New 1911 ?

[SheffieldPD380]

I use to conduct a 1911 for Law Enforcement Course at the Department I use to work for. The last class I did the course for them, had 2 Springers, 1 Colt and 3 Taurus 1911s. I hate to say it but the Taurus 1911 did not have any malfunctions during the course.

Now with that being said, would I carry a Taurus 1911 on duty, no. However, I woul probably own one.

As far as the S&W 1911s, I bought my wife a 1911PD railed the day she graduated from the academy 5 years ago. I carried for 3 years as a duty gun. Never had any problems with it.

She also has a Springfield Trophy Match and the S&W will keep up with it as far as accuracy.

During a recent class, we had a student that had a brand new Kimber. I believe it was a TLE. He had some problems with it. After taking it apart, I observed some bad machine marks inside the slide. This is not taking anything away from Kimber, they build a great gun, I am just wondering if they are rolling them out so fast that quality control is slipping.

 

[J. W.]

During a recent class, we had a student that had a brand new Kimber. I believe it was a TLE. He had some problems with it. After taking it apart, I observed some bad machine marks inside the slide. This is not taking anything away from Kimber, they build a great gun, I am just wondering if they are rolling them out so fast that quality control is slipping.

JMO, but I think they've got too many irons in the fire and their QC suffers due to it. Kimber would be far ahead to cut back to a half dozen or so different models and concentrate on building them well.

I really loved my Pro TLE. Very nice gun with front strap checkering and night sights for less than $1k. Pretty much any comparable model from another manufacture sells for $200 - $300 more. Unfortunately, it would inexplicably 3 point jam (regardless of mags) once or twice every couple hundred rounds. Never could get it straightened out, so I traded it for a Colt XSE Commander.




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[jem450r]

You must have taken this photo prior to the extensive shooting that allowed you to form your opinion of its reliability. It sure doesn't look well used.

Emory

What should i do NOT clean it? Throw it in the dirt and leave it caked on? It gets scrubbed down anytime a round goes through it, as all my guns do... All of my guns look like they did the day i bought them.

 

[M29since14]

The one and only thing S&W does wrong with their 1911 is the external extractor imo. It looks just wrong...

Yeah, undeniably, does look un-1911ish, but they work great.

I am not so sure that is the only thing they do wrong. S&W does seem to make a nice, straight gun. My S&W .45s have all kinds of clearance in areas where I would prefer they were a bit tighter, but they shoot well enough anyway. I guess that's a good combination, but what I am not so sure about with my guns is the barrel. In two of my guns - and in others I have seen - the barrels are not very pretty. Yes, the guns shoot reasonably well, but you have to wonder if they wouldn't shoot better with a nice, smooth barrel. Lots of tool chatter by the rifling tool right in front of the chamber area. At least the barrels are not ECM'd!

 

[Macinudo]

I'll ad my two cents worth to the fray. I just bought a S&W Performance Center bobtail 1911 and it is fantastic! I was going to get the 1911sc originally, but the store had the PC too, so after spending about 45 mins comparing I went with the PC. Both are very solid pistols and well put together, but the PC pistol is bank vault tight (and beautiful). Shoots like a semi custom gun should, most shots touching. All for about $1500, not to bad. I also have a Taurus PT1911, and it has been a really nice gun. Very reliable and one if the most accurate pistols I own.

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[K-9]

I think everyone's QC has been slipping for awhile now.

 

[Ironhand]

I like mine.

 

[416rigby]

100 years old and never misses a lick!

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New barrel, link, pin and bushing. Has been my carry and shoot for fun gun for years. Colt built this one right.

This one was in the first order shipped to the gov, 1913.

 

[scruffy]

I've had 2 new Colt's (O1991 & O1091) and 1 Remington (R1).

This S&W E-Series is the only new 1911 I've owned that did not need to be returned to the factory to fix major QC issues. At $980 it is a good value given the numerous features that come standard on a non PC production gun.

 

[AveragEd]

I'm reading this thread with interest as I am about to buy another 1911 but in 38 Super this time. I wanted an S&W but it seems that the only "nice" stainless steel target-grade 1911 in that chambering is the Kimber Stainless Target II.

