[WaltGraham]

I know this has been asked ad infinitum, but I was just queried recently, and of course the answer is a moving target.

What's the best buy in a box stock gubmint model currently?

There are a bunch of options and a friend wants to narrow the field.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Walt, you of all people should know that there ain't no such thing as "best" !

Does he want a GI type or the current standard?

 

[WaltGraham]

Walt, you of all people should know that there ain't no such thing as "best" !

Does he want a GI type or the current standard?

Ok, let me correct my sloppy phrasing:

What's the best option in a not awful to shoot 1911 currently (decent trigger and sights sans a trip to the gunsmith).

I reckon you'd call that your current standard.

And actually, my gun is the best...

 

[Retmsgt.]

Walt, depends on what he wants to spend; In no particular order.

UNDER $800.00
RIA
Remington
Ruger

$800.00-$1200.00
Colt
Kimber
Springfield

$1200.00 and up
Ed Brown
Les Baer
Nighthawk Custom
Wilson Combat

 

[Charlie Petty]

Good answer sarge... I was just pulling Walt's chain a bit

 

[WaltGraham]

Good answer sarge... I was just pulling Walt's chain a bit

Say it ain't so...

Thanks, guys, I'll pass this on.

 

[Retmsgt.]

No problem Walt. Problem is, there're alot of nice guns in each price-range.

 

[WaltGraham]

No problem Walt. Problem is, there're alot of nice guns in each price-range.

Understood, I just wanted to pass on some general recommendations from a knowledgeable source.

I've been fortunate enough to buy some of the nicer guns I own from private individuals and kind of knew what I was getting in advance.

 

[SpecialEd]

Don't forget to take a look at the Taurus.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Good point... I have one of the very early ones and it is just fine. Haven't seen any recent production though.

 

[HankB]

$800.00-$1200.00
Colt
Kimber
Springfield

Don't have one myself, but from what I've seen, in this price range I'd look real hard at an S&W 1911 . . .

 

[Skeptic49]

$800.00-$1200.00
Colt
Kimber
Springfield

Don't have one myself, but from what I've seen, in this price range I'd look real hard at an S&W 1911 . . .

A couple of folks I know looked at the S&W then bought SIG. I haven't tried either, too rich for my wallet.

Geoff
Who is poor and getting economically more challenged by the day. Sigh.

 

[Retmsgt.]

Lotta problems showing up lately on the boards with Taurus' PT1911. As for S&W, most don't like the external extractor. For all the success the Europeans have with it in 9mm, it's not so much so with the much larger 45ACP case. People are starting to report problems with it. Plus, you can only get replacement parts from S&W, no aftermarket offerings.

 

[Charlie Petty]

most don't like the external extractor. .. People are starting to report problems with it.

I really wonder how many "problems" are real vs how many that happen because somebody doesn't like it. I have had four or five since they started making them and have yet to have any extractor problems. I confess that none of them got to really high round counts but most of the time parts failures occur early on so if they get past the first 500-1000 rounds they'll probably last forever.

Yes, you can only get a replacement from S&W, but how often do you need one?

 

[HankB]

. . . A couple of folks I know looked at the S&W then bought SIG . . .

I heard SIG was having trouble with their 1911s . . . at least the early ones.

 

[William R. Moore]

I really wonder how many "problems" are real vs how many that happen because somebody doesn't like it. ........Yes, you can only get a replacement from S&W, but how often do you need one?

Lesse now, IIRC, I broke one 1911 extractor in 40 odd years. Been using various external extractor guns since 1985 including several S&W with beau-coup rounds. The only extractor issue I can recall was on my issue 1006 and that was a spring issue, not the extractor itself. Once our armorer replaced the extractor & spring, never had any further problems. And, as previously noted, those problems were evident out of the box.

I have to wonder how many "extractor" problems are due to inadequate cleaning. I mentioned this on the M&P forum a year or so ago and there were a raft of following posts about "Gee, I cleaned the extractor area and now I don't have issues."

 

[Charlie Petty]

Good points...

I may be the world's worst when it comes to cleaning guns because other than my service pistol which was always squeaky clean... I clean the guns I shoot a lot a couple of times a year whether they need it or not. One of the operations is to pass a toothbrush under the extractor of a pistol or the star on a revolver.

I was at S&W when they introduced the 1911 and somebody asked why the external extractor... the answer... not precisely quoted was... we've been doing it that way since 1948 don't you think we've figured it out by now...

my problem is that I usually only see one or two of any new model and while I try to shoot around 500 rounds through a pistol that isn't always practical or possible. what I'd like to hear is first hand observations from someone who sees a lot of guns every day

 

[Skeptic49]

Ah well to the range this morning with my ancient S70 MK IV, funny I don't see any desperate need for a new 1911 pattern pistol.

Geoff
Who had the trigger worked to 4.5 lbs MilSpec, years ago and it's held that for over 20 years, and recently Novak fiber optic sights machined into the slide.

 

[Tim Burke]

I was at S&W when they introduced the 1911 and somebody asked why the external extractor... the answer... not precisely quoted was... we've been doing it that way since 1948 don't you think we've figured it out by now...

I haven't heard any hue and cry over the S&W external extractors (unlike the Kimber). However, I have to think there was at least some theoretical issue with them, as the newly introduced E-series guns have had a redesign of the external extractor. My personal experience with the S&W, while limited, has all been favorable.

 

[Skeptic49]

According to "hearsay" evidence from one of the bigger shops in Jacksonville, FL, S&W 1911 quality has been a bit spotty. They inspect them all and send some past their resident smith before they put them out for sale. My source also says they check the Taurus guns carefully before they put them out.

Geoff
Who notes one heavy shooter just bought a Rock Island 9mm 1911 tactical and has been pleased out of the box.