The Ideal 1911for the working guy.

G

George Hill

Staff Alumnus
For production class 1911s, it comes down to 2 main choices.
In no order: Kimber or Springfield.

Everyone likes the Kimberss contouring. Thats a given.
Springfield owners say that while Kimbers melting is nice - its not necessary.
Springfield's use of steel parts is the choice above MIM and Plastice parts. (Okay Colt uses the plastic but I thought Kimber had a couple poly parts too... Am I right or wrong?)
The ideal 1911 - All Springfield parts, slides and frames... Stainless, finished by Kimber. Topped with Ashley Express sights.
Lets see... I think an MSRP should be about 650.

Side note...
Forward Slide Serations.
I hate them. They ruin the look of the gun. Old Slabsides don't need stripes.
However.
I've noticed I am actually using them. When I unload and safe the weapon - I use those serations help grip the slide.
I think these should be Optional... a no cost option.

What does the Forum say?
 
Cheaper!

Sorry this working guy is cheap!
Actually that sounds pretty good.
I also hate the front slide serations. I have them on my Cz PCR and I do use them but still think they look dorky.
Of course I think 1911 should come in Parkerized and nothing else. I think a Stainless 1911 is UGLY.
Yeah I know....I am a nut.
 
I don't like the front serrations either. I do find myself using them. Maybe smaller or not so deep cuts. I think all guns should stay black/blue.
 
On either gun you're out 2-400 bucks if you want to address its "faults".

Kimber - replace MIM parts (sear, hammer, slide stop, safety), put in some decent night sights or at least some Novaks (or whatever you choose), maybe have to open up the bore (some are chambered too tight). Checker or stipple front strap. Refinish. New mainspring housing. New grips (if you buy a classic)

Springfield - new barrel/bushing/slide stop, maybe a trigger job maybe not (depending your likes and the individual gun), recontour front strap if you don't like the "fat" contour, stipple or checker if you like, refinish, and do something with the safety if you use a high ride grip.

I prefer a Kimber straight out of the box, but a Springfield is better IMHO after all the "fixin" is done. I own both.

Oh yeah, Springfield Stainless guns look like pimp guns to me :barf: so you need to have them lightly bead blasted or some other solution to take the shine off. I bought the SS Springfield as a "weather" gun - one I could carry in the field and get wet/damp without too much worry.

Bottom line - you don't have to do any of this stuff unless you want to. If you want to hold to a budget, get a Kimber and don't do anything. If you forsee spending a few hundred more in the future, get the Springfield.

Or just spend the grand up front and get a Gunsite GSP for $995. Don't own one but they look like a great value. Probably have better resale if you ever intend to sell. Selling guns is against my code of ethics though - unless they're something I never shoot.
 
Whoa - A Quadra Tap!
I'll fix that...

cobraman - Stainless is ugly? Your as crazy as a football bat... but thats okay... Parkerizing isnt that spendy...
You can get yours parked if you have to.
 
Admin: Thanks for fixing the quadra tap. System response was really slow (several minutes) so I kept resubmitting.......

Then it wouldn't let me delete my extra messages FYI.
 
Bead blasted stainless will rust WAY earlier than Polished stainless. Just like with knives bead blasted stainless requires extra care.
 
I like the stock colt 1911 (re blue) my dad just picked up mfg in 1919, slick as hell $400 bucks.

working class..

Gotta disagree George I've heard equal amounts of praise and disdain for kimber, if I buy another 1911 its going to be a Colt, probably a milspec 1991A1. Ive never heard anyone complain about Springfields.

Us 1911 guys tend to 'customize and hot rod' our shooters, but the original 1911 was pretty damn good, and the A1 made it better.

The most useful 'upgrade' for a 1911 is a beavertail grip for those of us with larger hands. But I don't mind a few scratches on the web of my thumb when I'm shooting.
 
Colt prices are higher every day.
I remember looking at one that was about 600 four or five months ago... was now 800.
I can't afford the Colt name.
 
My three working 45 autos are:

A GI rebuild. Just replaced the original sights with a set of high visibility fixed type, cleaned up the trigger pull and one of them beavertail grip safeties.

A series 70 Government model. Same alterations.

A series 70 LW Commander. Same alterations.

Oh. Neat grips. I like aftermarket grips.
 
