Im planning the most significant handgun purchase to date (read as "expensive") and I can't seem to decide which 1911 to go with.

 

My price point is around $1K (been saving for a while...) and I want a quality piece I can trust my life with. I also want it to be a commander or Commander/Officer hybrid.

 

Two manufacturers that fit that price point are Smith and Sig. Can anyone recommend either or neither?

 

NOTE: This will be used as a carry piece when I move to P.A.

Whenever I visit the USA I carry a Baer commanche. 4" & reliable. Also colt commanders 750-900. Can't go wrong. IMHO.

Visit 1911 forums. ALL you will ever hear about 1911s. All companies also.

Really most manufacturers make a nice 1911. Most people have there own favorites as well.

Just like cars there is intense brand loyalty.For a $1000.00 you can find a nice 1911 on gun broker.

I suggest you take the advice already posted and read up on them.

When you read so much about them you feels as though your head is going to explode then do what I did.

Go out and buy a Kimber stainless pro Raptor !! LOL.

I could not help myself !!!

my suggestion would be to go out to some local shops and hold as many as possible, alot of them feel differntly, all nice..just different from each other.

For the commander or similar size

Kimber, ParaUSA, Spingfield Armory or Colt all make quality commander size 1911's.

Colt Commander or like series 70 clone. If it rattles buy it. If it doesn't rattle you don't want it for a carry gun.

Colt Commander or like series 70 clone. If it rattles buy it. If it doesn't rattle you don't want it for a carry gun.

Why the rattling?

Did ever look into a Caspian? Select your parts, your serial number and have a gunsmith that you trust build it for you. It's really not that much more than a Kimber.

Why the rattling?

Thats old school terminology. The original colts were built lose so as to take a bunch of field abuse(dirt) and keep on chugging along durring combat. My feeling on the subject is todays guns are built much better and can take the abuse for daily CCW. Storming the lava sand beaches surrounding Japan is one thing HD is another. My kimber has about 2000 problem free rounds into it and shoots better then new. Or is it me who improved ??

You want compact and reliability you can trust your life on? Look no further.

 

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/57828

 

The Pro Series is one of the best bargains available. Call TJ sporting arms for a great deal.

If you want to enjoy shooting it, I would suggest a steel frame. If you will carry more than shoot it, then an aluminum frame is OK. Unfortunately S&W does not make any steel framed Commander length 1911's (Wolfy will correct me here if I am wrong). The heavier steel frame soaks up recoil better and will take more abuse in the long run. The Commander is a full sized frame with a shorter (4.25") slide. The Officer is a shorter frame and a shorter slide. It is well documented that reliability begins to suffer as the 1911 is made ever shorter. I personally enjoy the Commander length 1911s. I never had a problem with my Colt Commander or Dan Wesson Commander Bobtail. I would recommend either.

You want compact and reliability you can trust your life on? Look no further.

 

http://www.budsgunsh...oducts_id/57828

 

The Pro Series is one of the best bargains available. Call TJ sporting arms for a great deal.

 

What's the point of a compact .45? I don't get it. Nice gun, but 1911 in compacts doesn't make sense to me.

 

I am going with a full size 1911 for x-mas present to self

I too enjoy the accuracy of the full size, However for CCW , a commander or officer is fine!

I too enjoy the accuracy of the full size, However for CCW , a commander or officer is fine!

 

Unless you cant hit the broadside of a barn with it..just make sure you can shoot well with it..

Go for name brands. Personally, I would go for the tried and true, original manufacturer. Colt.

Thats old school terminology. The original colts were built lose so as to take a bunch of field abuse(dirt) and keep on chugging along durring combat. My feeling on the subject is todays guns are built much better and can take the abuse for daily CCW. Storming the lava sand beaches surrounding Japan is one thing HD is another. My kimber has about 2000 problem free rounds into it and shoots better then new. Or is it me who improved ??

 

My stainless Colt Gov't never missed a beat since I go rid of that series 80 ****. Though I love my STI I can't for some reason put the confidence behind it 'cause it's tight. Now my Browning which is a similar design is loose and Ultra reliable.

 

Just me.

 

And I don't see the real difference in reliability factor between battle weapons and CCW weapons. In a split second any CCW weapon can become a battle weapon.

For a carry gun the Commander/Officer hybrid (better known as a CCO) you specify in your OP is the way to go. When it comes to CC, the grip frame is what, most often, prints. Barrel length, from a concealment standpoint, isn't much of a problem. The CCO configuration is the best of both worlds - adequate grip frame length, but shorter (by one round) than a Commandr or full-size 1911, and a Commander length barrel - shown to be the shortest viable barrel length on a 1911. (I know, I know, there are umpteen million of you out there with sub-4" barrel 1911's that run without a hitch, but ask any good 1911 gunsmith about making a sub-4" 1911 run reliably). And, of course in a carry gun, the alloy frame is desirable.

 

You have pretty much nailed it in your price range - the S&W 1911 ES and the Sig C3 or RCS - all of which are as described above. The only other one you may want to consider - but it will add $300 - $400 to your price point, is the Dan Wesson CCO.

 

My friend has the S&W ES and I have (and carry) the Sig RCS - I don't think you can go wrong with either. The fly in the ointment is finding one of these. They are high demand short supply type guns. I waited 9 months for mine.

 

Your profile doesn't specify a location (a pet peeve of mine - but we'll let that slide), so don't know where to direct you. I got my Sig from Jim Flynn. He is direct with Sig and has a good inventory turn with them, so is always ordering. I specified for him to wait until he had a 3 gun (total) order, because that way he doesn't pay for shipping (which he will pass on to you, otherwise). Doesn't really delay the order, since he orders so often, so not a big deal.

 

Good luck with your quest.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

 

 

 

What's the point of a compact .45? I don't get it. Nice gun, but 1911 in compacts doesn't make sense to me.

 

I am going with a full size 1911 for x-mas present to self

 

To each his own Radek, to each his own.

What's the point of a compact .45? I don't get it. Nice gun, but 1911 in compacts doesn't make sense to me.

 

 

Depends on what is mission appropriate. Full size 1911 is fine for games, range or HD. Carry one for 12 hours and tell me again how you don't see the point.

Depends on what is mission appropriate. Full size 1911 is fine for games, range or HD. Carry one for 12 hours and tell me again how you don't see the point.

 

 

+1 Bob. I had a Commander in electrolis nickle, remember those Bob? By today's standards that was heavy.

I always felt the Government length was a bit nose heavy. I don't think 45ACP is a heavy recoiling enough round to need the extra length up front to bring it back on target. In 40S&W/10mm it is another story. To me, the Commander length balances (and looks) better. Most importantly, it is still long enough to retain full reliability. The sight radius difference is only 3/4", so I don't think that makes much differnce either.

Dan Wesson CBOB is in the $1000 range if I remember correctly may a few dollars higher... There are many options in the $1k range and under, Springfield Loaded, STI Spartan, Kimber Custom II... Go somewhere and handle a few different models, choose what fits you best.

Smith. I have the 1911 pro in .45 and love it. No problems. And if you ever had a problem, S&W cust. service is the BEST. Not that you will ever need it! If you are ever in the bridgewater area shoot me a PM and you can try it out.

Dan Wesson CBOB is in the $1000 range if I remember correctly may a few dollars higher...

 

 

If your idea of "a few dollars higher" is half again as much.