Best bang for the buck 1911?

[lane440]

colt ,colt,colt just kiding, kinda... kimber, SA,colt are my first picks only because thats what i have owened and liked. chose wisely you get what you pay for.

 

[SW.Ecks]

I tried deleting this post, I don't even know why it posted twice anyway.

 

[SW.Ecks]

For under $1000 I would recommend the SW1911. I'm incredibly happy with the fit and finish, as well as the performance of mine. I handled a RIA not too long ago at a gunshop, I was thinking of getting one but they're nowhere near as nice. Although for the price, RIA's aren't bad, I've just spoiled myself a little bit by being around Colt Gold Cup National Matches and SA Custom Shops my whole life.

 

[John Galt]

Spend an afternoon with a Wilson or Baer and don't look back.
Merry Christmas and safe shooting!

 

[barrelmaker_2002]

...I wondered if there was something better for the price.

If you want a full size 1911 with adjustable sights, probably not. At a lower price point, the Kimber Custom II Target (about $700) or the STI Spartan ($635 or so) are both good choices.

You could go to a slightly lower price point (Citadel, Rock Island), though you might not get adjustable sights. You could change that for about $50. However, the trigger on the lower priced guns might not be as nice.

I will say that if you are going to spend $1000 or less for a target shooting gun and the gun has high quality barrel, then the quality of the trigger is likely your primary concern. Barrel to slide fit and slide to frame fit also impact accuracy, but a gun fitted to a match grade level will likely cost more than $1000.

 

[Mike Elzinga]

I highly agree that this a Ford/Chevy thing. There are inexpensive buys that are decent guns, and I do know that after you shoot a Wilson/Baer/Rock River/Custom built, everything else will pale in comparison. It sucks to drop $2000 on a gun, but 50,000 rounds down the road, you wont remember how much the price tag sucked.

 

[oneshotonekill]

Thanks guys for the info. If you can tell me how to close this thread out I would be glad to. I think we pretty well covered the topic.

 

[PurdueJim]

Lots of differences in the names

Smith and wesson would be a good first 1911 for under a 1000. Try to research more on the web. Lots of differences in the makers. Example: grip safeties, external extractors, mim parts, cast vs forged frames.

 

[HICKMAN]

STI Spartan - under 1K

STI Trojan - near 1K

 

[jeremy]

So what is the collective opinion of the Remington M1911R1 that is being made under the Remington flag now?!

 

[ghitch75]

So what is the collective opinion of the Remington M1911R1 that is being made under the Remington flag now?!

there good shooter.....in maybe 50 years they'll be collectible.....i think there makin' a lot of them......nice 1911 for the price...

 

[grizman]

I hear the Remington has a cast frame and MIM parts. If so no +p ammo or above. If correct the life span of the pistol won't be as many rounds as an forged frame pistol pistol. The MIM parts mostly small easy to upgrade pieces.
I see alot of Kimber fans here. I have owned a few and never warmed up to them except the 22 rimfire one. The ones I have had always felt to lite weight for a forged steel slide and frame lighter than a similar Springer. Just a very odd feel about them to me. The fit finish and function was no better than a Springfield. Had a Warrior, custom CDPII, TLE II and the rimfre super. Only the rimfire stayed. No problems out of the ordinary with any of them. The Warrior is no match for it's replacement top below.

The Above TRP gets the nod over this one below when I carry a 1911.

Lots 1911's on the market not all worth owning. Pick the one you like then do some research and if it doesn't sound good then move on till you find the one does sound good.

 

[jeremy]

there good shooter.....in maybe 50 years they'll be collectible.....i think there makin' a lot of them......nice 1911 for the price...

I have owned 2 Rands in the Past...

Sigh...

