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Posted: 2/12/2016 4:30:57 PM EDT
I purchased a Ruger SR1911 from my local gun shop. As soon as I brought it home and began messing with it I realized it failed the standard 1911 safety check. If I cocked the hammer, engaged the thumb safety, squeeze the trigger (then released the trigger) and then disengaged the safety the hammer would fall to the half-cock position. I hadn't fired it yet so I went back the gun store the next day and they are shipping it back to Ruger on my behalf.

This left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, having dropped nearly $800 on something from a reputable company that I immediately had to send back. The gun shop has begrudgingly offered to give me store credit for the gun when it gets back from Ruger. They have a Colt Series 70 in stock that is about $150 more than what I paid for the Ruger.

If you were me, would you just accept the gun back from Ruger and go on my way or would you pay the additional money to trade for the Colt? The colt is essentially a "GI" model, missing many of the cool features the Ruger has (beaver tail, extended safety, speed bump, etc.) however I would much rather have a gun that is going to be reliable than a gun that is better looking / has more features.

The real question is, is the Colt actually worth the extra money? I've heard people bashing Colt quality control recently and am having trouble making up my mind before I get the call telling me to come pick up the Ruger.

The Ruger

The Colt (I think it is the O1970A1CS model)
Link Posted: 2/12/2016 6:12:34 PM EDT
[#1]
Depends on what you want to do with it.   Do you want to shoot it?  Stick with the Ruger.   Do you want to take photos of it and then sell it a few years down the road?  Or send it off for a few hundred bucks' worth of customization?  Colt.

I don't have any qualms about either the Colt or Ruger QC.
Link Posted: 2/12/2016 11:32:57 PM EDT
[#2]
People complain about Colt fit/finish, but at that price range they are the most likely to work.
Link Posted: 2/13/2016 2:29:40 AM EDT
[#3]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Depends on what you want to do with it.   Do you want to shoot it?  Stick with the Ruger.   Do you want to take photos of it and then sell it a few years down the road?  Or send it off for a few hundred bucks' worth of customization?  Colt.

I don't have any qualms about either the Colt or Ruger QC.
View Quote

The part in red =

ETA:  I'd honestly buy the Colt and then send it to someone who knows what's up to modify it to how you really want it.

Or just forget both and get a Rock River...

But I'm biased towards precisely fit guns.
Link Posted: 2/13/2016 7:07:28 AM EDT
[#4]
Colt for the win
Link Posted: 2/13/2016 10:01:57 AM EDT
[#5]
For a couple hundred extra you could get one of the Wiley Clapp Colts that has front strap checkering, BTGS and Novaks.

Not Mine:

Link Posted: 2/13/2016 11:51:30 AM EDT
[#6]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

The part in red =

ETA:  I'd honestly buy the Colt and then send it to someone who knows what's up to modify it to how you really want it.

Or just forget both and get a Rock River...

But I'm biased towards precisely fit guns.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Depends on what you want to do with it.   Do you want to shoot it?  Stick with the Ruger.   Do you want to take photos of it and then sell it a few years down the road?  Or send it off for a few hundred bucks' worth of customization?  Colt.

I don't have any qualms about either the Colt or Ruger QC.

The part in red =

ETA:  I'd honestly buy the Colt and then send it to someone who knows what's up to modify it to how you really want it.

Or just forget both and get a Rock River...

But I'm biased towards precisely fit guns.


Beavertail, maybe sights and checkering is about all that one really needs. Not every 1911 needs to be a full house custom.  
Link Posted: 2/13/2016 2:03:46 PM EDT
[#7]
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Quoted:


Beavertail, maybe sights and checkering is about all that one really needs. Not every 1911 needs to be a full house custom.  
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Depends on what you want to do with it.   Do you want to shoot it?  Stick with the Ruger.   Do you want to take photos of it and then sell it a few years down the road?  Or send it off for a few hundred bucks' worth of customization?  Colt.

I don't have any qualms about either the Colt or Ruger QC.

The part in red =

ETA:  I'd honestly buy the Colt and then send it to someone who knows what's up to modify it to how you really want it.

Or just forget both and get a Rock River...

But I'm biased towards precisely fit guns.


Beavertail, maybe sights and checkering is about all that one really needs. Not every 1911 needs to be a full house custom.  




