Custom 1911s: Where to look?

[neoinarien]

I don't want to start brand flame war but I am in the market for a nice 1911, production, semi-custom or custom.

Which brand, amongst the higher end makers, deserves the closest attention?

Which are over rated?

And please give reasons (other than my buddy's gun in brand X malfunctioned, etc)!

Ed Brown, Les Baer, Nighthawk, Wilson... and to a lesser extent, Kimber, Colt, Wesson?

Others?

 

[CWL]

You listed some "semi-custom" guns. There is quite a bit of confusion as to what are true customs v. semi-customs. If you can buy if off a catalog, it isn't really custom is it?

If you are serious about a true "custom gun" look at one-off gunsmiths such as Chuck Rodgers who posts here often. http://www.rogersprecision.com/

Chuck makes "custom" guns.

 

[loop]

The ones on the list aren't really true custom guns. Some are actually production guns and some are hand-fitted guns, but they aren't really custom.

Rogers is one, but there are many others who make them one at a time to order. I wouldn't recommend anyone in particular, but there is some very nice work being done by a number of builders.

I like to "roll my own" and for folks who like to do their own customizing and want shop work done that they do not have the tools to do themselves you might take a look at Canyon Creek's list of really nice options.

Of your choices, the best gun for the money is probably the Wesson or the Colt. Nice platforms to start with. If you want a custom gun on the cheap ($1,300 to $2,000), take a look at Fushion. I've been very impressed with what they do for the money.

Or, do what I do. Find a used Norinco and build it yourself. They make an excellent platform to begin a build.

 

[neoinarien]

Thanks guys, some more stuff to read up on.

<<still watching the thread>>

 

[kle]

Which "Wesson" are we talking about? S&W or Dan Wesson? Not that I know much about custom/semi-custom 1911s, as I'm more of a wheel-gunner myself.

 

[Rinspeed]

I love my Baer and think they offer a hell of a 1911 for the money.

 

[Black Majik]

Yep. You listed "semi-custom" guns, meaning you can pick them from a catalog... but the quality you're buying is just as if it was hand fitted and made for you. Except that you don't get to spec out your gun.

For truly custom, you're looking at significantly more, built from the ground up. You'll be listing all your personal touches to the gun, exactly how you want it built. Type of slide and frame, barrel, bushing or bushingless, caliber, french border, serrated topstrap or not, what type of checkering etc...

For truly Custom, I'd advise you sink your mortgage into this: www.louderthanwords.us

Otherwise, I picked Les Baer from the Semi-Custom poll you have going on.

 

[SRT1]

Check out Fusion. Great weapons, reasonable pricing, great to deal with.
SRT

 

[Bufford t. Justice]

one word.....Fusion

 

[possum]

i highly suggest that you check out nighthawk custom, all the makers are good to go in my book. but i lean toward the nighthawk. not all of the options are on thier website, give them a call and tell them exactly what you want and they will square you away. also if you are in the military they will give you a militray discount that is pretty nice.

also check out www.marsguns.com and the THUG model 1911.

the reason that i sugget the above two 1911 custom shops is that they build fighting guns that are made to run and rund and run.

 

[Black Majik]

i highly suggest that you check out nighthawk custom, all the makers are good to go in my book. but i lean toward the nighthawk. not all of the options are on thier website, give them a call and tell them exactly what you want and they will square you away. also if you are in the military they will give you a militray discount that is pretty nice.

also check out www.marsguns.com and the THUG model 1911.

the reason that i sugget the above two 1911 custom shops is that they build fighting guns that are made to run and rund and run.

Almost any of the semi-custom 1911s will run and run and run. Nighthawk has a very similiar building philosophy to wilson Combat (for obvious reasons), so WC should be considered too. I do like NH also, their options listed are more suited to what I like on a gun.

Then again, the SA Professional is one gun that I would expect to run for a long, long time. It's one of the few guns recommended as "duty worthy" by Hilton Yam.

But then, I'm a Baer fan at heart. Those guns can run and run too. Since RRA builds guns very similiar to LB, just like NH to WC, I expect the RRAs to last a long time also.

Any of the semi-custom makers will produce a reliable gun with a very long lifespan. Not too sure what constitutes as a "fighting" gun, but I'm sure WC, LB, EB, RRA, SA's PRO/CC and NH can all fit into that category.

 

[surjimmy]

I vote Baer, by far the best weapon I have ever shot. randgfirearms.com has some customs done by the old masters, check him out. Have been doing business with him for almost 30 years, he's very honest and great to deal with. If you order from Les Baer factory you will have about a 6mo wait, so I would go to proload.com He has about 300 Baers on hand.(that is if you decide on a Baer)

 

[SuperNaut]

While not truly custom, every Baer I've ever handled has knocked me out.

