I am in the market for an entry level model 1911 - .45. Just want something to play with at the range. I do not have a 1911, and want one... boys and their toys!

First off, I know you often get what you pay for, and I do not want to pay for a Kimber, Springfield, Wilson Custom, etc. While I would love to have one of each, its not what I need right now.

I also have several other good guns, Rugers, Colts, Glocks, etc. These all have a purpose, from Conceal Carry (not here in IL yet ! ) to Hunting.

I have looked at several web sites and hear some good and bad about each. What do you have, and what do you think. If you have bought one recently, how much and where, etc. I am looking at the Tarus PT1911, Rock Island Match, STI Spartan, and a few others.

Thanks!

Ken

 

...about how much do you want to spend?.....

 

400 - 600 give or take a little... I know the Tarus came out about a year ago at 399 and has went up about 100 since...

 

A guy we occasionally ride and shoot with has a Taurus 1911 and loves it. He said he shoots it all the time and he hasn't had any problems with it. Made me think about picking one up.

 

Taurus would be my pick if it was cost item.I just bought a new Springfield XD 45 acp,man does that thing pop a cap! I bought it for the hi-cap. mag. and it fits my hand as well as the 1911. Great bargain for 535.00,two mags and a holster......I haven't heard anything but good about the Taurus...should be able to pick one up reasonable....

 

1911, great gun. Springfield Armory makes a "mil spec" 1911 that is for all intents and purposes is like what was issued in the military in WWII. Parkerized, etc. They run around $500 here in Okla. Another option is to purchase a used 1911. As long as your frame and slide are in good shape, everything else on a 1911 is easily replaced/upgraded. Also, if you can find one, an Argentinian model 1927 is an exact copy of a 1911. I think the story goes that Colt sold some of their old equipment to the Argentine gov't and the 1927 was born. They're a surplus item and if you look around you can find one for around $350. My personal experience is to avoid the AMT hardballer, Colt series 80, and anything Taurus. I know many people will swear by them, but that's just my experience. Personally, I would go ahead and spend $600 and buy a mid-level Springfield. Oh, just remembered, if you're wanting to go pretty inexpensive, consider a Llama. Regardless of what type of 1911 you buy, get some good magazines for it. Wilson Combat or Chip McCormick have worked well for me.

toe

 

Definitely price up a used Colt. Hard to go wrong there.

I still have my dad's 1911 that he carried in China when we were arguing with Japan. It's a Colt. He bought it in S.F. (for the princely sum of $50) before he shipped out, as he said what the army was handing out back then was of dubious quality. This one has lost a lot of blueing, but it's still fairly tight, still shoots great. The old Colt produced 1911's hold up very well. He taught me how to field strip it when I was 8 years old. I was so proud... of course, I later realized that a trained monkey could field strip a 1911.

Oh, he had a M1 Thompson, too, but he had to give that back. Darn it.

 

If you are just looking for a 45auto that is not exactly a 1911 look a like. You might try a Hi-point 45ACP. They will not win any beauty contests but the one I have shoots better than my friends Springfield Armory 45auto. At least its not as picky on ammo and is more accurate. Not to mention the fact that you can find them for less than $150 if you look around.

When I first got it my friend about laughed his head off. The first day at the range it chewed through 500 rounds of hand loaded ammo with no jams of troubles. His Springfield 45auto had 5 stovepipes with HIS handloads. The following week we tried one box of Fiochi, American arm and Remington 230gr FMJ in each gun and his jammed once the Hi-point zero. He has now turned to the dark side and is a believer as am I.

SJ

 

For the money, the Taurus is tough to beat. I think it is the hands down winner in bang for the buck. Get some Wilson mags and have fun.

I had a Spfd Mil-Spec. Couldn't hit a thing with it. It wasn't the gun was inaccurate, it was that the Mil-Spec sights are so tiny, I couldn't see them well enough to hit anything. It wasn't just me either. Some of my shooting buddies with much younger eyes couldn't hit with it either.

It has had a complete makeover since and most things replaced. But the frame, slide, Barrel, barrel bushing, and link are still the originals. It shoots very accurately now that it has good sights on it.

So if you consider a Mil-SPec, at least consider having some good sights installed or you won't want to shoot it. And once you do that, you will have more than the price of the loaded Taurus already in it.

Craig

 

OK good so it wasn't just me either.

I had a really difficult time shooting one of those myself. I just couldn't get the sights to work with my eyeballs. I kept messing with my glasses, taking off my shooting glasses, switching shooting glasses and I finally took my shooting glasses off and shot with just my regular glasses.

Guess we're all spoiled by those big tritium sights on our pistols now.