Sub-$1,000 .38 Super M1911?

[Deanimator]

Since my search for a Colt Bisley clone with a traditional four click lockwork doesn't look promising (and will likely look worse by the time I save up for it) I'm looking at alternative purchases.

I've got four M1911s, three .45acps and a .38 Special, but I've never owned a .38 Super.

I'm looking at an M1911 with the following criteria:

1. .38 Super
2. 5" barrel
3. standard M1911 lockwork (no Series 80 types)
4. standard M1911 extractor
5. nickel or BRIGHT stainless finish
6. no rail
7. iron sights (no fiber optic front)
8. sub-$1,000 price

I'm looking to purchase late this year or early next year.

 

[JTQ]

Unless #2 is a typo, you're probably not going to find any. 1911's typically come in 5", 4.25", 4", 3.5" and the occasional, odd-ball 6", but while there may be a 5 1/2" model somewhere, they are not common.

 

[Deanimator]

Unless #2 is a typo, you're probably not going to find any. 1911's typically come in 5", 4.25", 4", 3.5" and the occasional, odd-ball 6", but while there may be a 5 1/2" model somewhere, they are not common.

Yes, you were correct. That was a mistake.

Any suggestions?

 

[earlthegoat2]

There are many nickel RIA .38 Supers out there. There is one in stock at a local shop here right now. $700

Shopping around, I am sure you could find one for less.

 

[JTQ]

Any suggestions?

Sorry, no. I don't follow .38 Super very much, and while I'm not up where 9mmepiphany is with the 1911 entry level price (I think he's at $1,500 or above), I do think the typical entry level price is around $1,000. At that price I'd expect no-frills sold function.

I consider nickel and .38 Super frills, and would expect a price increase for both. Having said that, it seems as if I recall ARMSCOR/Rock Island Armory (RIA) may have a nickel ..38 Super out there.

https://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/Default.aspx?item=51814&zipcode=32506

 

[Deanimator]

Sorry, no. I don't follow .38 Super very much, and while I'm not up where 9mmepiphany is with the 1911 entry level price (I think he's at $1,500 or above), I do think the typical entry level price is around $1,000. At that price I'd expect no-frills sold function.

I consider nickel and .38 Super frills, and would expect a price increase for both. Having said that, it seems as if I recall ARMSCOR/Rock Island Armory (RIA) may have a nickel ..38 Super out there.

https://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/Default.aspx?item=51814&zipcode=32506

The nickel RIAs used to be ridiculously cheap, but have gone up substantially.

 

[Deanimator]

There are many nickel RIA .38 Supers out there. There is one in stock at a local shop here right now. $700

Shopping around, I am sure you could find one for less.

Yeah, that's outrageous. The Iver Johnson with better sights is cheaper.

 

[Red-5]

The nickel RIAs used to be ridiculously cheap, but have gone up substantially.

When using the GOG link, my local LGS would be $662.00 out the door, taxes and fees included. I would still say that is cheap.

 

[Havok7416]

Taurus has (or used to have) a 1911 in .38 Super. It was $500 last I knew and a bright nickel option was available.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

Taurus and RIA are the only “entry level” ones I know of.

You could build, but I’m not sure about cost.

 

[bannockburn]

Deanimator

I would second the notion of looking at an RIA in .38 Super. A friend of mine had a nickel plated RIA in .45 and asked me to do some mods to it (beavertail grip safety, round hammer, extended thumb safety, and extended slide release). All the additional parts were stainless steel that my friend polished so the parts looked very much like they were nickel plated.

The first thing I noticed when I took the gun apart was that it was very well constructed and finished. Little if any tool marks were present, the plating was evenly applied, and the gun was overall tight and nicely fitted (slide to frame and barrel to slide fit were good to go out of the box). The parts themselves were pretty much close to being drop-in ready with the beavertail grip safety requiring the most work to get it in and working properly.

Overall I was very impressed with the quality of the RIA and would consider getting one for myself if I were looking for a decently priced 1911 in .38 Super.

 

[brutus51]

I always had a bug for a super. Bought a Dan Wesson PM-38 last year and I absolutely love it, thing is a real tack driver.
Got it for $1350 on gun broker and think it was worth every penny. I know this is outside your budget but I'm used to saving a little longer for quality. Plus Dan Wesson customer service is awesome, something we need to consider with every purchase.

 

[Deanimator]

Does anybody have any experience with Iver Johnson? They're another Philippine made gun. I've got a Citadel 3 1/2" .45 and I really like it, so I don't have a problem with the Philippine guns.

The Iver Johnson .38 Super has good sights and looks like a pretty good deal.

 

[CapnMac]

Buds is showing the RIA in nickle for under $800.
I've heard a lot of good things about the RIA Supers.

The used market is steep on these, too.

 

[popeye]

I have an RIA .38 Super. Please ignor the compact in the pic.. I've got a Colt 9mm LW Commander I am gonna put a .38 S barrel in. One of deez daes. JMO-I had 2 UltraBright Colt 1911's. ONE .38 Super and one .45. (pic below) They get hair line or even sub hair line scratches ion the slide very easily, and they're really tough to polish to original appearance. I stay with nickle now.

 

[bannockburn]

Deanimator

Don't forget too that converting your .38 Super to 9mm. is as easy as dropping in a 9mm. barrel assembly and using 9mm. mags with it. I have done this with just about every .38 Super I owned (my Colt Commander has a Storm Lake barrel assembly and some Colt mags to go with it), and it works great and makes for cheap practice with 9mm. ammo.

 

[bannockburn]

Popeye

Love the look of your RIA nickel plated 1911 with the stag grips! It's got some powerful bling going on there!

 

[Deanimator]

I may have a little more money to spend.

I was looking at the Citadel because I have a 3 1/2" Citadel M1911, but they seem to be unavailable.

Bud's seems to be out of stock for most things even slightly above my price range except for the RIA and Iver Johnson.

 

[brutus51]

Actually my bucket list 38 super was for a Colt commander but after firing one I quickly realized that muzzle blast and flash was pretty similar to a .357 Mag. consequently I'm sticking with the .45ACP commander for home defense. The 38 super is a great target gun.
On another note I've probably bought well over 200 guns in my lifetime, the cheap ones weren't around long and sold at a disappointing loss.
All the good ones I still have, the one exception, price wise, is the two CZ's I bought when they were cheap they both are keepers.
As far as handguns go Smith & Wesson pre-lock revolvers and anything with a prancing pony are the only ones that have actually increased in value with the Colts now worth 10 times what I originally paid for them back in the 70's. Just sayin ya get what ya pay for.

 

[Deanimator]

Actually my bucket list 38 super was for a Colt commander but after firing one I quickly realized that muzzle blast and flash was pretty similar to a .357 Mag. consequently I'm sticking with the .45ACP commander for home defense. The 38 super is a great target gun.
On another note I've probably bought well over 200 guns in my lifetime, the cheap ones weren't around long and sold at a disappointing loss.
All the good ones I still have, the one exception, price wise, is the two CZ's I bought when they were cheap they both are keepers.
As far as handguns go Smith & Wesson pre-lock revolvers and anything with a prancing pony are the only ones that have actually increased in value with the Colts now worth 10 times what I originally paid for them back in the 70's. Just sayin ya get what ya pay for.

Resale value is completely irrelevant to me. I buy guns because I need and or like them.

The most accurate out of the box M1911 I've ever owned is the Citadel (Philippines) 3 1/2" M1911 I bought about five years ago.