For ArmySon and other 1911 aficionados

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tlhelmer

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I have been bit by the 1911 Bug again. Yes I am the one who posted the thread about the larry Vickers 1911 custom job.

History: I bought a Springfield Amory 1911-A1 Loaded for off duty carry. I had FTF's and failure to go into battery with HP and ball ammo. I bought some Chip McCormick Power mags and this helped a little. During my off-duty qual. course I had two FTF's. It ruined my confidence in the gun. I consulted several smith over the internet and was told it would run 400.00 - 600.00 for a reliability job and some other work. I sold it.
I have the 1911 bug again and have been looking at several websites. Among them Kimber, Les Baer, Wilson Combat and Ed Brown (expensive). I guess I am looking at an entry level full size defensive 1911 with night sights.

Question: Are any of these entry level guns completely reliable 1200.00 for the kimber CDP , 1100 for Gunsites GSP 2000, 1200 For Les Baer and even more expensive if I look at Wilson and Ed Brown. Do you have any advice in another direction? I am leaning towards the Kimber CDP or the Gunsite GSP 2000, if I can get the money.
Oh! I forgot. Are any of the SA models gonna fit the bill? Standard TRP for example.
Help! :confused:
 
1200 for a Kimber CDP?

That's too much...most places I've seen average around $915 or so.

Take a look at Wilson's entry level model, the Millenium. Mine's been 100% reliable through the first 500 rds.
 
$400-$600 for reliability work?? Did they promiss a kiss? :D Jokes aside, I note you mentioned other work.. What was the "other work" they had suggested?? If it was me, I would of sent it back to Springfield for them to fix the problem. They WILL reimburse your shipping charges, just call ahead to secure authorization.

I have a bone-stock Milspec that feeds Hydra-Shocks and ball reliably and has since day one.. Any mass produced item will occasionally have lemons produced.. I do have other 1911's that have been finicky about ammo out of the box, but I had bought those to add the custom touches I *wanted* done, not that they needed them. If I hadn't planned the customization work, they would of went back to the factory.. Especially the Colt 1991 Commander that had a broken hammer strut straight out of the box. :eek:


If I were to do it all over again, of all the models available from the custom houses, I would go with Rock River Arms Elite Commando model. I've seen and shot an example and for the $$$ it was well worth what you get.

Rick
 
I've got Kimbers, Springfields, a Wilson, and a GSP. I've also owned lightly customized and stock Colts. Of them all, the GSP gets the most range/carry time of my .45s. The trigger is the crispest and the action is the silkiest. No failures of any kind, ever. And accuracy is very good, not quite up to my Kimber Gold Match but then I have yet to find a pistol that is. I had them stipple the frontstrap and mainspring housing but other than that no changes to the "basic" GSP.
 
I don't want to rain on your parade, but check out the general handgun forum topic on "gun that most disappointed you". You'll find the Kimber Ultra CDP listed a few times.

$400-$600 for a "reliability job" is a crock. I have a great 'smith, and he charges $60 to polish the feed ramp and barrel throat, tune the ejector, polish the breech face, and smooth out the rails. Another $30 to re-crown the barrel.

Here is what I've learned from experience: any box stock Colt, Kimber, or Springfield will outshoot most all shooters. I'd give any one of those three a chance (I'm a Colt fan, own two, completely reliable -- in fact I'm just back from the range tonight).

Break it in with 500 rounds of hardball, without carrying it. If some problems develop, then take it to a gunsmith. But don't spend more than $100 unless you're going to replace sights or get a trigger job. Good Luck. LBC
 
I agree with the others that $400-$600 is way out of line for a reliability work. My new Kimber Stailess 5" was having feeding problems so I found a local smith that a lot of people recommended. He pollished the chamber, breech face, feed ramp, chamfered the firing pin hole, rounded the corners on the extractor claw, tuned the extractor (it had no tension from the factory), drilled a hole in the FLGR to aid disassembly, and did a trigger job for $140.
 
I like this ugly green one:

twillbemineohyesitwillbemine.jpg


:rolleyes:
 
Have you ever tried Wilsons Mags in your Springfield? I bought a Colt 1991A1 for $375 two years ago brand spankin new and haven't had any problems since I got Wilsons Mags. Most of the time its the Mags and not the Gun.
 
Para P-14 ltd

Another vote for LTD Para, I have a P-14 LTD, it has never failed me, the only thing i don't like are the factory sites.
 
I have the GSP. Bought it and shot it before perusing the boards here. Done too many stupid things to list yet the pistol never let me down.

Took it right out of the box to a school where we put three thousand rounds through it in a week. Never had a problem whatsoever ('cept for the two piece guide rod wanting to unscrew every couple hunnert rounds...).
 
$1200 for a CDP is awfully high.

I've heard the GSP's and Rock River Arms are nice guns. However, you have to remember, there's a reason why these two are 'bargains' for that price. They are missing several features that make the Wilsons and Baers a bit more expensive (i.e. front strap checkering, Match barrel (GSP unless you buy the Marksman - $1399).

The GSP doesn't have checkering, match barrel or a host of other features found on a Baer Premier II. Add in the same features from a Baer Premier II and the price rockets to $1899.

Save your money and get a Les Baer Premier II.

Either way, all of em are nice guns! Think carefully on what you want, how much you want to spend and then make your decision! Best of luck!
 
Have you considered the Wilson KZ? It's ~$995, holds 10+1 .45ACP, comes with the bells and whistles and is a real shooter. Only thing is if you don't like polymers.
 
I have to second the nomination of the Wilson KZ-45. I carry one as my off duty weapon and am extremely happy with it. Even though it has a double stack mag the overall width of the frame is the same as a standard 1911. It has night sights, Beavertail, tactical thumb safety, sweet trigger, front strap checkering, match grade hand fit barrel and bushing and has been 100% reliable. It retails for $995 with two mags and all the Wilson goodies, and comes with the Wilson forever warrantee. Just a thought, good luck.:)
 
You guys arent going to like this, but i am going with a Sig 220 in two-tone with night sights.
Sorry to let you down, but i had to go with what is best for me.
Thanks for your imput.
 
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