The best .45 1911 $1500 can buy.

[harmon rabb]

I think I'm in love. That is, without a doubt, the sexiest gun I have ever seen.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Carry gun? There are those that feel anything old and Colt belongs in a vault, but there are many savvy guys that pack old Colts, be they revolvers, 1911's or Pocket Hammerless models all day long. Here is my #3, which is a 1925 that had no finish, but has had the barrel fitted at the lugs and a new bushing. Those were the only mods I needed. It functions with hollowpoints 100% of the time as is, and has a sweet trigger by 1911 standards. STILL under $1500 with ivory and a restoration by the late Bill Adair. I carry this one all the time with complete confidence that I can't be better armed.

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[Ala Dan]

I would have to recommend a slightly used Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special~!

 

[Old Shooter]

Tiny sights, soft slides plus every time you holster it the pistol will become worth less and less.... To each their own but IMHO you are giving poor advice.

The Les Baer and the Wilson will also be worth less the moment you walk out of the shop with them.

The difference is the collector value of the Colts.

But if the Colt ihas been carried and used, not home gunsmithed or modified, even by a professional, it is just continuing it's life's journey and adding to it's history.

Most of the vintage Colts I've seen have been carried and used a lot and those are the ones we attach some extra value to in our minds, if not our wallets.

Now if it's an unfired, NIB from 1911 to say 1969 or a paper trail to show it was carried by Alvin York, Eddie Rickenbacker or Audie Murphy then it 's a different story and you're right, it needs to remain a safe queen.

Just my two cents and worth every penny of it.

 

[rellascout]

Carry gun? There are those that feel anything old and Colt belongs in a vault, but there are many savvy guys that pack old Colts, be they revolvers, 1911's or Pocket Hammerless models all day long. Here is my #3, which is a 1925 that had no finish, but has had the barrel fitted at the lugs and a new bushing. Those were the only mods I needed. It functions with hollowpoints 100% of the time as is, and has a sweet trigger by 1911 standards. STILL under $1500 with ivory and a restoration by the late Bill Adair. I carry this one all the time with complete confidence that I can't be better armed.

I am glad you are confident in what you carry. That is the way it should be but one can do the exact same thing with a used 70- series for a lot less and gain better sights and certainly a more durable finish even though I love me a blued gun.

 

[rellascout]

The Les Baer and the Wilson will also be worth less the moment you walk out of the shop with them.

I agree with that too which I why I suggested a used Baer. Paid about $1350 for my TRS.

 

[Tim Pierce]

Go with either the Springfield TRP, or the Dan Wesson Valor. I've owned 2 TRP's and I have 2 Dan Wessons, aCBOB, and CCO. They are all superb for the money.

 

[Maelstrom]

STI Trojan longslide

 

[mec]

would have to recommend a slightly used Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special~!

The right choice if you can find one. People are getting good reliability and accuracy out of the current run of Colt Series 70. They have nice lettering-as opposed to the underground comic baloon script of recent years and decent triggers out of the box. No beavertail though and that can be a problem.

 

[Sapper771]

If it were my $2000 and I decided on a 1911. I would have three possible routes.

1.) Buy a Springfield TRP Armorykote (or stainless). I have seen them recently in the $1200-$1300 range NIB . Buy some Wilson 47D/ETM mags for it. Use the rest on either ammo or reloading stuff. Springfield's warranty and customer service are excellent(they pay shipping both ways should you have a problem). Ammo is expensive, so I would recommend reloading in order to feed the 1911. I am reloading my 45acp at $8 a box my cost. A box of 45acp at Wal-mart is $18-$20 +tax.


2.) Save the $2000 til I got enough to buy a new/used Springfield Professional model 1911. The Pro model is my dream 1911.

3.) Buy a 1970's model Colt 70 series government/commander model. Send it off to Wilson Combat and have them fit a beavertail grip safety, extended thumb safety, match barrel, match barrel bushing, match trigger,
Trigger job to 4.5#'s, Wilson commander hammer, Wilson tritium sights, and Wilson mainspring mag well. I like the older Colts more than the newer ones. Quality wise, the older Colts are superior.

The Les Baers are also an excellent choice.

 

[kamagong]

Check out the Les Baer Premier II or Concept II. Available for right around $1500 if you do some shopping around.

 

[Demitrios]

Here's an idea, why not see if you can get one built specifically for you from Fusion or SVI?

 

[hexidismal]

For that kind of money, I'd probably go with the Springfield TRP myself. For a standard production gun, I've been pretty impressed with all the ones I've had the chance to play with. You could probably get one for around 1300 and still have a little left over for ammo. Custom is great , but I'd bet on that requiring a tad higher of a budget.