 

[Frank Ettin]

I have several Les Baers and several Nighthawks. They've all performed admirably, I've had the Baers the longest and I guess I lean toward them. They seem to offer excellent value. I also generally think that the guns from all the well regarded semi-custom makers are comparable in quality, and choosing is primarily a matter of personal taste, availability and which one has the features you want.

I also recently had a full house custom job done on a Colt Commander by Heirloom Precision. It's an extraordinary piece. It also took more than a year and cost considerably more than any of the semi-custom guns (and I'd do it again in a heart beat).

 

[neoinarien]

I was playing with a Les Baer at a local shop (Milwaukee), and it was very impressive, but very stiff.

I was told that it takes 5,000 rounds to break them in?

The Ed Brown was really impressive at the shop.

I haven't had the chance to handle a Nighthawk, but I love the aesthetics of them on their website. If they hold up as well as others... but the les baer and ed brown did feel really impressive. The salesman at the store was trashing the wilson's, though he didn't seem like the objective type.

 

[Black Majik]

For a Les Baer, it'll take 300 rounds to break in, 500 rounds for the gun to stop "sticking" at lockup, and about 1200 rounds for the gun to really smooth up.

Of course YMMV.

 

[9mmepiphany]

i've handled and shot a least one gun from every maker on your list. the exception will be the one i think is the most underrated...but i have handled other models in that line.

if i had to buy one, i would choose either a Baer or a Nighthawk. the Baer has more defined packages, Nighthawk has more options.

most underated: Dan Wesson-CZ Valor. Dan Wesson has a great rep for quality and CZ added needed funding...and they're no newbie when i comes to customer support either.

most overrated: Ed Brown maybe some of the most beautiful 1911s out there, but his barrel fitting doesn't hold up under hard use...luckily most folks will never put 65k rounds through their pistol

 

[possum]

Then again, the SA Professional is one gun that I would expect to run for a long, long time. It's one of the few guns recommended as "duty worthy" by Hilton Yam.

I am sure that the sa is good to go, but remember who did Yam and the guys of 10-8 have build the 10-8 operator? Nighthawk.they must be doing something right, i think that says alot. as well they build well used to build Vickers guns to his specs.

maybe instead of saying run and run and run, maybe i should have said Hard use guns?

but i think that i will stick with what i got for the time being, this is what i have.

For a factory light rail gun, the Springfield MC Operator, with the green and black paint job, is a leading option. It bridges the quality between the Loaded and TRP grade 1911s. Anecdotal research on these models in the field provides typically positive results in high round count duty settings. The correct Picatinny spec light rail, corrosion resistant finish and overall configuration of the MC Operator lends itself well to duty use.

http://www.10-8performance.com/id8.html

 

[BlindJustice]

Something "off the shelf" that is a standard model of any maker
despite the label "Custom" isn't - A "Custom" imo is a platform
modified uniquely for the owner and you won't see something else
close to it.

Randall

 

[neoinarien]

I think of custom in a dual manner...

1. Custom fit. The pieces of the firearm were custom fit with one another. When I say custom fit with one another, I am not talking about the local range junkie looking it over, but by a competent and highly trained gunsmith.

2. Custom built. The firearm was custom built to fit the specifications of a particular user.

 

[hags]

Which "Wesson" are we talking about? S&W or Dan Wesson? Not that I know much about custom/semi-custom 1911s, as I'm more of a wheel-gunner myself.

I was thinking the same thing.

Non of the manufacturer's guns listed are true custom pistols. Speaking to the above question/comment, I would suggest a Dan Wesson Pointman 7. Not as much money and they are quality firearms with "high end" components from the factory.

I kinda chuckled when I saw "Kimber". I can say my Kimber is a true custom because of all the work I had to do to it to get it to run 100%.

Any kind of 1911 with a firing pin block or safety should not be on the list IMO.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I kinda chuckled when I saw "Kimber".

me too...lots of special variations, but custom?

 

[neoinarien]

Never said Kimber was custom.... but I know some people like em, so added them as an option along with a few others.

 

[neoinarien]

Wesson=Dan Wesson

 

[hags]

Or, do what I do. Find a used Norinco and build it yourself. They make an excellent platform to begin a build.

I don't know about the Norincos but the new Rock Islands you can buy are really nice and I haven't heard any negatives from customers.

Don't mean to vear off course here.