New to 1911

There are many facets of the vaunted 1911-A1 that can never be replicated by any other handgun. A full-size 1911-A1 has the most divine natural point of any handgun I've ever held.

I'm an old school 1911-A1 dude: I like 'em full-size, blued (Armory Kote), wooden grips, and chambered for the battle-proved cartridge: the .45 ACP. I ain't stupid. I'd never hunt mean critters with a .45 ACP. However, I think the 1911-A1 chambered for .45 ACP firing heaviest bullets might be the best mean critter wilderness handgun ever designed. I'm much rather carry a 1911-A1 .45 ACP than a .44 Rem Mag revolver.
 
1911s are great, but they are too danged addictive. Can't own just one. I've gotten hooked on Dan Wessons but there are a lot og good ones on the market. For a 'starter' I favor the Ruger offerings.
 
I have Kimber and Colt series 70 1911s in .45acp and .38sup. I cannot see how anyone would not be delighted with a 1911.
 
1911's are an iconic design, copied more than any other design, in my opinion. Everybody and their brother makes one.

Go to 1911 Addicts forum. Lots of good people and lots of good info. Be warned though, it's filled with enablers [emoji16]

Sent from my LG-SP200 using Tapatalk
 
This might be of help: I've dumped a Series 70, which I've never trusted, and a stainless Officers Model for Springfield Armory 1911-A1's. I own 3 should have a Professional Model added by the end of this day.

Sadly, Colt is not the company it once was, as in a very long time ago,
 
The 1911 guns seem to be one of those love it or hate it guns. Personally I like them and sort of collect the Colt Series 70 guns. I guess it depends on who you ask about a 1911. The Springfield current guns seem to be just fine, at least I don't hear complaints, have read a few gripes but considering their prices they seem to offer good bang for the buck the ones I have shot behaved just fine.

Since you have never owned one I have to say give the gun a try. Best of luck with your choice.

Ron
 
Well I took the plunge today and picked out a SA 1911 today. It’s a Mil Spec version 5 inch barrel, combat 3 dot fixed sights, single thumb safety on the left side and Parkerized .

Got it at my LGS and it’s used but must have had a low round count. Thanks to advice from forum members I knew what to look for and this one is tight and I can hardly wait to take it out and shoot it.

Thanks again for the help.
 
Micro man said:
Well I took the plunge today and picked out a SA 1911 today. It’s a Mil Spec version 5 inch barrel, combat 3 dot fixed sights, single thumb safety on the left side and Parkerized .

Got it at my LGS and it’s used but must have had a low round count. Thanks to advice from forum members I knew what to look for and this one is tight and I can hardly wait to take it out and shoot it.

Thanks again for the help.
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I'm a bit of a sucker for a Parkerized gun, so she sounds like a beauty to me! Get it cleaned and lubed before you hit the range, but let us know how it shoots. I hope it serves you well.
 
Nathan
I have the feeling your dream 1911 will be living in your home soon . I didn't know of that model , very nice and it's a fair price . How did you find it ?

Chris
 
Sadly, Colt is not the company it once was, as in a very long time ago,
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Relative to the 5 Colt 1911 variations (1 Officers, 1 series 70 Government Model, 2 circa '70's Colt Combat Commanders, one in .45 the other in .38 Super, one modern XSE .45 Combat Commander), only one (the circa 70's .45 Combat Commander) did not have problems.
The Series 70 .45 Government Model needed more bend in the extractor, frequent head-on jams...I was too inexperienced to figure it out at the time...took awhile.
The .38 Super had the locking lugs in the slide machined in the wrong place...beat the locking lugs on the barrel all to heck...it is now a "Franken-Colt" with a 9mm marked slide and an after market supported barrel.
The XSE had a drasticly underpowered recoil spring, and a firing pin spring that allowed the firing-pin plate to drop down and tie up the gun. Also, the checkering on the stocks was so poor as to suggest they were done by a blind man...as was certainly the person who passed them was also blind.
In all, only one of the five Colts was ready to go from the factory...three of those from back in the 70's so it is not a matter of Colt's products being "better" back then.
I would suggest that anyone considering a Colt 1911, buy a Ruger instead...they have a better reputation for customer service than does Colt.
 
Colt had well documented issues with their guns from the 1970 in to the 80s- almost all of it was due to labor and tooling issues, which have long been rectified.
The current production ones are the among the best they have ever made, and are an excellent choice for a 1911.

Micro man, enjoy the Springfield, they are nice guns.
 
dahermit
Looks like ASATRP is on the right track with going with Springfield . It's a shame when you spend good money on a name brand and get some Saturday night special .
 
Colt had well documented issues with their guns from the 1970 in to the 80s- almost all of it was due to labor and tooling issues, which have long been rectified.
The current production ones are the among the best they have ever made, and are an excellent choice for a 1911.
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The Colt XSE was made long after the 80's. To repeat, it had three issues...a too weak recoil spring (would not return to battery consistently), a weak firing pin spring (too weak to keep the firing pin plate from slipping down), and horribly executed checkering...I still have those stocks on the gun to show people how poor of a checkering job that was done to them.
 
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