Posted: 10/3/2011 5:16:12 PM EDT
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I know this is probably a common post, so if I'm missing a thread please point me in the right direction.
I've never owned a 1911 and have little experience with them. I was set on finding an affordable Kimber Custom II, but the crowd here seems to be none too fond of the brand. What is a good 5" 'starter' 1911 in the $800-1000 range? I don't plan on ever selling it; I only say starter because if I am happy with the pistol, I will most likely purchase another, more high end model years down the road. Thanks in advance! |
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Buy a USED RIA and see if you like. If you do, Sell it for what you paid for it and get one the way you want it. Hell.... in his price range he could get a new RIA Tactical with all the bells and whistles for 450.00 to 550.00 and still be able to sell it if he liked the 1911 and wanted something more expensive. I have an RIA Tactical with the matte nickel finsh and all the bells and whistles and love it! I'll NEVER sell it. |
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People I shoot with have SIG 1911s and they have been excellent performers. The Ruger 1911 gets high marks from people whose opinion I respect. I bought a Ruger SR1911 a couple of months ago as my first 1911 and I have been very happy with it. I was planning on getting a RIA Tactical, but I thought the Ruger was worth the extra money. I paid $650 for the Ruger which was the upper ceiling of what I had to spend. The Springfield Armory Range Officer and STI Spartan were other 1911s that I would consider. And there is always Colt. |
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Buy a USED RIA and see if you like. If you do, Sell it for what you paid for it and get one the way you want it. Words of wisdom..... Take this dudes advice and it will save you some pain. RIA makes an excellent starter 1911 with an even better price tag. With your budget you could buy a decent RIA new or used and fiddle with sights, grips, mainspring housings, and all the other bells & whistles and in the process learn alot about the design as well as what you like best on them. Then after you have had your fun with the pistol and you develop that complimentary "itch" that the rest of us have. You can go out and buy yourself a higher end package that you know will tickle your sear in just the right way. No need to drop $1k to have alot of fun and learn. And on top of that. When you think you would like to take your 1911 out someplace where it might get a little dirty or scratched and you dont want to use your nice new high end job. There comes the trusty RIA ready for war. Win Win. What I did anyway 
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Find a Colt Series 70 repro for 850-900. It has all the good stuff and none of the extra crap everyone forces on you today. If you decide you want to change certain things out on the gun then customize as you go. +1...these are hard to find but worth the hunt |
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Find a Colt Series 70 repro for 850-900. It has all the good stuff and none of the extra crap everyone forces on you today. If you decide you want to change certain things out on the gun then customize as you go. +1...these are hard to find but worth the hunt +2 (And, the Colt will hold value better than any of the others) |
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Find a Colt Series 70 repro for 850-900. It has all the good stuff and none of the extra crap everyone forces on you today. If you decide you want to change certain things out on the gun then customize as you go. +1...these are hard to find but worth the hunt Within the last month I was able to buy a stainless and blued model NIB for 900 or less. It did require a national search though. |
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Find a Colt Series 70 repro for 850-900. It has all the good stuff and none of the extra crap everyone forces on you today. If you decide you want to change certain things out on the gun then customize as you go. +1...these are hard to find but worth the hunt +2 (And, the Colt will hold value better than any of the others) +3. |
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If I had it to do all over again I would get a Springfield Loaded model as a first 1911. If not that, then definitely a Series 70 Colt. My first 1911 was a AMT Hardballer. Really not a bad gun with the right mags, but definitely not on par with Colt. Me too. I went with the MilSpec and it has been my carry gun since '07 back then, I knew little about the type and, while I love my MilSpec, I wish I had saved a little more and got the Loaded. With the SA Loaded, you have better sight options, all the loved controls of a higher end 1911 and it's not that expensive as far as 1911's go. But with a few modifications to my MilSpec, it's been a damn fine carry piece with a little over 2,000 rounds downrange with zero malfunctions, even when it was brand new and tight as a drum, it never failed. Love that gun! If you want all the nice controls that most modern 1911's have I would say the SA Range Officer or Loaded, or like has been said above, the Rock Island Tacticals are really not bad. They usually come with ugly grips but that gives you a reason to replace them with some VZ's or whatever and it will give you the experience of a 1911 and will let you learn all the ins and outs, then you can see if you get addicted or not, if you do....sorry welcome to the club  if it just doesn't do much for you after a couple months, then you can sell it or keep it in the back of the safe and you won't be out $1,000
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| I have an RIA. Love it. I will be buying a Colt. I literally did the same thing you are doing. Trying to see if I like the platform without investing a ton of money. Buy the RIA, you will not be sorry. If you buy new, get the tactical model and you will get most of your money back on a sale. If you buy used you will most likely get it all back. They are fine pistols, but need new grips. |