9mm 1911 Options

Ok, it was a guess...but I shoot about 10 boxes a week thru my primary gun ( 3 range trips a week ) and I clean it after every range trip .....so I think its about $100....

So go ahead reduce my 10 year estimate to $ 17 - $19 K ... if that's what you think it really is for cleaning supplies.

My actual ammo expense pesonally...just in 9mm, is about 500 boxes a year ...and even at $7 a box for my reloads...my ammo expense in 9mm is about $3,500 .../ it would be $6,000 if I was buying retail ammo at $12 a box.
 
So I checked with Brownells pricing....I go thru about 3 packages of 3" patches a year at about $19 a year / 2 cans of Shooters Choice spray solvent $26 a year / and a couple bottles of CLP a year $ 20....some Q tips, some paper towels...a couple of bore brushes a year...$3

so I'm going to call my actual annual cleaning expenses at $ 75 a year...

So I'm going back to $ 18 - $ 20 K for a 10 year period on expendables...
My personal ammo expense would bump it another $ 2,300 a year or $4,800 if I paid retail for my ammo so it could be $ 23K - $25K for expendables a year...
 
I bought an RIA TacII A1. I had a few jams with the junky MecGar magazine it came with. That problem was solved with an order to Midway Usa for a pair of Metal Form mags.

It has real nice features, and when people see me shooting it, and see it on the bench they have a hard time believing that it has a price tag of under $750. Mine has been flawless, and shoots way better than I can milk it for. It felt better to me than the Colt that was on the shelf next to it, and I had my mind set on buying the Colt. After handling both. The RIA went out the door with me.
 
BigJimP said:
Ok, it was a guess...but I shoot about 10 boxes a week thru my primary gun ( 3 range trips a week ) and I clean it after every range trip .....so I think its about $100....

So go ahead reduce my 10 year estimate to $ 17 - $19 K ... if that's what you think it really is for cleaning supplies.

My actual ammo expense pesonally...just in 9mm, is about 500 boxes a year ...and even at $7 a box for my reloads...my ammo expense in 9mm is about $3,500 .../ it would be $6,000 if I was buying retail ammo at $12 a box.
Click to expand...
Ah, okay now I get it. You're shooting way more than I am. And cleaning way more than I am. Now it makes sense.
 
I just bought my first 1911 9mm , looked at Ruger, Springfield and Smith Pro series. After all of the reading and looking ended up with Dan Wesson PM9
 
I’ll go +1 on the Ruger LW Commander. I’ve had mine for over a year and have yet to have a failure of any kind....115, 124, 147 grain ammo - brass, aluminum, steel cases - doesn’t seem to matter. It just works. And pretty good accuracy too!

Only thing I’ve done it replace the factory black rubber grips with some Ruger eagle cocobolo grips. Still shots great and looks stunning.
 
Here's my Ruger:

17626518_10212063312035263_312627292815569645_n.jpg


Got the grip scales from 5Whiskey here on the forum.
 
I realize the emp4 isn't a "true" 1911. I realize there are proprietary parts for it and that the whole design is centered around the 9mm platform as opposed to making some small changes to the .45 platform to shoot 9mm. But is the emp4 having proprietary parts/magazines a bad thing?

The ruger is pretty nice though and I love them as a company. Always have. Will definitely give them a look.
 
Proprietary parts in an EMP ...an inherently bad idea..no, not really ...but it limits your options if you want to upgrade some internals - But you may never want to do that... / to make your decision on the EMP, you should really just go shoot one, see if you like it or not.

All of the big name mfg's of 1911's have figured out how to build and tune 1911's in 9mm...so its not like they're a bastardized .45acp like some of them were 20 yrs ago. Full sized 1911's in 9mm from most mfg's run and perform well...the shorter the barrel, the more critical the tuning is to make it run.

