1911

[hilon10]

Witch is better to own a Smith and Wesson or Taurus

[Matt G]

Absolutely.

Matt G

[Chris]

I've seen some 1911 S&W guns and Taurus guns that functioned flawlessly. If both are working as intended I don't see a lot of difference, except for price. If they don't function correctly out of the box the manufactuers do stand behind them. Pick the one you like.
Chris Christian

[Eric R Shelton]

Yeah, this is one where reflex might cause somebody to give an answer that ain't necessarily so.  The only issue I've seen with the Taurus 1911s is that ambi safety walking out on the right hand side.  I know 4 guys who've bought this gun, and 3 of 'em had that happen. 

If that's it?  Getting a single side safety installed is an easy fix...

[Charlie Foxtrot]

.
I can comment on at least one half of the question: I have a SW1911.

Great gun, beautifully manufactured and finished, very tight, superb trigger, and far more accurate than I could ever dream about.  Only one FTF after a bit more than 500 rounds.  And that was my fault: I didn't clean a new aftermarket mag of the preservative smutz.  No FTEs, as the external extractor flings the fired brass with great abandon (REAL positive extraction.)  Functions flawlessly with every type of 45 bullet I've stuffed into the tube.  Poured WWB, PMC, Remington, CCI Blazer, and hand loads down the spout without a bobble. 

One very small problem addressed immediately by their service center.  Lifetime warrenty.

I LIKE this gun!
.

[hunterman652]

I tell my customers that it hard to make a bad 1911 if your trying to make a quality gun. The design is debugged unless the company is trying to market a new doodad piece. It's pretty simple to make right and it's such a competitive market that you need to make it right to survive. I tell customers that you should look for the features and price you want and go from there. For example if I buy a 4" bbl 1911 it'll be a Smith cause they use a real one piece guide rod not a 2 piece or other weird spring capture thingy like Kimber. But the quality on all factory 1911s is high enough that I don't think you can go wrong with either. Buy the one with the features you want.

That being said watch out for the Taurus with the tac-rail, it sits lower than ones from other companies (imagine screwing a rail onto the bottom of a 1911 instead of molding it into the frame). So the Taurus won't fit into a holster made for 1911s with normal rails, you have to buy a special Taurus made/branded holster.

[Fire Tracer]

Go to a Cabela's and get an old Government issue Colt.

[Dhaught]

I don't think it makes much difference. If re-sale value is important then get the smith but you will spend more up front. If initial cost is important then get the Taurus. Go look at both of them side by side at a gun store and compare them, see which one is harder for you to put down. Either way you'll probably end up with a pretty good gun.

[xmunckx]

Speaking of 1911's. . . Eric, , Do I recall hearing you go on a tear about the Para GI expert a while back?
I'm not contesting anything just curious as to what your thoughts were if that was you.
I picked one up last week, , , New in box, for $489 bucks. . Man I'm only human. .
Still haven't fired it yet but. . Ehh, , just curious.

[Eric R Shelton]

It shouldn't have really been a "tear", per se.  Some people get all mad about it because it's not an honest-to-god GI spec gun.  I don't really care.  Some people think it's got the parts a GI gun should have.  I don't really care.  Some people complain that it's got a cast frame.  I don't really care.

It's a 1911 at a decent price.  It's a combination of features that some people will find desirable.  And Caspian frames seem to be pretty well-respected, even though they're cast.  So what's wrong with a GI Expert? 

At the price you picked it up for, I'd have grabbed one, too.

[1911 FAN]

 I'm thinking about buying another 1911. I like the Kimber Pro CDP II .45  What do you think? I was also thinking about sending my S.S.Colt Government model in for customaztion. 
 
 Thanks
          Mike

[Eric R Shelton]

This is just me, but I won't buy another Series II Kimber.  I haven't had any problems, I just want to avoid the possibility, is all.  I'm lusting after a Desert Warrior and an SIS like nothing else, though!  Oh, baby!  Because I'm just not ready to pay $2500 for a Nighthawk GRP...  Of course, the Pro is a 4" barrel, isn't it...?  I'm also getting to the point that if I'm going to carry a 1911 in .45, it's going to be a full size pistol.  (I've been reading too much Hilton Yam.  LOL.)

It's worth pointing out that I began lusting after a CDP Pro almost as soon as I first saw one.  I've just bought other stuff, decided I want this toy instead of that one, etc.  If my collection were a little bit different, I'd probably still be after one.

[CaptBullets]

The Kimber Pro series are 4" barrels with the full sized frames.  I own both a Kimber Custom CDP (i.e. full size 1911) and a Kimber Ultra CDP (i.e. Micro size).  Both are excellent guns and haven't given me any issues.  Only thing I ever did was swap the Kimber magazines for Wilson magazines.   

Some folks aren't crazy about the series II safety Kimber uses.  Personally it's never given me an issue.  I've own my Custom CDP for over 6 yr and have I'm guessing close to 10K rounds through it and it's as reliable as ever. 

If you have the money get a Kimber.

Brian

[stickhauler]

If you're looking for a 1911 at a price point like a Taurus is priced, look for a Metro Arms American Classic II or a Firestorm, they're near the same price point, and compete with the RIA models nicely. I have the AC-II and can't complain about the fit and finish, or the performance of it so far. And since it's my grandson's favorite pistol I own, it's had in excess of a couple thousand rounds through it so far without a hitch. Damn, I wish he was buying the ammo!

But I know I'll catch hell here talking about a 1911 priced less than $800.00, so I'll wave bye-bye right now!

[Eric R Shelton]

Not at all, Stick.  I wish there were more $400-$500 options for a 1911.  I like a GI spec rattle trap!  LOL.  Just wish the Springers didn't have IMBEL stamped on the side.

[stickhauler]

Eric, have you (or has anyone here) heard of these 1911's:

http://www.shootersarms.com.ph/

Century Arms is importing them, but I haven't bothered to send them a copy of my C & R license, so I can't see prices on their website, I'm kind of curious as to what price point these sell for. I surfed the web a little and saw one for sale down in Australia, but either this dude really valued his firearms, or these are some high priced foreign made guns.

[1911 FAN]

Well.
        I talked to my gun guy, and he said he would have to order one from Kimber, and it will take three months to get in. Although I have checked other places and no one has them in stock. What's going on at Kimber?

Mike

[tom]

Kimbers are in stock at our local store.  Tauruses and Wilsons and Springfields too.  But after watching the reliability of the 1911s (kimbers) I saw in action today I am sticking with my Glock for now though I do love the look etc.

tom

[stickhauler]

I wouldn't give up on the 1911 platform, in my experience anyway, I see many more operating reliably than most any make firearm on the market. You have to figure, the platform has been around for nearly 100 years, there ain't many "bugs" left to work out on them.

My relatively cheap Metro Arms model has in excess of 2 grand down the tube, without an issue. I've seen similar performance from most every 1911 design on the market, and damn, they're fun to shoot. But I admit my prejudice, I carried one for years in the military depending on it to work every time to defend me, and never saw it fail. A 1911 was the first handgun I ever shot, old habits die hard.

It's not my choice for a carry gun, more based on weight and a lower round count magazine, but it's sure locked and loaded in my bedside safe for use if necessary, with extra magazines close at hand..

[viii_ball]

I am in the market for my first 1911.  I have many handguns and just want to add one of these to my collection.  Any recommendations on where to start looking?  I do not need cheap but I also don't want to over pay.