What are good 1911, .45?

[Nick72]

Now that I feel comfortable with 9mm and found the two 9mm I like, I
am thinking of try a 1911 .45. First, how different is the recoil from a 9mm to .45? What would be a good 1911 to practice shooting? What would a good 1911 to buy? Also in general what good price for ammo for .45? In general I like Berettas and S&W, but I am open to any brand.
Thank you,
Nicholas.

[glocke12]

on a full size steel pistol the recoil from a 45 round isn't bad at all....I have an aluminum framed and a commander sized 1911 where the recoil is a bit more pronounced, but is still manageable.

As for manufacturers, there are many good 1911's out there by a variety of manufacturers and you will find the answer to that question to be very subjective.

I personally like Colt and Springfield..Colt for some technical reasons and because I am pony fanboy, Springfield for price point and warranty.

Bottom line is it depends on what your budget is and what purpose the gun will serve..recreational/target shooting ? self defense? or is it just a "must have" item.

My suggestion is to spend some time reading up on them, visit some 1911 sites (m1911.org is a good one), and maybe rent one if you can...

[Brian Ahearn]

I have 4 that you can try out you just pay for the ammo Brian / EFR

[snakeman21]

Now that I feel comfortable with 9mm and found the two 9mm I like, I
am thinking of try a 1911 .45. First, how different is the recoil from a 9mm to .45? What would be a good 1911 to practice shooting? What would a good 1911 to buy? Also in general what good price for ammo for .45? In general I like Berettas and S&W, but I am open to any brand.
Thank you,
Nicholas.

Recoil largely depends on gun weight. If you are going for a 1911, I doubt you'll be disappointed. 1911's are heavy, which makes the recoil more manageable. The 9mm has more of a sharp little "snap" in the recoil, while a heavier .45 has more of a big heavy push. You can definitely tell it's more powerful, but unless you're shooting a light-framed .45, you shouldn't have an issue managing it well.

As far as what 1911 to get, you are the only person who can answer that. It all depends on what you intend to use it for, and how much you're willing to spend. I carry a Rock Island Armory 1911 every day. I bought it becasue they are affordable (under $500 in most cases), and have a reputation for being well built and reliable for the money. IMO, it is better to have a less expensive firearm as your main carry gun. Why? If you have to use it, it will be confiscated, and even if/when you are cleared of wrongdoing, you still may never get your weapon back.

The market is literally flooded with 1911's. Being the most successful .45 pistol platform in history, everybody wants a little slice of the pie, so lots of firearm manufacturers offer a 1911. I am personally a fan of Springfield Armory 1911's. Wilson Combat makes a wonderful 1911, one of the best money can buy if you're willing to pay the coin. I have heard good things about the Ruger SR1911, if you can actually find one.

You will see many different configurations, consisting of small differences, usually just parts upgrades. For example, here is your basic "milspec" 1911:



And here is one with the popular upgrades. This is usually referred to as a "loaded" model. Rock Island calls it the tactical model:



The loaded versions will often have:

Beavertail

Skeletal hammer

Skeletal trigger

Full-length guide rod

Extended safety lever

Ambidextrous safety

Some of these will not matter to you. For example, if you are right-handed, you will probably not give a crap about the ambi safety. The full-length guide rod is basically a gimmick. They do not improve the function of the firearm. Some will say that they are more reliable, but I have never seen any evidence of this claim. Some will say the add weight to the front end of the pistol. While this is obviously true, the extra weight is marginal at best and will not actually help you. So far, the only advantage I've found with a full length guide rod is that you can take the entire slide assembly off the frame, with the barrel, barrel bushing, plug, guide rod, and recoil spring still assembled without the spring popping out and flying across the room. Other than that, it seems to be entirely aesthetic.

I hope this has been helpful and informative. Good luck in your search!

[Pilot321]

I avoided Colt for many years as I had heard quality issues, and a lot of talk about paying for the name. I bought a Springfield Milspec in the mid 90's, and it has been a great shooter. However, in the past few years I have bought a few new Colts and they have been excellent. By far my favorite 1911 to shoot. There is just something about them that I like better than the Springer. They are very accurate for me, well finished and very reliable.

[stainless]

Since you are comfortable with a 9mm most likely you are ready for a .45. As long as you keep a strong grip they work well. It seems that most problems are due to a weak grip from what I read.

FWIW, I bought a Rock Island Tactical and love it. It a good entry level price point. (I was buying WAY too many other guns at the time.)

Do your homework on the net and by talking to folks and find the pros and cons of different brands.

Much info on many different sites can be gleaned by reading threads. Then go for it and enjoy.

ETA: Brian (post #3) made you a hell of an offer providing you guys could find time to meet.

[R L Suehr]

Their are literaly 100's of different 1911 platforms to choose from and picking one is a very subjective opinion. With that said if I were to purchase a new one I think I would go the Rock Island armory route. I have read very few bad reviews on any of their pistols and for the price they will serve most every purpose for you. If you just want a mis-spec to play with at the range there are companys like Shooters arms and Tisas that make very affordable 1911's (@$400 mark). You could also look at the used market. Most LGS will have a few used models to choose from and some can be had very reasonably. Fair warning if you find you like 1911's they tend to multiply like rabbits in the gun safe.

[harold63]

Now that I feel comfortable with 9mm and found the two 9mm I like, I
am thinking of try a 1911 .45. First, how different is the recoil from a 9mm to .45?

Which two 9mm's are you drawing your comparison from?

If you shoot a 5", all steel, 9mm 1911, and then shoot a 5", all steel .45 1911, you will feel a substantial difference in recoil. It's not that the .45 1911 has so much recoil, but that the 9mm 1911 has so little of it. Even an unskilled shooter has little trouble controlling an all steel, 5", 9mm 1911 once they know how to hold the firearm. The .45, though it is quite a bit more in recoil, is still controllable with a sturdy grip. A 9mm 1911 that will feed +P hollow points reliably out of a 10 round Wilson or Tripp magazine is an affective package. .45?...just as affective, but with more recoil.

Down here, 9mm is selling for an average of $.68 a round for decent target stuff. .45acp is still hovering at $.60 per round, so the .45 is actually cheaper to shoot here than 9mm is, at this moment. Don't know the prices where you guys are at but it has to be in the neighborhood.

[kel ruger man]

if you stick with the big names like colt, kimber, smith and springfields you cant go wrong...if you buy a 500.00 1911, thats what you get a 500 dollar pistol you cant even give away if you dont want it any more. i am not offending anyone, it is what it is. with the big names your not just paying for a name, you are paying for quailty. any colt i ever owned i got back at least what i paid for them or more.

[Sir Knight]

Guns are very much a personal preference thing and nowhere is this more true than when it comes to the 1911's. For me, it's ...


1) Colt (Government model during the colder months and Commander during the warmer ones)

2) & 3) Remington & Springfield (in no particular order)

4) Rugers (have them both and while I can find nothing to complain about, I'm not too impressed with them either -- as I am with the earlier members of the list).


... Stay away from everything else unless it is a Dan Wesson -- then move that to the top of the list.