First time buyer (1911)

[bwprestr]

If you're looking for a quality 1911 in .45ACP in the price range of $600 to $700. Then I recommend you take a good serious look at the Rock Island line of weapons. A lot of people prefer the high end 1911's and that's ok if you have the budget to back up the purchase price. But for "Joe average shooter" that wants a realiable weapon that goes boom every time, all the time you can't beat RIA. Take a look down the mkain forum page and you'll find a whole topic forum devoted to the RIA. I have one and have run several hundred rounds through it and ahe yet to have a problem.

[twitchn1911]

Look at Taurus for your 1911. I have one in 9mm and I really like it and ammo is a lot cheaper. If you can find .45 acp for not much more than 9mm then go with the .45, but I think you will like the 1911 with 9mm for what your looking for.

[robmkivseries70]

STI FTW http://www.brazoscustom.com/sti_guns/sti_spartan.htm


OR http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ARTAN+9MM+10RD

[TN.Frank]

If you want to jump in and learn how to reload your own ammo and cast your own bullets you can load up a box of 50 rounds of 45acp for about $2.80 depending on primer and powder costs.
My Commander size 1911 is a down right pleasure to shoot, especially when compared to my Airweight 642 J-Frame, that thing has a pretty snappy recoil to it even with standard pressure 158gr loads.

[CountryUgly]

Buy a Rock Island.

[atluu]

Originally Posted by TN.Frank

If you want to jump in and learn how to reload your own ammo and cast your own bullets you can load up a box of 50 rounds of 45acp for about $2.80 depending on primer and powder costs.
My Commander size 1911 is a down right pleasure to shoot, especially when compared to my Airweight 642 J-Frame, that thing has a pretty snappy recoil to it even with standard pressure 158gr loads.

I'll take a look at the RIA. Are there any other good quality 1911, in the $700 price range?

[FreeMan]

Originally Posted by TN.Frank

If you want to jump in and learn how to reload your own ammo and cast your own bullets you can load up a box of 50 rounds of 45acp for about $2.80 depending on primer and powder costs.
My Commander size 1911 is a down right pleasure to shoot, especially when compared to my Airweight 642 J-Frame, that thing has a pretty snappy recoil to it even with standard pressure 158gr loads.

Frank, Hope I'm not threadjumping too much here but I've always thought it would be nice to load my own ammo. I don't know anything about it. Would you have any suggestions for how to get started? Thanks,

[atluu]

So, after reviews and research. I have decided that my budget will be able to fit either a new or used Kimber custom II. Most likely used if in a great condition OR a RIA 1911, not sure which one yet.

What do you guys think?

[JBright]

If your looking for a 1911 "Black Gun" in your price range for a decent first gun check out the Para Ordinance GI Expert. Its a very affordable gun that will even come in under your budget. That will give you some room for mods and ammo if you like. Its not the greatest gun on the market but i will def suit your needs and is all black. That would be my decision if i were in your shoes.

[atluu]

Originally Posted by JBright

If your looking for a 1911 "Black Gun" in your price range for a decent first gun check out the Para Ordinance GI Expert. Its a very affordable gun that will even come in under your budget. That will give you some room for mods and ammo if you like. Its not the greatest gun on the market but i will def suit your needs and is all black. That would be my decision if i were in your shoes.

wow perfect gun I wanted. Do you own this gun? How does this compare to the Kimber Custom II, which is $200 more than the Para Ordinance.

[TEA]

The Springfield Milspec is in your price range.

http://www.jetguns.com/springfield-1...cp-pf-261.html

You could also probably get a Springfield Range Officer (entry level match pistol) or Springfield Loaded for under $700 if you look around.

Personally, I'd save up a bit more for a Colt if I were you. But then, I like Colts.

I also like wood grips. Grips, though, are easy to change out and you can buy a pair of black rubber grips for pretty cheap.

[TEA]

Originally Posted by robmkivseries70

STI FTW http://www.brazoscustom.com/sti_guns/sti_spartan.htm


OR http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ARTAN+9MM+10RD

Aren't the Spartans built on Armscor frames and slides, same as the RIA?

