First 1911 purchase

[Freq18Hz]

Time to whore out pics of my 1911 again:



Snapping Twig found this one for me, had been sitting in the back of a local shop for years under a pile of stuff. It had never been shot, safe queen. The safety was so stiff it would barely engage when we first picked it up. The slide frame fitment is very tight.

1992 springfield Bi-Tone. NM serial #, hand fit in the USA. It doesn't have fancy upgrades or tacti-cool parts, but it doesn't need them. Series 70, no unnecessary safety crap to break, no MIM parts. Accurate, reliable. No slop in the trigger, it is awesome to shoot. Pictures don't do the factory bluing justice. After owning this one, the contemporary teflon finishes just look cheap in comparison (although they photograph better).

It's made me re-evaluate what a quality weapon is.




-Freq

[esartori]

Time to whore out pics of my 1911 again:

Snapping Twig found this one for me, had been sitting in the back of a local shop for years under a pile of stuff. It had never been shot, safe queen. The safety was so stiff it would barely engage when we first picked it up. The slide frame fitment is very tight.

1992 springfield Bi-Tone. NM serial #, hand fit in the USA. It doesn't have fancy upgrades or tacti-cool parts, but it doesn't need them. Series 70, no unnecessary safety crap to break, no MIM parts. Accurate, reliable. No slop in the trigger, it is awesome to shoot. Pictures don't do the factory bluing justice. After owning this one, the contemporary teflon finishes just look cheap in comparison (although they photograph better).

It's made me re-evaluate what a quality weapon is.

-Freq

It looks like what would be currently be called a mil-spec. AWESOME gun. I wish they still did that nice bluing. While I like mine, the parkerized finish is showing some wear. I will probably refinish it in something else once it wears out a lot. Plain-jane 1911's: Hard to beat.

[MA2]

I will be using mainly for range time so i want a shooter.

Feature I would look for:
Target rear sight.
Dovetail fonts sight, so its easy to swap in some fiber optic fonts.
Match barrel or maybe bull barrel (I prefer bull barrel, makes the front a little heavier).

The Springfield - Range Officer would make a great range gun, MSRP at $939 (need to SSE into CA).
I would get the R.O., but I have a couple of SA - Loaded already...saving up for a TRP

[den888]

Colt, Kimber or Springfield Armory would be good first choices. Once you want another one, Les Baer or Wilson.

[Bongos]

I heard, I heard, I heard, I read, I read, I read,... isn't funny lots of people suggesting opinion on what they heard or read?

Truth is, for a tradition 1911, in your budget range, the SA is the way to go. All SA have their Slide, Barrel, Bushing and frames made in Brazil.. Why.... Labor, everything is hand fitted by master gunsmiths whom been doing for a few decades. Once these parts are sent to the USA, the factory here would install all of the US made small peices, since the number of US made parts by far exceed the Brazil parts, SA can say it's a USA product. When you disassemble the gun, look underneath insude the slide, it will have electro pencil the last digit of the serial number on the frame... this done form the lowly mil-specs to the TRPs. Now there is a SA Custom shop, if you had to send your gun in for a problem, since SA does not have a repair shop, it get sent to the custom shop and yes the SA USA master gunsmith will work on your gun.

That next to my NightHawk Talon, my shooter is a Sig 1911 TTT, the Sig 1911 in my opinion if the next evolution of the 1911 design.

Either way you will be fine with anyone you choose, if buying used, try to get these: Kimber Series 1, any Sig 1911, any SA 1911, and any Colt. I have not owned any Rock Island, S&W1911 or Valtro so I cannot comment on those. Everything Else I have and the other ones, like the Yost, Adams, O-Hare, Wilson, Baer, and Nighthawk is out of your price range

[PRCABR4Christ]

In my opinion, you can't go wrong with any modern production Colt, Springfield or Kimber...I prefer Colt, but Kimber and Springfields are no slouch. I carry a series 80 Colt Commander every day, and have never had a problem with the series 80 system. The Kimbers have been just as reliable for me as the Colt. IMO you get more "upgrades" with the Kimber for a similar price as a Colt with less options (checkering/sights/beavertail). I would suggest getting a GI model Springfield (or Mil-Spec) as your first though, build the foundation before you build the house, you can always learn to tinker on it and upgrade parts later, and Springfield is a very good starter to build off of. It will also give you an idea of what you want on it after shooting it for a while...

[hkdad]

i say go with a springfield

[zooroadbaja]

Look into the CZ Dan Wesson 1911, a little over budget, but well worth the extra coin. IMO best bang for the buck.

[conanobrennan]

I'm happy with my colt 1991a1 series 80. bought in on consignment for 800 otd. you can find them f2f on here...

[snubby]

Bought my first 1911 this year, decided to go with a Colt:





I wasn't at all sure what to look for in a 1911 (I'm mostly a revolver guy) so I just with the name and the shiny

Great trigger and accuracy, I'm definitely sold on the platform!

[billybob_jcv]

Ooooh - that shiny one is VERY pretty!

[chering88]

This is a great thread..

What do you guys think about the Sig 1911 XO?? I love the way the sig p226 and p229 shoot and would love to keep up their quality into my favorite looking pistol