Lowest price for decent 1911?

[irold]

COLT  = Custom overpriced little toy.

[1911crazy]

Why would i want another colt 1911 when my first two were colts and didn't function the way my norinco or my new auto ordnance army does?  I couldn't carry a colt when it wasn't reliable nor could i defend myself with it, unless I threw it at the bad guy.  When my colt python brand new was out of time it was time to get away from colts for good.  Colt had quality problems back in the 70's and the 80's and i haven't owned a colt since.

Even springfield armory is having quality problems too.  I have read a lot of posts about these M1A's being sent back.  I have a new springer 1911a1 from the late80's/early 90's that doesn't function.  It stove pipes one round per mag.

Now with Remington they have had quality problems ever since '94.  I remember buying a new anniversary 1100 auro shotgun and it jammed when i tried to but it together, I took it back to the store and the salesman gave me another one that jammed right in the store. Since they wouldn't give me my $$ back i took the 3rd 1100 that worked and pawned it.

Which makes me think were did winchester go wrong? I never heard anything really bad about them.

The chinese norinco 1911a1 was going to be my last 1911a1 if it was the same as the colts/springer in performance.  But its the first 1911a1 to function properly for me. I hammered 250rds thru it without a hickup.  My new auto ordnance army ww2 copy is the sameway its flawless and cycles perfect.  I never really trusted the 1911 auto's until i got my first norinco.

[IMshooter]

Often times the problem with a 1911 pistol is the magazine.  I purchased a used Colt for $300 and it malfunctioned constantly on the worn out factory magazine.  With Chip McCormick 8 shot mags, it is 100 % reliable.  Just something to keep in mind when an auto pistol is malfunctioning.

[akr]

I think for a good 1911 that the Rock Island Armory guns are getting good reports for the most part. The ones I've handled at gun shows seem to be well fit up and they go for under $400.

.........and they have a lifetime warranty, I believe.

[akr]

The problem with buying a 1911, that is not a Colt, is this:

Aa little boy walks up and says, "Hey mister, that looks like the army gun in the movies.  Is that a Colt 45?"

And you have to tell him, "No".

He will hang his little head in disappointment and dejectedly walk away.

It doesn't matter if you paid 10,000 bucks for it.  If it ain't a Colt, it ain't a Colt.

Hahahahahahahaplop (Laughed my butt off)

Say, "Hey, wait a minute!!!  It's a Sig 1911 .45", and he will turn around with joy and come running back to you, saying, "Can I see it, please?"

[TrapperRay]

I have a question about Colt 45's. When was the last true "Colt 45" manufactured, I realize that there's alot of other's being produced now,I'm curious about Colt them selves, thanks all, later Ray. This question deals with the 1911's

[williamlayton]

STI has a new 1911 at about 6 or 700 dollars and given their reputation, I have two, I would say this is an acceptable choice.
Blessings

[WILDCATT]

I think for a good 1911 that the Rock Island Armory guns are getting good reports for the most part. The ones I've handled at gun shows seem to be well fit up and they go for under $400.

the Rock Iland is an excelent gun as is the Norinco before Bush banned Norinco the customizers used Norinco 1911. the fit was tighter than Colts.more cost does not mean better.AMT guns were good
I have 3 and used one for compitition.shot it at 50 yds with 3.6 gr or 700x and swcl 200gr.

[kansas45]

I own a Taurus PT1911 & a RIA. They are both good pistols. I bought the RIA as a learning tool to help learn more about the 1911. I've been woking on it & adding things like a trigger, trigger job, beavertail, hammer & extended magwell. It's a good, solid platform & lends itself to these improvemet's. I bought a High Standard 1911 & will pick it up this week.

[williamlayton]

Talk to the custom smiths about Colt. They will tell you that the internals of a Colt are good.
I bought a Colt Government and took it to a smith here in Houston town, vanden Berg Custom, for some reliability work--lowering, flaring, etc--a discussed putting in some Wilson parts.
Ed told me that Colts parts, including the extractor and ejector were good parts and he didn't feel the need too put in new parts.
Colt frames and slides are Good metal and well made.
Colt has received bad press from folks that just take a rumor and run with it, IMO.
Do Colts need tuning?? Some do as do most of the other 1911's. Can it be done inexpensively?? Depending how much you want done and how anal you are.
If you want a sure chance of reliability and accuracy--out of the box--buy a Sig. If you want a piece of history and a GOOD 1911, buy a Colt.
Blessings
 

[Mikey]

Questor - to go back to the original question.............the price is now 50% more because you waited so long to buy one.  Mikey.