I know you said you want a 4" gun...and you should buy what you want / ...but most of the guys that I know with EMP's or other 4" guns...have all turned to 5" guns as their primary range and training gun...only one of them has stayed with a 4" -- and actually its a 4.25" -- as a carry gun.../ most of them got tired of shooting 4" guns whether they were in 9mm or .45acp

I will always carry a 5" 1911 in 9mm.../ although I do like Wilson Combats CQB model in a 4.25"... that my buddy carries.

I don't know anybody that has one of the Ruger 1911's ....I see a few at range ...but I don't know if they are holding up or not ...but again, you should go shoot one & see if it suits you if you like their products.

Good luck & don't forget to have fun with the process..!
 
Join Date: March 11, 2005
Posts: 3,264
http://www.springfield-armory.com/pr...11-loaded-9mm/

Great shooting gun. I have the stainless version that was about $850.
Click to expand...

That is a great looking pistol. Already has the sights I'd want on it as well.... the more you all are mentioning people liking the 5inch models better, the more I am looking at them. Love the 5" models in 45acp. And while I'd love a 45, I don't want to have to commit to another caliber at the moment. I'll definitely start looking more into the 5" 9mms, as well as the commanders mentioned as well.
 
http://www.springfield-armory.com/pr...te-compact-9mm

Nice shooting gun.
__________________
US Navy Veteran
1961-1965

"A man should never be parted one step from his weapon; neither on the road, nor on his field."

I bought this exact model last week, gave me some issues in the very beginging due to me not lubing it properly but runs 100% now. I bought it to replace my G19.
 
Under $1,500 ....in full sized 1911's in 9mm....I'm seeing some pretty nice guns coming from Colt, CZ, Sig and Springfield lately.../ they are not as refined as the semi custom guns out there but they are good values - with decent internal components.

As you go thru this process figure out the features you want in a gun....don't just pick a mfg...figure out what you really want ...want to pay for...

1. mag well or speed chute / 1 piece or 2 piece..
2. ambi safety..size of tabs ( some are really small, some not..)..or none
3. Steel or alloy frame, finish ...stainless, 2 tone, etc
4. what kind of sights you like ( I like the new Battlesights in rear, gold dot or red fibre optic up front - but these days you have a lot of options..).
5. do you want front strap & main spring housing checkered...some are smooth..
6. cocking cerrations on front and back of slide......one or other .... or none..
7. Barrel type ...match grade with bushing, cone barrel, etc
8. Trigger style ... solid, skeletonized, weight you want it to break at ( 3.5 - 4.5 ), etc...
9. Guide rod...full length or GI style
10. Internal or Extermal extractor
11. Series 70 ....or series 80 models...
12. Will gun fit a standard 1911 holster ..( slide on some Sigs will not..)...others ??
13. Some guns have plastic main spring housings ....some are steel..

To me, some of these are a big deal...some not so much...

What's funny about this...is I had this same discussion with a shooter at my range today...range had a 2 day " Glock Days Event "...T shirts, service, free inspections, etc...and it brought out a lot of new people...as we were waiting in line to check in - a guy asked what model glocks I liked ( none)...but he heard me and a RSO talking about what I was shooting ...I said my carry gun....we know eachother, he knew it was a 1911 in 9mm...but this guy didn't .../ and I didn't say none, I just told him it was a 1911...and he was probably in his 30's or early 40's and had never thought about a 1911 as other than a .45acp...he was legitimately surprised about 1911's in 9mm...

I discussed these items above with him -- pros & cons as I see them...let him put a few rds thru my gun so he could understand the features on my gun, etc.../...nice guy, he just had no idea...he just assumed almost everyone carried & shot stock Glocks...or something poly....and had no idea all these items above were things we really cared about...or at least thought about.

I also told him once in a while I carry a revolver too.....not sure he believed me...but I had a S&W model 627, 8 shot, 2 5/8" barrel in .357 mag with me too ...at that point I had him totally confused...
 
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