1911 Recommendations

[Bogie]

Heh... The one handgun I'm not parting with is my Norinco.
 
And it's got GI sights. I -like- the GI sights...
 
It's been worked a little, and is pretty decent on the reliability front. I use Chip McCormick 8 round mags, and they rawk.
 

[Perd Hapley]

Double action guns just don't do it for me.  

The main beauty of a 1911 is its excellent single action trigger pull.  Why would anyone mess with that?

I'm not into DA autos either, but I thought the LDAs were quite a bit different from your conventional DA. Regardless, there's no sense in taking such an attitude toward a company that makes gazillions of single-action guns, and also offers some sorta-kinda double-action versions. What's the problem?

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I'm not into DA autos either, but I thought the LDAs were quite a bit different from your conventional DA. Regardless, there's no sense in taking such an attitude toward a company that makes gazillions of single-action guns, and also offers some sorta-kinda double-action versions. What's the problem?

The notion of a double action 1911 seems like complete folly to me.  Para's interest in designing, building, and marketing such a thing turns me off to the whole brand.  

It'd be like buying a high performance sports car, then having a mechanic install a governor to limit it to 35 mph.  Or like buying a 5,000 square foot mansion, then hiring contractor to permanently wall off 4,000 SF so that it's not accessible.  I'd wonder about the sanity of anyone doing this sort of thing, and while I'd respect their rights to do so, I'd still think they're weird and steer clear of them.

Maybe Para's proper normal 1911s are dandy guns, I dunno.  As I said, I've no experience with Para's products, and no interest in purchasing one in the future.  That's as far as it goes for me.

FTR, Sig turns me off to their 1911's too, with that odd looking shadow line on their slides.  A 1911 should look like a 1911, not a Sig, even if it is made by Sig.  Just my opinion, and bears no reflection on the quality of Sig's 1911s.

[French G.]

Luckily Sigs 1911s bear no reflection on the quality of Sigs in general. 

The LDA can be made to have an exquisite trigger pull for a DA.

[Scout26]

Colt 1991 here.  Been nothing but happy with it.  It can shoot better then I can.

Now the one I was issued in Germany, I could practically disassemble merely but flicking my wrist side ways.  Loose as a goose, accurate as all hell though.

[brimic]

If that's too much coin, then there are Rock Islands for $300 to $500, but I'd steer clear of them if at all possible.  Save some more pennies and put that money towards a good low-end Springfield.

I've seen issues where the RIA frame holes were drilled incorrectly, so you couldn't replace the lockwork or mainspring housing without some major fitting.

If you want a no frills 1911, a RIA is hard to beat for the price. And, yes, some of the holes might be drilled out of spec. A buddy of mine bought one and fitted a beavertail safety. He ended up having to weld one of the holes shut and had to redrill it to make everything align properly. Still a nice gun though.
I might pick one up myself just to tinker with + you can get one in .38 super for under 500 bones.

-------------------------------------------------

I've had very good luck with my springfield loaded model. Can't say enough good things about it. The only downside as someone else mentioned already are the slide serrations- they are razor sharp and chew up holsters and hands.  Someday I'll get around to stoning off the sharp edges and having my gun reblued or duracoated.

A Colt is on my eventual 'to buy' list, a Kimber is not.

[Devonai]

I put a Norinco through the ringer once, I had ten GI mags loaded up and went through them as fast as I could, and my buddy reloaded them as fast as he could.  We took turns loading and firing and put 500 rounds through it without a problem.  They may not be pretty  but the Norkers are solid enough.

[dogmush]

I have three Rock Islands.

One I tore down and rebuilt to learn the platform.

One I've put about 35,000 rounds through stock

One that is currenttly in pieces awaiting time and parts for another rebuild.

All three of mine are in spec and have been great values that did everything I asked of them.  I would buy one over a lower end Springfield any day.  I also routinely recomend the brand to friends looking for a "budget" 1911.  Great guns.

BUT

If I wanted an "centenial" 1911 built in 2011 (I do actually and am saving my pennies for it) a Colt is really the only choice.  I want to snag one of the WWI repros, built in 2011, for mine.  

[Hawkmoon]

The notion of a double action 1911 seems like complete folly to me.  Para's interest in designing, building, and marketing such a thing turns me off to the whole brand.  

It'd be like buying a high performance sports car, then having a mechanic install a governor to limit it to 35 mph.  Or like buying a 5,000 square foot mansion, then hiring contractor to permanently wall off 4,000 SF so that it's not accessible.  I'd wonder about the sanity of anyone doing this sort of thing, and while I'd respect their rights to do so, I'd still think they're weird and steer clear of them.

Maybe Para's proper normal 1911s are dandy guns, I dunno.  As I said, I've no experience with Para's products, and no interest in purchasing one in the future.  That's as far as it goes for me.

