1911 questions

[walter]

1. what brand is the best?

2. anyone have have experience with the compact or micro sizes?

[Guns R Tools]

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[Guns R Tools]

You gotta approximate your budget.
How much are you willing to spend?
Some high end ones can easily cost $3000.

[Miltiades]

Personally like Colt

I own a number of 1911s and they are all Colts with the exception of one Kimber. I have had good experiences with the Colt 1911s, finding them to be well built, reliable and accurate. I don't know if they are the "best", but I think they are very good in general, at least in their price range of $800 to $1200 or so. Another advantage of Colts is that they hold their value well compared to some lesser-known brands.

You asked about very small 1911s. Most of mine are full size with 5 inch barrels and all steel construction. But I do have a Colt Defender, the 3 inch barrel, aluminum frame model. It has run perfectly through about 600 rounds in the year I have owned it. Here it is:

[BossHogg]

1. what brand is the best?

Thats like asking "What kind of car is the best"

I don't own a 1911 ... yet. But I have shot dozens of them over the last 2 weeks and I'm thinking SA is the best for the money.

[rorschach]

Just my opinion, but you cant go wrong with a Springfield Ultra-Compact.

[bear]

"best" bang for the buck, literally, for a new gun is Les Baer.
For a used gun, best bang for the buck is a 'series 1' Kimber, or pre-80 series Colt.

I have 8 1911s and have shot some more than that. Many fine choices, but what do I own? Colt, Kimber, Baer, Rock River, and Essex.

My prejudices include:
1. No firing pin safety crap (rules out new Colt/Kimber)
2. Made in USA (rules out Springfield, Rock Island, many others)
3. well, that pretty much clears the field. Wilson, Brown, Nighthawk, got nothing against them at all, just not worth the extra $500 to $1000 over the price of a Baer.

[SVTNate]

"best" bang for the buck, literally, for a new gun is Les Baer.
For a used gun, best bang for the buck is a 'series 1' Kimber, or pre-80 series Colt.

I have 8 1911s and have shot some more than that. Many fine choices, but what do I own? Colt, Kimber, Baer, Rock River, and Essex.

My prejudices include:
1. No firing pin safety crap (rules out new Colt/Kimber)
2. Made in USA (rules out Springfield, Rock Island, many others)
3. well, that pretty much clears the field. Wilson, Brown, Nighthawk, got nothing against them at all, just not worth the extra $500 to $1000 over the price of a Baer.

Rules out production Springfields, not the Custom Shop guns. only the raw forgings for the frames and slides come from Brazil, and the rest is USA-made.

I own Springfield Custom, Baer, and Wilson Combat currently. I love them all. The Baer Premier II is the best value in 1911's, and I feel that the worst value is the Springfield TRP or any Kimber in that price range. Personally, I would start at the Baer Premier II and go up from there, unless you plan to have work done. I wouldn't keep any lesser 1911's "as-is".

[walter]

well what im looking for is a 3-4in barrel, 9mm, with two tone. the SA is all 45acp except the emp which i kind of like but not sure about the compact grip (i used to have a ppk and it just barely fit my hand with the finger rest magazines. with a bare magazine i could only for about a third of my pinky)

but anyways i want a 1911 that fits like a kahr p9. thats the perfect fit for me

[1911 gone wild]

Have you considered a HK P7M8? If your looking for a 9mm, this is hard to beat.

[Miltiades]

Kimber Aegis?

well what im looking for is a 3-4in barrel, 9mm, with two tone. the SA is all 45acp except the emp which i kind of like but not sure about the compact grip (i used to have a ppk and it just barely fit my hand with the finger rest magazines. with a bare magazine i could only for about a third of my pinky)

but anyways i want a 1911 that fits like a kahr p9. thats the perfect fit for me

Kimber makes a 9mm 1911 with 3 inch barrel that fits your spec - the Aegis. I don't think it is "approved" in CA yet, however. Here is a picture and a link:

Kimber Aegis web page

[aplinker]

Detonics combat masters are pretty nice. Very small and still shoot well.

If you're looking for something small... they are .45 though.

Your change in choices was startling... you went from asking about which 1911's best to 9mm ultra-compacts...

[Greenspartan117]

"best" bang for the buck, literally, for a new gun is Les Baer.
For a used gun, best bang for the buck is a 'series 1' Kimber, or pre-80 series Colt.

I have 8 1911s and have shot some more than that. Many fine choices, but what do I own? Colt, Kimber, Baer, Rock River, and Essex.

My prejudices include:
1. No firing pin safety crap (rules out new Colt/Kimber)
2. Made in USA (rules out Springfield, Rock Island, many others)
3. well, that pretty much clears the field. Wilson, Brown, Nighthawk, got nothing against them at all, just not worth the extra $500 to $1000 over the price of a Baer.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/82/products_id/17997

Hmm as for ultra compact 1911's I hear that there are problems sometimes with feed issues. Unless it's for ccw, i can't see the purpose of a ultra compact 1911 in 9mm... :-P

[edsel6502]

The above poster has a good point.

Dan Wesson makes some nice 1911s.

The Pointman Seven looks tasty. If you want something smaller you can get the above gun in classic commander with a bobtail. 4.25 inch barrel all steel. A fine 1911.

I have one. It can also be had under the 1k range.

Word of advice, pay particular attention to your choice of magazine. IMHO, don't skimp. I use CMC mag bodies with cobra tripp followers and springs.

[Greenspartan117]

Have you considered a HK P7M8? If your looking for a 9mm, this is hard to beat.

yeah in the quality and the Price (like $1200 last time i checked :-P)