[atluu]

Originally Posted by TEA

The Springfield Milspec is in your price range.

http://www.jetguns.com/springfield-1...cp-pf-261.html

You could also probably get a Springfield Range Officer (entry level match pistol) or Springfield Loaded for under $700 if you look around.

Personally, I'd save up a bit more for a Colt if I were you. But then, I like Colts.

I also like wood grips. Grips, though, are easy to change out and you can buy a pair of black rubber grips for pretty cheap.

Wow I like that SA milspec.

So far on my list:

Kimber Custom II
SA milspec
Para Ordinance GI Expert

I've read alot of reviews about the SA RO, but I have yet to see any pricing on it. Would you please link me to it?

[JBright]

Originally Posted by atluu

wow perfect gun I wanted. Do you own this gun? How does this compare to the Kimber Custom II, which is $200 more than the Para Ordinance.

A para was actually my first 1911. I own a sprinfield trophy match and a wilson combat now so its kinda hard to compare a para to those guns. The para was a very good beginner gun and will do more than you need it too. Iv never owned a kimber but from what i understand from the guys at my local gun shop (who were a huge distributer for kimber) is that the quality of kimber has gone WAY down and they have stopped carrying them all around. So i would steer clear IMO. All you want is a good looking 1911 to go to the range and have some fun with. Get the para its very affordable and will make a great gun. Later on if you want to explore more in the gun world then check somthing else out. Imo para is your best bet.

[atluu]

Originally Posted by JBright

A para was actually my first 1911. I own a sprinfield trophy match and a wilson combat now so its kinda hard to compare a para to those guns. The para was a very good beginner gun and will do more than you need it too. Iv never owned a kimber but from what i understand from the guys at my local gun shop (who were a huge distributer for kimber) is that the quality of kimber has gone WAY down and they have stopped carrying them all around. So i would steer clear IMO. All you want is a good looking 1911 to go to the range and have some fun with. Get the para its very affordable and will make a great gun. Later on if you want to explore more in the gun world then check somthing else out. Imo para is your best bet.

Thanks for the info, how's the SA range officer? I know its a entry gun, but is it too much for a beginner?

[mikaelo]

Originally Posted by chrysanthemum

9mm 1911s requires tweaking in order to run really well in a gun designed for the 45acp cartridge. The main "tweak" is what's called a ramped barrel. But the 9mm 1911s also tend to be more demanding in regard to the "correct" lubrication and matching of ammo to the recoil spring. For example, many off the shelf 9mm loads are rather weak ... they're designed for polymer guns, not the much stronger 1911. And if the ammo is too weak to make the slide cycle properly, then all kind of problems will result. Once you become familiar with all of this, there's nothing wrong with having a 1911 in 9mm; they'll save on ammo cost and offer lighter recoil on the range.

Most 9mm 1911s uses ramped barrels, so it's not like you have to make that tweak. My 9mm Kimber Pro Carry II (i got a stainless w/ alloy frame for carry weight, but its also available in black.

Kimber tend to have 1 - 5 FTFs in the fist 100-100rds as they are pretty tight from the factory, but after that tend to be quite reliable. I have had 3 FTF during my 2 first range session, and nothing since. I now have 2391 round through it and I have shot 115gr round nose Federals and steel cased Tulammo, 147gr FJMs, 135gr JHPs and still haven't found any ammo that it have any problems with. I have done absolutely no tweaks, unless you count leaving my magazines loaded.

From the people I know, who owns or have owned Kimbers, none have had anything bad to say about their guns, quite the opposite. I also have a RIA Tactical in .45 and have shot a few different 1911s as well. If I could only have one(BTW one you have one, you will want to get more), I would pick my Kimber. If I would shoot the RIA .45 as much as I shoot the Kimber 9mm, I would have easily have spent the difference in ammo cost. I just find the Kimber 9mm to be my favorite pistol and I shoot it more than any gun I own, save my .22s (my current toy of choice is a Mark III hunter).

[JBright]

Originally Posted by atluu

Thanks for the info, how's the SA range officer? I know its a entry gun, but is it too much for a beginner?

No its a great gun i love my springer. The reason i sugested the para is the the price. If you want to step it up your going to pay for it. The RO is gonna run you a few hundred more than the para.