I still say if you don't want a GI style go for the Wiley Clapp.
Link Posted: 2/13/2016 3:28:55 PM EDT
[#8]
Why didn't you buy the Colt in first place?
Ruger just got into 1911s.
Link Posted: 2/13/2016 4:01:13 PM EDT
[#9]
I'm a fan of Colts, because well just because.  I'm sure the Ruger has some very nice features for the money, and are nice guns.  That being said, if it was me... I'd see how far that store credit would go towards a Springfield so you wouldn't have to sacrifice the features that the Ruger came with...
Link Posted: 2/13/2016 4:25:22 PM EDT
[#10]
Nobody builds a better base model gun than Colt.
Link Posted: 2/13/2016 4:33:50 PM EDT
[#11]
Since your poll only gave the option of a Ruger or Colt I selected Colt because they are better than Rugers. I used to really like Colts and bought and traded them for over 15 years. Starting with Combat Commander to Govt. models. Then I decided to try the Kimbers and bought a Kimber Stainless Pro Carry model. I was sold on Kimbers at that point. I read about issues with external extractor Kimbers having FTF issues. The Pro Carry I bought had an internal extractor and functioned flawlessly out of the box. Plus, the Kimber was a better gun than the Colt out of the box at the same price point. The Colts lacked features that were standard on the Kimber for the same price. Kimber included night sights, beveled magwell, throated chamber, and target trigger.

Since then I have traded up several times and ended up with a Kimber Custom TLE/RL II 10mm that is my EDC weapon. I no longer own Colts and haven't for over 15 years.
Link Posted: 2/14/2016 12:11:21 AM EDT
[#12]
Nobody wrote a book about the "Ruger 1911". Unless you are looking to buy features, the Colt models are coming in at a good price point compared to the competitors & they have good out of the box reliability.
Link Posted: 2/14/2016 12:26:52 AM EDT
[#13]

Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Nobody builds a better base model gun than Colt.
View Quote


This.



 
Link Posted: 2/14/2016 1:29:59 AM EDT
[#14]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
For a couple hundred extra you could get one of the Wiley Clapp Colts that has front strap checkering, BTGS and Novaks.

Not Mine:

http://www.marshallnet.net/~garyp/talo1a.jpg
View Quote

Thats a gun they got really right.
Link Posted: 2/14/2016 1:37:42 AM EDT
[#15]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

Thats a gun they got really right.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
For a couple hundred extra you could get one of the Wiley Clapp Colts that has front strap checkering, BTGS and Novaks.

Not Mine:

http://www.marshallnet.net/~garyp/talo1a.jpg

Thats a gun they got really right.


I picked one up this morning, it's the best 1911 I've had so far.

Link Posted: 2/14/2016 10:32:02 PM EDT
[#16]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
*snip*

Beavertail, maybe sights and checkering is about all that one really needs. Not every 1911 needs to be a full house custom.  
View Quote

Oh I understand what you're saying however, in light of the fact that I'm spending more on my particular 1911 [Range Officer] than it's actually worth in terms of purchase price it just struck me as rather hilarious.    
Freaking expensive Bullseye guns.

Seriously OP, buy the Colt or maybe seriously consider getting a Range Officer if you can find one or have one ordered in, it's better in my honest opinion than the Ruger and has more features than the Colt.  The Colt would probably last longer however, and that is something to consider.
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 9:14:54 AM EDT
[#17]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Nobody builds a better base model gun than Colt.
View Quote


China does.
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 2:23:27 PM EDT
[#18]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Depends on what you want to do with it.   Do you want to shoot it?  Stick with the Ruger.   Do you want to take photos of it and then sell it a few years down the road?  Or send it off for a few hundred bucks' worth of customization?  Colt.

I don't have any qualms about either the Colt or Ruger QC.
View Quote


I'm not going to be carrying it very often, if at all (have Glocks for that). It will be a plinker / range toy / home defense type of deal. I sold my Bersa Thunder 45 (previous carry gun) and reload .45acp so I figured I needed another .45 and wanted a 5 inch barrel.
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 2:27:52 PM EDT
[#19]
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Quoted:
Why didn't you buy the Colt in first place?
Ruger just got into 1911s.
View Quote


Stainless finish, extended thumb / grip safety, novak sights, no series 80 parts.

