Best 1911

[SFgiants105]

After looking at cz75s, sig p226s, and pt92s, I have finally decided on a 1911.

If possible, I want to hear from people who own many different brands of 1911s, or at least have some good friends with many different 1911s.
My price range is below $1000.
In terms of features, most important being 1:

1. reliability
2. trigger pull
3. sights
4. accuracy
5. no ILS (internal locking system)

I really like the prospects of the new Remington 1911 r1. I bought their AR and am really pleased.
Rock River looks pretty solid, too.

As far as getting custom work from SA done on their GI model, do you get it done before or after you order the gun, or both? If I could do it afterwards, I would like to so I can gradually customize it.

Any thoughts?

[Astig Boy]

I own a few, and have friends that own several also.
To be honest, in the real world of 1911, any thing below $1000 has a lot to be desired. Sub-$1000 1911s are just barely breaking in to the semi-custom area. For a new owner, if you can, spend at the very least $1200...$1500 and youll be a happy camper.
You can buy a base model SAI GI45 or a RIA, they are awesome base model out the box 1911s...but for a new 1911 owner who wants to customize, I wouldn't recommend going that route. You can mod the gun yourself, but it will be just a 1911 with loose or stiff parts thrown on to it...this is what turns a lot of new 1911 owners off when they get a base model first and customize. I believe SAI would laugh at you if you asked them to customize their basement 1911....too much time, effort, and money for them to bother with. Theyll probably just tell you to buy one of their semi-customs($1200+), since it would come up to the same amount of money from what they charge.
GL!

[tiko]

SW 1911 or Kimber Custom II, all options out of the box, do not have to get customized.

[maddoggie13]

Kimber, Wilson or Springfield...

[OneSevenDeuce]

Remington R1 is not on the roster.

[Legasat]

Dan Wesson makes some awesome 1911's

I'm just sayin....

[Black Majik]

No ILS would be everything except Springfield Armory.

Do you mean firing pin safety? That would rule out Colt, Kimber, SIG, and S&W.

Leaves you with Rock Island and Dan Wesson.

[Swoop]

Spend 1100 and get a MC Operator

[Blk04SR]

If your budget is 1k, its pretty much pick your poison...there are a lot of different brands of 1911.

x1 for Kimber, Wilson, SAI!

dont forget about Para...if you can find used Nighthawk, Les Baer, and higher end Wilson's...

[i1800collect]

Wilson...

x1 for ..Wilson, SAI!

used Nighthawk, Les Baer, and higher end Wilson's...

Seriously? Where are you seeing used/new semi-customs for under $1k?

[stphnman20]

Kimber
Kimber
Kimber

In that order! lol

[i1800collect]

I really like the prospects of the new Remington 1911 r1.

Any thoughts?

I recently read a review of the Remington 1911R1 written by Joe Chambers, a well respected 1911smith. He did not have many flattering things to say about the R1 he had a chance to look over. Take it for what it's worth.

http://www.louderthanwords.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=58244#p58244

Hello,

Recently I was on the list with a distributor to get one of these just for my own to play with, test and see what was what. Then, the other day I was at Scheels (a big sporting goods store here) and one of the guys who is a manager there and knows what I do for a living asked me if I would look this new pistol they got in over. It was the new Remington 1911 at $699.00.

As soon as he handed it to me I knew I had to make a call and get my name off that list. I, like many of the other smiths on here, have handled a lot of pistols of all makes and models. I can honestly say, I have never seen a stock gun that was that bad, ever. Personally, I was stunned.

The play in the slide to frame was at least .025"-.030" up and down and about .010" or more side to side. And that's just getting started. The trigger pull was about 8lbs and had three stages that I could feel. The MSH was super loose in the frame, the barrel fit was, well there wasn't even any semblance of barrel fit, although I will say that the throat was not over cut like some of the "customs" I've seen. The frame ramp was typical, narrow for ball only. The parts for the most part looked cheep and were definitely not polished or dressed in any way, not even ground like you see on some production guns. And then there were the casting marks...lots of them. The extractor to firing pin plate fit was egregious at best allowing the extractor to move forward and back about .025". And to boot the plunger tube looked as if it was about to fall off any second. It wasn't loose, yet, but it did have an air gap for oil between it and the frame.

Now, some of you are sitting there thinking to yourselves, "Man, Joe is being a real jerk about this." No, I'm not. I'm simply telling you what I saw first hand. When I asked the manager that had approached me about it he said all the ones they have had come in were in like shape and he was really curious just what I would think. Next to the Remington in the case was a Centurion 1911 for around $550.00. I had already looked it over at his request on a previous visit as well as a couple of GI springers, they were all better than this gun...I told him straight up that I simply could not recommend the Remington to anyone based upon what I saw there. Believe it or not, the last RIA I saw was better and that's saying something.

So, I'll look at one again when I have a chance and I thank the guys there at Scheels for letting me have a chance to take that one apart and check it out because it saved me some money. Personally, to me, it seems a shame. Remington had a chance here to make something worthwhile at a good price point and all I saw was an assembly of ill fitted parts, but then that's just my opinion.

Respectfully,

_________________
Joe Chambers

[Shenaniguns]

I can give you some of the best, but they're a little over $1k

http://www.louderthanwords.us/

[1911Luvr]

I have two SA Loadeds and love them. If you were local I'd let you shoot them so you understand how nice they really are. After owning them a little bit I put a some money into them with my gunsmith (one is still being worked up now) and I'll put them up against any out of the box Dan Wesson, etc. as mine still cost less and performs better.

As for ILS, why don't you want it? It qualifies for CA gun lock so the store can't force you to buy one- if they do, make them look it up on the DOJ site like I did, and you'll win as I did! In any case, the ILS can and likely will be removed if you do a trigger job on the gun.

[Cyc Wid It]

You can remove the ILS and replace it relatively easily. Given your criteria I'd say Springfield or Colt.