Best 1911

[Wolf44]

If your looking to flex 1200-1600$

Springfield TRP - hands down a top consideration.

Mid to upper 1k's Used Les Baer's would be a solid choice and you may score a used Wilson Combat CQB as well. Lightly Used Ed Brown ??

Colt's and Springer's are the basis for a lot custom build-ups. So if you plan to trick one out later on, i'd go that route.

Check out Dan Wesson's as well - new to be had around early - mid 1k's.

If budget isn't a worry - DL Sports, Pistol Dynamics, Yo Bo 1* Springer , Les Baer SRP, Rock River Arms 1911 (all steel early 2000's not the polymer)

You can ponder your decision while looking through louder than words..... Top smiths in the country display their art. (ltwguns)

 

[Dukester]

If I had it to do over again, I'd give Rock Island Armory a strong look as my first 1911. They're priced to sell, backed by a lifetime warranty and can hang with just about any 1911 out there. You can always break the bank on a high dollar one later on.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

If I had it to do over again, I'd give Rock Island Armory a strong look as my first 1911. They're priced to sell, backed by a lifetime warranty and can hang with just about any 1911 out there. You can always break the bank on a high dollar one later on.

+1000... Rock Island's forged 1911's are bad to the bone. Their quality control is up there with the best these days.

 

[ripnbst]

+1000... Rock Island's forged 1911's are bad to the bone. Their quality control is up there with the best these days.

I am not so sure about that. Talked to a guy at a match on Memorial Day who had a RIA he was shooting that day. He had all the internals replaced with Wilson Bulletproof parts because while he was shooting it at another match part of the hammer sheared off and hit him in the forehead and caused him to bleed.

They are probably good for a range shooter but I'd be hesitant to trust my life to one.

 

[Dukester]

I am not so sure about that. Talked to a guy at a match on Memorial Day who had a RIA he was shooting that day. He had all the internals replaced with Wilson Bulletproof parts because while he was shooting it at another match part of the hammer sheared off and hit him in the forehead and caused him to bleed.

They are probably good for a range shooter but I'd be hesitant to trust my life to one.

Siting gun failures during matches is just retarded. They shoot ridiculous amounts ammo in a short time. Plus you,can't condemn the brand just because some guy had a failure with one gun, especially a heavily modified one at that. I have a RIA 9mm that is an absolute beast that has never failed me.
Look online. You'll find a lot more Kimber related horror stories than you will RIA.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

I run Wilson internals in my RIA too lol. Did all that work, then ended up buying a Wilson from my cousin lmao

 

[JD8]

whatever dude. It's pretty well known that their 1911's are super reliable and that extractor is a big part of that. That's not to say that they never wear out, but most everything will eventually.

It's well known? Among whom? If that design was so reliable, then why did they change it? I've also seen some S&W small parts go to crap in under a few thousand rounds. They're not bad 1911s, but they didn't perfect anything.... they tried to design an EE.... failed.... and went to a larger design, not unlike Sig's.

 

[Glocktogo]

Siting gun failures during matches is just retarded. They shoot ridiculous amounts ammo in a short time. Plus you,can't condemn the brand just because some guy had a failure with one gun, especially a heavily modified one at that. I have a RIA 9mm that is an absolute beast that has never failed me.
Look online. You'll find a lot more Kimber related horror stories than you will RIA.

Not everyone who shoots matches shoots a ton of rounds. I'd bet that most folks who buy an entry level gun to compete with do so because they don't have a lot of extra cash to sink into the sport. Guess what ammo costs are for a year compared to a RIA?

I wouldn't argue one bit that there are more Kimber horror stories. I detest them myself after my own experiences (plural). However, there are a LOT more Kimbers out there in the wild than RIA's at the moment. That alone would skew the results.

I know I'd buy and use a RIA if that's all I could afford. I know I'd much rather have a Colt, Springer or S&W if I had the money though.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

I wonder if the Springfields (made in Brazil) are cast/forged in the Taurus shop...

 

[Coded-Dude]

When S&W discontiued their 1911's for the E series the improvements were as follows:

They took out as much vertical trigger slop with a new patent-pending design from one of their own engineers(my old 1911PD has a lot of vertical play).

A lightweight, low-mass titanium firing pin with heavy-duty springs(the old models had a modified version of the 1937 Swartz-type firing-pin block).

A extra-heavy-duty external extractor and a redesigned ejection port to guarantee reliable and consistent case ejection with all varieties of ammo.