Thinking about a 1911

I recommend a bigger budget and getting a better 1911. $1800-2200 is the sweet spot lately.

Reliability has a lot to do with the shooters ability to mentally flex and adjust to what their 1911 needs. Too many shooters can't handle the simple facts that 1911's like certain ammo, mags, or require decent lube. Better trouble shooters can make most any 1911 run well.

My fav's ar Dan Wesson, Les Baer (give or take his obsolete sights), Colt, and Guncrafter.

The Colt Competition is a very nice 1911 near your price range:
http://www.colt.com/Portals/0/Specs/2017/o1970CCS.pdf

Tons of options in your price range. With $850 in mind, I like the S&W E-Series. Being new to 1911's, this gun will not need upgrades. Decent sights, decent trigger. Its ready to go out of the box imo.

I started with a Springfield Mil-Spec and have since added several Colts and a Ruger. All of those manufacturers offer good quality 1911s in your price range. If the SR1911 strikes your fancy, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one - it's a lot of gun for the money and if there is a problem, Ruger customer service is second to none.

I have 2 SR1911's. Both are commanders, one stainless and a lightweight version. I have more rounds than I can count through them without a single failure. Ruger's customer service is fantastic. You have lots of good options, but you won't go wrong with a Ruger.

I also think the Ruger is probably the safest bet. They have a reputation for eating any ammo and Ruger obviously has a reputation for great customer service.

If you want something different, I have an affinity for the Magnum Research 1911's made by Bul in Israel. Haven't found a good price on one locally to purchase it.... yet

Springfield trp can be loaded up with some decent features and works pretty well for the money. My dad has one, he likes it, I like it. We like it. If you are looking for WC quality then maybe save up for that.

Springfield Range Officer is a good choice, I have the 5" and a 4" Champion, both in 9mm. Both run like a clock and are very accurate. I have heard the 44 is just as nice.

In that price range the Ruger SR1911 Target or the Springfield RO would both be good choices. I really like the Bo-mar type sights.

Or, if you can swing just a smidge more, the STI Trojan is REALLY nice and is probably the best "bang for buck" IMHO.

You never mentioned caliber but I have 1911s in 9 and 45, both Springfield Armory. I like Springfield as their 1911s are standard spec, unlike some of the lower end models, and they have a great warranty (never needed it). The 9mm 1911 is my duty gun, and it has been reliable after a short, 200 round break in period.

My other 1911 is in 45, and is the GI model of Springfield Armory (not the mil spec). I put tritium sights on it and it served as my carry gun for 10-12 years, until I started shooting revolvers more and reloading. It's a great gun and will be one of my last to sell, considering it was my first gun.

Personally, I would get either the Remington or Ruger.

^^ These are the two I was between in deciding on my second 1911 (the first is a Tisas "GI-type" that is actually quite a bit of gun for the less-than-400 bills they go for.) I was looking for a stainless Commander-type. The Remington won out due to its color-matched parts and the rebate they were running at the time, but I suspect I would have been happy either way.

I don't see a need to save up two grand or more to start "getting into" the 1911 pistol, unless you plan to build and shoot it for match-precision purposes right away. Your stated budget can buy a lot more than just an "introductory" model.

A Ruger SR1911, SA 1911 Range Officer, S&W SW1911 E Series, or a Colt Model O 1991 would all make for a great choice at under $850.

Springfields used to be good (the plainer the better). I don't know about now.

Ruger's and Smiths have a good reputation.

My first handgun (and still my .45 wadcutter gun) was a Series 70 Colt. For a while, their quality was awful. I hear it's gotten better in recent years.

I've got a 3 1/2" Citadel which replaced a Norinco which I had to sell to pay the rent a few years ago. It has bar none, the best out of the box M1911 trigger I've seen.

I have to throw in another vote for the blued Colt Competition. With some digging around you should be able to find one for $850 or under. Try to find one of the latest ones with the Series 70 firing system and (more important to me) a real blue finish instead of the matte black yuck the Series 80 ones have.

Mine is a .45, runs at 100% reliability with any kind of RN, hardball and JHP I've loaded in it so far. (I'm still working the kinks out of my SWC reloads, no fault of the pistol I've had trouble getting the crimp juuussst right.) It hasn't been magazine picky; I've tried a 7-round Colt mag, a 7-round MecGar mag, the 2 factory 8-round Colt mags and a pair of Checkmate enhanced 8-round magazines, all work as expected. Sights are a personal preference thing, but I really like the plain rear sight mated to a fiber optic front. The sight picture is crisp and uncluttered, working well for me for both lining up on round bullseyes or shooting quickly at steel and silhouettes.

Find a shop with a few to put your hands on. The thumb safeties can vary a little in crispness, which seems to be the biggest inconsistency I've found handling a sampling of different new Colts on display. Find one that works the way you like, add ammo and magazines and go shoot happy.

To be fair, the Ruger 1911s strike me as really good pistols as well. The few people I've known with them seem to be quite content with their choice. However, for me, personally at least, there's something to having The Pony on the side of my ".45".

Let's be honest, I never get tired of sharing this picture:

Walkalong said:

...
This one works all the time. Weird.

Click to expand...

Then I think it's probably defective and should be sent back so Kimber can make it right...

(I will refrain from going off on my experience with a lightweight Kimber. Promise! )

I'm with Medwheeler. I just got my first 1911 a few months ago and wanted something inexpensive. I ended up with a Turkish gun, the Girsan MC1911 C, a Commander sized 1911 imported by Zenith. I got it for $370 reduced from $509. So far it has been a pleasure to shoot once I figured out ammo that it liked. It's only a range toy for me though.










The point is that you CAN "get into" the 1911 game without spending a ton. With your budget I'd probably look into the SR1911, R1 or a SA variant.

I prefer the old school frame. Here's my Rock Island.

I'd recommend Ruger, Rem R1, and <flame suit on> Taurus PT1911, in that order.

I have had a Kimber, and still have Springfield, PSA , and multiple Rock Islands.

I can't guarantee that RIA will deliver a 1911 that is 100% reliable, but I guarantee that Armscor will fix any issues you have with it to your satisfaction and more. Their CS is top notch.

I would say get an RIA and a reloading press for your $850. Then you get a robust 1911 with a lifetime warranty and a lifetime of cheaper ammo. That's how I started - with a Springfield 1911 and a Lee Pro 1000, but that was a long time ago.

Bones741

A lot of good advice here, especially the one from wanderinwalker about possibly finding a well stocked gun shop where you can check out a number of different 1911s to get a better idea how they actually feel when you handle them. That's what I did some years back when I went looking for a new 1911. Ended up getting two, both in .45: a Colt Lightweight Government (it just felt "right" in terms of it's weight and balance), and a Colt Government (loved the "100 Years of Service" inscription on the slide). Both were extremely well made and finished, maybe even the best built Colt 1911s I have seen in a very long time. Couldn't be happier with my selections.