Hello people

PhillipC

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Jan 12, 2022
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Hi, I work and live in San Jose CA, I have been relatively a new shooter since summer 2020. I own a Glock 17/34, a Sig P226 9mm, and a CZ P01; now considering a Kimber 9mm. Thank you for accepting me into the group.
 

CECannonJr

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Hi, I work and live in San Jose CA, I have been relatively a new shooter since summer 2020. I own a Glock 17/34, a Sig P226 9mm, and a CZ P01; now considering a Kimber 9mm. Thank you for accepting me into the group.
Welcome from eastern NC! We're happy to have you. I think you'll like it here. There's a great group here with a lot of knowledge and experience.
 

PhillipC

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Jan 12, 2022
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So, I'm a casual shooter; I'm trying to stay with a nine and stock model in CA. It's unlikely to carry it; the CCW is impossible here. The reliability is still the No 1 consideration for the unlikelihood of a home defense situation, though.

Questions:
  1. Any model or manufacture to stay away?
  2. Is it reasonably easy to maintain 1911 to shoot flawlessly?
  3. Which model do you own and recommend?
Appreciated!
 

Bob Lee

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So, I'm a casual shooter; I'm trying to stay with a nine and stock model in CA. It's unlikely to carry it; the CCW is impossible here. The reliability is still the No 1 consideration for the unlikelihood of a home defense situation, though.

Questions:
  1. Any model or manufacture to stay away?
  2. Is it reasonably easy to maintain 1911 to shoot flawlessly?
  3. Which model do you own and recommend?
Appreciated!
Well, you picked the right place to ask these questions. I believe most of these folks have forgotten more than I will ever know! Enjoy your time here, and listen, they've really got it going on.
 

Mike A1

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Is it reasonably easy to maintain 1911 to shoot flawlessly?

Yes if you don't try to make a Pistol of War, into a Maserati.

History of the beloved 1911. I include beloved 1911, because unlike most firearms this pistol has been keeping American GIs alive in some pretty ugly places for a very long time. I trust everything about the 1911 except for two things. o_O The Magazine & the ammo your responsibility to make sure they are both 100 % reliable.

Take some time & get to know one of John Moses Browning's finest creations, the 1911 Colt 45 Automatic pistol.

https://gunnewsdaily.com/history-beloved-1911/
 

Bob Lee

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Yes if you don't try to make a Pistol of War, into a Maserati.

History of the beloved 1911. I include beloved 1911, because unlike most firearms this pistol has been keeping American GIs alive in some pretty ugly places for a very long time. I trust everything about the 1911 except for two things. o_O The Magazine & the ammo your responsibility to make sure they are both 100 % reliable.

Take some time & get to know one of John Moses Browning's finest creations, the 1911 Colt 45 Automatic pistol.

https://gunnewsdaily.com/history-beloved-1911/
You see? I told you we had the best 1911 people here! Thank's for the great link Mike.
 

switchback

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Apr 29, 2020
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663
Welcome. Absolutely don't begin your affair with the 1911 by changing parts due to an internet post. Most name brand recently manufactured pistol run fine and respected makers will fix what isn;t right , if needed.
Out of a bushel basket of COLTS all but a original series 70 mk4 have been very reliable.
Reliability? Keep it clean and properly lubed, fresh springs as suggested
 

Mike A1

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If you like the old cars & working on them your gonna love the 1911.
A std.1911 can be taken apart without special tools.

Every time I shoot any 1911 it get's taken down, cleaned & re-lubed.
Over time our lubes became so good that Grease is not needed, nor wanted any longer.
I use TriFlow for lube it's fortified with PTFE & will not trap & keep grits & grime like grease will.

Go to You-tube & find many video's on how to tear down & rebuild the 1911

https://gunnewsdaily.com/1911-disassembly-cleaning-guide/



 
Last edited:

TXPlt

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Dec 9, 2021
Messages
62
Welcome from TX !

For brands, like has been said is fine. Sorry to all the Para fans out there but my experience with shorter barreled Paras hasn't been that good (in all fairness, ANY 1911 design below a commander length has to be carefully looked at for reliability history).

I'm kinda fan of the Sig 1911; Springfield has also proven reliable in my book. Others have had good luck with RIA and Ruger. And there are some real high end guns (Ed Brown, Les Baer) that are fantastic (albeit at a price). I've a friend with an STI '2011' which he loves although these did have some prior teething issues as well as magazine issues--he's got his working great.

SO give it some discussion and thought lotsa great expertise here.
 

PhillipC

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Jan 12, 2022
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Welcome from TX !

For brands, like has been said is fine. Sorry to all the Para fans out there but my experience with shorter barreled Paras hasn't been that good (in all fairness, ANY 1911 design below a commander length has to be carefully looked at for reliability history).

I'm kinda fan of the Sig 1911; Springfield has also proven reliable in my book. Others have had good luck with RIA and Ruger. And there are some real high end guns (Ed Brown, Les Baer) that are fantastic (albeit at a price). I've a friend with an STI '2011' which he loves although these did have some prior teething issues as well as magazine issues--he's got his working great.

SO give it some discussion and thought lotsa great expertise here.
Thank you for your insight, how about Kimber?
 

switchback

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Apr 29, 2020
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663
IME, most kimbers that are not the shorties run just fine and are accurate. Extractor tension is typically needed out of the box.

Theres lot of kimber hate on the internet and I don't buy it. I will say anything above the TLE series is putting lipstick on a pig.
 

Bob Lee

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IME, most kimbers that are not the shorties run just fine and are accurate. Extractor tension is typically needed out of the box.

Theres lot of kimber hate on the internet and I don't buy it. I will say anything above the TLE series is putting lipstick on a pig.
i had two original Pro Carries when they first came out. First one was black, worked ok, traded it for a stainless alloy one when they came out. That one went back to Kimber for repairs. I never had anyone treat me as shoddily as their customer service did. Absolutely the rudest most demeaning folks I've ever had to deal with. This was in the early years in Yonkers. I was so disgusted with them that the silver one was traded off for an original TRP that I dearly miss. Younger and much more foolish then. I like the pre series 2, and would possibly consider picking one up for the right price.
 

TXPlt

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Dec 9, 2021
Messages
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Thank you for your insight, how about Kimber?
I don't own a Kimber so you'd be best served by some of our other members with direct experience. My indirect experience through friends has been mixed and echos the experience of Bob in a couple of cases. Others have loved them.

The impression I got is that they were very tight guns, required a break in period (I don't think any gun should require this), were very accurate, but did from time to time have reliability problems (which have hopefully been fixed). Some of these could have been the shorter barrel .45s. My experience has been that 1911s (45 1911's; not other calibers necessarily) which are shorter than Commander length can have reliability problems. YMMV. And depends on the specifics. I think when they get too short and light other dynamics come into play (shooters' wrist tension, ammo, etc.) which can cause issues.
 
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