Ruger SR1911, best of its class?

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jski

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Is Ruger’s SR1911 the best of its class? Price and quality? Reliability?

Is the frame cast in NH at Pine Tree Casting? What does Ruger/Arizona specialize in?
 
The frame is cast, I believe they cast frames for other manufacturers before they came out with their own 1911. Best in class is subjective but they are a nice 1911 for the money. I had their lightweight commander and it was reliable, the only reason I no longer have it is because someone had a revolver I wanted and they wanted my pistol
 
For their price range and considering customer service I think the Ruger is hard to beat.

I've owned two and both were solid and had comparable triggers, fit and finish of guns more expensive.

Personally I'd save a few hundred more and get a Dan Wesson, but I'm a DW fanboy and believe them the best short of semi customs.
 
I’ve watched Hickok45 go thru buckets of 45 ACP ammo of various ilk with nary a hiccup. (Using the SR1911.)

My brother had a Kimber 45 and would be lucky to make it thru a mag without a stovepipe. And that’s after sending it back to Kimber.
 
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Is Ruger’s SR1911 the best of its class? Price and quality? Reliability?

Is the frame cast in NH at Pine Tree Casting? What does Ruger/Arizona specialize in?

Yes, it's a Pine Tree Casting. Arizona machines and assembles firearms.
 
On Youtube watch

Part 13: Ruger How It's Made - Machining the GP100

I think it will answer your questions although you are asking about a different handgun.
 
I owned a new SR1911CMD 4.25" .45ACP version of the Ruger from 2017 to 2019. I fired 11,800 rounds. During this time the following breakages occurred:
-Two front sights (Ruger replaced taking ~2 weeks each time from sending the slide in, to getting it back).
-One adjustable rear sight. This was a Novak adjustable rear sight which is the same as Ruger sold on its website, but I bought mine from a different online seller. The originally supplied fixed rear sight shot ~2.5" too low at 15 yards.
-One slide stop. The lobe broke off. Replaced with a Kimber-brand I had for spare parts.
-One extractor. The hook broke off. Replaced with a Kimber-brand I had for spare parts.

I also replaced the barrel bushing with an EGW barrel bushing. I wasn't satisfied with the accuracy ~7" at 15 yards. This bushing probably tightened the groups by ~30% (down to ~5"), but still not to my liking, before I sold the gun.

I believe the rear sight, slide-stop, and extractor would have broken with any 1911; with the Novak rear adjustable sight breakage being a fluke by having its usually staked-in adjustment screw coming loose while shooting the gun. I heard Ruger now has its 4.25" 1911 sighted in with a different height front sight. This should alleviate a need for a rear adjustable sight and might cure the front sight breakages (but I'm not going to try another Ruger 1911).
 
The Arizona branch of Ruger, which is here where I live, does semi-autos including the AR556 rifle. I like my SR1911 a lot-- it's an early full-sized one. It did do the front-sight breakage thing that L-2 mentioned; apparently they had a faulty run of MIM sights. I contacted them and they'd have been happy to replace it for me, but I wanted to put a fiber optic on there anyway, so I just did that instead. For the money, I think it's hard to beat. Mine's fitted well and is reliable. One nice touch is that the plunger tube is part of the frame rather than being staked on. The thumb safety is not ambidextrous, if that's a concern.
 
The frame is cast, I believe they cast frames for other manufacturers before they came out with their own 1911. Best in class is subjective but they are a nice 1911 for the money. I had their lightweight commander and it was reliable, the only reason I no longer have it is because someone had a revolver I wanted and they wanted my pistol

Same here. Std. weight Commander. Put a bulk pack of ammo through it one day at the range. The guy in the next bay over takes notice and next thing you know I’m driving home with a 44 Redhawk and I left my Ruger 1911 with that guy.
 
The 1911s cover quite a bit of ground ranging from some overseas stuff to some very high end custom pistols in the 5K and up price range. “Best in Class” is a pretty subjective thing. I will say this, and will probably get called out for it, but the Ruger SR1911 series pistols represent the best value for the money IMO. And yes, there are plenty of folks out these that will mention 1911s that are made overseas that “are the greatest thing since sliced bread” that cost less. In fact I’ve owned a few of these too. Some ran some of the time (ammo sensitive) some ran all of the time and some never would run making them some very expensive paper weights. Where guns are concerned, you generally get what you pay for. The Ruger 1911s I have are reliable, have better than average accuracy and are less expensive than some of the more popular 1911 pistols on the market today. I call that a “Win - Win”
 
I have no idea about best in class. Mine is my only 1911 so I have nothing to compare it to. There are other guns I shoot more as the SR 1911 is not what I carry. With that said when I first got it about every 4th or 5th round I I fired the spent case would hit me in the head. After doing a little research I adjusted the tension on the extractor. It has run fine ever since. If I am out shooting & having a bad day I can pick it up & it makes me look like I know how to shoot. I like mine.
 
Have a light weight commander, which gets carried on consistent basis. It has lots of nice features, is reliable and affordable. However replaced the barrel which significantly improved the accuracy. Now have a commander with 5 in barrel. The original barrel was some really tough steel, which showed up in the rifling and crown. Just one example, and yse would buy replace if had to. Best in anything? Firm believer there is no "best", only objects thats fit your purpose or not.
 
I've had the CMD for a few years now. Shot the Ruger MIM front sight off twice (both times replaced myself) and finally installed a machined steel and pinned sight. That one is going to stay for a while.

This pistol has close to 3k rounds through it. I have an Ed Brown match barrel and bushing, and I've replaced the slide stop, thumb safety and magazine release with stainless aftermarket versions. Just like the way they look better.

My go-to range load is a commercial cast 225 grain flat point and 4.2 grains Bullseye for 790 fps. It is very accurate with this bullet and powder. The pistol has been totally reliable and so long as the COL is good for the chamber, has never once failed to feed and fire every cartridge. I feel they are a good value for the buck.

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Interesting! I was just watching a SOOTCH00 review of the SR1911. He stated that the slide is machined, not cast. So, only the (lower) frame is cast?

BTW, does anyone have experience with the OFFICER?
 
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It's no secret that I'm a Ruger fan. The SR1911s that I've fondled have felt like they're put together pretty well. If Ruger had been making 1911s when I was last in the market for one, I probably would have bought one. The next time I'm in the market for a 1911, I probably will. Fortunately or unfortunately, I can't rent one locally, and I'm unwilling to part with either of my 1911s to get one.
 
Ruger makes good stuff, good warranty, good service, all that jazz,
To the Kimber guy earlier in the thread that was stovepiping rounds’ loose the stock magazine’s in favor of Wilson 47-D
 
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