[royal barnes]

I would stay away from any Para pistols at least for now. Para's quality dipped pretty low after the move to the states and the company was on the ropes when purchased by Cerberus. I would wait and see if there will still even be a Para after the dust settles. Remington R1, Auto Ordnance mil spec, and a good used Colt are all within your price range. The Kimbers are usually trouble free in their 5" barrel lengths. All these pistols are American made if that makes a difference.

P.S. A 1911 in 9mm is a waste of good steel

[hardscrabble]

You're doing good asking a lot of questions. You're obviously very interested and you want to learn. You're getting good advice. I'd just add this caution or two.

I know that part of the appeal of a 1911 is that they "look cool". I get it. They do look cool. But just take a moment and think about how you're looking at your decision. I read all your posts, and it looks to me like you are basing your decision on: you want a 1911, you want it to be black and you want it to cost around $600. Would you buy a car that way? (Yeah...some do, but it's a poor way to end up satisfied.)

Stop just a minute and think about what you want this gun to do. It sounds like you are going to be a "range shooter". This usually means you're going to shoot a few hundred rounds a year at paper targets, probably at a commercial range. That's a perfectly legitimate use for a 1911. They are fun to shoot. But even cheap 9mm ammo runs a little over $10 a box (50) and range fees aren't cheap. You're in college. Can you afford that? (I couldn't when I was in college.) It takes a lot of ammunition and even some formal training to learn to shoot well. Is that what you want to do? Do you have the resources to do that?

I don't want to rain on your 1911 parade, but these things are expensive to shoot, take a while to learn handle safely and shoot well, and even a new one (especially a new one) can be cranky and require some work to run well. Might not be the best bet for a new shooter.

Listen...shooting at beer cans with a .22 pistol can be a total blast. .22's are cheap, fun, quiet, low recoil (allowing you to learn the fundamentals without dealing with the blast/flinch/recoil/etc.) and you can get a really good one for about what you would spend for an entry level 1911. Just my opinion...this is a much better path to becoming a good shooter than buying something "black and cool that makes a big bang" and never gaining any skill with it. Shooting is a lot like golf in that nobody is a "natural" and you just have to learn the fundamentals before you start having much fun.

I've been shooting for 50 years. Here's what I KNOW for sure about shooting:

The firearm is the least important piece of the puzzle when it comes to hitting what you are shooting at. It is also the least important factor in determining how much fun you have.**** You want to bet your hard earned cash against the golfer who has the prettiest clubs, or the one with the loaners, but who plays twice a week, every week, all year long, rain or shine?

Think a little more before you commit. Do you really just want something cool to show your buddies, or do you want to be a safe and competent shooter? Might be the path to one is a little different than to the other.

****This is true only for firearms that go bang only once when you pull the trigger. For example: an M2 .50 Cal Heavy Machine Gun is fun no matter what. No skill required and you only have to get close to what you are shooting at. Know your backstop and DO NOT shoot at low flying birds. Other than that, the fun is in the bang when it comes to full auto.

[atluu]

Originally Posted by hardscrabble

You're doing good asking a lot of questions. You're obviously very interested and you want to learn. You're getting good advice. I'd just add this caution or two.

I know that part of the appeal of a 1911 is that they "look cool". I get it. They do look cool. But just take a moment and think about how you're looking at your decision. I read all your posts, and it looks to me like you are basing your decision on: you want a 1911, you want it to be black and you want it to cost around $600. Would you buy a car that way? (Yeah...some do, but it's a poor way to end up satisfied.)

Stop just a minute and think about what you want this gun to do. It sounds like you are going to be a "range shooter". This usually means you're going to shoot a few hundred rounds a year at paper targets, probably at a commercial range. That's a perfectly legitimate use for a 1911. They are fun to shoot. But even cheap 9mm ammo runs a little over $10 a box (50) and range fees aren't cheap. You're in college. Can you afford that? (I couldn't when I was in college.) It takes a lot of ammunition and even some formal training to learn to shoot well. Is that what you want to do? Do you have the resources to do that?

I don't want to rain on your 1911 parade, but these things are expensive to shoot, take a while to learn handle safely and shoot well, and even a new one (especially a new one) can be cranky and require some work to run well. Might not be the best bet for a new shooter.

