1911 recomendation and experiences

[army_eod]

You’re going to get so many suggestions about what 1911 you should buy it’s going to just drive you nuts.
First you have to decide on your budget and frankly I would go up to $2000 at least if you want to buy a really excellent 1911.
Of course that’s just my opinion however I just bought the 1911 that I always wanted which is usually a $2000 Colt but I got a much better deal on it and I’m happy. But I now own six 1911s and I really love 1911s.
On the other hand I do not know why you want to sell your Colt because that is a Colt that I would love to have and I would shoot it. So if you feel like sending me some photographs of your Colt let’s go ahead and do that and if you feel like selling it I’m game.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Thanks all for input. Now you have me thinking twice about keeping the old gal. Was checking out the new stuff and like what I am seeing. Vintage is cool but tricked out modern is cool as well. I will be using it for winter carry and self defense in home.Maybe some organized shoots later down the line. Budget is not an issue. I don't need to sell the old gal to buy the new one.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Keep your old Gold Cup, just cause it's an old Colt Gold Cup, and it's cool in its own right.

For an everyday shooter, get a new Colt Competition in .45 ACP and go shoot happy:

 

[WVsig]

Thanks all for input. Now you have me thinking twice about keeping the old gal. Was checking out the new stuff and like what I am seeing. Vintage is cool but tricked out modern is cool as well. I will be using it for winter carry and self defense in home.Maybe some organized shoots later down the line. Budget is not an issue. I don't need to sell the old gal to buy the new one.

Keep the Gold Cup. I agree 100% with @wanderinwalker Get a Colt Competition. They are a solid value at the price point. If you want to push closer to $1500 I would look at Dan Wesson but they have changed their offerings a lot in 2019-2020.

 

[murf]

keep the gold cup national match. colt's bluing, back then, is superb. there is nothing like it today. the "nm" serial number is cool, too.

murf

 

[BigBL87]

I'd definitely keep the one you have. Hard to replace that.

I don't have much experience with 1911s, but if budget were not much of a consideration, I'd personally go for the Dan Wesson that best suited what I wanted function/appearance wise or a Springfield TRP. The one 1911 I currently own is a Springfield Loaded Stainless.

 

[5-SHOTS]

Thanks all for input. Now you have me thinking twice about keeping the old gal. Was checking out the new stuff and like what I am seeing. Vintage is cool but tricked out modern is cool as well. I will be using it for winter carry and self defense in home.Maybe some organized shoots later down the line. Budget is not an issue. I don't need to sell the old gal to buy the new one.

I'd get a stainless steel model with combat night sights.

 

[Spats McGee]

Thanks all for input. Now you have me thinking twice about keeping the old gal..... Budget is not an issue. I don't need to sell the old gal to buy the new one.

If you can afford the new without selling the old gal, that's what I'd suggest.

....Vintage is cool but tricked out modern is cool as well. I will be using it for winter carry and self defense in home.Maybe some organized shoots later down the line. Budget is not an issue....

There are a ton of good 1911s out there these days, and available at virtually every price point. My favorite (so far) is a Springfield Armory GI model that I had tricked out. That said, if you're looking to buy off the shelf, you probably need to settle on some kind of budget before we collectively try to talk you into a $3K pistol. (I'm looking at you, Guncrafter!)

 

[army_eod]

If you like your Colt, you can keep your Colt.
I kind of like them.

 

[tarosean]

Vintage is cool but tricked out modern is cool as well.

You can also trick out that ol gal for what a new one would cost ya.

 

[Shimitup]

I sold my 1970's Gold Cup, I don't think I've ever regretted selling one as much as that one. The only advise I can offer on a new one is that I bought a Ruger Lightweight Commander for carry and absolutely love it, light slim and 100% reliable. Nothing fancy but it's just a great shooter.

 

[Old Dog]

I learned the hard way, don't sell your old Colts. Then later on in life, you have to replace them, and it costs way more than if you'd just kept your first ones ...