But I'm okay with that as I already have a Kimber Stainless Gold Match II in .45ACP. My S&W-trained gunsmith to whom I have my online purchases shipped owns nothing but Kimber 1911s and showed me several points of quality about mine when he received it. Yes, I think they may not be the guns they were in the Oregon days and their quality may have slipped a little due to higher production levels these days but they still turn out a nice gun. And I had to use their service for help with the Kimber Rimfire Conversion Kit I bought for the .45 and while the problems could not be corrected, the turnaround time was prompt.

I both cannot afford and prefer not to spend the kind of money the really "good" 1911s cost. And being a casual paper-puncher, all that goodness wouldn't be of much benefit to me anyway.

I have perhaps 1,000 rounds of target-level .45ACP handloads through my Kimber and it hasn't exhibited any Schwarz safety-related or feeding problems. It feeds 200-grain round-nose lead bullets and the 185-grain lead semi-wadcutter I use the most flawlessly. And it politely tosses its empties in the same direction, right into my shell catcher's net. My gunsmith attributes that to good slide-barrel-bushing fit.

On the other hand, there are the cheaper 1911s and I have had some experience with the Taurus PT1911 - two of them, in fact. Thinking that $600 for a feature-laden stainless steel 1911 was too good to pass up, my son and I each bought one.

We both had to have the hatefully stiff and rough triggers worked on. My gun shot pretty much to point of aim but my son's shoots low and left and the sights have no elevation adjustment. No problem, I thought, I'll just buy him an adjustable rear sight for his birthday. Well, NO ONE - not even Taurus - makes an adjustable sight that will fit into the Taurus dovetail.

There are other areas where the Taurus 1911 isn't a "true" 1911. Their ambidextrous safety lever is so thick that grip panels relieved for one still won't fit onto the gun without some carpentry work. And that's after you modify them to fit Taurus' slightly further apart grip screw bushings and larger screw heads. Their stainless steel looks "dirty" and their non-glare finish on the top of the slide and elsewhere feels like sandpaper compared to my Kimber's. They throw their empty brass everywhere, even out onto the range. I could go on but you get the idea. In fairness, both guns always went "bang" and they deliver a lot of features for the money just as Kimber does in their price range.

I do wish S&W made their target-grade 1911 in 38 Super. I'd love to try one.

Ed

 

[M29since14]

I do wish S&W made their target-grade 1911 in 38 Super. I'd love to try one.

As an old .38 Super shooter from way back when, I can only add, "Me too!"

Don't confuse yourself on the benefits of a good gun. Believe me, I am probably the most average of average paper punchers and I shoot my Les Baer Premier II .45 about twice as well as I shoot a plain-Jane .45, even though my plain-Jane models are pretty darned good guns themselves. Unless you are just a terrible shot, a really good gun IS worth the money if you are serious about hitting what you are aiming at. Take the chance and try one.

 

[Daviscc]

I have a S&W 9MM Pro Series 1911, Ruger SR1911, and a Sig 1911 so I am sort of partial to 1911's. Just feel good in my hand.

 

[Nframecollector]

I agree with JJEH........I don't like the external extractor on the S&W 1911. I just traded for a Para GI expert today in stainless. Pretty much a series 70. I have 5 1911's at the moment. Including a Ruger and a Remington, a Colt, a metro arms and an ATI. Besides collecting N frames I also like 1911's!

 

[Nframecollector]

Actually 6 counting the Para!

 

[GypsmJim]

I have my Dad's commercial Colt 1911 from circa 1924. (Not a 1911 A1, but a REAL 1911). It shoots flawlessly, but isn't real accurate. I have a 1927 Argentine Colt made on Colt machinery. Flawless as well, but slightly more accurate. My 1970 vintage Gold Cup is even more flawless, and the accuracy is outstanding.

Now, having said that about 10 years ago I bought a Charles Daly 1911, that was all tricked out with the stuff that Kimber puts on. Bought it even though the chat at the time was that it was junk. Turned out it is the best 1911 I own, from all measures, and it cost about 1/3 what a Kimber was going for at the time.

I shoot Dad's most of the time, just to have him with me. But my Daly is the one I shoot to blow out the bullseye.

Go figure...