[n/a]

It's actually 100% less because I didn't find anything to my liking.

[richardoldfield]

I posted this on another board in regard to my first trip to the range with my, new to me, RIA( See Below).

"The RIA 1911A1 45acp is a jewel. The pistol experienced one malfunction in 60 rounds and that was caused by a weak recoil spring. The sights are small but you can hit what you aim at if you concentrate. All shots went into a Clementine orange size hole at the designated 10 yards. The trigger is a lot heavier that what I am used to but shooting may lower it. There was no creep in the trigger. The prior owner had worked on the pistol; it has rubber Hogue grips and a lowered ejection port. The pistol was Duracoated before I bought. The pistol compares very well with the Springfield Mil-Spec I put together. If this example is consistent with RIA 1911A1 45acp function and quality I do not hesitate to recommend it.

Lastly, I checked with Mike Adams Customs and the Duracoat in two-tone cost is $180. I gave $370 including shipping for the RIA 1911A1 45acp; considering the cost of the Duracoat I got a bargain.

Regards, Richard

[randy45]

The RIA is the best buy for the money on the market.  Try one.  They have a lifetime warranty and the customer service is the best in the industry.  I know this as I have had contact with their rep and he is the best.  I have two Rocks and both are great guns, and the price is right.  For around $400 you can get the tactical with most of the bells and whistles you could want, sans grips.  Just my two cents.

[rio grande]

The problem with buying a 1911, that is not a Colt, is this:

Aa little boy walks up and says, "Hey mister, that looks like the army gun in the movies.  Is that a Colt 45?"

And you have to tell him, "No".

He will hang his little head in disappointment and dejectedly walk away.

It doesn't matter if you paid 10,000 bucks for it.  If it ain't a Colt, it ain't a Colt.

Hahahahahahahaplop (Laughed my butt off)

little Kid - "Mister, is that a real 1911 pistol?"
You - "No, son, it's a Colt, redesigned, with an unnecessary firing pin safety, and cheap sintered metal and plastic parts. But I paid $1000 for it, so i know it's good"
Me - LMAO!

[bodab]

http://lipseys.com/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=HSTX1911&items=exclusives

[Squib]

I've had two 1911's (the only ones I've ever shot"

the first was a taurus, it wasn't from when they first came out either, but I never did research the serial number so maybe it was from the first big run but probably not.  It would NOT feed hollowpoints at all, hell it would stop short of closing up, about 1/8'' and then slowly go into battery or I'd have to bump it into battery.  That's with Winchester USA/whitebox, not the most accurate but it's just what you need for feed reliability.  I Throated the barrel A LOT and that got it feeding anything .45acp and maybe .45colt as carried away as I got.  I'd probably have blown out cases if I ever tried reloading them after they went through that gun.  I bet a real stout +P would have been a "blast" (I never tried).  The trigger was so, so smooth though, and it felt good in the hand.  I sold it to a guy for parts and he told me it was the slide to frame fit mainly.  Slide to frame fit was garbage and that made it totally unreliable, but it shot REALLY accurate and felt REALLY good.  For a range gun sure, but don't carry it because you might be killed (i liked the 24/7 pro so if you really want taurus, try that, also their snubs seem to be good, I carry one about every day and I could tell you stories about that that'll make it sound divine)

next I got a RIA basic/mil-spec... I put hogue grips on it because I have small effeminate hands and I have to on almost any gun I buy.  anyways, it doesn't have a continental shelf sized safety to put your dominant hand thumb on or a beavertail grip safety for long range shooting comfort.  I've found that if I really concentrate though it doesn't shoot any less accurate than the taurus, it's just harder to get that "perfect" grip.  also the sights are horrible for ranged shooting but once again, they work fine it's just hard to get that good sight picture.  if you just want to conceal it then oil the parkerized finish good and tuck it in your pants, no big sights to dig into you or snag your pants, no beavertail to print, the finish won't come off in two weeks of carry like the taurus, the lockup is really tight (if you've disassembled both completely you'll understand).  I had to use picks and extremely delicate manipulation to put that sloppy fitting series 80 crap back in the taurus, on the RIA I can push the internals back into place and they stay there even if I move the gun, short of SHAKING it.  oh yeah it won't jam up twice per magazine (taurus, mccormick, whatever) so you can get yourself through a bad situation with it, while not tearing up your thigh and printing.  the only thing I didn't like was the internal tool marks but hey, it holds your oil just like the parkerizing, it just keeps the gun from going dry that much longer!!!!!! ps I still have those taurus mags and though they aren't GREAT, they aren't really bad either and I used them, mccormick and the factory one from my ria in it and they all work great, it's not picky.  it's a good gun, i bought it a few months back for $425 from a dealer so if you know someone with an FFL it could be less than that even.  I put about 500 rds though it with no problems (misfeeds from light handloads and that's it), nothing came loose, it's still tight.  oh yeah RIA made 1911's for the great wars too, they aren't new they just aren't namebrand enough for the snobs to pay attention.  they've been making 1911's almost as long as colt, look it up

