Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Your favorite 1911, bar none ...

I have a couple of Les Baers, and like them a lot. One is a full size Super Tac .45, the other a Stinger compact. I have threatened a time or two to get another 10mm, and I am a little torn between a Baer, and a Nighthawk. I like the Nighthawks a touch better as far as their sights and thumb safeties.

All that said, I have a .38 Super Colt Special Combat Gov't, and it is a smmmoootthh shooter...

My favorite 1911 of all time was a Colt that I had "built" back around 1988, and used it for several years before and after for IPSC shooting. I had a "friendly" smith build it for me, at a shamefully low price for those days. I was working at an indoor range at the time, and he knew I'd show it to our customers and it might give him more business, so it was probably a good move on his part.

Today, without regard for cost, it would probably be a Les Baer Premier II, I liked his work then (when he ran Springfield's Custom Shop) and I like it now, plus the aesthetics are outstanding in my eyes. The hard choice for me would be the chambering. I currently own four .45s a 9mm and a 10mm, all in 1911s, but if I were buying a new pistol, it would probably be a .38 Super, just because I've got the other choices covered pretty well already.

I put 100rds through a Les Baer Custom Carry and thought it was the best fitted 1911 I've ever touched. I don't know how accurate it was but I hit everything I aimed at.

Everything just seemed to feel better: magazine seating was crisper, racking the slide was strange as there was zero play side to side, the safety snigged off crisply and the empty brass organized itself in a pile. It was a very handsome pistol.

Every 1911 I've messed with before and after has been sub $1000.

I had a chance to buy it later when my friend was in need of money, but I couldn't justify it to myself.

This Colt Model of 1911 (WWI Replica) is my first and favorite 1911...

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Agreed. They are fine handguns!

I know I voiced likes for a Baer, & I'm good with that.

But thinking more, I really liked Brown parts when one of my side jobs years ago was that of a gun butcher. Brown parts were top notch. But the $4000 price turned me of on one of his guns. Well, pressing the build button had me choosing my wants on the Brown site, & that changed things.

What I wound up with was a $3100 gun made to my specs with a 9 month wait(but was it Cal. Approved?)

Anyway, for the 3100 I'd go Brown over Wilson.. But for 2 thirds the cost, I could still be happy with the Baer.

You can't have too many 1911's.

I should also have mentioned, if I were researching a higher end 1911 the single most important consideration for me is provenance - I want to know where the forgings come from. Simply knowing the last 20% was machined in the USA is not good enough - I need to know. Whether or not I based a buying decision on provenance is a second question, but if a manufacturer tries to hide that they are off the list.

The only one I own. An older stainless V-Bob in 45 ACP.

I guess I've shot most all of the higher end 1911's, but a recently made Nighthawk really impressed me (if money is not an issue).

My favorite is a really basic Series 70 Colt. Only mod is a Harrison Design rear sight. It runs great, shoots great, looks kind of basic (which I like).

I don’t own a Wilson but have shot several. If accuracy and value are the two most important considerations, Baer is the obvious choice IMO. I have a 9mm NH Talon, it took adding a Kart to make it shoot like a Baer. It is now an incredibly sweet 1911.

My only remaining 1911 is the 38 Souper, A.O.Swenson. I can't imagine a nicer feeling and shooting handgun on this platform. I don't shop new but if I was thataway inclined I'd buy a foundation gun and have it customized by a master. Find someone that builds winners.

Iv never owned a custom 1911, I'd like to one day, but I'm pretty happy with my old Colt Delta Elite, I shoot it very well! Great shot on the playing card!

Wiley Clapp Officer’s Commander or Wiley Clapp Commander. Both fit my hand really well, have nice triggers and shoot great.

Always admired Swensen's work..................one of the truly great masters.

That's a gem.

MM

While I really enjoy shooting my Baer, this old Colt lightweight Commander is a great one for carrying:

Colt classic, you want a 1911, I don't care who you are its gotta be Colt

Both are hard to beat for EDC. Carry with pride. Both fitted by the old smith's sitting at their benches.