$1200 1911 opinions

[steak]

The BIL is looking to get a 1911 and wanted me to give hime some advice. Since I know very little about 1911's I thought I would ask you all. He was looking at the kimbers and colts. He wants a 3 or 4 inch barrel and hates the idea of having a 9mm. his price range is 700-1200. I said i would look at the springfield emp personally but I thought that those in the know could really tell me where to send him and why. Mainly a lot of why as he has lots of questions.

 

[poopgiggle]

He wants this: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/654_774/products_id/411548787/used+Smith+%26+Wesson+1911PD+.45acp+1911

Alternatively he could be a baller and get this: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/654_774/products_id/411551151/used+Coonan+.357

 

[Jeremy Haynes]

I know 3" 1911's can be made to run, but i still have never heard of any of the big names completely endorsing them. It seems the 4" guns are the way to go for a smaller 1911 platform.

That being said, 1911's are so much of a personal preference that it is hard to know what everyone wants. I have never cared for the Kimber's at all, and i think the new Colt's are all about 300 bucks more expensive than they should be.

For right at a grand, a lot of ppl love the STI Trojan, but im not sure if they make a 4" version or not. I know they make a Spartan in 4". which is a hell of a gun for the 650 price tag. Personally i would look at the STI or maybe Springfield Armory offerings in that price range.

EDIT: Ive also heard good things about the S&W and Sig 1911's

 

[poopgiggle]

WANNA BE A BALLA
SHOT CALLA
20 INCH BLADES ON THE IMPALA

(seriously get the Coonan)

E: because if you're not willing to drop a grand on an impractically large, questionably-reliable gun chambered in a retardedly overpowered caliber you're not an American.

 

[poopgiggle]

Sorry for the joke post.

If he's willing to bump his price range up just a little bit he could get one of these: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_1171/products_id/62347/CZ-USA+Dan+Wesson+Compcat+CCO+45+ACP+4.25%22+7%2B1+Stippled+Sh

This gun is on my "desperately want to buy" list.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

$1200 gets into the sweet spot for production guns.

Colt and Springfeild Armory offer all kinds of 1911's from $800 ish up.
Kimber runs in that range also.

The 3inch guns (45ACP) make ok carry guns- but most have a poor record when they run hard ( think 2 day classes)
I think the 4.25 inch Commander sized guns are a fair compromise.

 

[poopgiggle]

$1200 gets into the sweet spot for production guns.

$1200 is also where you can start to find used semi-customs like Dan Wesson and Les Baer if you look around.

If OP's bro can be dissuaded from a 3" or 4" model, Dave Severns has a pretty good deal on a SIG 1911 that has had some custom work done to it. The profile of the slide might make it hard to find holsters though.

 

[steak]

WANNA BE A BALLA
SHOT CALLA
20 INCH BLADES ON THE IMPALA

(seriously get the Coonan)

E: because if you're not willing to drop a grand on an impractically large, questionably-reliable gun chambered in a retardedly overpowered caliber you're not an American.

your crazy

$1200 gets into the sweet spot for production guns.

Colt and Springfeild Armory offer all kinds of 1911's from $800 ish up.
Kimber runs in that range also.

The 3inch guns (45ACP) make ok carry guns- but most have a poor record when they run hard ( think 2 day classes)
I think the 4.25 inch Commander sized guns are a fair compromise.

yeah, but which one is the best? and why?

 

[steak]

alright I guess what he is looking at is the kimber ultra cdp ii. whats the deal on them?

 

[Dustin Cantrell]

Stay away from the alloy-framed Kimbers, especially the short barreled 1911s. I have a 3" Ultra Carry II that the frame cracked after a few months and around 1,500 rounds. They might be fine to put a box a month through, but they aren't for high volume shooting. It spent 10 weeks with Kimber getting the frame replaced. I put about 15 rounds through it and it's sat in the safe since. If I did it again, I'd look for a manufacturer other than Kimber and a 4.25" model if I intended to carry it. It's not that I think the Kimbers are trash, but I think there are probably better values out there and they left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[drmitchgibson]

STI released some short versions of the Spartan, and they make some other short 1911s: http://www.dawsonprecision.com/CategoryProductList.jsp?cat=CARRYGUN.COM:Carry+Pistols

I've not heard good or bad about them, though, but they are in your home skillet's price range.

I just bought an Armscor 1911 in Officer's size, and had to retension the extractor, file down the front sight for vertical zero, and drift the rear sight over for horizontal zeroing. Otherwise it's been a great shooting gun, and will be something to cut metal on pretty soon. The only real downside is the thumb-safety has a sucky, uncomfortable shape, but it will be replaced.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

your crazy



yeah, but which one is the best? and why?

I'd probably buy another Colt.
Why? Because the major holes in the frame are located in the right places and the metals are the correct hardness
If the ramp is off.... There is enough meat on the bone to correct it
After a little use... The Colt will be reliable enough to carry and it will be worth something if he ever wants out of it.

An in spec frame is much easier to add parts to-
My wife has a short Kimber 9mm.... It's a good shooter, but in my opinion, the alloy frame, double recoil spring, and extra safety parts won't hold up like a plain jane Colt will.

I've seen lots of nice used Colts in the $800 range....Marks down in Moore has several new Colts for not much more.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

Used Baers are hard to find... But I did stumble across one in Woodward last year for $1400.
The seller told me straight up it was good with FMJ and he needed to work on it - would not feed hollow points.

It was a very nice pistol... Fit well, safety clicked right, nice finish.

 

[poopgiggle]

OP it sounds like your boy wants a carry piece. If I could afford another nice 1911 for carry, it would be in a CCO configuration. It's an Officer-length grip (since that's the part that prints) but it keeps the sight radius and reliability of the Commander-length slide.

This 1911 review is why I recommended the Dan Wesson CCO. Dave Severns is a very well respected 1911 pistolsmith and he tears one down, along with a bunch of other CCOs, and shows how awesome it is.

 

[Scott_S]

Sig tacops carry. 900 or so. Comes with four mags, nightsights, ergo Xt grips, and a magwel. Runs like a champ and has good accuracy.

 

[Scott_S]

Sig tacops carry. 900 or so. Comes with four mags, nightsights, ergo Xt grips, and a magwel. Runs like a champ and has good accuracy.

 

[ldp4570]

Springfield Loaded, unless your looking for a race gun, this will handle everything a .45 is needed for.

 

[mike cyrwus]

the controls on the loaded are inferior and cheap. For 1200, Id be looking for a used les baer.

 

[Spiff]

the controls on the loaded are inferior and cheap. For 1200, Id be looking for a used les baer.

Yeah, you might have hammer follow starting at about 3k rounds and then have to hand it off to your gunsmith for a fix and pimp job.

 

[poopgiggle]

Yeah, you might have hammer follow starting at about 3k rounds and then have to hand it off to your gunsmith for a fix and pimp job.

DID SOMEONE SAY PIMP JOB?????

I am so proud of this gif.