I've had/have experience with a number of revolvers and pistols - 17-3 6", Ruger Security Six, PPK, Glocks 17,19,43,34, and my new favorite - a BHP. Looking to get into my first 1911 (45acp) at a reasonable price to start exploring the 1911 world. Any advice looking for a good place to start? I know this is wide open but it would still be great to hear from people with experience. Thanks and Merry Christmas!

depends on your definition of reasonable price but rock island are good for the price they sell for

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Steve

If you're willing to spend a little more,Colt has been cranking out a number of guns in the $700-800 range.Take a look on gunbroker.

IMO the best bargain going is the Ruger SR1911. Sights, thumb safety, and slide lock are a step up from the GI issue and make operation of the pistol much more convenient. It's also a series 70 so you don't have the complication imposed by the firing pin block and trigger lever to make detail stripping a lot more complicated. Next, the detent housing is cast as part of the frame, so no worries about that working loose. Finally while the between frame and slide is a bit on the loose side the barrel to slide fit is quite good so in balance you get very good accuracy in a very very reliable pistol. About the only defect with the Ruger for most shooters is that there is a minor amount of Sear Creep in the trigger, about 0.035 inch total. This means that you can just barely detect the Sear Creep in slow fire but it's' nowhere near what is typical to most striker fired semi auto's. Good news is that if it bothers you enough fixing the problem is as simple as logging on to Brownell's and purchasing an Ed Brown hammer and sear.

Next up the price chain is the Smith and Wesson series E 1911 models. These are also series 70 designs and the positives to the higher cost is a seriously good trigger and a tighter fit between frame and slide. About the only thing I don't like about the S&W is the external extractor, on a 1911 this just doesn't look right to me.

The Springfield Armory Range Officer is an excellent first 1911.

I could have written your post as I have the same guns!

With the 1911, there are approximately 100 manufacturers making them. Some models run into several thousand dollars but I often wonder what is the need, outside of competitive shooting, to pay a premium to put all your bullets into one hole.

Any handgun that can put its bullets into 3" circle at 25 yards is accurate enough for self defense. When the 1911 bug hit me, I bought an S&W 1911 and I'm more than happy with it. It shoots everything reliably, including semi wadcutters which are known for feeding issues. The factory magazines are flawless and I added a Chip McCormack 10 rounder that also functions flawlessly. Best of all, my 1911 cost me about $600.00 but I've had it several years.

I committed 1911 heresy and bought a Rock Island 9mm Tactical. Love it and it is my favorite handgun. Great place to start with a 1911 a if you screw it up, which is hard to do, you aren't out big bucks. Cheap to shoot with as its 9mm vs 45. Only issue is that once you shoot a 1911 all of you striker fired triggers will need 'fixing'.

I own two 1911s. A Colt (about 40 years old) and a Ruger SR 1911. Both are excellent and they both have the same features... so they feel and shoot identical. (The Colt had to be customized at some expense over the years to match what the Ruger came with.) I am carrying the Ruger because it is stainless and it gives the Colt a break from wear. The Ruger is an excellent firearm and is reasonably priced and has all the custom features that I needed. I bought the first one I ever saw. You can spend $7K or more on a custom 1911, there are some great ones out there. The Ruger will do everything the most expensive ones do, it shoots accurately and eats all ammo it has been fed. I am very impressed with Ruger's 1911. Good luck.

I currently own these and a customized Springfield (I might be a bit prejudiced)

Go with a S&W 1911 and get the best 1911 made today for the money.

Below is my ever growing 1911 family. Next one should be here within a week. Depending on your price range, I would look at one of the earlier S&W 1911s. I really like my "Billboard" model and you can find these or other pre E series in the $600-$700 range either locally or on GB. I have friend who swear by the Taurus as an entry level 1911, same for RIA.
Only one I have ever had a problem with is a Para. Had one that ran like a scalded ape and one that was nothing but problems.