I have owned several 45autos. Colts are not that great anymore.Kimber is the best in the 600 dollar range.MY advice is buy a Kimber and spend the rest on ammo and some good clips,get Wilson Combat clips. However if you are going to start competing in IPSC or IDPA you will be dollars ahead to just suck it up and go ahead and buy a Wilson Combat 45auto to start with.I know I have been there and bought the tee shirt.You can spend a small fortune on upgrades, different parts,etc.Than after you do that you will probably wind up trading it off for another gun and doing the same thing to it,thinking you are saving money again and it goes on and on.Buy a Wilson to start with,thank me later.Nevada
 
Wilson Gun For IDPA or IPSC?

Greetings Nevada, you should realize that both Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn both chose Beretta 92s for IDPA competition. 1911s take a special breed of masochist (I'm one) to continually keep up with things like extractor tension, sorta like a small block chevy with solid lifters. Some of us enjoy the tinkering and some don't. George, your certainly old enough to remember when Springfield was fined or sued for using the Made In America logo on Brazilian guns? Call me old school but I'll support American workers whatever the price. The Kimber Pro Carry suits me fine with a bit of blueprinting, the Ed Brown grip safety is a good upgrade for me as all my 1911s have them. I saw a Springfield slide literally shatter when it hit the floor, it fell off the Bridgeport. This was back on the 80s and maybe they've figured out how to harden steel by now but c'mon George. Brazilian Metalurgy? Not my families life. Thanks all, henry
 
Brazilian Metalurgy is among the finest. I'ld put it up against MADE IN THE USA any time, any day.
Since when did MADE IN THE USA mean QUALITY? I thought it just ment it was MADE IN THE USA.
I'm also old enough to remember when other things MITUSA were notably crapy.
For example... Japan brought out the RX-7 the same year Detroit brought out the VEGA. Retch!
For many years ANYTHING just SPANKED any given car that was MADE IN THE USA.
Only Recently has that changed.
Everyone know that if you want an FAL receiver - you get an IMBEL - which means Brazil.
You want food - good food? Brazilian.
Hot Woman? Brazilian.
Lots of good stuff down there in Brazil.

The plant in Brazil is state of the art. On par with anything else in the world.
I know.
I've been there.
 
Funny... When I SO'd Bill & Ryan Wilson and Joyce Fowler at the IDPA Nationals, they ALL had Wilson 1911s. There are a lot of things Bill Wilson has done that I simply can NOT understand or agree with. But his company does make a fine 1911 and his customer service is the standard in this industry. I have owned a numebr of the 1911's mentioned here. And some that are not. My Les Baer TRS and my Wilson CQB are the cream of the crop. And I am seeing more and more of those two models show up at major matches all over the country.

Several mentioned additional work on the Kimbers. Have to say I have found the same on all of mine. They tend to be 98% guns in my opinion. They work 98% of the time right out of the box. But if you want 100%, send them to Dane Burns or Brian Bilby for their Kimber reliablility packages. Best $400 or so you will ever spend on a Kimber.

Just another data point.

Bubba
 
Brazil !

Please correct me If I am wrong on this.
I seem to remember reading that Brazil imposed a gun ban upon it's citizens. Not only do I not support US companies employing the rest of the world for their bottom line. I support Made in the USA when ever possible. Admittedly it is getting harder to do.
I just bought a CZ75. Foreign made YUP! It is getting so I can't afford American guns due to union wages a ridiculous prices. To say Made in Brazil is better than Made in the USA is symptomatic of the apatheic attitudes in America today. Yeah I know damn near everything you buy these days at least has foreign made parts in it.
No offense intended but it offends me when I read this kind of stuff.

I will agree that Brazillian women are hot. Hell, I like most all women. Springfield does made good guns.
I jut don't like there practices. They should be cheaper than they are also. I would love to own one of Springfields Match rifles. I just can't see mortgaging my house to pay for it.

My $0.02 !!
 
Hands down for me, the choice is Kimber. Not knocking the SA. Haven't owned one yet, but I don't like the finish, blocky frontstrap, and overall "looser" fit than the Kimber. I hear a lot about the Kimber MIM parts on the boards, but in real life I have yet to see a gun at a match or at the range that has had a failure from them in the past two years. Early parts failures were reported, but they just don't happen now. Even so, some people remain convinced that they've got to get rid of the MIM parts...so be it. My gun is stock, works 100% of the time, and as accurate as my Wilson. For the money, Kimber is the best out there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top