 

[chraland51]

I have to defend my Taurus 1911. It seems that they are always getting picked on. The only time that I have ever had trouble with it is when I used aftermarket magazines. Even the Chip McCormicks screw up on occasion. I do not think that I have ever had a failure to feed or a jam when using the factory mags. That might be a fault with the gun that you are best to use the proprietary magazines, but it is not different than with the Ruger Mini-14 and I like my Taurus better than I do my much more expensive S&W target 1911. If I thought that I could shoot any better with a Kimber or the top-of-the-line SAs, I would have one or more of them in my collection.

If I could figure out how to start a new thread on the INGO web page, I would tell you all about the used PT99 and new AT92 that I recently bought and how well they both shot at 15 yards at a silouette target. I only shot up 4 boxes (2 each). I had to go to Don's and yes his prices are really high and with only 6 lanes, it does seem a little cramped. The clientele when I was there was decent and the people behind the counters actually seemed normal and helpful. Maybe I just got there at the right time as I do know Don's reputation. Anyway, I can not post photos of my guns or the targets, but I can tell you that I was very surprised at how well I shot them the first time out and how well both of them functioned. I do prefer the Taurus PT99 since it is stainless steel and a little prettier than the AT92, but you could not tell a bit of difference between how well this old fat half blind guy shot them at 10 and 15 yards. I might not be able to empty a 15 round magazine between a bad guy's eyes, but I can sure hit him in the head with every shot or in the center of his chest if he would stand still long enough for me to aim at him. I think that I will just keep both pistols for a while.

 

[ghitch75]

I have owned 2 Rands in the Past...

Sigh...

the new Remingtons...i thought thats what you where talkin' about.....i have a 1918 UMC....

 

[jeremy]

I was talking of the new ones I have had hands on 1 but have not fired one.

I have owned 2 Remington-Rands in the past. I wish I had a UMC...

 

[Disposable Heart]

Personally don't think MIM or cast frame is BAD (if it is done correctly, heat treating and such), but it does limit the amount of rough handling the gun can handle OVER TIME. The Remington looks like a nice gun, but a spray painted, decently fitted (not immaculate, one gunshop example showed some pretty hard lug riding, but that was ONE example), with small sights isn't worth the amount they ask. It is a better finished RIA IMHO. For collection value: I think the only reason the OLD Remmys were collectible was due to their war history. The R1 is a nice gun, but at the price point and the general decent (not exemplary, such as Colt or Kimber) quality, I don't see them going up in price.

Rock Islands are great starter 1911s, are usually well built and backed with a great warrantee (though I have all my fitting and building jigs/tools for 1911s, I don't believe in sending a 1911 back to factory, that's for goons who leave idiot marks on their frames, use WD-40 and buy cheap magazines in the 7 buck box at Bradis ). I have had several and used Armscor frames for builds. Well worth it. STI uses their frames for some of their models. People will claim that cast is as strong as forged, and it is strong, often citing Ruger as an example of cast's strength. One thing to note is that Ruger's frame rails are the thickness of a desktop, where the 1911's rails are a finer creature. Some of my builds have seen swaged rails sometimes if hotter ammo is used consistently. Standard ball ammo is fine, save the +P for occasional usage or defense (if at all, cmon! It's a half ounce of lead screaming at something at 830 FPS, you don't need more velo! ).

S&W and Kimber guns are in the same bracket from what I have seen/handled/shot. Both are exceptionally nice looking guns, very accurate but can be finiky. They both use MIM as well, so one is paying for a lot of fitting and finish. Low end modern production Colts are nice in finish and function. Their standard polished blue lovely Government no frills model for roughly $700 is a great deal, considering they lose little to no value.

The "values" in 1911s I missed out on and kick myself for it: The Sistema Colts for 300, the RIAs (when they first came in) for under $300, etc... Sistemas have gone WAY up in price unfortunately due to "collector value", even the ones with junk hanging off of them (aftermarket parts). Norincos (if they aren't swaging their barrel lugs back) are a great value but duck's teeth now.

Still, the best values are the RIAs for a starter gun, older model (or modifying the new ones with ILS to remove it for better trigger) Springfields for a stronger, more "experienced" alternative.