King of the .45

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1911Ford

New member
It looks as if Wilson Combat has edged the competition for this crown. In a recent "Gun Tests" article it compared Wilson, Les Baer, and Clark Custom. Apparently Wilson won hands down although the Les Baer was supposedly a little more accurate. I know that these guns are a little more high priced than the Kimber, Sig, H&K, and so on. When you add in customer service, reliability, pride of ownership and so on are they worth it? If .45 is your caliber of choice and you depend on and carry your gun daily, and you can afford it then $1000 - $1800 is not to much. IMHO. I would say that your life is worth having the best. So is there a better .45 on the market today?
Hey, I'm just asking the question? ;)

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www.1911forum.com
 
Ummm. I subscribe to Gun Tests, and they do a usually tolerable job. However, this extensive comparison was based on ONE sample from each shop. Now, I haven't done a T-square analysis, but I'm pretty sure that this doesn't reach the level of statistical significance. Likewise, here on the Forum or the net you hear from happy or unhappy owners, but I don't believe we're looking at an accurate sampling!

I shoot quite a bit, and unless I'm using a rest, I can't make my Les Baer Premier II do anything that I can't do with my Kimber Stainless Target model. I love the Les Baer, mind you, but I can't say it is "better" in any practical sense.

I would love to see a good review of Wilson, Les Baer, Clark, etc. If each of you would send me a large amount of money, or just one of the above pistols, when I have twenty of each I think we could do a valid comparison. Until then, it's all just opinion.

[This message has been edited by Hawkeye (edited June 25, 2000).]
 
More specifically, Kimber bought the company (Jericho) that made slides and frames for Kimber, Wilson and a few others. Ruger makes the castings for Caspian frames and probably others.

Dana used to make all the 4 wheel drive running gear for Dodge and Ford 3/4 tons and perhaps others as well. It doesn't matter much who makes things, assuming they are of good quality. It matters more what is done with them when they are assembled into a final product.

A lot of Kimbers run right out of the box...and a few of them don't. I've helped get several into running condition. Kimber makes a fine production 1911. Wilson makes some very good semi-custom high end guns and some really fine custom guns. So does Baer, STI, SV, Clark, Briley, and so on. Hell, if a 1911 is made right they ALL work and shoot more accurately than most of their owners!

Ford makes a fine production truck and so does Dodge, Chevy, GMC, and now Lincoln, Mercedes, etc.

I believe most people do pretty much like I did. Buy the best you can afford - try to make sure the place you got it from has good customer service - if it works, then GREAT - if it doesn't, then do whatever it takes to make it right. If the maker doesn't treat you right, buy something else next time!

I've heard both praises and complaints about the exact same product from the exact same manufacturer all my life. They are both right! Just because you have good luck with something doesn't diminish the reality that someone may have had bad luck with it.

There is no best 1911, no best car or truck, no best pizza - Learn to live with it...

Mikey

[This message has been edited by Mikey (edited June 25, 2000).]
 
The best 1911 is much like the best 1911 magazine, it is the one that works best for you. I have seen some of those "high priced spread" 1911's malfunction in the worse ways while people with close to mil-spec, stock as a stove 1911's kept on shooting. Which was/is best? Hell, if I know but I'll keep what I've got.

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
I've been shooting and carrying 1911's for about 34 years now. My personal favorite "type" is either a WWII surplus gun, or a pre '70 series Colt commercial.
One then replaced the original micro sights (couldn't pick them up fast even BEFORE bi-focals) with "National Match High Sights", trimmed down to fit in a holster.
The second modification was to clean up the trigger some.
Other than making sure the pistol would feed whatever ammo one carried, that was it.

Please note, this was for a self-defense handgun. It was simple and practical and worked. Still does. Considerably less cost than one from the custom builders. Not that the custom builders don't do good work, but some of the bells and whistles are not required for a working gun.