 

[Dudedog]

Lots of good ones out there now.
On the lower side of the price range I am quite happy with my Citadel 1911.
I also have a couple of Springfield "Loaded" model 9mm 1911s.
30000K + rounds on the first one, no issues other than normal maint. (replace recoil and firing pin springs)
Thay are nicer than the Citadel but then they were close to twice the price.

 

[bannockburn]

Ks5shooter

Good to hear you're going to keep your vintage Colt Gold Cup National Match!

As for my recommendation for a new 1911 I'm a bit partial to Colts but I wouldn't walk away from a Dan Wesson, Les Baer, Ed Brown, SIG, Ruger, S&W, Remington, (or any 1911 for that matter), if for some fortuitous set of circumstances it were to fall into my lap!

 

[Olympus]

The quality difference between Colt and say Dan Wesson is light years apart! I've owned a lot of Colt 1911s and none of them impressed me. You're paying for the name and that's about it. The 1960s and 1970s were definitely Colt's best years, but still even comparing a 1960s Colt to a 2020 Dan Wesson and I can point out a laundry list of improvement areas. In the past, Colts have been good collectors but I fear those days are going to be coming to an end as guys that are in their 50s and 60s start getting older. That's about the last generation that still believes that anything Colt produces is automatically the best their is. My dad is the same way. He has a 1970s Gold Cup National Match and I've showed him countless times all the differences between his gun and a new Dan Wesson and his only argument is that "It's still not a Colt", which doesn't hold any real weight in terms of argument's sake. But the younger generations are seeing that there are much better quality guns and the Colt name doesn't hold as much weight.

Personally, a Colt 1911 holds absolutely zero interest to me. I'd much rather have a Dan Wesson. I've personally owned probably 25 to 30 different 1911s over the years. I've kept all but one Dan Wesson (needed some quick cash) and I've sold EVERY Colt I've ever bought.

 

[NC9mm]

I enjoy my Springfield loaded in 9 and 45acp, but just ordered a STI staccato R for single stack USPSA.

 

[LiveLife]

The quality difference between Colt and say Dan Wesson is light years apart!

I'd much rather have a Dan Wesson. I've personally owned probably 25 to 30 different 1911s over the years. I've kept all but one Dan Wesson (needed some quick cash) and I've sold EVERY Colt I've ever bought.

Time to start collecting Dan Wessons.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Everyone has their own opinions, based on what they buy.

*Wilson Combat is top shelf, as is Nighthawk. Les Baer is 1/4 step down.

*Stay away from STI as they are having lots of internal problems right now.

*Will let you know about Alchemy Custom Weaponry in July.

 

[Old Dog]

The quality difference between Colt and say Dan Wesson is light years apart! I've owned a lot of Colt 1911s and none of them impressed me. You're paying for the name and that's about it. The 1960s and 1970s were definitely Colt's best years, but still even comparing a 1960s Colt to a 2020 Dan Wesson and I can point out a laundry list of improvement areas. In the past, Colts have been good collectors but I fear those days are going to be coming to an end as guys that are in their 50s and 60s start getting older. That's about the last generation that still believes that anything Colt produces is automatically the best their is. My dad is the same way. He has a 1970s Gold Cup National Match and I've showed him countless times all the differences between his gun and a new Dan Wesson and his only argument is that "It's still not a Colt", which doesn't hold any real weight in terms of argument's sake. But the younger generations are seeing that there are much better quality guns and the Colt name doesn't hold as much weight.

Personally, a Colt 1911 holds absolutely zero interest to me. I'd much rather have a Dan Wesson. I've personally owned probably 25 to 30 different 1911s over the years. I've kept all but one Dan Wesson (needed some quick cash) and I've sold EVERY Colt I've ever bought.

Guessin' you probably don't like older cars either; that's okay -- lots of the younger guys would rather drive around in a boring Mazda or Toyota and laugh at the old guy motoring around in the '70 Hemi Cuda or Chevelle SS.

