Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns What brand of 1911 should I buy?

Recently I read a report on the Para Ordnance GI Expert that sounded like a nice pistol, reasonably priced. The accuracy on the one tested was very good indeed. I see Bud's Gunshop has them for under 500 bucks. It might be one to consider.

Kimber

I certainly forgot Para Ordnance. They are a sweet pistol and I would buy one in a heartbeat. For some reason I find them a bit less attractive in appearance than many others, but I would still buy one.

I almost said the same thing as Hawkeye about the Smith. I would say that it is a real 1911 though, just a modified one with a different type of extractor. I would say that a Llama or Ballester-Molina is NOT a 1911. As an aside, these last two are good guns too.

The SIG is indeed a fine-looking piece and one which I tried to buy when I decided the last Colt I had wasn't feeding hollowpoints adequately.

I agree with COLE YOUNGER in that while I love my colt,My Taurus has proven to be a lot of pistol for the money spent.5000 rnds.
and just seems to be getting better.
Bob.

Will Taurus 1911s take standard 1911 parts?

That's been a matter of debate here before. I don't personally know.

A friend is kicking around the idea of picking one up and the notion has spread.

The small parts would be my only major concern with one IF they can't be replaced. I have read on another board where a guy was replacing almost everything in his Taurus with standard aftermarket parts (with the exception of the FP safety parts which he said looked quite a bit different than Colt's,) but he never posted a report on how it worked out that I could find.

I'd buy a Wilson and never look back. But any of the other top makers or okay too.

If I was a young pup buying a .45ACP 1911, I would buy Wilson's top of the master pistol for around $4,000. I can tell you once yo buy a 1911 in .45ACP you will never sell it so buy the best you can. It's a life long investment.

The Taurus is certainly what can be termed a "1911 clone" just like the Springfield or Kimber and unlike the Ballester or the Llamma. As was said, whether or not some small parts interchange has been debated here already. You might want to look back a ways and check those threads out if it is major concern to you.

Dan Wesson, Springfield, and if ya got the bigger bucks....Ed Brown is excellent among the premium 1911's.

A Colt XSE is my every day carry gun.

Whatever gun , get some Wilson mags for it.

If a used gun is ok with you find an older Colt. If you want to go new buy a Kimber. I think Springfield still uses two piece barrels (I have no experience with their failure but I just wonder about it.) I have never owned or shot a Dan Wesson but if you want an All American Desin why buy from an foreign country company?

Well, that depends on how much older. Colt has gone back and forth throughout recent history in terms of the quality of their products, particularly their 1911s. If it was made before 1960, you're probably safe, even if it will need some attention from a gunsmith for it to reliably feed hollow points. But older Colts in good condition are even more expensive than new Colts. You are much better off just getting a Springfield Armory Mil Spec or Loaded model. Current production Colts are good too, but less of a value for the dollar than the Springfields.

Ballester Molina...

Reliable, proven, affordable, uses same mag and barrel as a 1911. And did I mention cheaper than a "1911".....

Cerakote it, and you have a very durable truck gun...

Whole package under $550 (including Cerakote) how can you go wrong...

As long as you don't want to look at it. I mean it all depends on what you want but for very little more you can own something you can be proud of and looks nice too.

This is going to be Cerakoted, just have to figure out what color I want.

But what is it that is different to the eye than a true 1911?

I'm surprised no one has mentioned STI, they make a real nice gun. I've got a couple of used Colts, a Delta Elite and a tricked out Stainless Series 80, that I picked up used because the prices were right but my STI Ranger II is my favourite. The Ranger is a commander size 1911, in a fullsize I'd look at the Trojan.

My vote goes to Sig. Fit and finish is excellent and is so sweet to shoot. I could shoot it all day long and not get tired of shooting it.

Only 51%+. The "big parts" are manufactured in Brazil and at least 51% percent of it is assembled in the US; the Brazilian one was put together in Brazil, at least 51%. Not only is a SA not necessarily "made" here, the US ones may have only had 51% assembly done here with Brazilian made parts.

I always thought 'Made In...' is based solely on where the frame/receiver is made.