Gun Gurus (and Goddesses) and those who think they are.....
So I think that, before the next election, I will buy a new stainless 1911.
(yes, I know GLOCKs and M&P are better, Don't care.) I like the 1911 platform, the manual of arms is what I trained to, I find 'em pretty reliable, I like a thumb safety and a grip safety. Don't want a trigger safety I am Old School. I like 'em and that is what I am gonna buy....
Get off my lawn.
Anyway, I am looking for suggestions. More or less true 1911A-1 (I have a Para that I really like which, with the exception of the Power Extractor is a 1911A-1...but they are out of business and Remington isn't keeping parts in stock for the warranty, so it will likely become a safe queen or a nightstand gun....
Gotta be stainless. I am one of those people whose sweat eats blued steel (and, to a lesser extent, parkerized and nitrided) without constant care. Constant. Care. There isn't a gun protection product out there that will last more than a range session.
God's Own Caliber, of course.
I don't want an Ed Brown or anything like that (well, I do, but I can't justify that kind of scratch....and they don't seem to run reliably and I don't need that kind of accuracy...minute of dirtbag will do just fine. If I can shoot 4" at 25 yards, that will do. This is a pistol, not a sniping rifle) Decent sights are needed of course...I will likely be carrying it sometimes.
So, Suggestions? Brands to stay away from? Horror stories or attaboys?
ETA: Gonna have to say that Kimber doesn't fit the bill either, sadly. Big bucks, the ones I have encountered weren't much better than the other 1911's out there (but $1400 instead of $550 or $650)...Kimber trades on their name these days, rather than their quality. Have owned 2 and both got returned to the shop because they weren't tuned right out of the box and Kimber wasn't terribly interested in fixing them quickly..... and I am not a fan of the Schwartz safety. And it really isn't a 1911-A1...close, but not quite there.
ETA 2: No, a GLOCK trigger isn't faster than a 1911. (maybe for someone who shoots for a living, but few non-professional shooters with GLOCK's can beat me or anyone I shoot with that carries a 1911)....The safety is a part of the draw and doesn't slow anyone with a bit of training down. (A reply to an email where my reply bounced)
I asked precisely the same question of a bunch of shooters recently. The consensus was that the Ruger SR1911 was about the best value for money on the market right now, needing minimal 'tweaking' in order to be ready for service, and offering acceptable quality as well.
ReplyDeletekimber all the way. after 40 years of 1911's, i never would have believed a production gun could run that well, or make me look like a sharpshooter, but it does. kimber is the only one i'll say "expensive, but worth it" about.
ReplyDeleteYou have a little more time on your hands than before, why not build one? Caspian Arms sells really nice stainless parts, and you can build exactly what you want. I think they still sell fitted sets, frame/slide/barrel. And you can get nearly any size, from double stack frame and longslide down to commander size. Even the Essex frames are pretty nice.
ReplyDeleteI was going to warn you off a Kimber - then I saw your comment.
ReplyDeleteSo, replacing something that works, eh? Novel idea.
I'm not current on 1911a, but I lost thousands on 1911s a few years ago... I agree with Peter and og: Ruger has a great reputation right now, and I'd suggest you at least look into your own build. If nothing else, a build would generate tons of great photos for the blog!
I like my Springfield 1911 quite a bit. If you want something close to the original check out their Mil-Spec model.Of course, YMMV.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.springfield-armory.com/1911-series/