Best 1911 for Beginners?


T

terreythompson

New member
I'm looking to get a single-action semi-auto for my son for his birthday. I remember loving the 1911 when I was growing up, it was the gun my father used to teach me how to shoot and I just remember it offering terrific performance and minimal recoil.

I'm not all that familiar with the modern 1911 so I've been shopping around, trying to find the best 1911 for my budget. I'm hoping to spend under a thousand bucks, but I want to make sure I'm getting him a decent piece.

I came across this article that lists a bunch of different pistols with a range of prices: https://gunnewsdaily.com/best-1911-money/

Does anyone have any experience with any of these pistols? I'm looking for specs and stuff, really anything you can tell me about features and value for the money. If there's one that's better than the others for slightly more $, I'm willing to spend about eight or nine hundred dollars. Any info?
 

Spend some money and get a quality 1911, because the cheap ones suck:


Here is the discussion thread on this video: 1911s Suck - Mic Drop! I am not a 1911 expert, so I won't recommend one.

One additional comment I can give you is to listen to well-known experts, such as Ken Hackathorn in the video above. There will be tons of people that will recommend to you their 1911, but they rarely go to the range and really have never put their handgun through the wringer. I have seen my fair share of 1911s fail in defensive handgun classes, this includes the manual safety freezing up and excessive failure to feed and failure to eject malfunctions. Once a poorly made 1911 gets some dirt in its action from firing a few hundred rounds or from using it in adverse conditions, it starts to act up.

Since this is a present, I simply would not recommend to go cheap anyway. This could be the gun that gets passed on by your son to his children.
 
Stay the hell away from subcompact 1911s. They are jammomatics. People typically get butt hurt when I post this video:


Here is the discussion thread on this video: 45 ACP Barrel length. Also, from the comments in that video:

UPDATE: We had a Kimber Full Size Custom gun make it through a two day CFS class this weekend with Zero Malfunctions! (yes, that is the first one since this video has been posted 2.5 YEARS ago.... any brand, any size). Unfortunately for the student, a great dude, he had a few operation failures, including ones that involved the safety that kept him from being able to claim the free tuition / ammo offer. So, the challenge stands.

Normally, I am VERY engaged in the comments/questions on the content I post, but I do generally ignore the silliness in this thread. I thought about turning comments off, but I know a lot of people enjoy venting their opinions under this vid....so, Carry On!
Click to expand...

Kimber has recently started to improve the quality and reliability of their full-size 1911s, but I still would not recommend them as I still see them fail in classes.
 
A 1911 that he would always treasure and also love you for would be a 'middle of the road ' piece that affectionately began it all in the first place and is none other than US Government Model 45 manufactured by Colt.
There you have it.
 
both gave some good advice. I have owned, carried and even built 1911's over many years. They can be built to be accurate and reliable, but there is a happy medium. You often give up some of one to get more of the other. The old military guns are obviously built to be reliable. They are "combat accurate", but many people want more accuracy, particularly those who compete with their pistols. If you prefer a 1911, find one that is a happy medium and learn it well. 1911's are old technology, but that's not necessarily bad. Just be aware of your limitations, as well as those of the pistol. I still have a 1911 or two, but for daily carry and highest reliability, I carry striker-fired, polymer framed pistols with which I have a high degree of familiarity. I think the saying "1911's are the guns you show your friends, Glocks (or similar) are the guns you show your enemies" has some truth to it.
 
For a person new to 1911s, I usually recommend a Springfield Mil-Spec or Springfield GI45. I recommend a five inch Government Model. They are cost effective, durable, reliable, and reasonably well fitted and well made. They will last a lifetime, and are an excellent gun to learn the 1911 platform with.
If a person has a desire to get something "better" then I recommend a Colt NRM Government Model. That's the Colt Series 80 1991, new style with the wood grips and new rollmark. The same durability, reliability and workmanship qualities applies to them. If the Series 80 FPS is a concern to the person, a Series 70 Colt Government Model is the ticket. Colts tend to hold value in the marketplace better, making them a superior long term gun if you ever sell.
 
Davidm said:
For a person new to 1911s, I usually recommend a Springfield Mil-Spec or Springfield GI45. I recommend a five inch Government Model. They are cost effective, durable, reliable, and reasonably well fitted and well made. They will last a lifetime, and are an excellent gun to learn the 1911 platform with.
If a person has a desire to get something "better" then I recommend a Colt NRM Government Model. That's the Colt Series 80 1991, new style with the wood grips and new rollmark. The same durability, reliability and workmanship qualities applies to them. If the Series 80 FPS is a concern to the person, a Series 70 Colt Government Model is the ticket. Colts tend to hold value in the marketplace better, making them a superior long term gun if you ever sell.
Click to expand...

Springfield Armory? The company that "didn't know" that its own lobbyist was working against gun owners and gun stores in IL? I used to like their 1911s, but now that company does not exist anymore for me.

For reference: Is SA and RRA back stabbing Illinois Gun Owners?
 
bofh said:
Springfield Armory? The company that "didn't know" that its own lobbyist was working against gun owners and gun stores in IL? I used to like their 1911s, but now that company does not exist anymore for me.

