Who makes a top quality made in USA 1911 these days?

[Indynic]

Current production Colts are made as good (or better) than Colt has ever made them. Colt has updated their tolerances with the help of modern CNC manufacturing. This idea that Colt is not producing good guns is ludicrous. Just my

 

[churchmouse]

Current production Colts are made as good (or better) than Colt has ever made them. Colt has updated their tolerances with the help of modern CNC manufacturing. This idea that Colt is not producing good guns is ludicrous. Just my

Most of these opinions (Including mine) are based off of production models made in the last few years. Admittedly I have not fondled any of the new overpriced offerings to make a judgement. They did go down the crapper and not all that long ago. JMHO of course. No knock if you like-em.

 

[halfmileharry]

Current production Colts are made as good (or better) than Colt has ever made them. Colt has updated their tolerances with the help of modern CNC manufacturing. This idea that Colt is not producing good guns is ludicrous. Just my

In all fairness I haven't looked at the new Colt handguns in about 6 months. Glad to know they are getting their stuff together.
I only handled them at a couple of LGS. Quite honestly I was very disappointed in the 70 series Re-issue models.
Since Colt has new CNC tooling I'll have to look at them again.
My last Colt 1911 new purchase was the USMC CQB Limited Edition. That was a lot of money for not much of a "Yeller' rail gun". I hope that's not what you're basing your standards on.

 

[Grelber]

Les Baer is the best made gun I've ever owned.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Who makes a top quality made in USA 1911 these days?

I have Les Baer 1911s (I have others, but top quality for me means Les Baer) and am very happy, but there are many choices in today's market.

I'll name two others and then stop . . . I promise . . . sort of.

Volkmann: Volkmann Precision, LLC. The Finest Custom 1911, 1911A1, M1911's Hand-Crafted by Luke Volkmann

Heirloom Precision (check out that Clint Smith Signature Model *drool*): Clint Smith Signature - heirloomprecision.com

 

[throttletony]

Dan Wesson.
All USA, no mim parts

 

[Fordtough25]

My colt is superb, I'd like another one at some point this year! The ruger isn't bad usually, a used Springfield is solid, Dan Wesson, les Baer. $$$ are always driving the search area but I am a Colt fanboy. Lol Mine is smooth and accuracy/function are fantastic.

 

[55fairlane]

I have a friend who is a machinist for cabot guns ( Cabot Gun | an American Gun Company) and there machined, assembled, and tested here in Fort Wayne.....

But I'm not a 1911 guy.....

 

[snapping turtle]

I have a friend who is a machinist for cabot guns ( Cabot Gun | an American Gun Company) and there machined, assembled, and tested here in Fort Wayne.....

But I'm not a 1911 guy.....

I did shoot one of these at the range. It was superb pistol. When I went to find who made them I got nowhere. Thanks for the link.

the one I shot was a vintage classic with mother of pearl grips. I remember it had stars in the trigger. The price is just out of reach for a working man. I believe he paid over 3k. He also said it was mid range price option of those pistols.

 

[halfmileharry]

I did shoot one of these at the range. It was superb pistol. When I went to find who made them I got nowhere. Thanks for the link.

the one I shot was a vintage classic with mother of pearl grips. I remember it had stars in the trigger. The price is just out of reach for a working man. I believe he paid over 3k. He also said it was mid range price option of those pistols.

Within the last month I saw a used Cabot for well over $3k and a new one for over $4K. Nice guns. I didn't get to shoot either.
I'll probably keep an eye out for one of AllenMs hand fit when I get the hot rod done. I hope I'll get it done anyway. I can lose focus if everything doesn't go smooth. I'm too damned old for headaches in life now.

 

[88E30M50]

Most of these opinions (Including mine) are based off of production models made in the last few years. Admittedly I have not fondled any of the new overpriced offerings to make a judgement. They did go down the crapper and not all that long ago. JMHO of course. No knock if you like-em.

If you recall, I let you shoot my Colt O1992 9mm 1911 when we did the morning shoot out at MCFG. It's a pretty gun, but it's also one of the loosest 1911s I own. As was my Delta Elite, but that's a 2014 production gun. The 9mm 1911 was just picked up last December and I believe it's a 2016 production gun. It runs well, but I'm still not impressed with the quality as compared to Dan Wessons or even Sig 1911s. On the up side, it only set me back $646, so I definitely got my money's worth. It's easily the best sub $700 1911 available if you buy them right.

 

[croy]

I wouldnt touch Springfield or Colt. Not new. New Colts are not very well made and after the crap springfield pulled in Illinois I won't buy one of those either.

