Best American Made 1911

[Mad Macs]

You could get a 1911 made in Fort Wayne:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/SB-Firearms/463388923671408

 

[JimfromTrafalgar]

In my opinion, pick up a Wilson Combat. Or, more fun, find an old 70 series Govt. and build from there. Use Kuhnhausen's,[spelling?] manuals as your bible on the subject and you can get any look or action you want from it, within reason. I put an old A-1 hammer and mainspring housing on mine, got a 4.5 lb. pull with a little patience. I did a few other minor things like lower and flare the ejection port, checker the front strap, added a speed bump and a set of thin stag grips. I'm about to give it a good rust blue, just because I like that look, but it's got a neat old timey look to it, and shoots quite well. I think I got a lot more from doing things on my own than I'd ever get from buying one already customized. The front strap checkering is possibly a bit beyond some peoples comfort zone, but the rest only required basic tools and reading skills, combined with a little patience.
Luck,
Jim

 

[JB357Mag]

Colt

Everything else is just a copy!

Jimmy

 

[ftbstrd]

1911s

SIGARMS!!! Like a Colt but Improved!

 

[Wild Deuce]

I understand the OP is asking about an American Made 1911 ... not a custom gun. However, I'm still going to toss a couple names out there that have not been mentioned already:

Jardine's Custom (or the associated Valtro USA)

Volkmann Precision

 

[Hohn]

Is that right? Boy, oh boy. Another "cost-saving", huh? "If it ain't broke, fix it 'till it is."

Just as a point of interest, did you know that guys enlisting in the National Guard prior to 1963 didn't even go to basic training and AIT? They received all of their training OJT-style with their unit. A program was initiated in 1963 called "Reserve Enlistment Program '63" which mandated that all RC enlistees complete RA basic and AIT. They were commonly referred to as "REP-63 trainees". It was only 7 or 8 years ago that the last fellow in my unit (a CW5) retired who had not gone to basic training.

It actually is a big cost savings. The idea is to discourage older soldiers (of higher rank, who draw more pay) from crossing over.

Thus, they keep a younger, lower-ranked average that costs less and is further from retirement age.

 

[Mr Boomer]

It actually is a big cost savings. The idea is to discourage older soldiers (of higher rank, who draw more pay) from crossing over.

Thus, they keep a younger, lower-ranked average that costs less and is further from retirement age.

More savings is in the fact that they no longer have to staff a Blue to Green program but send ppl with the currently formed Basic Training.

 

[Hohn]

That too. ^^ To think, I was approached about doing BTG as a Captain. HA! Capt in the AF for CPT in the Army?

I don't think so.

 

[88E30M50]

I have owned Colt, Sig, Springfield and Kimber 1911s and would have to give the nod to the Sig as the best production built 1911 made in the US out of those. Kimber would come in second, with Colt third. I'm not sure if Springfield qualifies since I think most of their guns are imported. I don't have the means to play in the $1000 up arena, but up to that point it seems that the Sigs have the best fit of the slide. The beavertail fitment is not great though. The Kimbers are top notch, but the aluminum framed ones seem to have a crappy finish. The Colts are great too, but mine had a couple of issues and the finish was not great.

Note, I'm only speaking from what I've experienced. There may be other decent sub $1k out there, but these are what I've owned.

 

[cfl4rat]

You could get a 1911 made in Fort Wayne:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/SB-Firearms/463388923671408

Never heard of them, do you have one of their 1911's?

 

[Tombs]

No experience with wilson but I'd not have a second thought on one.

Wonder if 10-8 still makes guns? If they do, they'd likely be my top choice.


Either way, a 1911 has its quirks and has to be well understood, and usually worked on a bit, before it's totally 100% good to go. I've never seen a 1911 out of box that ran 100%.

After tweaking my kimbers a bit, I've had no issues with them, but out of box they were problematic.

 

[JB357Mag]

I've never seen a 1911 out of box that ran 100%.

After tweaking my kimbers a bit, I've had no issues with them, but out of box they were problematic.

Never had a Colt I see.

Jimmy

 

[warren5421]

I would look at Les Baer, Ed Brown, or Colt (not in the same league as Baer or Brown). Low end I would look at the Colt XSE. High end I would look at a Ed Brown Signature Edition. NightHawk makes a nice custom 1911. There are several good 1911 gunsmiths out there that would put together a excellent custom 1911 with all the bells and whistles. The amount of money you have to spend is the limit to what 1911 you can end up with.

 

[palerider0485]

out of the box, probuly a kimber.

 

[digitalphoenix]

The best American made 1911? The one that I'm shooting usually.