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Springfield makes a pretty darn good 1911. I would take any model any day over any Kimber series II. I know I will get flogged for that one but Schwartz safeties and plastic MSH just don't do it for me. No I don't like the ILS on the springers either but that was a easy replacement.

I ran about a thousand rounds through my springer loaded then decided what I wanted to have done to it. Off to the Springfield custom shop it went.

The GI models are a great basic 1911 but if you want just a few more features you may want to step up to the loaded. I have only owned Kimber's and Springfield's so I cant comment on the others.

The really nice thing about Springfield is there customer service is about at good as it gets.

Here is a pic of my springer fresh from the custom shop.

Did a search function for 1911 and really enjoyed the Out of the Box 1911 thread but didn't quite find all the info I am looking for. I am interested in the 1911 platform and like the more basic of models (aesthetics only) and had been looking at the Springfield GI or MilSpec. I have heard some folks say the Springfields have many MIM parts therefore inferior out of the box, one person even went so far as to say that Springfield slides have a tenency to crack. I can't substantiate these claims and take them with a grain of salt. Has anyone heard of this? This thread could turn into a Ford vs. Chevy debate - for that I apologize. Just looking for a basic, solid and reliable 1911 that doesn't require an immediate trip to the smith to make it work.

I'll make no claims to being a Springfield 1911 expert. I've owned three or four of them including my current 1911. I've never known one to break in any way or for any reason.

I know I am about to get blasted for this, and for the record I would much prefer, and own, more upscale 1911's but......

We had a couple of Norinco basic 1911's in the A1 profile in the gun shop. These were the first ones that they started importing in the early 90's. They worked well from the start with no upgrades or improvemnts and through several thousand rounds of military ball ammo. I just sold mine off a couple of years ago after well over 6000 rounds down range. It worked well with just routine maintenance as a basic model and they are really afordable. Chances are if you can find a used one it will have been fired enough to work out any kinks? Just a thought.

One of the other surprises in the shop was the 1911 A1 format older Llama pistols. They were good shooters and their slides were made of some of the hardest metal you could imagine. These were not the KBI trash, but the earlier Llamas from the 60's and 70's. If you could find one of these they would serve you well.

If I was on a budget and looking for just a basic 1911 these two would be worth a hard look. The sights are the fixed milatary sights and not upgradable without a lot of cost but if you can live with that and upgrade the trigger you would have a good functioning basic and more than a few bucks left for ammo, etc.

Bracing for the onslaught. But if you tried these versions of these particular imports you would feel the same.

...I know regardless, I would need to add a beavertail grip safety....

I have heard some folks say the Springfields have many MIM parts therefore inferior out of the box...

Almost every production handgun relies heavily on MIM nowadays, so "Inferior to what?" would be my question. MIM might not be as desirable as forged in terms of craftsmanship, but I don't have any real objection to a quality MIM part.

A cracked frame is what finally kills most 1911's - it's just a matter of round count. Springfields are no exception, but they hold up as well any production pistol.

Do you? Or are you just going by what you've read?

If you have very fleshy hands, you may need the beavertail. If not, you may not need one. I have pretty bony hands. My GI-style 1911 did chew into the web of my hand, out of the box. But it wasn't the hammer biting me - it was the trailing edges of the grip safety gradually chewing away. I lightly softened the edges of the grip safety and the problem was gone, even though I grip the gun high against the safety.

OTOH, I have a friend who can't shoot any 1911 that doesn't have a grip beavertail grip safety (including mine) without being immediately bloodied by the hammer. He also gets bit by Hi-Powers with spur hammers.

If you are over forty, you should probably skip past any "GI" model that wears the tiny GI sights. Otherwise, the RIA will do. Personally, I can't see those little sights well enough to use them anymore, and I consider the Springfield Mil-Spec - with it's bigger sights - a very good basic 1911.

I have several handguns from major makers that have MIM internal parts. Not one of those parts has ever failed, and that is with many thousands of rounds downrange from each. I understand it is true that MIM parts can't be filed or stoned for a trigger job - but it with good manufacture (as you can expect from the major makers) is not likely that they will need it for acceptable function. You can always replace them with forged parts if you want to go there.

These days, to avoid MIM parts, you have to spend at least $2,500.00 on a 1911 from a semi-custom maker like Ed Brown or Les Baer.