First 1911.. the good and the bad!

[WebSnyper]

I'm not a 1911 guy myself but will ask the same question I would ask if someone stated they had their mind dead set on a particular modification, etc.

Other than having a replica gun for use on the range, etc, do you have a specific purpose you want the gun to serve? If the purpose is just that, a replica gun, that is not a bad purpose, just checking to see if you have intention to shoot competitions, carry it, nightstand gun, etc. The purpose may help the folks here tell you which of those modifications may be more desired, less desired, more or less functional, which should be prioritized, etc.

 

[OutdoorsGuy]

Dean Crail,

To piggy back on the comment & for someone simply looking for a 1911 should I still pursue a Colt or would Kimber & SS do just as well? Maybe most own a Colt due to its history.

 

[88E30M50]

Dean Crail,

To piggy back on the comment & for someone simply looking for a 1911 should I still pursue a Colt or would Kimber & SS do just as well? Maybe most own a Colt due to its history.

I own Colts and Kimbers and while I do think that the Kimbers tend to be pricey for what you get, I also think (based on the sample of the two I've owned) they are better 1911s than a base model Colt. Both of my Colts have had out of spec issues that I've needed to buy parts to address. The barrel bushing on the DE was loose and the sear was out of spec. The 9mm Colt I picked up last December looks like it has a .45 extractor in it. The extractor that it was delivered with will not allow a 9mm round to contact the breech face and will not hold a round in place. I had one FTE to date and have to wonder how it's extracted anything. Simple fix, but still not what I'd expect from a new production gun.

 

[churchmouse]

Dean Crail,

To piggy back on the comment & for someone simply looking for a 1911 should I still pursue a Colt or would Kimber & SS do just as well? Maybe most own a Colt due to its history.

Dean will of course have an opinion on this and I would like to here it as well.

I will never own another Kimber for any one of several reasons we have all covered in other threads. No knock what so ever on any Kimber owners. If you own the and like them good on you.
Colts the same thing. Just way to many issues with the newer offering's. Again, if you own and love a Colt good on you. JMHO of course.

You can do better for the price points.

 

[Dean C.]

Dean Crail,

To piggy back on the comment & for someone simply looking for a 1911 should I still pursue a Colt or would Kimber & SS do just as well? Maybe most own a Colt due to its history.

Stay away from Kimber, I don't care what anyone has to say about them that company is garbage. Had a "stainless" TLE II that rusted in my gun safe, now tell me why would that gun rust while a carbon steel Colt Python from the 70's be 100% fine (and the Python had been in the safe much longer with both pistols being cleaned in the same manner)?

Now current Colts are somewhat lacking IMHO as I outline in this post as my Colt M45A1 is definetly not on the level a $1700 Custom Shop gun should be

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/408552-colt-marine-pistol-*small-review*.html

Though the examples of Colt Competition Pistols and a Colt Combat Unit Rail Gun I have seen here in the last year appeared very nice and well put together. Generally speaking I believe that Springfield Armory puts out the most consistently good 1911 on the market at the ~$800 price point but honestly after the Illinois incident that company is dead to me unfortunately. At this point my general advice is if you are in the ~$1000 range try to get your hands on a Colt Competition Pistol and cherry pick the best one of the bunch. If you can bump the budget up to ~$1400 Dan Wesson is the only choice in that price range as I firmly believe dollar for dollar they make the best 1911's out there.

(Kimber TLE II Rusting)


https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/371475-review-dan-wesson-eco-45-acp.html

(Direct comparison between a Dan Wesson and a Kimber micro 1911)

I just realized I made a detailed list for a runner, reminded me why I don't care about people with less than 50 posts and brand new accounts.

 

[vangurley]

Is this the ‘Scott Collins’, from NPCCC? My PCC brother?