Your loss. Para makes fine 1911s at prices below what their quality level should cost. (So does Colt, for that matter.)

There IS a valid reason for a double action "1911," and Colt is coming out with one for the same reason Para-Ordnance did: police sales. The vast majority of police departments in the U.S. and Canada don't allow officers to carry 1911s, either for duty or for off-duty, because the powers that be are terrified of the single action trigger and the sight of a cop carrying a pistol with a cocked hammer. Never mind that a Glock has a cocked striker inside -- they can't see that, so they aren't scared of it.

So Para-Ordnance designed a (sort of) double action variant of the 1911 that allows the pistol to be carried with the hammer down (requires it, in fact) while NOT having the abysmally heavy first shot trigger pull of conventional DA/SA or DOA pistols. The whole point was to make a pistol that would be acceptable to police departments that don't allow their officers to carry 1911s. I have a Para LDA and it's a fine pistol.

[roo_ster]

Your loss. Para makes fine 1911s at prices below what their quality level should cost. (So does Colt, for that matter.)

There IS a valid reason for a double action "1911," and Colt is coming out with one for the same reason Para-Ordnance did: police sales. The vast majority of police departments in the U.S. and Canada don't allow officers to carry 1911s, either for duty or for off-duty, because the powers that be are terrified of the single action trigger and the sight of a cop carrying a pistol with a cocked hammer. Never mind that a Glock has a cocked striker inside -- they can't see that, so they aren't scared of it.

So Para-Ordnance designed a (sort of) double action variant of the 1911 that allows the pistol to be carried with the hammer down (requires it, in fact) while NOT having the abysmally heavy first shot trigger pull of conventional DA/SA or DOA pistols. The whole point was to make a pistol that would be acceptable to police departments that don't allow their officers to carry 1911s. I have a Para LDA and it's a fine pistol.

Colt gonna reintroduce the Double Eagle since it was such a hit the first time 'round?

How many PDs issue the Para LDA again?

I ask, only half-snarkily.

FTR, I see a lot of LEOs in Texas packing C&L 1911s.

[AZRedhawk44]

The one drawback to Para's that I've heard most about is reports of "soft slide steel."

I doubt the accuracy of this claim, but I've seen interesting internet reports that imply that Para deliberately makes their magazines sit too high in the mag well, which puts too much upwards pressure on the slide stop, causing some peening over time.  This can be fixed by replacing the magazine catch and using quality aftermarket magazines, reportedly.

[makattak]

Lots of good information here, checking out the Springfield GI and the RIA now.

I like the looks of the Remington 1911. Anyone have any experience with their entry into the 1911 market?

[dogmush]

I like the looks of the Remington 1911. Anyone have any experience with their entry into the 1911 market?

http://www.gunrightsmedia.com/showthread.php?t=420100&highlight=Remington

I generally consider Tuner's word to be 1911 law. 

[Hawkmoon]

http://www.gunrightsmedia.com/showthread.php?t=420100&highlight=Remington

I generally consider Tuner's word to be 1911 law. 

1911Tuner is "da Man" for 1911s. That said, the report linked to above is ONE example.

There have been several reports on the M1911.ORG forum for the Remington, and it appears that quality control is either spotty, or there is none. (Sounds a lot like Taurus.) Some owners report good fit and finish, others say their guns are very rough.

It's also interesting that both Ithaca and Remington came out with 1911s at the same time. Ithaca was anxious to have M1911.ORG test theirs and write it up. John (the owner of M1911.ORG) has been trying to get a Remington for review since it was announced, and Remington has been stonewalling. That tells me a lot.

[dogmush]

1911Tuner is "da Man" for 1911s. That said, the report linked to above is ONE example.

There have been several reports on the M1911.ORG forum for the Remington, and it appears that quality control is either spotty, or there is none. (Sounds a lot like Taurus.) Some owners report good fit and finish, others say their guns are very rough.

It's also interesting that both Ithaca and Remington came out with 1911s at the same time. Ithaca was anxious to have M1911.ORG test theirs and write it up. John (the owner of M1911.ORG) has been trying to get a Remington for review since it was announced, and Remington has been stonewalling. That tells me a lot.

I've noticed (and wondered about) the lack of a review on m1911.org.  I should been clearer on my link.  My interest in the Remington 1911 waned when Tuner said:

The slide is, however. Rock Island/Armscorp learned that lesson the hard way, and have begun assembling their pistols with machined barstock slides. I suspect that Remington's slides are also cast, which is likely why thry didn't rate the guns for +P ammunition. If they stay in the game long enough, I expect that they'll soon learn the error of their ways.

Cast slides are a corner I wouldn't cut.

[brimic]

I generally consider Tuner's word to be 1911 law.

werd.

[seeker_two]

Shop used...I found a stainless Colt 1991A1 for under $500 that way (and sold it later  )....you can get a lot of gun for the money in the used market....