Help me choose a 1911

Maybe. It's never been an issue with the way my hands grip the gun though. And if I went to the trouble I'd countersink the slide at the same time.

 

How do you like your Ruger? I have heard good things about them, and no Ruger I own has ever let me down, even if I did not clean it when I should have...

 

I'll bite on this thread, but I'll also add that if I were buying another 1911 today, I wouldn't look at anything but a Colt.

In my own case, I'm biased towards Sig Sauer. I have Glocks, Berettas, and Sigs, and the Sigs are the only guns that have never suffered broken components, and actually none of them have even jammed on feed. So, until the Sig lets me down, that's where my money goes. I've developed a trust in the brand.

So, naturally, when I wanted a 1911, I looked at the Sigs. I wasn't sure who was supplying the internals on these guns, but I'd been assured that from the frame to the springs, every part in a Sig 1911 was US made. I still doubt that; it doesn't seem possible any more.

I bought a full-frame Sig 1911, Stainless, with rail, and I've never been more disappointed in a gun. It didn't matter what ammo I fed into it, every fifth bullet would stick on the feed ramp half-way up. I tried Wilson mags and my buddy's mags from his Taurus 1911. Same problem.

I reasoned that Sig builds to tight tolerances, and most 1911's are sort of 'clunky'. They rattle and shake a bit. The Sig was so tight; it wouldn't make a peep when holding or carrying. Maybe the 1911 was just meant to be 'looser'. I'd heard people say that all 1911s need 1000 rounds to be reliably broken in. I wasn't sure.

After 500 rounds of persistent jamming, I sent the damn thing into Sig, and had them take a look at it. 2 weeks later, it came back to me. They claimed that all they did was swap the extractor, and didn't charge me a single dime.

Since then, the gun has been flawless and chewed through any type of round I put in it. It's also the single most pleasant and accurate gun I own. It's been perfect for two years now.

All that said, I wouldn't recommend a Sig 1911 based on my experience. I just feel that out of the box, the thing has to be reliable, at minimum. And, to this day, I still can't get over my initial experiences. I feel that every gun needs to be carry-worthy, and if I don't trust the gun, there's no point in having it. I want my guns scratched, chipped, worn and ugly from a life of dependability, and this particular 1911 will just stay pretty.

 

Not real sure what the extractor had to with feeding issues but if its fixed then what the hell but a buddy of mine bought a Sig XO 1911 and had problems feeding rds. It had a 14lb recoil spring in it, he called Sig and they sent him a 18lb spring and that cleared it up. If you have anymore issues you may try a different spring.

 

That would make more sense.

Best I can figure, the extractor may not have been flopping the spent case out properly and could have been obstructing feed of the next. But, for now, it's not broke so I'll leave it be.

 

In my experience the three most common things that cause malfunctions in the 1911 are..

1. Bad magazines, be them damaged or weak springs.

2. Improper extractor tension, sometimes a simple as a little bend.

3. Worn out recoil springs, change these like you change the oil in your Taco.

 

Wrong.
An Officer is a 4 or 4.25" barrel with a shortened grip.

So far, 1911 has given the most accurate advice on here.

I have a Kimber TLE that had been modded for games. It is an external extractor model and runs perfectly....Thousands of rounds.
I had a Kimber ProCarry HDII that was beautiful and accurate, but didn't run reliably, so down the road it went....For $100 MORE than it sold for, new.
I currently run an STI Trojan 9mm 1911 for games. Very tight, close to custom fitting. Take a look at STI.

Until recently, I have never seen a Colt that didn't rattle like the loose POS that it is. Colt has ridden name recognition for generations. They are average, at best. Discerning shooters may buy one but they send it to a good gunsmith for tightening and tuning. Colt recently replaced their machines and are now close to producing a viable, modern 1911.

Dan Wesson is a great piece for the $1500 price range. Very tight and nice to look at.
I have never owned a Springer but my friend's Brazilian production gun needed two trips to Geneseo IL and still isn't right.

For the round count the OP mentions, anybody who suggests an alloy-framed 1911 is completely unaware.

OP, buy an 5" Government model. Get one with a checkered/textured frontstrap. Don't worry about plastic MSH. Get good mags, Tripp or Wilson, with extended baseplates. Get good sights, Heinie, Trijicon, XS Big Dots, something with a bright front sight...You will rely on that front sight more and more.

Wilson Combat, Les Baer, Nighthawk.....A real custom can be had for the money you're spending.

 

Dont know where you get your info, but a commander 1911 has the same grip frame and a shortened slide, 4" or 4 1/4". Officers model is a compact 3" barrel and shortened grip. May need to get your facts strait before you start calling people out. Im also pretty sure the OP has made his decision on a government model. Besides that nobody cares who you think gave the best information. You obviously didnt read the entire thread. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_t...a_1911_commander_officer_and_government#page2

 

Wilson, Nighthawk, and Baer aren't customs either, dude.

 

Also, your Brazilian gun comment is aamusing. They are made by Imbel.

Google them, and educate yourself on what you think a capable manufacturer is and isn't.

 

This is the first time I've heard this. I'm intrigued.

What about dual-action/buffered/stepped recoil systems? Any experience with those?

(Sorry about the thread hijack)

 

Buffers aren't worth anything. Buy a Wolff spring in proper weight and be done.

 

Thanks.
You're fucking brilliant.
http://www.imbel.gov.br/

 

I had the privilege of shooting a Springfield Operator, a Les Baer Custom, a Dan Wesson, and 2 Wilson Combats all side by side one day.

That Springfield kept right up with all of them, and for a fraction of the price.

 

I agree, i installed the Wilson buffer on mine and i could tell right away that the spring was stiffer and it felt like the slide was hindered from moving all te way back. Never even shot it with it installed, took it out and threw it in a drawer.

 

Yes, I've been told before.

Thanks.

Imbel is a long time manufacturer of quality firearms and also produces for military firearms. Sorry if that irritates your corn hole, capitan.

 

500?!

 

I change every 3k unless performance demands sooner. 500 rds is unnecessarily quick to change recoil springs.