last but not least, american made sounds good and all but really-- good workers with good work ethics make good guns  oh and the phillipines is almost america, it's a protectorate, territory, something like that

[BGRooster1]

I have an American classic II.It is also made in the phillipines and is a real good shooter.It eats what you feed it.Metro Arms is a company that is well respected in asia for manufacturing quality firearms.I paid 435.00.

[williamlayton]

$400 will get you a Norinco out of Canada---don't know the add on cost or the exchange rate.
Boy I hated posting that .
Blessings

[AtlLaw]

$400 will get you a Norinco out of Canada

We can't order from Canada can we?   
Heck!  What AM I thinking!      I've got a 1911A1 I haven't shot in 30 years!!! 

[williamlayton]

Whut do I know? They sez ya can. Now that might mean they will accept the order and ship it--but if you doan git it then they ain't liable.
Imano?
Blessings

[Redtail1949]

I bought 2 RIA GI Plain Jane...not one single malfunction with hardball...about 700 rds thru both...have a fe failure to feed with 185 smei wadcutter target until i got the overal length right. since then they have worked without a burp. the shoot consistantly off a rest 2 inches at 25 yards. offhand about 4 inches .

what in the heck more could you want from a weapon for combat? i love them great combat weapons.

[Squib]

once again all of these "fancy" guns with carry melt treatment, see-through space-gun triggers, skeletonized triggers, grip safeties that are depressed if you even put your hand on the gun let alone GRIP it, and monster safeties

beavertails and ambi-safeties snag and print, also big safeties get caught so easily (and I don't think of them as very safe).  gi sights don't snag and won't tear up your skin and clothing--who wants a faster drawing gun that doesn't print?? especially if it costs under $500 unless your dealer robbed you, when the other "better" 1911's start at about 1300msrp.  I honestly believe that anyone should use whatever feels best to them and damn everyone else's opinions but that's for individual tastes, for broad opinions and advise I say use the tried and true gun that is cheap, field strips easily, runs great, is snag free, quick drawing and doesn't print

think about it, a super compact 1911 with big safeties and beavertail, is that more concealable than a gi, NO!

same goes for light rails, enjoy that tucked into your skin so tight you can actually conceal it under a t-shirt, I've done it and I couldn't move or twist or it would crawl up out of my pants/holster and eat me along the way.

[Squib]

oh yeah, big sights on a 1911 with a three inch sight radius... haha

I like knowing that my grip safety won't disengage the trigger until I have a tight shooting grip on it
it won't "accidentally" go off (nothing does without negligence but you get what I mean), and also
if you can't maintain any consistency in your shooting platform without a huge ambi-safety and beavertail..
I'm sorry, but there's no excuse for that.  I have hands like a woman and I can manage a gi, actually I've seen pictures of girls
shooting them in one of my gun mags and they were teens.  and I've seen brand new people, having never shot a 1911 before, do quite well at ten or fifteen yards (ignorant to guns, newly immigrated to america, girls, etcetera) and actually they shoot better than me a lot of the time

if mexican immigrants that have a hard time understanding what I say can get it the first string of fire, if a tiny girl can do it, if a guy with bomb-blasted eyes and a shrapnel-ridden hand can use a gi with it's small sights and single-sided tiny safety and standard gi grip-safety, anyone can (I'm the disabled guy, and no the usmc didn't teach me how to use one prior to getting busted up either-I never carried a pistol while I was in)

there isn't anything tactical about any small pistol unless it's a derringer and you've stuffed it into your butt so you can fight again if subdued, kidnapped or imprisoned.