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Archie
 
For my money the sig 220 is the best buy.Its as accurate as 95% of the people can shoot,doesn't jam,is not ammo fussy and has good out of the box trigger pull.It is a double to single action which some people can not get used to,but I have had no problems with the transittion.My .02

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beemerb
We have a criminal jury system which is superior to any in the world;
and its efficiency is only marred by the difficulty of finding twelve men
every day who don't know anything and can't read.
-Mark Twain
 
My Glock 21 with 13 rnd. clips is the best .45 I have ever shot, except for an old 2nd gen. Colt SAA my dad bought in 1959. I have a Sig 220, and the clips that came with the gun wore out REALLY fast. The gun was jamming on me constantly until I bought a new clip. I think the Glock clips are a lot more durable. What more could you ask for... 14 rounds of Federal hydro-shok .45, with a couple backup clips? Maybe an M-14.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by a:
What more could you ask for... [/quote]

A single stack magazine, a single action trigger, a grip that actualy fits my hand... quite a few other things rteally. Glacks are good guns, but a 1911 is much btter for me.
Eric



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Formerly Puddle Pirate.
Teach a kid to shoot.
It annoys the antis.
 
Here we go again...

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"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with Army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of constitutional privilege." Wilson vs. State, Ark. 1878
 
I've owned,carried and operated a variety of GMs over the last 30 years,from GI clunkers to ones suitable for Camp Perry. All have done the job I asked for,with reliability, power,accuracy and speed.

After you have one that feeds your ammo of choice reliably, has a decent trigger and sights that work for you,and grips that do the same, you're ready. Instead of the bells, whistles, fuzzy dice and fender skirts, buy ammo and range time. Then,you'll be dangerous instead of just looking dangerous.....
 
Well, they tested three out of the several dozen firms making custom 1911s. The only conclusion you can draw is that the testers like the Wilson best out of those three. You may have different criteria, and you might try some other makers. If I were interested in a 1911, I'd take a long look at Ed Brown's "Bobtail" for CCW.
 
I would have picked an Ed Brown over the Clark to test also. That "bobtail" feels really weird in my hand though. I can see that it could be a big advantage in CCW. It looks cool. I can also see where you could run into problems with the main spring housing. Also I would think you would tend to shoot a little low, espicially at first. Where the palm of your hand supports on the handle, it is gone.

Also how can anyone compare a Wilson to a Kimber. I mean come on here guys. I have a Kimber. Love it to death. But geez lets use our heads.
 
Just because Kimber makes the Wilson slides and frames does not mean they are equal. There is more that goes into the pistol (assembling, parts, quality control, etc) than just the frame and slide. There is NO comparision with Kimber vs. Wilson. If they were equal, I wouldn't have sold a Gold Match, Super Match, and Ultra Elite on www.1911forum.com .

Kimbers are decent guns. My friend's Gold Match functions like a charm. For me, they're not worth the money. If I had to do it over again, I would've taken the money that I spent on the 3 Kimbers and bought a Wilson Super Grade.

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Son
1911 Addiction
"No man is so poor as to have nothing worth giving."
 
When talking customs and semi-customs (Which is what we're talking about):

Either buy one outright from one of several reliable sources.

Or take an out-of-the-box to a reputable gunsmith.

The end result is arguably identical.
 
I think the point we were trying to make with Kimber is that Wilson uses a good platform to begin with. I'm still a bit fuzzy as to him charging what he does for the very reason I've mentioned.

I doubt Kimber does a better job on Wilson's parts than their own when they are CNCed. They can't since their price point relies on using as much machining as possible to minimize hand assembly and fitting.

Wilson adds this, but I'm sure a qualified smith, such as Brian Bilby, could do the same, if not better, for less, esp. given the platform.
 
I agree about the Sig P220 - its the ONLY viable option for a .45 if DA is required.
Other than that - Only 1911 models need apply.

IMHO the KING of .45s is the King Gunworks .45 SUPER chambered 1911.
Wilson, Baer, Ed Brown... You guys are arguing which knight at the round table was best!
 
Yes, but there are you talking quality of the gun or just that you are impressed with the .45 super?

One day maybe I will have the pleasure of shooting a Sig P220. Have heard nothing but good things about them. The only draw back is that I am not a big DA/SA fan.

I think Sig makes a DAO, don't they? Would'nt this be a lighter trigger pull? Atlest the same every time.

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www.1911forum.com
 
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