How to pick a 1911 - what makes one stand out amongst the others?

tetra said:
Does anybody know which company makes the closest real thing to the M1911A1?
I'm guessing Colt, but which model? Looking for same color and grips.

EDIT: I see the STI GI model looks similar. Anybody have this one and can give feedback?
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How about RIA/Armscor or SAM?

I was thinking of a 9mm 1911 (because I already have a 45), and was pondering the SAM, but probably one of the "enhanced" ones rather than the military. Decent sights n all that

Wolverine has the SAM and Frontier Firearms the Armscor
 
That would be a good place to enter. Which 1911 depends on what you want to do with it. I shoot IPSC classic using a STI Ranger II and really like it. Accurate , reliable...I shoot IDPA with an 80's vintage Colt NMGC also accurate and reliable.
If it is for action shooting treat yourself to a really well made pistol to start . An STI Trojan would be hard to beat for $1200
max_freddy said:
are the STI GI and Lawman pistols considered entry level for the STI brand?
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A.J. Savage (US gov't contract slides only)
American Classic
American Tactical
A&R Sales
AMT
Armi Dallera Custom (ADC)
Armscor
Astra
ATI
Australian Precision Arms
Auto Ordnance
Briley
Brolin Arms
Cabot
Caspian (slides and frames only)
Charles Daly
Christensen Arms
Cimarron
Citadel
CO Arms
Colt (commercial and US/foreign gov't contract)
Chiappa (.22LR 1911 copy)
Crown City
Cylinder & Slide
Dan Wesson
Detonics
Devel
Dlask Arms
D&L Sports
Double Star
Ed Brown
EMF
Essex (slides and frames only)
Federal Ordnance
Falcon
Firestorm
Freedom Arms
Fusion
Gemini Custom
Griffon Combat
GSG (.22LR 1911 copy)
Guncrafter Industries
Gunsite
Hero Guns
High Standard
Imbel
Imperial Defense
Infinity
Interstate Arms (Regent)
Irwindale Arms Industries (IAI)
Israeli Arms Industries (also called IAI)
Ithaca (new business located in Sandusky, OH)
Ithaca (old NY-based company, US gov't contract only)
Iver Johnson
Karl Lippard
Kimber
Kongsberg (M/1914 pistol manufactured in Norway under Colt license)
LAR
Les Baer
Llama
Lone Star
Magnum Research (Bul)
Maximus Custom
Metro Arms
Mitchell
MP Express
Nighthawk
Norinco
North American Arms Co. Ltd.
Nowlin
Para Ordnance
Pistol Dynamics
Olympic Arms
Omega Defense
Peter Stahl
Randall
Ranger
Reeder Custom
Regent
Remington Arms (current business)
Remington Rand (US gov't contract only)
Remington-UMC (US gov't contract only)
Rock Island Armory
Rock River Arms
Ruger
Safari Arms
S.A.M
Sarco
Sig Sauer
Singer (US gov't contract only)
Sistema (aka D.G.F.M.-F.M.A.P.) (M1927 pistol manufactured in Argentina under Colt license)
Smith & Wesson
South Fork Arms/Perkins Custom
Springfield Armory (former military arsenal in MA, made 1911s from 1914-1917 under US gov't contract)
Springfield Armory (commercial business established in 1974, not associated with above)
STI
SVI
Tanfoglio
Taurus
Taylor & Co.
TİSAŞ
Turnbull Mfg.
Unertl
Union Switch & Signal (US gov't contract only)
Uselton Arms
USFA
Walther/Umarex (.22LR 1911 copy)
Wilson Combat
Vega (frames only)
Valtro
Victory Arms
Volkman


Just a few manufactures make 1911
I got the list from the 1911 forum lots
of information there about which 1911 to buy
 
tetra said:
Does anybody know which company makes the closest real thing to the M1911A1?
I'm guessing Colt, but which model? Looking for same color and grips.

EDIT: I see the STI GI model looks similar. Anybody have this one and can give feedback?
Click to expand...

not colt, as stated remington R1, Springfield GI, the sti i don't know much about, but probably..
 
"...What makes one stand out more?..." It has 'COLT' stamped on the slide. Everything else is a copy.
Helps to know the difference between a 1911 and a 1911A1 too, but that's not critical.
 
FightingIrish said:
Wow. Just... wow. I can't believe the responses. I wasn't sure I'd get any, and I figured the ones I did would be "this has been discussed a bajillion times". Thank you to everyone for your feedback, I can't explain how much it's appreciated.

My price range for this is up to $1200. I haven't done a lot of research on prices so I'm not sure at this moment what $1200 will get me, but since I'm seeing Rugers go for $700 or so, I figure I can get a pretty nice one for $1200. I sure like the Remington R1/R1E and Ruger. Shooter1of38, what's the NightHawk Custom worth? How about Para? I just looked at Spanky's post and those sure look beautiful.

I'm not sure I want to get into modifying/rebuilding at this point - just yet. I'm also just starting out so I'm not someone who could take a $4000 gun and make it worth the extra $3000.

There's so much to choose from! ARGH. Hey, can someone just pick one for me?!?! :)
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$4k

The Sig 1911's are a very good value, I have a tacops and a scorpion, both are really great shooters
 
I've had 6 different Colt 1911 style guns, the only gun I miss of those is the Cbt Commander.

I've had two Kimbers, 3 Springfields, 2 NHC, 1 Ed Brown, Plus the Ithaca frame mutt I build in Iraq- the only 1911 I have left is a NHC Vickers gun, that I got from LAV that he had worked on.

Of all those guns the Springfield custom shop gun gave me the most problems, but I think it was just a factory lemon, they happen, I sold it to someone sending it to Hilton Yam for a base gun...
 
What does everyone think of this? Is it wiser (with a $1200 budget) to spend $750 on a Ruger SR1911 Compact and spend another $500 on upgrades or spend the $1200 on an STI or something of the like?
 
INFINITY FIRARMS why settle for less?
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KevinB said:
I've had 6 different Colt 1911 style guns, the only gun I miss of those is the Cbt Commander.

I've had two Kimbers, 3 Springfields, 2 NHC, 1 Ed Brown, Plus the Ithaca frame mutt I build in Iraq- the only 1911 I have left is a NHC Vickers gun, that I got from LAV that he had worked on.

Of all those guns the Springfield custom shop gun gave me the most problems, but I think it was just a factory lemon, they happen, I sold it to someone sending it to Hilton Yam for a base gun...
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If you ever need a kidney, I'll trade one straight across for that NHC/Vickers :D
 
sunray said:
"...What makes one stand out more?..." It has 'COLT' stamped on the slide. Everything else is a copy.
Helps to know the difference between a 1911 and a 1911A1 too, but that's not critical.
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enefgee said:
Irunguns is showing a Colt for $1150 (ish) it's an XSE (improved) model.
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So Colt, you say? How do these stack up to STI? This is harder than I thought. I bought my M&P quite easily, didn't take me nearly as long to buy that one as its taking to narrow my list of 1911's down to 10 even.
 
STI is the way to go. Ranger II or Trojan would likely be best bet. If you have an issue, Freedom Arms will address no problem. Highly doubt you will get that service anywhere else here in Canada...
 
Newbrunny said:
STI is the way to go. Ranger II or Trojan would likely be best bet. If you have an issue, Freedom Arms will address no problem. Highly doubt you will get that service anywhere else here in Canada...
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I really like the look of the Ranger II. I'm always a fan of the 4.25" barrels over the 5" ones. That's why the Ruger Compact is on the short list. So according to STI, both the Ranger II and the Trojan are approx $1150. Guess it boils down to size at that point?
 
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