Need advice on a 1911!! Will be my first 1911 purchase

[IndyGuns1]

I've been looking at 1911s for awhile now! I'm REALLY leaning towards the Remington r1.? But what I've been wondering is it they make that gun in the medium size? Also do they make it in a 9mm? Would you suggest a .45 over 9 if its a 1911? Any suggestions will help. Thanks!!

 

[aaron580]

Id choose a 45 over a 9mm anyday especially in a 1911 since it was built for the 45 and has reliably shot 45 for over 100 years. Remington R1 is nice, I had one but just sold it so I could get a Kimber Pro Carry II. They do not make a medium size commander. If you want a commander, look for a kimber or ruger or any of the name brands really.

 

[Bennettjh]

Remington's are nice. Definitely go with .45 because that's what makes it a true 1911 IMHO.

 

[drillsgt]

If you get an R1 make sure it is current production so you have the actual novak front sight dovetail cut, if not it cuts your future sight options to zero.

 

[seedubs1]

A 1911 that's not a .45 is like a 'cuda without a hemi. It'll work and it'll look sexy. But in the end, it's just.....meh.

 

[Brandon]

I'd look for a used Colt or Kimber.

 

[SERparacord]

I have the R1 Enhanced w/threaded barrel and love it, very accurate.

 

[Nick040905]

Id go with a 45. I have a Rock Island 2011 tactical and love it

 

[hoosier_sully]

I can't comment on the Remington because I have never shot one. I will offer something else for you to consider. I own 2 Smith and Wesson 1911's and can't say enough good things about them. They are highly under-rated in the 1911 world.

 

[churchmouse]

I can't comment on the Remington because I have never shot one. I will offer something else for you to consider. I own 2 Smith and Wesson 1911's and can't say enough good things about them. They are highly under-rated in the 1911 world.

I have to agree. I recently acquired a S&W 1911PD with caspian frame and rail. It is a really nice 1911. I am no fan of external extractors but I do like this gun.
It runs flawlessly.

 

[Co Th G]

What is your price range? With a 1911, you generally get what you pay for. However, there are a few notable exceptions.

 

[blueboxer]

I would highly recommend Sig, Smith and Wesson, or Springfield. Lifetime warranties and great CS by all three, and a variety of models can be had under or over 1000. The R1 is nice, and competes well with the Ruger SR1911 and Springer Mil Spec. Ask yourself what you really plan to do with the gun though. Is it just for fun? Carry? Home defense? Remember that it is far more expensive to upgrade a gun than buy it with the features you want from the factory. Just my two cents.

Also...a 45 is really the only way to go.

 

[LD36]

Remington does make an R1 Carry... Is this what you had in mind?

Remington R1 Carry Review - Guns & Ammo

 

[red_zr24x4]

Check out the Rock Island Armory, I have one in 9mm and one in .45. They are the same size and weight, both worked great right out of the box. RIA has a lifetime warranty that follows the gun not the owner. The CS is one of the best in the business from what I've read. I sent an e-mail to them with a question about replacement sights, had an answer within an hour.
Check out 1911Forum - Powered by vBulletin you can compare almost all makes and models. They have a subsection for every maker over there.

 

[Aaron1776]

I would highly recommend Sig, Smith and Wesson, or Springfield. Lifetime warranties and great CS by all three, and a variety of models can be had under or over 1000. The R1 is nice, and competes well with the Ruger SR1911 and Springer Mil Spec. Ask yourself what you really plan to do with the gun though. Is it just for fun? Carry? Home defense? Remember that it is far more expensive to upgrade a gun than buy it with the features you want from the factory. Just my two cents.

Also...a 45 is really the only way to go.

This.

Also, "adding features" to a 1911 is dangerous to its reliability if the parts aren't well researched and added correctly. 1911s don't "plug n play".

Putting anything other than a .45 in it makes it a knock off. A mere 9mm shaped like a 1911.

Look up 10-8 performance online and read Hilton Yam's 1911 articles. You'll learn a lot.

Remember that it is a 102 year old design. It doesn't tolerate changes to the design well and requires more maintenance.

That being said. I used to be a polymer guy.....now I'm addicted to the 1911. (It's mostly Blueboxer's fault...and my grandfather's) Once you get a good 1911, everything else just feels/shoots like crap.

Minus the M&P 9mm. It's my distant second in favorite guns.

 

[church]

Les Baer makes an outstanding 1911. If you have the money, it is the way to go. If you are looking to spend a little less money, Springfield would be a good choice as well. The Springfield Loaded is an excellent choice. It shoots well and is very accurate. If you go springfield, you'll definitely want to upgrade to Wilson Combat mags though.

 

[churchmouse]

Les Baer makes an outstanding 1911. If you have the money, it is the way to go. If you are looking to spend a little less money, Springfield would be a good choice as well. The Springfield Loaded is an excellent choice. It shoots well and is very accurate. If you go springfield, you'll definitely want to upgrade to Wilson Combat mags though.

And this^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I am a fan of anything Springfield. Own several. Loaded is a great gun as are the Range officers.

 

[church]

Also, it has to be a .45.. A non .45 1911 is just against the rules.

 

[IndyGuns1]

Remington does make an R1 Carry... Is this what you had in mind?

Remington R1 Carry Review - Guns & Ammo

That's really close to the size I'm looking for!!! I guess I didn't really specify what it'll be used for:
Really I just WANT one. I do carry, so at times I'm sure I would carry it, so unless you guys have 100% negatives to say about the smaller sized that's what I'm leaning towards. I'm not FIXED on the r1, but its definitely in my price range new in the box. I'm wanting to try and stay under $900 if possible.
Also are railed 1911s even practical?

 

[JLL101]

Addressing the portion of the thread relative to choosing a 9mm or a 45 cal type 1911 or other similarily configured hand gun. I shot the 1911 some when I was in the military in the early 70s. Of course then the 1911 was a 45 cal. Even though the gun was relatively heavy, I knew I was shooting a 45 cal and not a 9mm because of the recoil and blast. You really should go to a range where you can rent handguns and shoot a 45 cal and a 9mm before you make your final decision.
Ultimately, in my mind, the choice between a 9mm and a 45 cal handgun comes down to stopping power of a well placed round. There have been studies conducted comparing the effectiveness of both rounds (as well as pretty much all other hand gun calibers) in stopping the bad guys with one round "hits". It has been a few years since I have done a web search, but as I recall the highest effective stopping rate for highest scoring 9mm ammo was 91% while for the 45 cal it was 95% with rounds shot out of a 4 or 5 inch barrel. I am pretty sure those articles were pre-40 cal.
Do your own web searches and see what you come up with. I was using the articles to decide what caliber hand guns I wanted to invest in when I started carrying. While there are numerous 1911 configured weapons now available in both 9mm and 45 cal, there are also many other hand guns that are quite similar to the 1911 controls also in 9mm and 45 cal. There are many highly reliable guns available both in the 1911 format as well as in the other similar configurations. I only have one larger handgun, a Beretta 92FS in 9mm that I acquired from a LEO. But after shooting the 45 cal years ago, I appreciate the reduced recoil and blast of my 9mm handguns.
No matter what you acquire, you still have to hit you target with a reasonably well placed round to get a high probable stop. Ultimately, my weapon of choice at home is going to be my shotgun if I can get to it. Otherwise I will grab my Beretta and its 15 rounds that is next to me as I watch TV. Most (all?) 1911s will have less than 10 rounds in their magazine.