 

[shootr]

I recently bought a S&W 1911 PD and am very impressed with it. Outstanding trigger right out of the box, accurate, right size and heft for carry.

 

[mec]

It seems that $1500 will not quite contain the flights of enthusiam surrounding the 1911. There is no doubt that it should be a reasonably fat figure to acquire a completely satisfactory 1911 that will do anything the 1911 will do. Related to the First Law of Economics and the propositions put forth by Thorstein Veblen, there is no way to achieve complete satisfaction with a 1911. My solution to this conundrum is to throw as much money as possible at the problem so,

I had my Baer TR hard chromed by Baer and then, almost satisfied, I had Alex Hamilton go through my old series 80 Cup from one end to the other installing all the whiz-bang accessories available. He got it hard chromed by Tripp. I use Wilson magazines and am tending toward the new "combat elite 8 rounder" magazines. This comes as close as possible to satisfying me. They represent what would be a unconsionable excess of expense for anybody who has any family/fininacial responsibilities which I do not. They are still markedly cheaper than some of the Baers, and many of the Browns and Wilsons.

On the other hand, is my Colt WWI replica that costs well under the $1500 mark, is totally relible with selected ammunition (doesn't like sharp shoulders) and produces practical accuracy from standard shooting positions equal to the more expensive ones. I am told that the current Colt offerings do the same and some cost even less

 

[ttheel]

Dan Wesson would be a good choice. Quality stuff with several high end parts.

 

[SalchaketJoe]

If I had $1500 to drop on one, I would get a Dan Wesson VBOB.

 

[KingMedicine]

Why spend 1500 on a nice out of box 1911 when you can go to Fusion Firearms and get one custom made for the same price.

 

[smoothdraw]

+1 Dan Wesson for $1500 1911

 

[Oceans]

A stock Colt that works. I have a Colt 1991A1 that feeds empty cases. It will handle any in spec ammo that I buy for it. It does not have the pretty finish that my 1950s GM has, but it works, and has worked from the day I bought it, requiring no "break in" period. The new "series 70" Colts out there look really nice. I want a 1911 which is reliable, with a crisp trigger and plainly visible sights. Any such pistol satisfies my desires. I don't go to fancy Bar B-Qs wearing Roy Rogers suits, ten gallon hats, driving canary yellow Cadillacs, so they don't have to be diamond encrusted, gold triggered, bright chrome finished or in any other way embellished to suit me. I love a good Colt Blue and walnut stocks.

 

[Quack]

for $1500 you can get a:
Les Baer
STI Trojan or Ranger II
Dan Wesson Valor or V-Bob
Springfield TRP or Trophy Match
Fusion

If you shop around, you could find a nice pre-owned semi-custom gun.
i got this little gem for less than $1500


also bought this TRP with $700 in Custom Shop work for less than $1500

 

[Polar Express]

Wow, some great ideas here! Sure gives me some reasons to think, and some ideas about how I'd like to grow my collection.

To the OP, I don't recall reading that you were specific about a particular caliber. Did you want to stay with the .45ACP, or were you considering a different chambering? This could have an impact on recomendations. I'm a big fan on the .45ACP for lots of opinion-based reasons, but I'd also really like to find a 10mm (specifically, a Dan Wesson RZ10) to add to the collection.

Demitrios has an idea: What about having your own custom made by a reputable 1911 builder? When I graduated from College, my dad arranged for a friend of his to build a 1911 for me, and the serial # is my initials and graduation date. Its a pretty speical gun, even without the sentimental value. The nice thing about having one buillt for you, is you get exactly what features you want, and don't pay for the ones you don't.

Good luck, and please share with us what you end up deciding on, and why!

PE

 

[LeonCarr]

You can buy a 1500 dollar gun that still has to be gunsmithed to work right, or you could buy three brand new Glocks.

Yes, I said it. Every 1911 thread has to have at least one reply like this one .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[harmon rabb]

You can buy a 1500 dollar gun that still has to be gunsmithed to work right, or you could buy three brand new Glocks.

I think the average purchaser of a high end 1911 knows this Buying a high end 1911 is like buying a luxury car -- other products will do everything it will, at a much cheaper price, but lack the elegance, panache, class, etc.

 

[LeonCarr]

I know what happens when you bring elegance, panache, and class to a gunfight.

1911s are like Jaguars. Make sure you have two, so you will have something to shoot when the other one is in the shop.

Rant mode off.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr