Quoted:
(1) My budget limits me to about $1000.00. I am looking for the best bang for the buck. A $2k gun is totally out of the question, so please don't talk about them. Reccomend me some brands and models to look at.
(2) I have read guys mentioning "options". What options do I want?
(3) I really want to buy a gun totally made in the USA, so reccomend accordingly. I would also want to buy new.
(4) It seems that there is a lot of Kimber hate. Please explain as I have been looking at a TLE II and like it. What caused the hate?
(5) Should I get a rail to mount a light or save that for a future gun? I sleep next to a shotgun at this time, but that might change. Thoughts?
(6) Is there something that I DON'T want on a gun?
1) $1000 will open the door to a pretty wide variety of 1911's
2) As far as options I would recommend getting a gun equipped with at least the following: upswept beaver tail grip safety, ring hammer, light aluminum trigger, and night sights (ambi safety maybe too)
3) USA made guns for $1000 and under that will contain all of the above mentioned options: Springfield MC Operator, USED TRP (I didn't mention Loaded because they are made in Brazil and you specifically said made in USA although the loaded is a great line up)........All Kimbers are made in USA, I would recomend the Warrior, TLE II, or CDP II.........Or you can get a COLT XSE. It won't have night sights, but does come with some nice Novak sights that could easily be replaced with Night Sights.
4) Kimber hate stems from people that have had bad experiences with them going online to find answers to their problems. Since the 1911 forums are the first place they look, it would appear that a lot of Kimbers go bad. But in reality Kimber just makes more guns than anyone else, so naturally a higher number will have issues....not necessarily a higher percentage. I own two and love both (TLE II nd a Warrior) both are good guns. I did have to send the TLE in for a repair though.
5) light rail will depend on what you are going to use the gun for. If it will be for only home defense or range shooting then yes Get a rail (MC Operator or Kimber Warrior, or Colt XSE Ral Gun). If you ever intend to carry your 1911 then I probably wouldn't get a rail because holsters will be easier to come by without it.
6) Something that you don't want....I don't want a bunch of ugly giant rollmarks on myslide like STI puts on theirs, but that is an opinion that has nothing to do with function. Maybe stay away from plastic triggers (STI Spartan).