This one's for the 1911 buffs

I am thinking about a 1911 as well, but am putting it off until next year when it will be the 100th Anniversary Editions out.

I too own a Dan Wesson Commander Bobtail...it is THE nicest gun I own and one of the nicest I've ever shot. It was my first 1911 and I fell in love with them.

I got burned once by not doing my research on a gun companies customer service reputation. When I was looking at getting a 1911 I had narrowed it down to Kimber or Dan Wesson. When I searched for CS reviews I came up about 50/50 good/bad for Kimber and the few I could even find on Dan Wesson were all positive. I ended up needing to use the warranty service for something I mucked up and they not only fixed it under warranty, they covered shipping both ways and I had the gun back in my hands in less than 10 days. On top of that when I contacted them I spoke directly with the gun smith and not some office person who doesn't really know anything about guns.

Dan Wesson A++ in my book.

If you don't have or don't want to spend that kind of money I have also had exceptionally good luck with the entry level Philippine made 1911s. I have a Metro Arms made full size that is fantastic. It shoots like a dream, is just as accurate as my $1000 Dan Wesson and has about 1000 rounds through it without a single issue of any kind. They can be had under the name American Classic and come in standard GI and Deluxe models with the commander just being release this year. They also have a full lifetime warranty and the main warranty center, Colorado Gun Works, has a great reputation.

I also have an officer's compact 1911 that is made by Armscor under the brand name Citadel. It had some minor issues out of the box but a call to the warranty smith in Nevada (who was very helpful) and I got them straightened out. It needed a new slide stop and he popped one in the mail and it needed the extractor tuned. I told him I didn't want to send it in so he gave me directions and with those and some instructions I found online I had it tuned in about 10 minutes. I've since run hundreds of rounds through it without a single problem.

The Filipino 1911s do have their share of MIM parts but I don't have a problem with that because they are inexpensive. I do have a problem with a company like Kimber charging a premium price for a gun that has just as many if not more MIM parts than an inexpensive Philippine made gun.

IMO, if you're on a budget and want to get a 1911 either a Metro Arms or an Armscor made one will probably serve you well.

Bronson

I tried google, but what is MIM?

stainless1911 said:

I tried google, but what is MIM?

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First hit when I googled 'what is mim parts'. :uhoh:

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-3725.html

This should help.

My main carry weapon is a Springfield GI Mil-Spec. I run Hogue rubber grips and 3 dot white sites. It has always shot everything I've fed it and at a tad over 500 it's hard to beat. There is a guy on Gun Broker selling them all the time for around 525.00 . Hard to beat IMHO but I am a softy for the basics. btw....it shoots very tight groups at 25ft too. Has made me look better then I really am since I purchased it last year.

Kimber Eclipse Custom II 2000+ rounds no issues, not one. Purchased in 2001. VERY accurate out to 25 yards, maybe further.

Para 12.45 could not fire 10rnds in a row without a feed failure or return to battery failure. tried 500 rounds to break it in and replaced the guide rod spring. Traded it in for my Kimber. Side note. The guy that bought this Para spent about $200 for feed ramp polish, high end guide rod and spring then had no issues.

Kimber Tactical II HD in the near future........

i just picked up my 1st 1911 myself...got a taurus pt1911 so far i like it.

ken243 said:

Kimber Eclipse Custom II 2000+ rounds no issues, not one....

Kimber Tactical II HD in the near future........

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That's the thing I noticed when doing my research. The people that get a good one absolutely love them. The unfortunate folks that end up with a bad one have very mixed reviews on Kimber CS.

Of the last 10 handguns that my girlfriend and I have purchased 5 have needed some type of warranty service. I understand that guns are machines and machines break and occasionally need service, which is why service after the sale plays a HUGE role in my decision to purchase a firearm. It is also why Kahr will receive no more of my money...which is too bad because now that it works it is a sweet shooting little gun.

Bronson

ken243 said:

Para 12.45 could not fire 10rnds in a row without a feed failure or return to battery failure. tried 500 rounds to break it in and replaced the guide rod spring. Traded it in for my Kimber. Side note. The guy that bought this Para spent about $200 for feed ramp polish, high end guide rod and spring then had no issues.

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I had the same issues with a pair of P10-.45's
Everyone said it was the short feed angle from the small frame size but The MFG said it was mags. They sent me mag 4 times and I had $700 worth of work and parts into those guns when I traded them for a G22 and a G35. Not one time ever did those guns feed 20 consecutive shots (with hard ball) without a problem. Most hollow points wouldn't go 5 shots without a jam.

I have had 4 glocks, (2-G22's, G35, G17) Fired over 200,000 rounds through those guns since 1991 and NEVER a single hickup! Now that is reliability! I love my single actions but if the SHTF, I grabbing a glock!:dude:

Sig Sauer makes a real nice 1911

My Colt was the first pistol I ever bought. Pretty much ruined me for all other pistols, nothing else seems to shoot as nice. All I have is the crappy cell phone pic.

"Your Kimber is what you show your freinds, your Glock is what you show your enemies"

stainless1911 said:

"Your Kimber is what you show your freinds, your Glock is what you show your enemies"

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That was classic. I would wear that on a T-shirt.