Opinions Please

B

BradS

New member
I am considering the purchase of a compact 1911 in 9mm for a CCW.
My first choice is a Springfield Range Officer Elite Compact, howbeit a bit pricy.
Another possibility , which is even more money, is the STI Stucatto C, also in 9mm.
What are y'alls thoughts on the Ranger ? Does the additional cost, quite a bit, of the STI justify it' purchase ? any other recommendations ?
Any and all comments appreciated.
 
The Range officer would serve you just fine. However, I would personally buy the STI if the budget allows. STI makes top drawer production 1911s.
 
More muzzle blast and noise with a short barrel. Even my BHP with its regular 4.7" barrel seems like more compared to my 5" .45. And that's with light cast bullet target loads.
The Springfield Range Officer Elite Compact isn't that compact either. 7.6" long by 5" high. Vs 7.8" long for my BHP.
The STI is about the same size. Length 7.44", height 4.94".
Who made the thing doesn't matter as much as how well it fits your hand. You can buy strictly on price since they're really the same thing. Look at the warrantee.
 
This asking for opinions might be asking for trouble...remember the old joke about opinions being like something else??? Everybody's got one and they all stink? :rolleyes:

So...

I very much like 1911 type guns. I really like the Springfield Armory Range Officer. BUT. I like the full sized RO for use on the range or home defense. It would not be my first choice for a self defense carry gun.

I do NOT particularly care for Glock's but all the law enforcement folk can't be entirely wrong and so I do use them as a starting point. A Glock 19 is lighter than the RO compact elite and holds more rounds. There's quite a few other high capacity 9mm that do the same thing and don't suffer from the Glock ergonomics. If you want to stay with SA the XD Mod 2 might be worth looking at:
https://www.springfield-armory.com/products/xd-mod-2-3-sub-compact-9mm/

And remember, you asked for opinions.
 
I do NOT particularly care for Glock's but all the law enforcement folk can't be entirely wrong...
Click to expand...

Yes, they can...:D


Its not about what works for them (or what they have to use because the dept says so) its about what works for YOU, and if it's not, it SHOULD be!

I love the 1911A1, but I don't have a use for a compact one, in 9mm in my life.

If you don't think .45ACP is superior, fine, but if you're using a 1911 type gun and 45 isn't your ticket, doesn't .38 Super have advantages over 9mm (except cost?)

I stopped carrying a 1911A1 after I got a Browning BDA 45 in 1980. Smaller (Commander sized) and much lighter. Today that would be a SIG P220

Can't comment on the two specific guns in the OP, I don't have personal experience with either, sorry.

You're not wrong to choose a 1911 pattern pistol, even in 9mm :rolleyes:, but some variants are better at some things, than others.

The tiny "officer's model" size guns are notoriously balky. If you go that route, be prepared to tinker, either with the gun or the ammo, or both. Sometimes you get a winner right out of the box, but be prepared if you don't.

Got no interest in ANY Glock, never liked the ones I tried, won't recommend them to anyone who already knows what a good trigger is...;)
 
I only have 1 1911. And it’s neither on your list! But I do have lots of pistols with different action types. My contribution to your dilemma is: ask what you are trying to gain from 1 model to another. I’m guessing both will have a really nice crisp trigger compared to any DA/SA pistol or striker fired pre-cocked action. So what in your mind could put 1 above the other? In defensive shooting the ability to stack holes on top of another isn’t very important. No time for slow fire.

So are you looking for traits that might be nice for competition and range fun as well? Or home defense as well? Or really strictly concealed carry? Sometimes I actually like that one of my carry pistols is pretty cheap for the performance it gives. I’m not afraid to practice with it and not upset when it gets bumped around.

Either could probably do fine. What would radically change your concealed carry experience day to day is the holster and mode of carry.
 
I have a Valkyrie Commander in 9MM, really like it, I think the orig. Valkyrie was a CCO. Officer handle with 4-1/4" bbl. Some times function suffers with the shorter 3-1/2" bbls.
As for the Glock pistols, they function, they are cheap to purchase. Cheap to purchase and they work, that's why police departments buy them, they are not necessarily better than other guns. A police department is not likely to pay 800.00 for a pistol if they can get a serviceable pistol for 400.00. My CRV is serviceable but it ain't a Corvette.
 
I have owned both a Range Officer, and a Springfield EMP 4. Both are very good guns, but I favor the EMP.
I tend not to worry about price, if it's steep save up and get what you want.

Life I too short to settle for cheap guns.
 
Ruger makes a pretty good 9mm 1911 with an alloy frame. An all steel 1911 in 9mm is heavy for every day carry....if it's a range gun, so be it, it'll feel like a .38 Spl with wadcutter ammunition. And a full size 1911 makes a good range toy if you don't have to carry it daily...my opinion of course. Too, you're sacrificing magazine capacity by selecting a 1911...for range use only, it makes sense I guess. Otherwise, I'd go with an alloy framed, commander length slide equipped model. Again, Ruger makes a good one and with CS that backs up their products. Best regards, Rod
 
If you are buying one for CC, think about a Kimber Micro 9.
I carry mine daily. It is light, reliable and a lot easier to carry than 1911 as mentioned.
It has the same manual of arms.
 
I have an STI Stacatto C. It’s worth every penny! If you can afford it you won’t regret it.

I don’t have an RO, but do have the small EMP which makes a good second choice.
 
I own a Range Officer Compact in .45ACP. It is a great handgun, dependable and accurate. The RO Elite Compact sports a prettier finish and ambi safety for $100 more, otherwise they are basically the same. I am not much for 9mm in 1911’s, but I hold the Range Officer in high regard. Unless you are a lefty, I would go with the RO Compact.
 
Completely agree with rodfac on the Rugers. For the price their offerings are very nice. I think they have the best value for reasonable priced 1911s.
 
If you wanted an opinion, I wouldn't carry a 1911. Big, heavy, and limited capacity. I prefer something smaller with higher round capacity.
 
If you wanted an opinion, I wouldn't carry a 1911. Big, heavy, and limited capacity.
Click to expand...

Depends entirely upon what "1911" you are talking about .... Springfield's 3" EMP is 26 oz. empty, 9+1 ....... Not big, not heavy, and if you need more than ten rounds without a reload, maybe you need to work on some things other than pistol selection .....
 
Amazing the things that get CALLED a 1911.

Even my old Commander doesn't get to town very often. Plastic is just so much more portable.
 
It's astonishing (although, since this is the Internet, I suppose it shouldn't be) that the OP asked for help in deciding between two specific 1911 pistols, and most of the responses have either suggested other 1911s that weren't part of the question, or have suggested guns that aren't even 1911s. There have been 18 responses so far, out of which just three were responsive to the question. That may be a new all-time record.

This is why I rarely ask for help or advice on the Internet.
 
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