Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Used 1911's

I haven't drop the hammer just yet on a 1911. Instead I went window shopping today. I found a couple of used Sig Tacops, one with a rail. There were a couple of Rugers and an STI Tactical for just over a grand.

I really like the Sigs, they seem very well built. Oh and I got to fondle the Kimber TLE, they are really nice. The LGS even had the SA RO Elite on hand.

I have had the following:

-older Kimber Gold Match: I bought this one new 12 years ago. The most accurate 1911 I have owned but didn't feed reliably. I am sure it could have been repaired, but instead I took it to the store I bought it from and they allowed a trade for Something else.

-Ed Brown: super nice and beautifully executed gun. Chamber was a little tighter than mainstream guns so had to watch using commercially cast bullets. While a work of art, I am not sure accuracy was better than the other 1911s I have had.

-Newer production Colt Gold Cup: this was one of the newer guns made to look like an older Gold Cup. I shoot a high grip so had to convert to a beaver tail grip safety to keep from getting bitten. A little expensive for what you get but a beautiful gun and looks like a 1911 should. I sold this when I found a deal on the Ed Brown and really regret selling the Colt. Wish I still had it.

-Ruger SR1911: I love these. I have had three and two remain in that my commander length was given to a friend that allowed my daughter to take her first deer on his place. I liked my older Ruger so well I sold my Ed Brown and bought a second newer Ruger but with adjustable sights. All of mine have been accurate and reliable. My dad has an SR1911 also and has had a similar experience to mine. These are a lot of gun for the $$$.

That's a pretty heavy endorsement.

Thanks.

My opinion is there are a lot of good 1911s out there these days. I would be happy with a newer Colt or a Kimber or Ruger among others, but still think the Ruger is a great gun and reasonably priced given the features. I have also heard good things about DWs, STIs, Springfields and others but haven't owned them. As mentioned, I really liked my newer Colt Gold Cup I sold. After the extended safety, the Colt performed equally to my Rugers for me, but I loved the traditional blued look, which the Ruger doesn't have.

There's no magic in the Sigs & they are no built than any other similar level 1911............& depending on model, they don't all conform to 1911 slide dimensions either.

I own a fair number of 1911's & none are Sigs...............not that I wouldn't, but I don't see them as standing out in any particular area, but they are a good gun, just no better than most others.

MM

How do the recoil springs effect accuracy if at all in one of the bull barrel lock to the frame models?

I think the Sig's use a non-standard barrel hood/hood recess in the slide as well. I have never worked on a Sig 1911, but a friend of mine told me that Sig's won't take anyone else's barrel. To me, standardized parts is a significant plus of the 1911, so making a 1911 suddenly proprietary just seems like a not too bright thing to do.

For the price I paid a number of years ago for my Sig, I got a great shooting gun with all the options I wanted. I think still a great deal. The hood on my Sig is only about .005 different from the hood on my Remington 1911. The Remington I got has very few options but didn't cost much used either. There are some great 1911's out there. Just list the options you are willing to pay for and go find one. That is almost as much fun as the shooting once you do.