No other 1911's at this shop had all of those features for a comparable price.

I've learned the hard way this time, you get what you pay for.
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 2:29:26 PM EDT
[#20]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I'm a fan of Colts, because well just because.  I'm sure the Ruger has some very nice features for the money, and are nice guns.  That being said, if it was me... I'd see how far that store credit would go towards a Springfield so you wouldn't have to sacrifice the features that the Ruger came with...
View Quote


The only Springfield 1911s they had were the short-barreled Range Officers.
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 2:41:59 PM EDT
[#21]
I would add another $300 and get a Dan Wesson Heritage.



EDIT: I guess that probably isn't an option at this point since you are getting store credit.
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 3:02:17 PM EDT
[#22]
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Quoted:
I would add another $300 and get a Dan Wesson Heritage.

EDIT: I guess that probably isn't an option at this point since you are getting store credit.
View Quote


Yeah, unfortunately, I either have to stick with the Ruger when it returns or they'll give me in-store credit to get something else.

Also, one of the reasons I bought the Ruger was the price. $650 was what it was listed as. Ended up paying $700something after tax, etc. The Colt I would move up to is $900. (I would have to pay the difference.) So adding even more on top of that is really beyond what I am looking to pay.

It's been over 2 weeks... Anyone know how long it normally takes for Ruger to ship something out? I'm in Ohio.
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 3:29:15 PM EDT
[#23]
The one I know of that was sent back because the front sight broke off took just a little over 5 weeks to come back.
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 3:56:46 PM EDT
[#24]
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 5:02:50 PM EDT
[#25]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
The one I know of that was sent back because the front sight broke off took just a little over 5 weeks to come back.
View Quote

Link Posted: 2/15/2016 5:34:37 PM EDT
[#26]
I did the Colt. $38.00 more seemed good to me at the time. No regrets. I have seen folks shooting their Rugers. They like them.
Link Posted: 2/15/2016 9:06:22 PM EDT
[#27]
I shot a SR1911 2 weeks ago and man that thing was a tack driver !

I'm going to be picking up one of those hopefully soon !
Link Posted: 2/16/2016 9:23:19 AM EDT
[#28]
No complaints about my Ruger. But my next one is going be a Colt.
Link Posted: 2/16/2016 9:23:50 AM EDT
[#29]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I shot a SR1911 2 weeks ago and man that thing was a tack driver !

I'm going to be picking up one of those hopefully soon !
View Quote


I've heard similar accounts. Maybe some day I'll get to shoot it, haha.
Link Posted: 2/16/2016 9:33:26 AM EDT
[#30]
FWIW Ruger has some of the best CS in the industry.  I'd not have any qualms about owning one (own other Rugers, just not 1911's).



If you want the prancing pony, get one.  I've been toying with the idea of picking up a Series 70 from them and leaving it stock.
Link Posted: 2/17/2016 3:39:50 PM EDT
[#31]
I am a Colt and Springer fanboy myself
Link Posted: 2/19/2016 11:09:33 AM EDT
[#32]
If you have the money I would buy the Colt
Link Posted: 2/25/2016 11:52:07 AM EDT
[#33]
The Ruger finally came back last night. I went to the store and traded it in for store credit. They recently got a shipment from Springfield and they had a government sized parkerized range officer that I fell in love with at first dry-fire. They would only give me credit for "what they paid for the gun" which was about $100 less than I bought it for so getting a colt would have meant I was spending about $1100 for a $900 gun. The Range Officer only ended up costing me $50 so I went with that.

Part of me is a little sad I didn't end up with a stainless Colt but I'm also glad to have the whole ordeal behind me.

Thanks, everyone, for the input!
Link Posted: 2/25/2016 6:43:29 PM EDT
[#34]
Colt or Springfield. Everyone else makes copies.
Link Posted: 2/26/2016 11:59:41 PM EDT
[#35]
Buying a 1911 can be very troubling for some because there are so many different makers of essentially the same thing - like as if there were 99 versions of an F-150 truck by 99 different makers and one by Ford, which was about in the middle of the price range. Sounds like a no-brainer, doesn't it?
Another way to look at it is simply to go to gun stores and gun shows and see 1911s that interest you. Get your hands on them. Sooner or later you're going to bond with one of them and that's the one to get.
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