Which of these two 1911s would YOU buy and why...

[tbreihan]

1) A brand-new Colt Series 80 1991A1 in stainless for $799, or

2) A brand-new Kimber Custom II with standard sights for $749.

This will be my first 1911 and, yes, I realize the Kimber has more features, but I feel that either gun is suitable for my purposes; the extras on the Kimber aren't a big deal for me. Thanks!

 

[Zerodefect]

3.) Dan Wesson Valor

4.) Kimber TLE

I'd go up to the TLE from Kimber over the Custom to get the match fit barrel.

I'm not a fan of Colts lately, and Kimber seems to have too much business for there own good right now.

I've had the chance to shoot some Dan Wessons and loved every minute.

 

[Dobe]

I haven't been found of Kimber since they went to Series II.

But, if I were to get another Colt, it would be another Colt XSE.

 

[xmanpike]

Colt. Not a Kimber fan. Why not go with the company that has been producing the product for 100 years.

Also, interestingly enough, there is a rifle accurizing company in the TX hill country that will guarantee they can get any rifle to shoot 1 MOA, every gun except a Kimber. That tells me something.

 

[metallic]

I'm not a huge fan of the looks of the Series 80s series, which is why I own a Kimber. They're not bad guns, but quality control is kind of hit and miss. Mine came from the factory with a problem with the extractor tension.

 

[cyclopsshooter]

colt because i buy colts

 

[pbearperry]

I would buy the Colt,because I just don't believe that any of these fancy 1911's are worth 2-3 grand each.

 

[jdc1244]

Colt Series 80 1991A1 – because I own one and it’s been flawless, just like my S70 Colt.

 

[TurboFC3S]

I voted for the Kimber, but you can get it cheaper ... I got mine for $575. It's a great shooter, and tighter than all the Colts I've shot. Colts remind me of an IROC, rattletraps.

I realize I need to get a tight Colt to get rid of what is likely an unfair judgement of them, but still that's been my experience.

 

[tbreihan]

Thanks for the replies so far! Besides the extras (sights, slide serrations, extended safety, etc.) is an XSE worth the premium over a 1991A1 NRM?

 

[DeepSouth]

In my experience Colts always shoot, Kimbers are hit or miss.
So I voted for the Colt.

I would prefer a Springfield over either of them.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

I have a series II Kimber that's been flawless so I figure I'm lucky. So I'd get the Colt... because it's a Colt...if I could keep my Kimber.

 

[sm]

Colt

 

[Supertac45]

Neither. I'd go Baer, Brown, or Wilson.

 

[TurboFC3S]

Neither. I'd go Baer, Brown, or Wilson.

Sweet, where can I get one of those in the posters budget?

 

[psyopspec]

Colt. The two Kimbers I owned were horribly unreliable, even eafter the break-in.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Don't ask me, I only have three 1911s, all Colts. Wouldn't know much about them newcomers.

 

[Oro]

I recently got a Colt 80 NRM in Commander length. There is much goodness and value to like here.

I believe the current 80 series Colts to be very nice and really good value when compared to other guns on the market. It needs/needed nothing to be a good shooter with a great trigger and smooth action. They only better trigger I have is on two very highly-tuned Caspians that were custom built. Keep in mind this is a newish 1991 model and not an XSE. It is better than the two Series '70 pistols I have, one of which has lots of rounds on it and is well-broken in; the '80 is still pretty new and fresh. I was very impressed by this. Recent colt production has a strong reputation for impressing owners; recent Kimber production has a jam-tastic reputation and MIM parts in unattractive places.

I have always found the feel/reliability and accuracy of the average Colt to exceed the average Kimber - even when the Kimber was a "higher" end model. The new generation of Kimber pistols are not like the first few years of production - those were good but still not "brilliant." Perhaps the LEAST impressive higher-end 1911 I've ever fired (during a purchase inspection) was a 1st generation Kimber Gold Match.

 

[SCKimberFan]

Dan Wesson's seem to be in the range a lot closer to the OP's price. See if you can find one of them.

 

[Bopleo]

Which of these two 1911s would YOU buy and why...

What is this a college assignment?

Cant you figure it out on your own without any help?

 

[2nd 41]

I never regretted buying a Colt. 1911's or revolvers. I regret selling them.

 

[Dobe]

Thanks for the replies so far! Besides the extras (sights, slide serrations, extended safety, etc.) is an XSE worth the premium over a 1991A1 NRM?

Yes, if you want those extras, and most people do now.

I've had my XSE for about 3 weeks, and have put about 400 rounds through it. I haven't even cleaned it, with the exception of when I first got it.

 

[Hawk]

Colt.

Because I own both and have had personal, zero degrees of separation, issues with Kimber's type II parts and customer service - not my brother or my cousin's buddy - my personal experience.

There's a hierarchy with this sort of stuff.
There's non-first person anecdotes.
Then there's internet and published consensus.
Then there's personal experience, which trumps the whole mess by several orders of magnitude.

The problem, of course, is that my personal experience is your random internet anecdote.

Good luck.

 

[slammy]

Kimber! Best out of the box I ever bought...1000 rounds and counting!

 

[JDGray]

I got mine for $575

You either stole it, or bought it 4 years ago