New 1911 purchase help

From the pictures in the owners manual, the Sigs have a firing pin block safety. It's not clear to me whether it's a Swartz or Series 80 type.
 
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Juancts said:
Appreciate your help. Do you know what kind of safety Sigs 1911 use ???
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I believe SIG 1911s use a Series 80-type firing pin safety. This type is released by a pair of levers in the receiver at the moment the trigger is pulled. I tested a SIG C3 Compact many years ago and I know that had a Series 80 safety; I have no reason to think that SIG has stopped using it in recent years.

If you are still considering a SIG 1911 ... I would again caution you that if you choose one of their "make it look like a SIG" models, your choice of holsters will be severely restricted. Most of the better leather and Kydex 1911 holsters will not accept that proprietary SIG slide profile. That's why in an earlier post I mentioned the few SIG models that use the traditional 1911 slide profile.
 
raimius said:
Dan Wesson, if it fits your budget.
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I was going to suggest adding Springfield Armory to the list. But; I may have to try a Dan Wesson and see what these are like.

I had bad luck with a series 80 colt gold cup. The Rugers are too loose fitting.

I would also avoid any non-standard 1911. You really want to be able to upgrade or make changes and there is NO REASON to deviate from the design. I like SIG as a pistol builder but; they do not make a 1911. Or do they? Just read the last post. Any way, get a real 1911.
 
Aguila Blanca said:
If you are still considering a SIG 1911 ... I would again caution you that if you choose one of their "make it look like a SIG" models, your choice of holsters will be severely restricted. Most of the better leather and Kydex 1911 holsters will not accept that proprietary SIG slide profile. That's why in an earlier post I mentioned the few SIG models that use the traditional 1911 slide profile.
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I was looking at the Sig 1911 Emperor Scorpion Carry. It has a rounded top like traditional 1911s. Holster selection shouldn't be a problem with it. I also liked Dan Wesson Vigil and Colt combat commander. Those are my 3 finalists.


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The current Colt Combat Commanders are Series 80. The Sig has a firing pin block (appears to be a Series 80 type) as well. The DW Vigil will be an original type 1911 and have no firing pin block.
 
For what you can get a Virgil or Heritage for compared to other 1911s in that price range, its not even close IMO. Dan Wesson is superior, fit and finish quality of parts.

A Sig for 1100 or Dan Wesson for 1100, Wesson everyday and twice on Sunday.
 
sevt_chevelle said:
For what you can get a Virgil or Heritage for compared to other 1911s in that price range, its not even close IMO. Dan Wesson is superior, fit and finish quality of parts.

A Sig for 1100 or Dan Wesson for 1100, Wesson everyday and twice on Sunday.
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I agree with you, but as the previous post says, the vigil has no firing pin block and I'll be carrying it. I guess that narrows it down to Colt combat commander or Sig

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I'm a little late to this thread, but what the heck, I'll add my two cents to the discussion.

I currently have 13 1911's. Two are WWI US Property marked Colts and one is a WWII USP marked Colt. My oldest 1911 was made by Springfield Armory in 1914 and the newest was made by Colt in 2013 as part of the Marine Corps MARSOC contract. Three were made in foreign countries, Argentina, China and the Philippines. Over the years I have probably owned a few dozen others, but sadly they have been moved on to other people.

The reason why I listed my modest little collection is not to brag, but to show that I have a fair amount of experience with a decent variety of different 1911's, made by a number of different manufactures in four different countries to base my observations on.

First, they all shoot very much the same. Different sights and better triggers will make the main difference in how accurate they are up to a point. After that, the quality of the components and how they are fit together make up the rest of the equation. The 1911 has a very easy trigger to alter the weight of pull and there must be a few dozen different people making sights, so changing the trigger and sights is a faily easy thing to do.

As for the difference between the pre series 80 guns without the hammer block safety and the series 80 guns, it is a matter of a few minutes and a couple of dollars in parts to remove it and presto! you now have a pistol with the pre series 80 trigger. I have done a couple of them and IMO, you would have to be nearly hopelessly incompetent to be unable to do it yourself. As a side note, while the best trigger of all my 1911's is my 1974 vintage Gold Cup, a very close second is my series 80 Officers Model that still has all the hammer block components installed and functioning, so you certainly can have the hammer block system and still have a very nice crisp trigger.

I find the whole internal vs external extractor debate to be a silly thing to argue about. A wide variety of guns use external extractors with no problems including guns like my Browning Hipower and my Stars. So far I have had zero extraction issues with them that wasn't traced back to the ammo I used, just like I have zero issues with my guns with internal extractors except for occasional ammo malfunctions.

As with all the "which gun should I get" threads, you will always get lots of posts that simply state what the particular poster likes/dislikes based on their experience or lack thereof and my opinion is no different.

