest yet quality 1911, go Springfield. Not a thing wrong with them.
 
I got a Kimber Stainless II three months ago and I love it
I have a Colt Ser 80 and I love it
the Wife has a Colt 1991 Commander and I love it
Never Shot a Springfield but if you buy a pistol from the Big three
you will do well
you may well want to get a basic model and then once you get the bug you can customize as to YOUR wishes not the companies
 
Try to shoot a variety. Some feel better to my hand than others.
Like the series I Kimber
been shooting an old Colt Mil-Spec a lot of late
Like the feel of the new Colt (search- pic recently)

What are you gonna use it for? Me I keep going back to MiL-Spec.
No bell and whistles, just a good 4 # trigger, have done everything from hunt, IDPA, teach...general stuff.
 
well, I would primarily use it as a range gun but once I get comfortable with it I may consider using it as a carry gun but that depends on how well I shoot with it and how comfortable I am with the safety.
 
Another vote for the SA Mil Spec

As a new shooter you might want to learn to shoot with a plain old, fixed sight Mil Spec and move on to something alittle fancier over time.

But then again you might tuen out like me and keep coming back to that plain vanilla Mil Spec 45 for just plain fun, reliability and downright "comfort in your hand late at night security".

If you teach yourself to hit COM with a Mil Spec it gets easy with Novak's or other low light sight choices that you can add later.

Besides the difference in price buys a lot of .45 ammo and practice time on the range.

Don P.
 
I will suggest the same tactic I took. My first 1911 was a Les Baer Premier II in 45 acp. I bought it because of the fit, finish and the quality. Also if I did not like it, it had resale value just because it was a Baer.

Basically, I started with the best (IMHO) and have never regretted it. I think I would have been very disappointed if I had started with a cheaper gun like a colt or a kimber.
 
If you want a doublestack in the $800 range then I can only think of Para Ordinance and Springfield.
I don't own either gun so I can't really comment, but I will say that double stacked 45's in the 1911 format, in general, are not "The poster child" for ultimate reliability. There are exceptions of course.
If you can, I would stick to a 5" singlestack 45 for your first experience with 1911's.
I might recommend a Springfield Loaded model and you will have money left over to buy several high quality mags. If not, look at the Kimber, Wesson or the Colt if you like the mil-spec look!

Good luck
 
You can start with a milspec or other model and leave it stock, but most guys will use this as a base to customize, which will cost major bucks.

My vote: start with a premium, semi-custom gun such as a Wilson, Baer or... my recommendation: The Valtro.

$1300 may seem a lot, but consider those after-market mods, and then... have you looked at the price of .45 ammo? You should shoot many times more the price of your 1911 before it expires... that said, step up and make an investment you will not regret.

trigger_left_sm.jpg
crown_sm.jpg

Check out this thread here on THR showing a two-tone Valtro. Slick. Plus, Jardine is an amazing guy who will bend over backward to satisfy each of his customers.



Official Valtro Website
 
The Springfield Mil-Spec is easily the best value at the entry level. You should also look at the Loaded models if you can afford to. There is a lot to said for Springfield's lifetime willingness to promptly stand behind their products. For customer service, Colt is a black hole right now, IMO, and Kimber isn't much better. Good luck with any of the Filipino models should something go wrong.

The latest iteration of Dan Wilson had me looking, but the last time I was in the market, they weren't making anything I wanted to buy. That has changed somewhat, but I haven't seen any of the new models "in the flesh," and scarcity hardly makes for interesting shopping around for price.
 
You want something different in a 1911 format?

Check out the Bul M5 Carry Ultra-X. Double stack sub-compact polymer framed 45

BUL%20M-5%20Ultra-X_alone.jpg

Specifications:
Overall length: 145mm Sights: fixed sights
Overall height 125mm Safeties: thumb safety
Weight: 740gr grip safety
barrel length: 80mm Trigger pull: 3.5-4.0 lb
Sight radius: 123mm
Calibers
capacity: 9mm/12rd, .45/10rd

Now that's different :D
 
i've been shooting alot of compact polymer frames here lately and i wanted to experience a 1911 as well...

i picked up all the current gunrags and ended up buying a para ord 745lda last night.... don't let the DA scare you because it's trigger pull is comparable to SA in all my other pistols, minus the m29..... so if you can't stand to see that hammer cocked all the time run away...

the grip safety is idiot proof it's wide enough for big hands by far... the grips are perfect for large hands too....

i was very suprised at the lack of recoil, after shooting a beretta 9000s in 40s&w the lda feels like a .32....

one thing i don't like about it is reassembly after cleaning.... granted i've only done it 3 times now but it's more work than anything else i own...

personally i don't understand why a 1911 has to be "customized"... it has to be the only pistol that you pay 700 bux for and it still isn't good enough.... if i wanted to shoot 1" groups i'd buy a rifle....
 
Get a new rollmarked Colt 1911. It's the real thing.

Anyone that knocks current Colts has not seen and/or handled one.
 
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