Listen...shooting at beer cans with a .22 pistol can be a total blast. .22's are cheap, fun, quiet, low recoil (allowing you to learn the fundamentals without dealing with the blast/flinch/recoil/etc.) and you can get a really good one for about what you would spend for an entry level 1911. Just my opinion...this is a much better path to becoming a good shooter than buying something "black and cool that makes a big bang" and never gaining any skill with it. Shooting is a lot like golf in that nobody is a "natural" and you just have to learn the fundamentals before you start having much fun.

I've been shooting for 50 years. Here's what I KNOW for sure about shooting:

The firearm is the least important piece of the puzzle when it comes to hitting what you are shooting at. It is also the least important factor in determining how much fun you have.**** You want to bet your hard earned cash against the golfer who has the prettiest clubs, or the one with the loaners, but who plays twice a week, every week, all year long, rain or shine?

Think a little more before you commit. Do you really just want something cool to show your buddies, or do you want to be a safe and competent shooter? Might be the path to one is a little different than to the other.

****This is true only for firearms that go bang only once when you pull the trigger. For example: an M2 .50 Cal Heavy Machine Gun is fun no matter what. No skill required and you only have to get close to what you are shooting at. Know your backstop and DO NOT shoot at low flying birds. Other than that, the fun is in the bang when it comes to full auto.

I would buy a .22, but I'm afraid I'll want to upgrade very soon after I purchase it. That being said I just want to buy a decent quality 1911 that I can keep for a very long time and maybe pass it on.

[stl1911]

Im in the same boat that you are right now, I want a 1911, I want a all matte finish one, and in a .45...I dont want a 9mm or a .22..to me those arent 1911, a .45 is a 1911. It will be mostly a range gun, with the need of home defense, or truck defense gun if needed..I want to spend at most $700 bucks. I was dead set on getting a taurus PT1911 with the rail on the bottom. I have moved clear of that gun now, I have heard too many bad things... So here is another option I have came across. Its a Umarex Regent r100.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/75192-1.html

Its only 415.00 on cheaperthandirt..I havent heard anything bad about these guns at all, I have heard alot of good things..it looks just like the original 1911, no ambi safety, small dovetail, GI sights...but it comes with Hogue Grips..

Has anyone on here shot one, or own one for themselfs?
I like this gun for 415 bucks, but I want better sights..
I wish my local gun range would have one so I could shoot it..

[FB3]

atluu,

It seems as if you really want a 1911, and that is not a bad thing! I am very familiar with the want and instant gratification emotions. From your posts I believe that you are aware that if you compromise now to stay in your budget you may be unhappy in the near future and have to start over. Like the old saying goes, buy once, cry once. It is much more expensive to buy twice.

I recommend that you wait a while on this purchase until you can increase your budget to $900 - $1,000 and get a nice Colt or Springfield. These will be quality guns and last you well into the future. If you buy now, in a year or so you will look back and think, "wow, I wish I had waited until now so I could have bought a xxxxx". I wish you well in your quest and based on your intelligent posts I feel you will do OK!

Hang around the forum and expand your knowledge and keep your interest alive.

[chrysanthemum]

Originally Posted by mikaelo

Most 9mm 1911s uses ramped barrels, so it's not like you have to make that tweak.

Completely agree !!

I mentioned this only as an illustration that the 9mm doesn't run too well in an original design 1911 equipped with a 9mm barrel. Adjustments are needed and a good manufacturer will make them. Even so, I think it's still reasonable to suggest that, other things being equal, the 1911 still runs best in a 45acp configuration.

I own one 9mm 1911 and I really enjoy it for range use and I don't mind 9mm as a self-defense round either.

[heekma]

atluu,

Another possibility--on the used market--in your price range would be an older Colt 1991:



Good quality, utilitarian 1911.

Another great choice--and well within your price range, sometimes even under $450, is a S&W 4506:



Obviously it's not a SA auto, but it is of tremendous quality, durability and very accurate as well. Mine has digested many thousands of rounds without a single malfunction.

Just a couple of ideas...

Best,

Heekma

[Homesick]

Originally Posted by atluu

I'll take a look at the RIA. Are there any other good quality 1911, in the $700 price range?

I just bought a new Springfield LW Loaded Champion for $697.

joe