For reference: Is SA and RRA back stabbing Illinois Gun Owners?
Click to expand...
I have said it on this forum and have spoken with my wallet as far as Springfield goes. If they were the only guns available, I'd buy one but since they're not, I'm not. I don't know anyone with a RRA platform of any kind but I've seen them before and won't buy one because of exactly what bofh's link stated. I was shocked when I read it but I'm over it months ago and I just control my own budget and they're not in it.

The Place To Be
 
I think that something Mil Spec would be the way to go. You can get lost in all of the options available for the 1911 really fast, so just avoid the issue until he can decide what he does and doesn't like/want/need. Get him something of good quality and let him figure out where to go either with modifying it or with the plan to use it as trade stock when/if he decides to trade up. Either way, if you get him something fittin' to have as is, he'll have a good quality base gun for a build or something that will carry some worth as a trade in.

Personally, all I really need beyond the Mil Spec level 1911 is a beavertail grip safety (I don't suffer from hammer bite but I can rub a blister on the joint of my thumb) and a good ambi safety since I'm left handed. Give me that much beyond Mil Spec and I can run the gun comfortably and safely. If likes come into play, then I also want a steel, serrated arched main spring housing, a long trigger and better sights.

And I second the post above that mentioned staying with a full length (5") gun for reliability. The shorter you make a 1911, the less reliable it becomes. Most Commander length guns (4 1/4" or so) are pretty reliable (I've got 3- 2 Colts and a Para- that are very reliable. The only issues I've had was with a used Series 70 Combat Commander in 9mm and replacing the extractor fixed it) but if you get shorter, things can go south really quickly.
 
Since you mentioned beginner and I would not start a beginner on a .45 or 9mm, may I suggest the Browning 1911-380? There are many Youtube reviews, one by a .380 hater that grudgingly said it was an okay gun, but not for him.
 
WanderingSol07 said:
Since you mentioned beginner and I would not start a beginner on a .45 or 9mm, may I suggest the Browning 1911-380? There are many Youtube reviews, one by a .380 hater that grudgingly said it was an okay gun, but not for him.
Click to expand...

A mid bore round like a 9mm or .38Super out of a steel frame 1911 has a light enough recoil that a beginner should be able to use it just fine. My niece started shooting mine at age 12.
 
terreythompson said:
I'm looking to get a single-action semi-auto for my son for his birthday. I remember loving the 1911 when I was growing up, it was the gun my father used to teach me how to shoot and I just remember it offering terrific performance and minimal recoil.

I'm not all that familiar with the modern 1911 so I've been shopping around, trying to find the best 1911 for my budget. I'm hoping to spend under a thousand bucks, but I want to make sure I'm getting him a decent piece.

I came across this article that lists a bunch of different pistols with a range of prices: https://gunnewsdaily.com/best-1911-money/

Does anyone have any experience with any of these pistols? I'm looking for specs and stuff, really anything you can tell me about features and value for the money. If there's one that's better than the others for slightly more $, I'm willing to spend about eight or nine hundred dollars. Any info?
Click to expand...
I would say get a compensator for it if your set on that gun. It will look like this
67af1302d2e0541e6573454a30ea8b6f.jpg


Sent from my LG-K371 using Link Removed
 
I don’t know if this email chain is still being checked, but my latest 1911 purchase was a Springfield Range Officer in 9mm. I don’t know of the drama with Springfield but I will testify regarding the quality of the gun.

Members at 2 ranges, we try to go shooting weekly. My wife, who achieved NRA Distinguished Expert with the gun hogs it and I have to wait till she moves on to practice with her EDC Sig938 before I get to shoot it (grrr). She will put 100 rounds down range each session (sometimes many more) and never, never have had a failure with the gun using Federal ball ammo from Walmart.

It is a target gun and not well suited to CC. I have no reservations in recommending it wholeheartedly.


Sent from my iPad using Link Removed
 
Thanks for the input RangerFred

I do have many customers that havent had any issues with their Springfield’s as well , hopefully it gets cleared up as soon as possible for the ones that do
 
terreythompson said:
I'm looking to get a single-action semi-auto for my son for his birthday. I remember loving the 1911 when I was growing up, it was the gun my father used to teach me how to shoot and I just remember it offering terrific performance and minimal recoil.

I'm not all that familiar with the modern 1911 so I've been shopping around, trying to find the best 1911 for my budget. I'm hoping to spend under a thousand bucks, but I want to make sure I'm getting him a decent piece.

I came across this article that lists a bunch of different pistols with a range of prices: https://gunnewsdaily.com/best-1911-money/

Does anyone have any experience with any of these pistols? I'm looking for specs and stuff, really anything you can tell me about features and value for the money. If there's one that's better than the others for slightly more $, I'm willing to spend about eight or nine hundred dollars. Any info?
Click to expand...

Remington R1 1911 .45 acp


Sent from my iPhone using Link Removed
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 184 (members: 0, guests: 184)

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
49,544
Messages
611,260
Members
74,959
Latest member
defcon

Share this page

Back
Top