Quite a bit of ageism in your post.

I'd submit that those of us in our 50s and 60s do NOT "believe anything Colt produces is automatically the best their [sic] is" but are far more realistic about what we like than the average millennial. Plus, we don't walk around with our faces in our IPhones all day long, either.

Maybe when you grow up, you'll appreciate the classics.

 

[tarosean]

Everyone has their own opinions, based on what they buy.

*Wilson Combat is top shelf, as is Nighthawk. Les Baer is 1/4 step down.

*Stay away from STI as they are having lots of internal problems right now.

*Will let you know about Alchemy Custom Weaponry in July.

Yep and I wouldn't necessarily agree with your opinion.

I will however, state unequivocally that ACW will not disappoint you. By far the best value out there right now..
I own one of the first Primes ever produced.
On the rack.

 

[johnmcl]

OP, as you can tell from the discussion here, there's a solid half dozen brands from which to choose, with victory guaranteed for a quality, save-your-life kinda gun.

These days are truly the golden age of 1911s.

 

[whughett]

I have a 70’s National Match and until recently thought that was good enough. Then number 1 son brought home a CZ97f. Bigger than the Colt, probably heavier and ever bit as accurate, with my hand loads as the Colt. Probably because it just seem to fit my hand better.
You said “1911” so I assume your talking style.

 

[Olympus]

Guessin' you probably don't like older cars either; that's okay -- lots of the younger guys would rather drive around in a boring Mazda or Toyota and laugh at the old guy motoring around in the '70 Hemi Cuda or Chevelle SS.

Quite a bit of ageism in your post.

I'd submit that those of us in our 50s and 60s do NOT "believe anything Colt produces is automatically the best their [sic] is" but are far more realistic about what we like than the average millennial. Plus, we don't walk around with our faces in our IPhones all day long, either.

Maybe when you grow up, you'll appreciate the classics.

I appreciate more classics than you will ever know. I collect old S&W and Colt revolvers. I also know mediocre and Colt 1911s reek of mediocrity when compared to the current 1911 offerings. They were certainly one of the best available back in the 60s and 70s, but while everyone else improved, Colt effectively stayed the same. So yeah, if you want to pay extra for a mediocre gun just to say you’ve got a “classic”, by all means knock yourself out.

Sounds a lot like the guy cruising around in his 1980s “classic” Corvette with his mullet blowing in the wind, listening to some Warrant, complaining about the millennial driving a new Z06 who doesn’t know what classic cars and classic music is. LOL!

 

[LiveLife]

Sounds a lot like the guy cruising around in his 1980s “classic” Corvette with his mullet blowing in the wind, listening to some Warrant, complaining about the millennial driving a new Z06 who doesn’t know what classic cars and classic music is. LOL!

While I grew up working on cars (Dad's hobby) and dreamed of driving a 60s Camaro for retirement, when the time came, it was hands down nod to C5 Z06 that reliably ran and accelerated to 100 MPH in a snap while getting 26 mpg on the freeway. And why consider expensive super/hyper cars when you can afford to drive the C8 rear engine Corvette? < our C5 replacement >

But I do have a soft spot in my heart for late 60s International Scout 80/800 ... Fun memories of my 20s riding around in Scout II.

BUT this is 'Murrica and we can have our cake and eat it too! So we can drive our nostalgic 60s classics with new crate motors and even have air conditioning.

And I think it's similar with 1911s ... It represents the decades of younger days of fun but like updating 60s classics with modern crate motors, we can have the same 1911 "feel" with modern features and reliability.

 

[Olympus]

And I think it's similar with 1911s ... It represents the decades of younger days of fun but like updating 60s classics with modern crate motors, we can have the same 1911 "feel" with modern features and reliability.

Good perspective. The platform is well over 100 years old, so already a classic no matter what the name is on the side. So you can have the best of both worlds, a classic platform with the advancements of technology and features of today.