The 45's, do they rank high or more with the Llama's, etc....

Reports that I've heard rank the Llama above the Daly.

I was, not too long ago, contemplating a Charles Daly, but ended up getting a Springfield.  No regrets.  

CDs are cast, not forged.  Reports I've heard are that some are really good, that overall quality is getting better, but I have heard some horror stories.  CD would not be ranked as one of the better brands.

I owned a CD, and really did not have any problems with it.  It was a great starter .45 for me, and allowed me to learn quite a bit.  I recently upgraded to a Springfield and am extremely satisfied.

Quality on a CD is rather hit or miss, however.  I did not have any issue with mine, but a friend who got one had nothing but troubles.

What you really want is a review from CD owners.

I own a CD compact .45. It is my carry piece. Living in CA, you could lose your piece for carrying. If I feel a need I carry it. It has never malfunctioned accept with remington UMC. None of my .45's will run on that UMC garbage.

It is reasonalbly accurate and pleasant to shoot.

The machining on the alluminum frame is rough. The ejector is lose on the rear pin (this I want to fix). I believe I got what I paid for.

I wouldn't buy another one.. cause I already have a cheapy.

We've had seeral discussions about CD .45s on the bullseye list.  Consensus among owners & gunsmiths is that the older ones are too soft to  accurize properly, but the new ones are excellent.  You can tell by the front sight.  Oldies are staked on, GI style.  New ones are in a cross dovetail slot.  

One caveat, the back ends of the barrels are smaller diameter than normal.  Fitting an aftermarket barrel will require material to be removed from the inside of the slide.

Other than that, they're supposed to be pretty decent.

I bought one of the newer version CD fullsize guns two years ago.  It looked good and shot okay, but the slide was soft--I noticed some pitting in the bolt face after only a few hundred rounds.  The mags that came with it were okay, but it wouldn't feed right with any others.  The grip safety fit very poorly.  I took a loss in a trade for another handgun.  I would never buy another one.

The Rock Island Armory guns sound better (for a cheap 1911).  Have also heard good things about Ballester Molina on this board.  

Better to save your money and buy a quality firearm than to go for junk though.

Had one...don't waste your money...get a Springfield or Kimber instead...its a bit more $ but worth it.

Dan Wesson has one available now in the price range of the CD.  Never shot one before but the Dan Wesson name carries alot of weight with it...I'd imagine that they would apply their high quality to the .45 also.

Try before you buy...head to a gunrange & rent one out...use a friends...once you try a CD & then a SF or Kimber...the choice is simple.

Good Luck.