If money weren't a factor...

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

The Good

Member
Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
173
...what 1911 would be your first choice? I heard someone say the 1911 was the finest of all autoloaders as long as cost efficiency wasn't a factor. I don't know if that's true, but lately i've been trying to learn about 1911s because i want one for my next purchase after the current one. I've been looking at a lot of 1911s I can afford, and I just kinda realized, when it comes time to buy one, who says i'll have the same financial limitations to consider. So I'm asking all of you, what 1911 would you consider the greatest?

I do see why cost is almost always a factor. A firearm that's inexpensive to acquire yet accurate and reliable is indispensable. That's why I admire Glocks so much. Still, this time, if it's worth it, i'd like to splurge.

If you really think spending a lot of cash on a 1911 would be a mistake, i'd like to know why.. And if there's a handgun you think would be a smarter choice, i'll be open minded
 
Let me grab my flame-retardant suit real quick.

My cousin has owned an Ed Brown 1911, and another Nighthawk Custom 1911. He sold both and now owns firearms by Hk, SIG, and Glock. He says the 1911s couldn't hold a candle to the others as far as reliability is concerned.

I'd still like a 1911 eventually, but it's no rush.

As an aside, my brother owns a Springfield 1911 Loaded and really enjoys it. He doesn't carry it, ever, but its a fun range toy.
 
My 2 personal choices would be either a STI escort or a Springfield Omga with both the .45 and 10mm barrels.
 
Springfield Armory custom shop Custom Carry 1911-A1. It has everything I want in a 1911 and nothing I don't, plus it's build by their custom shop not by an assembly line.
 
I'm trying to narrow down the 2 that I wish to keep out of a half dozen. I seriously doubt that either will be anything but range guns and I will keep the two because of the large amount of 45 ammo that I have and a sweet 22lr conversion that I want to keep.
I have never owned a really expensive representation but I have had a Gold Cup and a Couple Limited Paras as well as a Kimber Pro Raptor so I do know some of 1K range 1911's and in the end they have all come up short in the reliability, weight (excessive) and while I drank long and hard of the 1911 kool-aid I am convinced that the SA auto is not what I want in a defensive pistol.
FWIW I am leaning toward keeping The Pro Raptor and the Para Limited 12rd.
 
My father passed away last year, and I decided to buy a gun that he would have loved but could never bring himself to part with the money for. I shopped around for a while and ended up with a Les Baer SRP in satin. By far the most expensive pistol I own. It's also the most accurate, the tightest fit, and (so far) 100% reliable. I have no regrets in purchasing it, and it's the gun my kids will fight over when I'm gone.

1911s offer a wide range of experiences. You can buy anything from a frame to a complete custom from a huge number of manufacturers, build your own from new, used, or both parts, or modify one until all that's left of the original is the serial number.

Over the 30+ years I've been shooting 1911s, I've done several routes. All can be enlightening.
 
New: a Springfield Armory TRP tweaked out by their custom shop.

But if I could find one, I'd buy the nicest, oldest working pre WW-II 1911 I could find...
 
Those that really want, and can appreciate a 1911, don't need to be talked into getting one. If you need to be talked into it, you will no doubt be disappointed.

You should pass, and get another of what you're shooting now.
 
I have a couple Colts, a Thompson, and a couple home assembled M1911s in 45 ACP, 38 Super and 38/45 Clerke.

All are reliable, except the 38/45 Clerke when shooting round nose bullets. None are bullseye competition guns and I have never made the effort to get them to run on SWC bullets.

I would not feel under gunned or concerned about reliability with any of them, except the 38/45 Clerke. The 38/45 Clerke has some interesting issues. The Thompson required some tuning to get to work with 230 RN bullets and accuracy got better with a better barrel installed.

In my opinion, the high priced M1911s offer accuracy improvements, improved operational features, and bullet choice capabilities not normally available with a base M1911.
 
I have a colt. I wanted something a little higher quality so I got a Dan Wesson valor. Both of these guns were reliable and the Wesson was a sharpshooter. I decided to vebture into the semi-custom world and bought a Les Baer. I had many problems and no longer own it. The Dan Wesson Valor Stainless is about $1500 and that is all I am willing to spend on a 1911 now. It shot as accurate as the Baer and was much more reliable. Before I dropped $3,000 on a 1911 I would by a Dan Wesson and another weapon such as a colt AR15, or a nice S&W revolver. I would still be under the 1911 threshold. However, if money is no object I suppose you could buy them all. I do not beleive you are going to notice a superior difference in performance when you go over 1500-1700.
 
Tough call. I have a few 1911's already and love them all. I wouldn't mind having a top shelf custom model, that would be nice.

But personally, I'd probably go for a very nice WWII service pistol, make isn't really a big concern but a good provenance of its history would mean a lot to me. I love all WWII items, and would cherish a nice pistol that had "been there and done that".

I have many rifles and other items of WWII vintage, and have no idea if any were used in combat, but I'm happy just knowing their dates of manufacture - that's good enough for me.

The only thing I have that I think "may have really been there" is a 1943 canteen that someone scratched the names of various places in Europe into. I like to believe some GI used that canteen to record his travels, at least. This used to be my dad's elk hunting canteen, he got it at the local surplus store and I'm sure he had no idea there were names of places scratched into it. They're very hard to see, nearly unreadable from being polished by the canteen cover for many years.

Oh, I also have a Waffenamt eagle & swastika patch that my Uncle Ralph cut out of the uniform of a dead German soldier. He was a Ranger during the war and saw some serious action, he was pretty messed up from it. That patch is priceless to me.
 
If I had a money tree I would have Rogers Precision build one to my liking.
Click to expand...

Thank you! That's the name I was wracking my feeble brain trying to think of! I've seen some photos, awesome works of art they are.
 
Would have to say a Colt Gov't model, sent to Infinity for them to completely tune everything but the slide stamping. This is of course, if money was not an issue.
 
USGI M1911/M1911A1, no doubt. The high-end customs just leave me cold, for whatever reason. They don't look right to me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

K
  • Locked
  • Poll
How Many 1911s do you own?
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
140
Views
7K
k soze
K
K
  • Locked
1911 Questions
Replies
9
Views
371
Jeffm223
J
Yo Mama
  • Locked
Thinking of selling 1911 for xd mod 2
Replies
13
Views
993
wally
wally
B
  • Locked
  • Poll
Is cost a factor in choosing a defense caliber?
2 3
Replies
63
Views
2K
helz_mcfugly
H
Zaydok Allen
  • Locked
  • Poll
If you were going to buy a higher end 1911, or a higher end shooter of any kind.............?
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Replies
198
Views
12K
Zaydok Allen
Zaydok Allen
Back
Top