Hey all, I am new here and have been looking for what will amount to my first pistol as a civilian. I have been nosing around and have drawn the conclusion that a good M-1911 frame in the ubiquitous .45ACP would be best for me. I narrowed it down to a few different pistols, the foremost being the Wilson Combat Professional, then an STI Tactical 4.15 then the SIG GSR Revo Carry. Any comments or feedback on these firearms would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance
Does anybody here own any of the followingl?
- Thread starter Maple Leaf Pilgrim
- Start date
MLP,
Not sure what you intend to do with the pistol, but since CCW is non existent in Canada - I don't understand why you would want the shorter barrel length (reference the models that you have chosen) - as opposed to the full length 5".
STI is more of a target "style" pistol whereas the other two would be considered defensive.
Each of them are quality pistols. My personal preference is Wilson Combat. The authorized dealer for WC in your area is P&D - contributing dealer for this forum. Speak to Chris (he is the handgun/WC expert guy there)
Not sure what you intend to do with the pistol, but since CCW is non existent in Canada - I don't understand why you would want the shorter barrel length (reference the models that you have chosen) - as opposed to the full length 5".
STI is more of a target "style" pistol whereas the other two would be considered defensive.
Each of them are quality pistols. My personal preference is Wilson Combat. The authorized dealer for WC in your area is P&D - contributing dealer for this forum. Speak to Chris (he is the handgun/WC expert guy there)
92FS Inox said:
Thanks 92!
I simply wanted a pistol with a barrel length more what I am used to. Having used Browninngs and Sigs in the service I have found I like the length of the barrel around 4.4 inches, but they don't make M-1911 frames like that, so 4.1" (4.2) - 4.25" and a "combat" slant on the pistol is what I am looking for, even though I admit, she'll only ever see use at the range. If push comes to shove, a 5" bbl is what I'll get, provided I can't get a satisfactory review of one of the above.
Sgt Striker
CGN Regular
- Location
- Great White North, Eh!
Don't know about the barrel lenght, but I really like my Glock 21, which is in 45ACP with a ten round mag.
trubluscrew
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
prproulx said:
I think it has to do with sight radius.
I don't know, but the answer sounds good
How much money do you want to spend? Wilson sells for about $3000 in Canada, which is more than double what you would pay for the other two (and, IMO, an absolute rip off considering that your are getting a gun full of economy-grade MIM parts). Personally, I would get a Colt (either 1991 of XSE) or, if you want an alloy frame gun, Smith & Wesson PD1911.
If you want a high end gun, get a Les Baer (less $$$$ than Wilson and higher quality parts) or better yet, import an Ed Brown from the States.
If you want a high end gun, get a Les Baer (less $$$$ than Wilson and higher quality parts) or better yet, import an Ed Brown from the States.
1) Wilson Combat guns used to have MIM slidestop, extractor, firing pin stop, hammer and sear. Apparently, they've been phasing out MIM parts since 2003, so it's possible that new production guns no longer have MIM. However, WC still produces aftermarket parts made out of MIM (their "economy" line). And $3000 is still too much for a gun that is still essentially mass produced, IMO. You could have a true custom, built on a Colt frame and slide and modified to your liking by a top gunsmith like Ted Yost for that kind of money. Or you could buy a Les Baer for $1000 less.
2) You could probably get Questar to import it.
2) You could probably get Questar to import it.
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capp325 said:
Yeah, I am not so concerned about the price-tag as I am getting a good quality, reliable pistol and customer service for the money.
My ceiling is about $3000.00 for a good auto-loader, but I am more interested in the properties of the firearm and support than I am the sticker price. That's why you see such a wide range in the examples I have posted.
So Les Baer you say? I was looking at his web-site, but couldn't find barrel lengths and was not sure about his "Commanche" line.
BenJiMan said:
I did check STI out. The commander frames seem to leave me with an uncomfortable feeling when gripping the pistol and is part of the reason I am looking at shorter frames with a full length grip (WC Pro and Sig Carry). I have used Sig pistols in service before and have really liked them (although I am concerned with spotty Q/C on the GSR from what I have researched), WC has been given good reviews from most of those who own them.
Ed Brown, Les Baer, and Rock River Arms are considered the top three "semi-custom" manufacturers out there as far as quality is concerned. Customer service is going to be problematic because none of those companies are well-represented in Canada.Maple Leaf Pilgrim said:
If you're looking for a high end, non-prohibited 1911 with a short Officer-style grip that is readily available in Canada, Les Baer Stinger seems like your only choice. Ronin Sports, the Canadian importer of Les Baer, has them listed for about $2100. Wilson Combat Professional is prohibited due to short barrel length (4.1"). STI and Sig GSR are regular mass-produced pistols and are not on the same level as semi-custom guns (you did say that wanted the best quality...)
capp325 said:
That's just the thing, I want a full length grip. The officers and such feel funny in my hands, as they are a bit long across the palm (don't go there!). Do you know of anywhere I can get hard stats on Les Baer's stuff? I went to the LB website, but hard numbers are not easily found there.
I admit I said I wanted best quality and your efforts to point me that way are appreciated!
Thanks.
beltfed said:
Hey, just because I'm willing to spend $3000.00 doesn't mean I have to! I could turn the rest into ammo and range time! I am looking for an M1911 with a Commander slide and a Government sized grip that is reliable and accurate enough to make a former soldier happy (so it has to be able to hit a barn door and stop no more than once a magazine
) Darned shame about the WC Pro, I like the looks of that pistol! So you liked the GSR? Was it one of the older models or was it one of the new Revolution models that seem to be a bit less hit and miss? Did you have any trouble with reliability? How was it for accuracy and over all feel?Kimber is one I have thought about, but I have heard that some people don't like them because they require a lot of tuning even NIB. Any Kimber owners have an opinion?
TSE has some of the compact Kimber 1911's with slightly extended barrels to make them legal in Canada - check out the TSE forum or PM Redleg for info. Commander sized 1911's are also available from time to time in the EE.
Les Baer is another good choice, I don't own one but I will eventually. Check out the Commanche Monolith with full length dust-cover - sweet ass.
For a good all-around full sized 1911 there are lots of options, but value-for-money I prefer the Kimbers. I've got an Eclipse Custom II and it's a sweet shooter.
Another great choice for .45 is the Glock, either the fullsized G21 (available in lots of places) or the compact G30 which Questar can import, again with a slightly extended barrel to make it legal. For pure shooting fun my Glock 21 is my favorite pistol, and I find it to be a softer shooter than my Kimber. You can't beat the Glocks for simplicity and value - they're bombproof and easy to fix or replace parts yourself should anything ever break.
Les Baer is another good choice, I don't own one but I will eventually. Check out the Commanche Monolith with full length dust-cover - sweet ass.
For a good all-around full sized 1911 there are lots of options, but value-for-money I prefer the Kimbers. I've got an Eclipse Custom II and it's a sweet shooter.
Another great choice for .45 is the Glock, either the fullsized G21 (available in lots of places) or the compact G30 which Questar can import, again with a slightly extended barrel to make it legal. For pure shooting fun my Glock 21 is my favorite pistol, and I find it to be a softer shooter than my Kimber. You can't beat the Glocks for simplicity and value - they're bombproof and easy to fix or replace parts yourself should anything ever break.
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beltfed said:Here's my TLE/RL ll
Not sure about / have no first hand experience with the GSR issues, I only put about 30 rounds through the one I fired.
Ooooh... she's purty!How have you found Kimber's product? I have been researching a lot of pistols and reading mixed messages about Kimber, but it seems that a lot of people have been saying (posting in response to my queries) they are worth the buy recently.
