Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Duncansville, Pennsylvania
    (Blair County)
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    Default Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    Main reason I'm waiting until March is to give myself time to properly research and decide what I want while giving myself time to save up the money. I've bought a few guns on impulse that I later regretted; I simply got what I could afford and what was available at the time. Every time I've longed for a 1911 shortly thereafter. Plus my birthday's in March so it'll be easier to convince the wife to let me get it.

    At the moment, here are the criteria I've set:

    <$1000 including transfer and shipping if req'd
    .45 acp
    stainless
    includes all the typical upgrades (i.e. not a basic GI model)
    single-stack magazine

    Yes, this leaves me plenty of options and I still have a lot to narrow down. This will likely be the last gun I buy for a very long time (unless I can convince the wife to get a small handgun for protection), and as such I'm leaning towards the upper limit of my budget to ensure I'll be completely satisfied for a while.

    Not sure yet on barrel and slide length; I definitely want a full-sized frame, however. The smallest I'd probably go is 4" on the barrel, but I'm leaning towards the full 5" for tradition's sake.

    At the moment I'm considering the following:

    Springfield Loaded
    Smith&Wesson 1911 (E-Series?)
    Kimber Custom II or Pro Carry II

    Please feel free to offer any othee suggestions and advice. For the record. My previous guns were a Gen 3 G17, an XDm subcompact, and an M&P9. They were all fine guns, but I either sold them to pay off unexpected bills or traded them in on the next one.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    Perry Co., Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    My vote goes to Springfield, but it depends alot on how you plan to use it, so put some thought into it.

    I got a SA Range Officer a short time after they came out & I loved it. After using it for a while I decided that I wanted to use it for a carry gun, so I changed out the adjustable sights for combat sights. I put on a Harrison tritium I-Dot rear & Dawson tritium front. That makes it a completely different gun.

    There are lots of options to look at when trying to decide on a 1911.
    "It's hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong."
    Thomas Sowell

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Duncansville, Pennsylvania
    (Blair County)
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    Default Re: Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    At first I don't plan on carrying, but if it proves to be dependable there's a very good chance I would in the future. I'm kinda large-framed (5'11", 215lbs) so I don't worry about being able to carry a full-sized 1911. Mostly at first it'll be for the range and by the bed at night until I get a shotgun.

    I did originally consider the Range Officer when I first read about them, but now I realize I want something in stainless steel and I have no need or want for adjustable sights; I won't be shooting competitively.

    Also considered the Ruger, but their complete lack of availability is a hangup.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Midwest City, Oklahoma
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    Default Re: Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    Springfield Loaded
    Smith&Wesson 1911 (E-Series?)
    Kimber Custom II or Pro Carry II

    Of your choices $1000 is going to be close unless you buy the basic series E S&W which is usually a $750-$820 gun. The SFA loaded is a $1100-1300 pending what all you want on it and the Kimber Pro carry II is a $1300 the Custom II can be had for around $1000 someplaces. The Smith has a better trigger 4-4.5lbs the SFA loaded can be 5-7lbs. And the Smith has better sights then the Kimber Custom II, the S&W E series basic model also is a SS gun for that money the SFA and Kimbers are blue. I own the Kimber Custom II, S&W E series and Ruger SR 1911.

    The Ruger is a good gun maybe a step above the Custom II because of its sights and in quality material but the E series is better overall deal.IMHO

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Duncansville, Pennsylvania
    (Blair County)
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    Default Re: Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    Looking at gunbroker.com and impactguns.com, all the guns I mentioned can be had for less than 1K. Granted, those are likely base models, but I'm okay with that.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    State College, Pennsylvania
    (Centre County)
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    Default Re: Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    Don't discount the Ruger, March is 4 months off and they are producting them as fast as they can. If you're on good terms with your LGS, see if they'll try to get one reserved for you. You might have to put a deposit on it.

    Also, don't overlook the Taurus PT1911 in SS. A good gun at a good price with just about all the bells and whistles on it already. That would leave you a lot of money to buy more magazines, ammo and accessories (holster(s), mag holder, etc.) I've had a PT1911 for 4 years now and have had NO problems with it , not even the ambi safety (which seemed to be an issue a few years back).

    And if you want to save more and get a good introductory 1911 with a few of the nice things already on it, look at the RIA Tactical. I have 2 RIA's, a basic Gov't model (which I customized later) and a Tactical. They have not given me any problems and any upgrade parts will fit just like any other 1911.

    The Taurus:



    The Tactical Model (with a Cerakote job I did on it):




    The Gov't Model (after upgrades):

    Ron USAF Ret E-8 FFL01/SOT3 NRA Benefactor Member

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
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    Default Re: Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    I would recommend you spend a lot of time at:

    http://forums.1911forum.com/

    I love that site for learning a lot about 1911s.

    I really believe the best dollar-for-dollar values in the 1911 market right now are the Dan Wessons. DW only makes about 4000 1911s each year in New York. They are hand-fit weapons. All the internals are machined parts. The frame to slide fit is hand-lapped.

    In stainless steel you could get a Valor or V-Bob. They do come up used on gunbroker for a bill or two above your price.

    You won't believe the trigger. I think this thread pretty much says it all....

    http://forums.1911forum.com/showthre...verns+shootout

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    back to Port Charlotte, Florida
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    Default Re: Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    Quote Originally Posted by Xringshooter View Post
    Also, don't overlook the Taurus PT1911 in SS. A good gun at a good price with just about all the bells and whistles on it already.
    This gun in stainless is more than good, in my opinion. It is a nice piece.

    The Colt Gold Cup Trophy will cost you less than $1000. It has a wrap around grip and target sights. And it is a Colt. It does not have the bells and whistles the Taurus has, though.
    BCM and Glock...for a bigger pile of 'cold dead hands' brass.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Dickson City, Pennsylvania
    (Lackawanna County)
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    Default Re: Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    Quote Originally Posted by Xringshooter View Post
    Don't discount the Ruger, March is 4 months off and they are producting them as fast as they can. If you're on good terms with your LGS, see if they'll try to get one reserved for you. You might have to put a deposit on it.

    Also, don't overlook the Taurus PT1911 in SS. A good gun at a good price with just about all the bells and whistles on it already. That would leave you a lot of money to buy more magazines, ammo and accessories (holster(s), mag holder, etc.) I've had a PT1911 for 4 years now and have had NO problems with it , not even the ambi safety (which seemed to be an issue a few years back).

    And if you want to save more and get a good introductory 1911 with a few of the nice things already on it, look at the RIA Tactical. I have 2 RIA's, a basic Gov't model (which I customized later) and a Tactical. They have not given me any problems and any upgrade parts will fit just like any other 1911.

    The Taurus:



    The Tactical Model (with a Cerakote job I did on it):




    The Gov't Model (after upgrades):

    *waits patiently for The Delta Force to come storming in raging about his gooey, flakey Taurus PT1911

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    State College, Pennsylvania
    (Centre County)
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    Default Re: Looking to buy a 1911 in March

    Quote Originally Posted by mollymayhem82 View Post
    *waits patiently for The Delta Force to come storming in raging about his gooey, flakey Taurus PT1911
    Now that's funny, I don't care who you are (I read his rants also on the other posting)
    Ron USAF Ret E-8 FFL01/SOT3 NRA Benefactor Member

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