What is your favorite stainless 1911?

[Sergei Mosin]

I'm getting a hankering for a stainless 1911, but I haven't decided which one. What's your favorite stainless 1911? (Pictures welcome.)

 

[bannockburn]

Closest gun I have to a stainless 1911 is my Colt Commander in .38 Super. Slide is stainless while the frame is aluminum alloy. Great gun for CCW.

 

[ACP]

Right now it would be my Colt 1991 Model O1091

http://www.colt.com/Catalog/Pistols/1991Series.aspx

It put 20 rounds of Winchester ball ammo into a 1"x2" oblong hole at 50 feet the first time I ever shot it.

I've also enjoyed a Colt Combat Commander (with the older duckbill grip safety) and a Dan Wesson Heritage.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

My favorite stainless 1911 is probably the Ruger P90.

 

[Rockrivr1]

Have a few in stainless but my favorite is my Colt Defender.

 

[JohnBT]

A Kimber Stainless Gold Match. It's my only stainless 1911. I've shot over 25k rounds since I bought it in late 1999.

John

 

[Chuck R.]

I guess I'd have to say Les Baer:



Concept V and Stinger.

Chuck

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Out of only the two that I have it'd be the Colt.

Given how pleased I am with it, I'd gladly part with the cash for another Colt in SS regardless of caliber.

Todd.

 

[MIL-DOT]

Though my experience with them (stainless 1911's) is minimal, I'm going to recommend Springfield. My Mil-Spec has been very impressive, in all respects: fit,finish,accuracy,reliability,etc.
The Springfields are now made in the USA (though there wasn't anything lacking in the IMBEL/Brazil-made pistols). Their customer service is hailed as being as good as any out there. The pistol's slide and frame are machined from forged steel, rather than cast, as I understand the Ruger's and S&W's are.
Colt's are nice and all, but you'll be paying a premium just for that name, and I believe Colt is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.
I lucked into a very good deal on mine, but if I were doing it again, and buying brand-new, I'd still go with one of the Springfields, all day long.
You can spend more on something "nicer", but I think all you'll get for that extra cash is bragging rights, not a discernably better pistol.

 

[ACP]

Todd and Chuck -- nice pistols!!

 

[valnar]

Dan Wesson PM7-S. Bought it 12 years ago.

 

[satexas]

I don't have a 1911, but as a youngster about 40 years ago, I always had my eye on an AMT Hardballer at my LGS, but could never afford it. I'm curious, was that one ever considered a quality 1911 firearm?

 

[bullzeye8]

Depends on price. For less expensive I think it is hard to beat my S&W e-series but if I had more money I would be voting for a lesbaer, Nighthawk, Wilson Combat.

 

[AndyJ]

Colt Government Gunsite

 

[CNobbe]

Kimber Stainless Pro Raptor, love matte SS pistols of all sorts.

 

[AZAndy]

I really like my Ruger SR1911.

 

[tarosean]

I only own one SS one, so it would have to be that...
Nighthawk T3

 

[weblance]

I really like my Ruger SR1911.

I agree. I dont have much experience with the 1911 platform, but my Ruger has been excellent.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I don't have a 1911, but as a youngster about 40 years ago, I always had my eye on an AMT Hardballer at my LGS, but could never afford it. I'm curious, was that one ever considered a quality 1911 firearm?

I think that if you bought well, they could be considered "quality" guns but in reality, the entire line suffers for a couple periods of problematic pooh-stick production - in practices, material and quality control. My Irwindale .45 BackUp took a lot of tuning to get right and now is a fine BU pistol.

My Hardballer, as a "Covina" production gun does not suffer from the stainless galling that the "Irwindale" guns could suffer from and is better finished, fitted and running to boot. No mag compatibility issues either.

It came with nice up-graded controls, a proud mag catch and what I think is a pretty finish. It fires everything fed it and fires the good stuff very accurately and has yet to shed sight parts like some Gold Cups did.

So... AMT - quality?
Sometimes but then, most makers have had failing periods anyhow.

Todd.

 

[Shimitup]

The old Randall has been running like a top for over 3 decades, can't complain.

 

[highlander 5]

Ruger SR 1911 or S&W E series. Living in MA we are limited 5o the pistols we can buy but of the few SS 1911s the Ruger is the least expensive at under $ 700 in the local gun shops.

 

[Winkman822]

All 1911's regardless of finish are going to look roughly the same, the big difference with them is going to come to build quality, etc. That said, my favorites in order are as follows:

Custom Guns:
Volkmann Precision Combat
Wilson Combat CQB
Ed Brown Kobra

Production Guns:
Dan Wesson Valor
Springfield Armory TRP
Springfield Armory Loaded
Colt XSE Stainless (not a huge fan of the extra parts for the firing pin safety)
Kimber Raptor II (aesthetics only as my ownership experience with Kimber has been less than 100% and I'm not particularly fond of their Swartz firing pin safety system)

 

[9 fingers]

I went for the Dan Wesson Heritage, and am not sorry.
9 fingers
Pic is off of the web

 

[stchman]

My favorite stainless 1911 is probably the Ruger P90.

The Ruger P90 is not a 1911 firearm. I own two of them and really like them.

The Ruger SR1911 is a 1911 platform firearm.

 

[bgw45]

The one I sold.