I'm thinking about a new .45 auto......

[jetsiphon]

Originally Posted by Brickboy240

I would go out on a limb and say that a Springfield Mil-Spec or Colt M1991A1 with the following alterations would run you slightly under a grand and would provide you with an amazingly nice, accurate and reliable pistol.

1) Wilson Spring kit

2) Trigger/action job (polishing the internals, etc.)

3) Wilson Bulletproof Extractor (properly tensioned)

4) Wilson Magazines

5) maybe aftermarket fixed sights of your choice

Actually, I would think you could take ANY bone stock 1911 (one of the 500 dollar jobbies) and do this work and have a pistol that shoots amazingly good. I would not be surprised if a 1911 like that shot as good or better than Wilson and Ed Brown customs that run 2 grand or so.

Don't buy things you don't need. Besides, most of those full length guide rod 1911s are a bastard to take apart, without a wrench or tools...not fun when you're in the field or at the range without tools.

Unless you're competiting...most of that other stuff is really unnecessary. Also, keep in mind that the tightly fitting, hyper-accurate 1911 at the range may lock up like crazy in the dirty field after lotsof use. 1911s are either built for extreme accuracy or reliability - its hard to have it both ways.

Don't pay attention to the gun magazines and advertisements...what do you want the pistol to do? Answer that...then go from there.

- Brickboy240

Yeah, I tend to discount what magazines have to say.

I'm not a FLGR fan at all, and I also like many of the newer nontypical new 1911 fads like long triggers and flat MSH's.

Picking up a good used Colt or new Springer Mil Spec to be handed off to a smith is a good idea. Though, Yost will do most of that for $800. Maybe a bit more than a local, maybe not. I need to make some phone calls.

[Bubbaman]

Time for my .02..... I have an older West German Sig P220, and a Nighthawk Talon II 1911 (commander). The P220 was probably unfired, and I got it for $470.00. I have since stippled the front strap, and sent it to Tripp for a hard chrome slide and Cobra Coat frame. I'll be putting Trijicon Novak night sights on it when it gets back this week. I'll have about $750.00 in it total. The Nighthawk I paid about $2,200.00 for. It has features that you can't buy on any other semi-custom 1911 for $2,200.00 (checkered rear of slide, blended mag well, serrated top of slide, Novak night sights). This same gun with Wilson would be $600 -$800 more. I've had my hands on a few Wilsons - they didn't compare to the Nighthawk - that's why I bought it. I'm working on getting Nighthawk to do another commander on a S&W 1911SC frame (scandium) in a couple of months. As much as I love my Talon II, I feel that it isn't worth three times what the P220 is worth. The older 220s are definitely better than the newer ones. The trigger is ALMOST as good, single action, as my Talon II. It is also very accurate. It's as good as most 1911s in the $1,000 - $1,200 range. My Talon II trigger is the best 1911 trigger I have ever experienced. The $1,000 Kimbers, Paras, Springfields don't begin to compare. It's also guaranteed to shoot 1" groups from a rest at 25 yards. It will. It even makes me look good. This is my advice - since you don't want to spend more than $1,000, buy a P220. Get an older West German one. Look around - they can be found on Gunbroker, Gunsamerica, etc. Get the things done that I have, and you'll have under $1,000 in it. If you have to have a 1911, I suggest a 1911SC with a trigger job, and night sights. That would put you around $1,100.00.

[Ed Ely]

I will have to vote in this primary. Give the
Smith & Wesson 1911 a very serious look see.

Out of the box, and I am by no means a 1911
expert, but for the $$$, I would really consider
it as an excellent buy.

Ed

[Bubbaman]

Right, you are Ed.

[Brickboy240]

Yep, that is one of the 1911s that I was going to purchase, when I found the nice 70 Series Combat Comander for 200 bucks less...the S&W full size 1911 is a very nice gun for the money.

You get a videcki trigger, Wilson mags, Wolff springs and Hogue grips. The only things I did not care for were the guide rod and the flat mainsrping housing...both of which I would have swapped out, but other than that, I thought it was a better deal than the Kimber Custom II.

I also liked the big external extractor. Not exactly the thing most 1911 purists like me usually go for, but I have the same set-up on a Hi-Power and the damn thing works...so why would it not work on a 1911? Looks better than the Kimber external extractors of which many have had troubles with.

Yeah, if you want to spend about 700-750 on a pistol that is pretty much done and get a good warranty on top of that, the S&W 1911 is very hard to beat. All the reviews I read on this pistol were very favorable.

(I was almost set to buy the S&W full-size 1911, until that nice old Colt Combat Commander jumped up out of nowhere and was affordable.)

- Brickboy240

[jetsiphon]

Ah yes, the SW1911's are very nice. I will have to give one of those a good look over.