Hi all,

Thanks for the history about the 1911.  Since I'm a newbie to the 1911, I need a little more advice about purchasing one. I’m looking for a brand that is fairly price and is a good base model to start out with.  I would like to eventually upgrade it.  Is there a particular brand that fits my need?  Could you also give websites too?

Thanks
Lojack

Get a Kimber. They blew the 1911 market wide open a few short years ago by offering high quality guns with all the "custom" mods as factory standard. Pick the model you want and forget future upgrades, this is MUCH more cost effective! Kimber's base gun has a highride beavertail grip safety, full length guide rod, extended safety, decent sights, forward slide serrations, beveled mag well and great fit and overall quality. Options include night sights, adjustable sights, lightweight aluminum frames, oversized mag wells, checkered frontstrap and ambi safeties. I've got two and they are both 100% reliable and very accurate. If you can find a leftover "original" version (not a Custom Classic II) that would be my first choice. It doesn't have a grip safety actuated firing pin lock as mandated by some IDIOT leftest in Kalifornia!

Take a look at the Colt 1991 series or a Norinco 1911.  They're both no frills, but cheap as well as forming a good base for further upgrades.

there are probably more people making 1911s than ar15s. i bought a used springfield armory milspec, and have added a drop-in beavertail grip safety, matching hammer and extended slide release. i am very happy with it.

look at all the manufacturers, decide what features you want and how much you want to pay. you can order them built the way you want, or start with a base model and build it up. cant lose either way.

I think that the quality of Kimber has dropped over the years and am starting to be of the opinion that it is just alot of hype. The periodical publications jumped all over over them.  I'm am not saying that they are poor handguns, they do rate high.  However, I believe that as their production ramped up, their attention to fitting detail dropped below the justification for some of their prices.  There is nothing that they offer that Para-Ordinace or Springfield doens'nt offer for less $$.
I might offer the same reaction to the Les Behr products when considering the $$ Vs. product.

I dont want to see you go out and drop buku bucks on your first 1911.

The 1911 is my favorite handgun due to its versatility.  The customization that you can do to it is endless.  If you can afford it, certainly look into the Springfield Armory and Kimber loaded models from $600 to $800, they are good values for the money. (I would rather spend that kind of coin on an AR-15, but that's just me.) If you are a first time buyer on a budget, you might consider a basic Springfield 1911 mil spec or Colt 1991 government model with no frills for $450 to $500. Then you can customize if you so desire at a later date.  

Enjoy your first 1911, I only have two and I'm looking for a good deal on a third! -websensei

You're going to have to make this decision yourself. Kimbers, Colts, Springfields and Paras are all good but have slight differences. Do you want a mil-spec or one you can build up? Maybe you want one already built with beavertail, ambi-safety etc. Will this be a carry piece or a range target pistol?

The 1911 is one of the most tinkered with designs and you will have lots of reading to do if you want one to fill your needs.

Edited to include:
Kimber made the grip safety decision themselves, certainly under heavy pressure, as did Springfield it was not mandated by anyone, yet.

Quoted: There is nothing that they offer that Para-Ordinace or Springfield doens'nt offer for less $$.

Here in the Beehive state the Springfield "loaded" is about the same (in my favorite pawn shop) or more than the Custom Classic.  Maybe SA is going to help us worker bees pay for the Olympics?

Quoted: I think that the quality of Kimber has dropped over the years and am starting to be of the opinion that it is just alot of hype.

AHA!  I see the veil being pulled away from yet another person's eyes!  It warms my heart.

"You can fool all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time!"  Not all of their Marketing money and "test gun" giveaways to authors is being well spent!!!

Good for you!  Maybe I'll have a convert to join my side against the Kimber hype!

It sort of depends on what you want, how much you are willing to pay and what you expect out of it.

If you just want a MIL-SPEC 1911, then the best route to go is either get an original MIL-SPEC 1911 (kind of expensive) OR (a CHEAPER alternative!) Get Norinco's 1911. The Norinco comes closer than any other currently produced 1911's to matching the quality, dimensions and materials used in the original 1911s that our Military used.

IF on the other hand you want a 1911 Pistol with some Custom Features (such as a flared ejection port, better sights, etc.) and are willing to pay a little more money then get a Springfield Armory Loaded Package 1911.

Kimber also makes a very good pistol and Kimber should be given credit for kicking off competition among the other manufacturers of 1911's to start producing better quality pistols that come with many features that could only be found on customized 1911's in the past.
HOWEVER, while Kimber does make a good pistol and it certainly leads the pack in terms of Hype. Lately they have been having quality control problems.

Another possibility is to shop around for a used series 70 Colt made about 20+ years ago. This was before Colt's quality started to slide down hill.

There are also some Kits you can get (for example STI makes a good one, so does Les Baer!) and you can build your own 1911 without too much problem.

When I get one:
www.auto-ordnance.com/

Kahr Arms is now making the Auto-Ordnance 1911's and the quality is way up, with a price that isn't.

Check it out.

A Great 1911 To Start With ..... KIMBER !!!  Why try anything else.  I bought one, let six friends shot it and now 7 of us own almost 10 Kimber 1911 variants.  We need some sort of Kimber 12 Step Program !!!!!!!!!

I will second the auto ord, and recomend the ww2 version.

I like the Springfield Armory Loaded package over the Kimber Classic Custom (since they cost about the same). If you want to spend a little more money, then the higher-end Kimbers add some features that put them ahead of the SA.

If bargain-basement shopping is the order of the day, then the Norinco's aren't that bad. Actually, if you want to build up to a "custom" gun, then dropping $300-350 on one of them leaves a lot of change in the pocket for you to make it YOUR gun. A buddy of mine did that a few years ago. Had probably $600 total in the gun and it was just an extension of his arm when he shot it.