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+1 for Springfield Armory RO. Have had mine awhile and it's been 100% reliable, very accurate, and IIRC was around $700 OTD.

I recently posted a thread about my first 1911, A S&W E model. I have to tell you I'm pretty pleased with it. The previous posters have offered some good advice;I wouldn't disagree with any of them. You can spend what you want on a 1911, in either direction. I got a great price on mine because it was a 2014 model, I believe. To me it was a great entry level pistol & a chance to find out if I even like the 1911 platform. As it turns out, I do. Be warned though, A lot of the people that posted in my thread warned me that It would be difficult for me to stop after getting just one. And it seems like it's true: I was looking at a Coonan .357 the other day...I've got to figure out a way to get one of them puppies! Good luck with your decision!

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

My vote would be for a Ruger SR1911 because of combination of quality and price. And like several other good 1911s, it made in America.

It's become a "pattern" gun, after all this time.

Who gets a Ferrari, or Cadillac, as their first car?

IMO, you should get a RIA, or something else inexpensive,

till you figure out what specific features you want.

I own a Springfield and two Kimbers.
If I were to buy one now, it would be a S&W.
I'd avoid Colts, sorry to say. Their quality has been questionable and they may soon be out of business. S&W is a strong company with good customer service.

I have a few Sigs and a Kimber. I think you should take a look at the Sigs. Very happy with mine!

The Desert Eagle 1911's may be worth taking a look at. They, like the Rugers, seem to offer quality at a reasonable price.

I have had some personal experience with 1911 ownership; certainly not as much as some others posting to this thread but I can offer my two cents worth. I buy handguns for the primary purpose of target shooting and prefer stainless steel for its durability and ease of cleaning. 1911s are no exception so I sought out models with an adjustable sight and some target embellishments.

I started with a stainless steel Taurus PT1911 in .45ACP because of all the features it included for about $600. I could not "housebreak" it to eject its empty cases in anything resembling the same direction regardless of how much or how little tension I had on the extractor or the muzzle velocity of the ammo I loaded for it. I had to have the trigger massaged by a gunsmith to make it smoother and lighter as it was rough and heavy. I subsequently found that Taurus' 1911s are not exactly clones - many things about them are different just enough to make aftermarket parts anything but "drop-in." For example, although the Taurus didn't have an adjustable sight, it looked like a good enough bargain that I figured I could always add that sight to it. Wrong - NO ONE, not even Taurus, offers a sight of any kind that will fit the Taurus dovetail and the gun shot four inches below and six inches to the left of the point of aim. I sold it fairly soon.

I then bought a Kimber Stainless Gold Match II in .45ACP and liked it a lot. I bought another one, a Stainless Target II in .38 Super, primarily because it was the only affordable 1911 in that caliber with adjustable sights. It worked well but through a problem with a third Kimber product I learned the hard way that their factory customer service is quite lacking. It took four trips back for warranty service with the gun returned unrepaired for that to sink in.

When the S&W PC1911 with its slotted slide was released, I liked the different look and its external extractor so I bought one in stainless steel. I honestly was spoiled and after the Kimber SGM sat unused in my safe for six months, I sold it. I later decided I should have a dedicated carry gun and didn't take long deciding upon the S&W E-Series 1911Sc in two-tone. It's light, accurate, has a good trigger and comes with Trijicon night sights. It's a great gun and I bought it instead of the PC version of it because the less costly E-Series comes with what I consider better sights for a gun that might someday be used for self-defense.

Finally, I paid some fairly big bucks for a near-new S&W Doug Koenig edition PC1911 in .38 Super and disposed of the Kimber ST.

If I ever buy another 1911, it WILL be an S&W. Sure, you can pay less for a decent gun and then spend the difference or more having it made into what the S&W is out of its box. And if you do that, you could compromise the gun's factory warranty. They come with good triggers, nice fit and finish (the Taurus' stainless steel looks "dirty" in comparison) and they shoot well.

