In your opinion...

[FLAWLS1]

What is the best custom 1911? One day in the far future I would like to get one, but right now I'm bored so I decided to start this thread. Which custom do you like best and why? Wilson Combat, Dan wesson, NightHawk, Les Baer, Ed Brown, etc.??? I mean for $2,500 + they must definitely put the $1000 1911's to shame right?

[Freq18Hz]

Do a search. You just asked one of the most common questions on the entire internet for a high end semi automatic pistol. You are going to get 100 different opinions on this. Folks that have owned all of them usually say that they are all comparable, just slight differences. It's all personal preference.

Dan Wesson is not a custom 1911. And yes, all the ones you mentioned (Dan Wesson included) put new $1000 1911's to shame.

Then again, you can have an accurate and reliable gun from a $600 RIA. Wether or not the price of Wilson, Baer, Brown, Nighthawk, etc. justifies the quality (or visa versa) is a subjective opinion based off your own tastes that you will have to make.

No one can answer this for you. Only experience + time.

-Freq

[fennecfrank]

For my experience, the best I've handled is from Guncrafter Industries. Bought an Ed Brown Special Forces after some research, still not satisfied, did another research and got the GI Model 2, which is better than the Ed Brown. Sold the Ed Brown shortly after I got the Model 2.

The ones you mentioned are all around the same price range. And I can assure you that they're definitely better than the $1,000 1911.

If you have the money, try to go full customs through one of those famous gunsmiths (like the ones in www.louderthanwords.us). However, expect a long wait (I'll say at least 5 years. For a few, like Ned Christiansen, the wait is beyong 10+ years and he has not take any new jobs for a few years now)

You can also try SVI guns. People who own SVI's sworn by them. You'll need to know what you want when ordering an SVI gun. You can try the gun builder on their website (www.sviguns.com) and see the details you need to provide them. The wait is about an year after you place the order, so it's not so bad.

[appagohm]

i've shot but never owned the high end 1911's never thought it was worth that much.

I had an RIA and a Kimber ended up putting all the little custom pieces in my RIA, I really liked the guns for target shooting. Then i shot my friends 1911, as he had several and was dedicated to 1911s. All and All i did not notice such a big difference between the higher end 1911s except for the name.

I'd say just find someone that has one and give a go, then decide on your own and most of the pistols based on personal preference.

[Lead Waster]

How "good" can a gun get anyway? At what point is it "good" or "the best?"

"Oh this part is high quality, the other one is crap" Why? don't they both work?

I dunno. Maybe one day I'll also have a high end gun, but I'd rather work on my shooting than better equipment. I'm sure the best shooters out there can out shoot most of us regardless of if they are shooting $5000 guns or $500 guns.

[Gress]

I double what fennecfrank said about Guncrafter and SVI.
If you have not read this yet, here is a great guide which might help answering some of your questions
http://www.1911addicts.com/showthrea...u-1911-addicts...

[Snoopy47]

If you shoot a lot you might notice. If you shoot a lot of 1911's you will notice.

I have a Les Baer Custom Carry, two Colts (a model 70 and a 1947 Commercial), and a Springfield TRP.

Firstly there are the finer points of craftsmanship. Now sadly, my 1947 made Colt has these finer points. Like for instance the trigger guard is perfect. My Colt Model 70 looks like a high school metal shop project done on a bench grinder.

The hammer fit is perfect. My generic GI version model 70 as uneven wear marks from the slide. My TRP and Les Baer have even wear marks where the hammer and slide meet.

The trigger is better of course.

Now, this is hard to explain, but I put my 1911’s back together DRY once and just cycled them with my hand. There was something about the Les Baer that was on a different level. It was like listening to the inner workings of a Swiss watch. The Colt’s clanked around. The Les Baer “clicked”.

12,000 rounds later my Les Baer barrel bushing is still a pain in the *** to remove, and is really tight.

Les Baer guns are truly custom. They are ever so slightly out of spec from Colt 1911 blueprints. Everything has been fitted by them, and one simply isn’t going to buy parts from Brownells and drop it in. I have dropped a short in a trigger in my TRP, but I had to fit a short trigger in my LB. Also, the short triggers dropped right on in for my Colts. Same with arched mainspring housings. Only the LB needed fitting, and quite a bit of it.

Now, the trick question is how much can one spend on a gun, and when will those benefits diminish. For me, that’s a Les Baer. Wilson, and Nighthawk are just that extra more I’m not willing to spend for that extra level of perfection in fit and finish.

[rogervzv]

Forget custom. The Dan Wesson Pointman 7-45 will shoot the lights out of any of the more expensive "custom" guns. Made using state-of-the-art digital manufacturing techniques, they are better than hand-made. My two PM7-45s both shot great from day one.

[razr]

One day in the far future I would like to get one, I mean for $2,500 +

One day in the far future 2500 might not get you much of a high end gun. Any 1911 would do if you could shoot it well and you could only shoot it so well. I want to know how many can shoot a one hole group at 25 yds?

[jlbflyboy172]

Have not fired many of the high end customs. It is not the kind of thing you get a regular opportunity to do unless you run in some high end circles. I had an opportunity to shoot a Wilson a few years ago and it was definitely a spoiler. Was recently wanting to go to a higher end 1911 and happened upon a Night Hawk T3 sitting in the case at a local gun shop. Asked to see it, fell instantly in love and I ended up buying it. Got it out of jail on Monday and took it to the range on Tuesday and it shot like a dream. Very nice and it functioned flawlessly. Ordered a set of skinny grips for it and will probably make it my daily carry gun.

[Snoopy47]

One day in the far future 2500 might not get you much of a high end gun. Any 1911 would do if you could shoot it well and you could only shoot it so well. I want to know how many can shoot a one hole group at 25 yds?

I'm not quite there yet:

[SoCalSig1911]

This guy makes some accurate 1911's, they go for $3500-5000.. "The "Close Quarter Battle Pistol" is a USMC version of the Combat NCO 1911 A2. They are the ONLY 400 yard hand held accurate pistols in the world. 4 patents and 12 patent pending components."

http://karllippard.com/Detail.php?weapon=128

[alfred1222]

Kimber Super Match II

[tacticalcity]

Once you get into the really high end area it is difficult to choose. I would definately leave the Springfield and Kimbers and go for an Ed Brown, Les Baer, Wilson Combat, or Nighthawk. Which one? Haven't got enough trigger time on any of them to answer objectively. I shot a Nighthawk owned by one of the Four Weapon Combat Master guys (passed some impossible test) I met during training that had an additional worth of work done to it above and beyond the sticker price to help aid in achieving that goal. It was absolutley amazing. Never fired anything like it before or since.

[redcliff]

Forget custom. The Dan Wesson Pointman 7-45 will shoot the lights out of any of the more expensive "custom" guns. Made using state-of-the-art digital manufacturing techniques, they are better than hand-made. My two PM7-45s both shot great from day one.

Although I'm a DW fan, and I think the PM-7 is an excellent pistol, to say it will "shoot the lights out" of some of the custom made pistols (and some of the semi-customs) is an exaggeration.

As far as which custom is best, the 5 year wait guys will have more bling on the pistols, but some of the second tier pistolsmiths will build you a 1911 fitted just as well and the same accuracy. I personally like Dave Severns for the combination of wait time/quality/price (he does fantastic frame tightenning/barrel fitting) but I understand those people who want the ultimate and are willing to wait 5 years; spend 5k for the tier 1 pistols. At my age I'm not sure I"d be around to see the pistol in 5 years