1911 .45 acp anyone?

[DMTWI]

I'm likin the looks of the Springfield Armory lightweight operator....prices seem to be a couple hundred less for the 4'' barrel model vs the 5''...could go either way on that one though....

[Jonas@Balls2TheWall]

If you have never shot one before I would strongly suggest you go out and shoot one before you buy it, although beautiful they are not for everyone. If you plan on carrying I strongly suggest you look into the many other offerings that might fit better. Some of the more famous examples would be Glock's, XD's, M&P's, etc. I tell you this because I remember when I first got into handguns I too wanted a 1911, that is until I shot other guns. Now my favorite handgun is by far the CZ 75, IMO there is no better ergonomics in the pistol world. I shoot 1911's a lot because my shooting buddy has a ton of them, sure they are fun to shoot and good looking but imo they dont fit the hand right and are a pain to carry all day. HTH and good luck with your decision.

[JohnNJ]

I highly recommend Clark Custom Guns in Louisiana.

http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/index.htm

His guns will make you a better shooter. I purchased .45's from his Dad for competition and my scores improved significantly.

[Strick]

more of a g30 kinda person

Like your thinking there. That's what i carry but back to 1911s, Springfield for the price and Kimber or Wilson Combat if you want to spend some bucks. I made some inexpensive mods to the Springfield I have and it's a solid accurate shooter...

[Quikcobra]

Basspro has a deal now its only 700 for a new one. Im getting a judge this week with a 6" barrel but this will be on the X-mas list for sure...

Have you tried to stop by a range and see if they offer the rentals? Some ranges I go to will allow you to rent a caliper of gun and buy their ammo for it but you can change the gun with no added fee. Then you can shot a few and pick the brand you like.

[John Marker]

As a gun enthusiast and a gunsmith, I would recommend the 1911 to anyone that has an interest in them. As others have stated before, prices vary greatly, as does the features and quality of each price range. I also suggest shooting one prior to purchasing, to ensure that you will actually enjoy shooting the firearm.

All of the brands that have been mentioned have their pros and cons, normally it is an direct relationship between price and features/quality. The higher the price, the more features and/or higher quality the firearm will be, generally speaking of course. Even though you spend lots it is still possible to have a lemon out of the box. I have worked on a couple of brand new $2000.00+ guns that just didn't work correctly. Every manufacture is capable of producing lemon!

One thing to remember with 1911's is that no matter which one you purchase, unless it is a full custom build to your specifications, you will eventually want to change something on the pistol. This may be as simple as a new set of sights, to a trigger job, or even as much as replacing most of the parts and making it into a competition pistol. The sky, your imagination, and your pocket book are the only limits when it comes to customizing your 1911.

Personally I have owned Colts, Brolin Arms, and Kimber brands. I have enjoyed all three. The Brolin Arms was just a range gun, I did minimal modifications to it, trigger job, adjustable sights, and a full length guide rod. The Kimber is my carry gun, trigger job, night sights, slim grips, bobtail conversion, and a meltdown treatment to the frame and slide. The Colt was a full competition gun, when I was done the only parts that were Colt were the frame and slide. All shot better than I can.

In addition to my own, I have shot/tuned/fixed Springfield Armory's, Thompson's (before Khar), Wilson's, Ed Brown's, Colt's, Kimber's, Essex's, Llama's,STI's, SVI's' Para Ordnance's, and probably a few others that I cannot think of off the top of my head. I would suggest spending at the upper limits of your budget initially to get the best quality gun that you can. I have found this to be the most satisfying for my customers in the long run.

Good luck with your decision!

John

[sho220]

Love my Springfield...

[hut8822]

I have a springfeild XDm .40 that i love.It has the same butt saftey on the grip as a 1911 as well as a glock style trigger saftey.It is a well balanced gun and shoots great for me.
I love a 1911 but to me it`s not a very good carry gun and they are a little expensive just for a range gun.
go to budsgunshop.com there are great deals on any gun and you can see pics and what other people think about the guns they bought.

[sho220]

I have a springfeild XDm .40 that i love.It has the same butt saftey on the grip as a 1911 as well as a glock style trigger saftey.It is a well balanced gun and shoots great for me.
I love a 1911 but to me it`s not a very good carry gun and they are a little expensive just for a range gun.
go to budsgunshop.com there are great deals on any gun and you can see pics and what other people think about the guns they bought.

The XDm's are great guns. I have an XDm-9...fun to shoot. A little more snap than the 1911...

[hut8822]

The XDm's are great guns. I have an XDm-9...fun to shoot. A little more snap than the 1911...

Most deff got a little more kick than a 1911, but at the same time they`re about 20oz lighter to.they are good guns but i thinkin about a little sig .380! I want something i can put in my pocket.I`m tired of carrying big a** guns around. Will never get rid of the XD though.