I'm a retired auto dealership service director so service after the sale is hugely important to me and was a turn-off with the Kimbers. The S&W .38 Super came with a fiber-optic front sight that was of a better design than most but I wanted a standard black Patridge for it so I called S&W. They didn't have any in stock but the agent with whom I spoke placed one on order for me at no charge - good service for a gun I bought used.

I called again to ask a question about something I perceived as being "wrong" with my PC gun in .45ACP and was sent a shipping label for it without any arguing. Not long after they received the gun, the actual gunsmith working on it called me to discuss what he thought should be done, which wasn't much as the condition is something that is pretty much normal for a 1911 that was a little more closely-fitted then usual. Personal service in 2015? I'm a believer.

By way of comparison, no one from Kimber ever called me; I had to follow-up with them and every time the gun came back (unrepaired), the shop invoice said, "Replaced small parts." When I called to find out what those parts were, they told me they don't keep such records.

So there's one person's experience with some various 1911s. I hope you find it helpful. Guns are like motorcycles - you can start with the one you really would love to have or buy a less costly one and trade up over time, spending more money in the process than buying the "good" one up front. "Good" ones also hold their value better so if you ever want to sell it, you will be able to do so fairly quickly without taking as much of a financial bath.

Ed

So many 1911s to choose from and in various levels of refinement also. IMHO, one of the best buys is the Remington R1 series of 1911s. Government models with good sights as well as enhanced editions are available in a black finish as well as beautifully finished stainless. They have been offering a $75 rebate recently which makes the deal a bit sweeter. They are built in Illion, NY by people who know how to build a quality 1911. I own one that shoots better than my Colt's ever did.

My first 1911 was this Smith. It is utterly reliable, very accurate, blued, wood stocks, GI guide rod, Novak low mount sights. I believe it was the most basic model S&W made but no longer do. Too bad, I love it.


But I couldn't rest without owning a Colt. Had to get one, so I picked up this series 80. Both have basically the same features; both accurate and look great. Couldn't part with either. Since this S&W model isn't made anymore, I'd suggest you get the Colt.

One thing is for sure, you won't own just one 1911........for long.

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Sure you did

There is really not much you won't like about a 1911 platform. I would recommend to stay away from Taurus or Tissas or any other entry level type 1911. The reason is, once you purchase one and start researching, you WILL get the itch to buy a better level gun as soon as possible.

Be aware (not beware) the Sig and S&W 1911s (and possibly others) will have external extractors, not the original internal extractor design. This is something a lot of traditionalists do not like and won't buy. It's rather like the debate about locks on the newer S&W revolvers; some hate them with a passion, others don't get too worked up about it.

In my opinion external extractors are an improvement over the original internal design, but they don't look traditional. Over the years I've had to "tune" the internal extractors on several of my older 1911s to achieve reliable extraction, and even purchased several of those "bulletproof" aftermarket versions from Wilson Combat. However, the external extractor on my older S&W 1911 never failed to extract anything.

Tradition is a very important thing for many 1911 fans...others not so much.

Colt Series 70. Shoot it for a while then decide what you would like to modify. Makes a great base gun for a build. Welcome to the addiction.

Colt is putting out the best 1911's ever, a have a few of the older ones and a few of the new ones, so no biased opinion here. The fit and finish is amazing....of course there's an exception or two to everything. ymmv

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Sure you did

I currently have 4. Bought a S&W 1911 earlier this month for $625. Close to new. Have not fired it yet. Have a RIA Tactical I, 9mm. A RIA Tactical II, in .40. (really like that) and my 1st new 1911, a Sig. (45) So far, no complaints about any. I started out with an Auto Ordnance. Silly me! It took me a while to get it running right. (it's gone) I do like Desert Eagles, but never had 1. Good luck on your hunt! Bob

A GREAT place to start is with one of these: a Colt 1991A1. You can find these for around $600, used, if you look around. Best of all, it's a Colt, hence very reliable.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/i...11552315_1.jpg



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