Which budget 1911??

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I am thinking about picking up a "cheaper" 1911. I have done some research and have narrowed my choices down to the following three.....

Taurus PT1911
Desert Eagle 1911 G
American Classic II or Trophy

Anybody have any experience with any of these. What are the pro's and cons? Thanks in advance for any opinion.
 
I have had two Taurus 1911s, the first one was the blued and the finish was really thin and it developed rust very easily. I sold it and turned around and bought the same gun just in stainless. I've got over 4000 rounds through it now and it's been completely reliable. If you are looking for a stainless 1911, that would be my first recommendation.

But if you want a blued 1911, I would recommend the American Classic. The ones I've handled have all seemed to be very well made and put together. And the biggest attraction for me is the bluing. It is a very deep blue, similar to what you see on Series 70 Colts. There's not another 1911 in that price range that has a better blueing job or finish than the American Classic. The commander size is actually on my short list to buy. It will probably be my next gun.

There will be a lot of people recommend Armscor/RIA 1911s, and while they are a good value, the one I had was a complete dog. I ended up selling it and I have no plans on buying another. But good luck in your search and let us know what you end up with.
 
Take a look at a Springfield Armory "mil-spec":

http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?version=2

This is different from the "GI" or "WWII GI" model, which is their base model, and sometimes advertised confusingly as "GI mil-spec". The "mil-spec" above, without "GI", is an upgraded gun with a better trigger, sights, ejection port, magwell, and perhaps one or two other things. They run $650-700 or so and are a good deal at that price. The slide and frame are forged steel, which is preferable, and they are identical in key dimensions to a Colt or a true US government contract 1911A1, where many lower priced guns vary slightly, enough to hinder some parts fit.
 
This is asked at least once a day here. A budget 1911 is a budget 1911. They all will have positives and negatives. They all constitute a compromise IMHO.

What are you using the pistol for? It is almost impossible to tell you which is better if we do not know the intended purpose of the gun. Is it a target gun, range toy, home defense gun or carry gun or even something in between.

More info is needed to give an intelligent answer. IMHO
 
in el-cheepo land.
DE-1911 has to be the best felling 1911 i have shot.
in reliablity
pt1911 is the most reliable

cant speek on the other one i havent had one.
 
rellascout,

The gun would be used mainly as a range gun and might sit in the nightstand.
 
None of the above. Put a little more money into it and get a STI Spartan or save up and get a Colt XSE or Combat Elite.
 
The slide and frame are forged steel, which is preferable, and they are identical in key dimensions to a Colt or a true US government contract 1911A1, where many lower priced guns vary slightly, enough to hinder some parts fit.
Click to expand...

Better check that grip radius.... because it is not to Colt's spec. The RIA Armscor guns are closer to the orginal pattern than the SA.

If you want an even closer Govt Mil spec get a used Nork.
 
Thanks for your input rellascout. I have looked at the Spartan's also. I will have to do a little more looking looks like.
 
Thanks for your input rellascout. I have looked at the Spartan's also. I will have to do a little more looking looks like.
Click to expand...

No problem. There are lots of good 1911s out there. Do the research and you will find one that meets your needs. I am a big fan of paying a little more up front and get a quality piece vs compromising to meet a price point.
 
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American Classic ll has a good finish as posted above and the people I know who have bought one usually buy another one if looking for a 1911. I have one myself and for me it has been reliable and trust worthy. Kinda want the Trophy they make but have not found the deal yet.
 
Sky,

I love the looks of the Trophy, but am having a hard time finding one for sale. Seems to be out of staock everywhere I look.


Anybody have any experience with the SA GI Champion SS. Looks pretty good for under $600.
 
I think there's a reason for that!

Cheaper Than Dirt usually has them in stock. There's also some threads on the dedicated 1911 forums on mom and pop gun shops that can order them as well. I think I bookmarked a thread where a shop owner said he was selling them for $420 + $20 shipping. I will see if I can find it...
 
the taurus for the $450 price right now is pretty cheap and worth a chance, the para ordanance GI model is also pretty good at under $500. I would take the taurus or the para over any of the phillipin 1911's currently out.

I just picked up a SA range officer at NIB $650 shipped, it was a still at an online auction.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. I have an LNIB HK USPc .40 I am trying to sell right now, or trade for a 1911. So I guess my budget will be whatever the HK sells for.
 
One truth about most budget 1911s; it is a crapshoot at best to have one run right out of the box. For around $630 the STI Spartan will have better sights, a better magazine, a better trigger and I would bet it will run better too. I just picked up a Para GI Expert for $450, after a lot of polishing (frame and slide painted), different magazines, it is not quite the "jam-o-matic" it was when I bought it. I still need to drift the rear sight to get it to zero, and change the recoil spring, but I bought it for a project gun. Get an STI and you will be pleased, get one of the others and you may have buyer's remorse before the first mag is empty... maybe not.
 
I have a stainless taurus 1911 that has never failed with ball or hp ammo and shoots better than most people can. Maybe I just got a good one but Ive never seen one fail at a range, cant say that about a kimber.
 
I'll cast my lot for the DE1911. I bought one in November, and it has proven to be a 100% performer out of the box, with one of the best triggers that I've ever felt on a production 1911...including my Springfields, Kimber and S&W's. It comes standard with all of the standard doodads, such as Commander style hammer, skeletonized trigger, extended beavertail and thumb safeties, etc...for a bite over $600. It's built on CNC machinery and is as clean on the inside as it is on the outside. Plus, did I say the thing is accurate? I had no particular love for Magnum Research before buying the DE1911, but it's made a believer out of me.
 
You can thank Charles Daly / M. Kassnar for the "Desert Eagle" 1911. It seems that his company did all the consumer studies and negotiating with the Israeli company to make that gun, and then the Israeli company and Magnum Research negotiated a side deal for MR to sell basically the identical gun for less money, based on CD's work. That seems to be the main factor that drove CD out of business. Kassnar is or used to be a member here, though I have no idea what he's doing since he closed down the Charles Daly companies.
 
I've had a stainless PT 1911 since 2008 with the exception to S&A Mag well and the Travis Reduction system everything else is stock and I'm at about 10,000 round with no hiccup, Forge frame ,slide and barrel, which puts it above the Filipino 1911, cant say anything about DE1911 never shot one or seen one. My vote is for the Taurus

Cuba
 
If you read through all the threads that 1911Tuner authored on the Norinco 1911A1, you just might end up buying one. I know... I did.
 
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