What do you want in a 1911?

[mike213]

I have only three 1911's :

Colt Model of 1911, WWI replica - Carbonia blued.

Remington / UMC Model of 1911 WWI replica - Mfg. by Turnbull.

Springfield Armory 1911 WWII G.I.

I like the 'Springer'. It shoots great and is everything I'll ever want in a 1911.
No frills - mike

[Esq.]

Polymer frame. Double stack. Striker fired. Linkless. Bushing less. Trigger only safety. Absolute reliability for $600 brand new. Lol....

[pag23]

Polymer frame. Double stack. Striker fired. Linkless. Bushing less. Trigger only safety. Absolute reliability for $600 brand new. Lol....

Sounds like a Glock1911

[glocktogo]

Forged frame and slide, forged internals, tool steel hammer & sear, good barrel/frame/slide fitment, and a properly radiused and tensioned extractor.

[jmoore]

Forged frame and slide, forged internals, tool steel hammer & sear, good barrel/frame/slide fitment, and a properly radiused and tensioned extractor.

and..... RELIABLE, accurate, and a good set of sights. A crisp, light trigger (but not too light) is part of the overall system:)
After 40+ years shooting 1911s, when I carry a 1911, it is a DW Valor.
I’m currently looking for a LW version - maybe DW, maybe another marque?

geezer john

[TehLlama]

Cheater trigger, usable sights, light rail of some kind, stock grip geometry with undercut trigger guard, and usable slide serrations. Forged frame/slide/guts and tooled hammer/sear are requisite, and once those are funded, might as well run a match barrel and fit everything up fancy.

There's a reason it's not considered a viable carry/hard use firearm until a certain price point is hit, and practically polymer double stack 9mm options are close enough that the price delta is starting to look like a pistol RDS, so I'm done pretending my love of 1911's is fully performance based.

[glocktogo]

and..... RELIABLE, accurate, and a good set of sights. A crisp, light trigger (but not too light) is part of the overall system
After 40+ years shooting 1911s, when I carry a 1911, it is a DW Valor.
I’m currently looking for a LW version - maybe DW, maybe another marque?

geezer john

Yeah, I was pretty much working off the DW blueprint.

If I were to carry a single stack 1911, it would be a DW Guardian.

As others below have indicated, my current carry rotation is a G19 MOS and a Shield.

[s4s4u]

Polymer frame. Double stack. Striker fired. Linkless. Bushing less. Trigger only safety. Absolute reliability for $600 brand new. Lol....

So you want a Glock with a propper grip angle?!?

[Delta-3]

More choices in 38 Super.

[Steve_in_Allentown]

Define the pistol's mission first.

If it's for self-defense carry, it doesn't need to be fit as tightly as a bullseye competition pistol but it needs to be 100% reliable under multiple environmental conditions and using the widest possible assortment of ammo. If it's for show, it needs a classic Colt style blue with mirror finished flats and matt rounds.

If money is no object, engage the services of a top tier 1911 'smith to build one from the ground up to be both 100% reliable and gorgeous. Don't be surprised if such a pistol costs upwards of $4,000. Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

All the little bits and pieces are open to personal preference as is the final finish.