 

[churchmouse]

If you recall, I let you shoot my Colt O1992 9mm 1911 when we did the morning shoot out at MCFG. It's a pretty gun, but it's also one of the loosest 1911s I own. As was my Delta Elite, but that's a 2014 production gun. The 9mm 1911 was just picked up last December and I believe it's a 2016 production gun. It runs well, but I'm still not impressed with the quality as compared to Dan Wessons or even Sig 1911s. On the up side, it only set me back $646, so I definitely got my money's worth. It's easily the best sub $700 1911 available if you buy them right.

Yup.....getting sucks.
I remember that one. Just backs up my opinion. It ran but the fit sucked.
No knock on the gun.

 

[halfmileharry]

Yup.....getting sucks.
I remember that one. Just backs up my opinion. It ran but the fit sucked.
No knock on the gun.

It might be a knock on the gun... OR.... Some of us have higher standards on what we expect out of a 1911.
IF you're like me you fell in love with the 1911 in original issued form. Those old "45s"fit and ran. You could take about any old 1911 and interchange parts with about any other 1911. TRUE MIL SPEC.
They didn't need any work. We never even heard of changing springs in them back then. Hell, one of my 1943s I got from my uncle is still all original. I took it out and ran a couple of mags through it about a year ago. Oh, original mags and some 1952 surplus ball. It's loose, rattles, got as much brown in the finish as blue, and still hit dead center (1" low left military) at 10 yards. All shots touching.
I love those old 1911s. On the other hand... the newer high performance, modded up, shiny, "better than original" guns have some advantages. It's easy to get spoiled.
For a plain Jane old "45" give me a standard Colt. Older preferably.
I'm spoiled now. I only want a good hand fit, hand made custom 1911. When you start paying upwards of $2K there isn't a lot of difference in good 1911s. Only preferences.

 

[Trapper Jim]

Ed Brown and don't look back.

 

[Doublehelix]

Ed Brown and don't look back.

From what I hear, their guns are amazing, but their customer service has gone downhill to the point of disaster. There are lots of reports around how their CS group has been treating their customers like crap. For me, no matter how good the guns are, I try to support companies that treat their customers well.

 

[halfmileharry]

From what I hear, their guns are amazing, but their customer service has gone downhill to the point of disaster. There are lots of reports around how their CS group has been treating their customers like crap. For me, no matter how good the guns are, I try to support companies that treat their customers well.

That sounds more like Baer than Brown.

 

[Expat]

That sounds more like Baer than Brown.

[video=youtube;BMs8b7U2tsI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMs8b7U2tsI[/video]

[video=youtube;1qyXzuha0To]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qyXzuha0To[/video]

 

[halfmileharry]

[video=youtube;BMs8b7U2tsI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMs8b7U2tsI[/video]

[video=youtube;1qyXzuha0To]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qyXzuha0To[/video]

Ed Brown gave this guy some butt hurt 'cause he didn't make time for him to be interviewed. Reporter's side of the story for sure.
One instance doesn't make it a pattern of behavior.
I love Baer guns. I've heard from some owners of Baer guns that had issues that Baer told them there was nothing wrong with the gun 'cause he didn't make bad guns.
The last problem Baer only needed a new mag release to fix the issue of a magazine NOT locking in the new out of the box gun.
Same thing goes though... A couple of instances don't make a pattern. I don't like frozen asparagus, only fresh. It doesn't make all asparagus bad does it?

 

[Expat]

Ed Brown gave this guy some butt hurt 'cause he didn't make time for him to be interviewed. Reporter's side of the story for sure.
One instance doesn't make it a pattern of behavior.
I love Baer guns. I've heard from some owners of Baer guns that had issues that Baer told them there was nothing wrong with the gun 'cause he didn't make bad guns.
The last problem Baer only needed a new mag release to fix the issue of a magazine NOT locking in the new out of the box gun.
Same thing goes though... A couple of instances don't make a pattern. I don't like frozen asparagus, only fresh. It doesn't make all asparagus bad does it?

No and I agree the "blogger" came across as a pompous boob. I have heard from other people that Ed can be a little rough, but others love him. As you say, Les can be as well, depending. If I call Baer right now, I have a good chance that Les will answer the phone. From what I understand you sometimes have to work hard to get him to believe there is a problem with the gun. Once you do, he is all over it to get you fixed up. It is just that most of the people taht call are just dopes. They haven't finished his famous break in period, they are using reloads they bought off a guy in parking lot of a gun show, they are using the $6 magazines they ran into, they took the gun apart and have parts left over now, or didn't put it back together right. I am sure I would be hard to get along with after a few years of that.