I am a Colt fanboy and I make no apologies for it. At a price point under a grand, you would be hard pressed to do any better, but I also think the Springfield offerings are a good alternative. If you want to get your feet wet in the 1911 game without spending a bunch of $, get a Rock Island Rock series which comes with the upgraded sights hammer and trigger and shoot the heck out of it. You will be surprised at just how good they are, I know because I have owned a couple and still have my GI model.
 
Juancts said:
Why ? Thanks for your help.

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Quote:
Originally Posted by kenny53
Just me talking I would cross the Sig off the list.
Why ? Thanks for your help
I was being a purist. I went to the range yesterday and I put my hands on a Sig. Ignore my pervious post. The Sig had a very nice trigger. This particular gun was a rental and is well worn. I didn't shoot it just put finger prints on it. I would have to say the extractor on the outside is not a big deal. Sorry for misleading you.
 
Nick_C_S said:
I have three 1911's. A Colt ('Series 80' from 1984) and a Kimber, and a Springfield.

My favorite, far and away, is my bottom-of-the-line Springfield "Mil-Spec."

Had I bought my Springfield before the Kimber, I'd have two Springfields. My brother also has a Springfield; and I have shot a couple others. All of them - all of them - I have found to be very fine shooting guns.

I'm a big fan of Springfield 1911's.
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I too have some 1911s. A Colt 1911A1 and two Springfields; a 'NM' Mil-Spec I bought NIB in 2011 and a 'NM' Range Officer I bought NIB in 2012. Even though I'm a US Army trained Armorer who had 350 Colt 1911s to keep running and know them inside and out, I actually favor the Springfields.

First, like the Colts, the Springfields have forged frames and slides while other makers use cast frames and slides. Yes, they have some mim parts, but then all current manufactures do as well.

Second, unlike the Colts, Springfield uses a lowered ejection port and slightly higher sights in their Mil-Spec version of a 1911A1 vice a Colt 1911A1. This makes for more reliable ejection and cycling. The Range Officer, a modified version of a 1911, additionally has target sights as well as a better barrel and barrel bearing giving it excellent accuracy along with high reliability.

Third, both Springfields are stupidly reliable feeders eating everything I've tried to feed them from my 200grn lead round nose handloads to my 230grn Winchester HPs. They even feed some of my old Flying Ashtray handloads flawlessly (named for their huge HP cavity); something not many tight, accurate shooting 1911s can pull off.

Finally, their price point makes them exceptionally cost effective. That means that you can spend the extra hundreds of dollars you didn't spend on a high priced version on ammo so that you can learn to shoot yours well.
 
COSteve said:
Second, unlike the Colts, Springfield uses a lowered ejection port and slightly higher sights in their Mil-Spec version of a 1911A1 vice a Colt 1911A1. This makes for more reliable ejection and cycling.
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Pretty much every current Colt model has a lowered and flared ejection port, and sights that are significantly better than those on a USGI M1911A1.
 
Wasn't there a time period in which Springfield’s were cast frames? I remember hearing this 12 years ago when I was making my first pistol purchase.

Also... what did the op end up getting?
 
My Springfield loaded has been flawless over several years, nothing more then a change of recoil springs, if I purchased another it would be SA.
 
I've had them with and without, I never really paid much attention as long as it works.

In that price range I would also look at Springfield Armory, be prepared to ditch their two piece guiderod though.
 
I like Colt as my first option, because in the last few years, their quality has improved.
And I am also basing it on price, and most Colts are pretty much true to the original guns, more or less. Springfield's are fine, but I don't like that ILS safety lock in the mainspring housing, fortunately I usually swap out the mainspring housing anyway. Also, the Springfield's use a smaller firing pin which has never gave me any problem but they are different if I remember correctly. But I own two Springfield's and they are not going anywhere. Oh! and I almost forgot the recoil springs are often different on the Springfield's.

My favorite carry gun is a Colt Lightweight Commander that came out about 3 or 4 years ago and it's about the cheapest 1911 I have at about $800 at the time. I also like the Colt Commander the best, because it's a true 4-1/4" gun with original type recoil spring, Unlike Springfield or Kimber mostly 4" guns.
 
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Yes, they have some mim parts, but then all current manufactures do as well.
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Not Dan Wesson, I'm pretty sure their small parts are machined from barstock, unless something's changed. I favor DW over almost all other production 1911's.
For my part, as as a long time machinist the only 1911 clone I'd buy with MIM parts is Rock Island, because the reliability, fit and finish/price makes them a huge bargain, and internal parts are easy to replace with machined parts.
 
Oh.... I didn't even answer the question posted. My first pistol purchase was a Colt Commander with a steel frame the week I turned 21. I love that firearm and have for 11 years. It's what most gunsmiths who do custom work recommend... Which.... you're going to get custom work eventually most likely. Hardly anyone can leave their first 1911 stock... unless they go ham and buy an Ed Brown or something equivalent.
 
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