What do you want in a 1911?

[rushca01]

I am a 1911 guy through and through, favorite handgun platform. I just recently got into 2011’s with the STI Staccato’s, 9mm capacity and easy to shoot.

For a single stack 1911:
Sights, comfortable grip safety, solid parts/internals, and reliability. The rest is personal preference and aesthetics.

Best off the shelf model that embodies everything I mentioned above is the OG Springfield custom carry. Essentially a pro without the checkering. Back in the day they were a solid choice from a reputable semi custom shop. This one is not mine but it’s one of my favorite 1911’s on the web…been floating around for years.



My version of this is my Springfield MC operator.
Rob S of Alchemy, who is local to me, completely went through this gun earlier this year and replaced everything except the grip safety and barrel. No fancy refinish, no checkering etc.. just a solid gun.




My MARS and Single Guns






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[magister]

I know this thread started almost a year ago, but a question about this statement.

I’m new to 1911s. I bought my first SA GI Milspec in .45 ACP a few weeks ago. Great gun. Shoots accurately and reliably…so far. And it cost me $579 + tax, brand new, delivered to my FFL.

So forgive this newbie question, but what is a gunsmith or one of these boutique 1911 builders going to give me for 5, 6, 7, or 8 times the money? I get that they may use slightly higher grade parts or the finish will be hand done with more care.

But does any of that actually translate into a more accurate and more reliable pistol for all that money?

Brother… I’m NOT a 1911 guru by any stretch so just understand that and maybe even take my post with a grain of salt.

Like you, I got a Mil Spec Springfield about a year ago as my first foray into 1911’s. I’ve only got about 500 rounds through it. Mine will shoot just a touch over 1” with Federal 230 gr ball at around 15 yards. Not sure what that translates to at 25. It also runs Hydra Shock, XTP, Critical Duty, and whatever hollow points SIG makes with no trouble. It’s good enough for me, but I do think that some minor upgrades would make it go from a good pistol to a great one.

Larry Vickers has two videos of recommended mods on YouTube for a series 70 Colt, which is very similar to the Mil Spec. Paraphrasing his recommendations from memory, he suggests a trigger job (to include the internals like sear, disconnect, etc), a beaver tail safety, hammer, and sites of your choice. He may also have recommended a carry melt and tool steel extractor. Not 100% sure.

For me, I am planning to have a trigger job done and a tool steel extractor installed. But I’m good with the gi grip safety, spur hammer, and 3 dot sites that came with the pistol. I did add some more aggressive grips and grip tape which does help lock the gun in my hands a touch better.

But I do believe a good trigger job and a hard use extractor (just for peace of mind) are worth the investment. At least to me they are.

[magister]

And I guess to answer the question posed in this thread… the Mil Spec gives me what I’m looking for in a 1911. Simple and effective. I like it. Would probably like it a little better with a nice trigger job, medium solid trigger, and tool steel extractor. But that’s really about it.

[Ned Christiansen]

Oops, I left out something very important..... a terrible oversight and was glad to see I was not the only one.....

A zero-gap, no-see-um joint between the frame tangs and the grip safety.

[1986s4]

So much this. A plain-jane M1911A1-style setup with solid internals, "Good Enough for Grandpa to Kill Nazis With."

Right, for me it would be; "good enough for Dad to kill Nazis with". Dad was in his early 30's with prior military experience when the war broke out. He volunteered with the intention of being a pilot. But he was too far sighted to be a pilot but had great eyes for an aerial gunner. He was issued a 1911 in case of "emergency". His issue pistol was stolen on his way back from war, he didn't replace it until the late 60's. I have it now, complete with idiot mark....

[seagiant]

Right, for me it would be; "good enough for Dad to kill Nazis with". Dad was in his early 30's with prior military experience when the war broke out. He volunteered with the intention of being a pilot. But he was too far sighted to be a pilot but had great eyes for an aerial gunner. He was issued a 1911 in case of "emergency". His issue pistol was stolen on his way back from war, he didn't replace it until the late 60's. I have it now, complete with idiot mark....

Hi,
James Jones, (From Here To Eternity) wrote a short story, about a stolen, 1911, in WWII.

[Gary1911A1]

Lately I have been considering order one of these in a 70 Series, blue, .45ACP. http://www.novaksinc.com/novak-elite-combat-custom.html I didn't use to have trouble depressing the grip safety, but it seems my grip has changed.

[hi-wayman]

I've been following this thread as I've been a fan of 1911s for decades.
Lately I've been tempted by this: https://www.guntalk.com/gt25
They're about half way thru a limited run of 500 from Rugers custom shop. I'm curious what the option of the SMEs of this is. I would have spec'd it out almost identically, except maybe using the Ruger SR1911 as a base.
I have no need for it, but I do like 10mm. Have 3 dan Wessons, 10mm full, 45 CCO, and a 9mm commander, a 10mm ported Colt, and an old full size 45 Kimber that just works, so not really any unfilled holes.
Mostly daily carry a PPQ or M&P Shield depending.
Almost wish they would added an optics cut to give me an excuse. My latest experiment is a PDP w/ a Holosun 509. Really impressed there. Helps a lot of my old guy eye issues.

[gaijin]

I’d like to think Doug Koenigs involvement with Rugers Custom Shop carries some weight. Always respected him as a shooter.
The pistol looks OK. I do agree on optic/RD cut for slide.

[theorangecat]

Right, for me it would be; "good enough for Dad to kill Nazis with". Dad was in his early 30's with prior military experience when the war broke out. He volunteered with the intention of being a pilot. But he was too far sighted to be a pilot but had great eyes for an aerial gunner. He was issued a 1911 in case of "emergency". His issue pistol was stolen on his way back from war, he didn't replace it until the late 60's. I have it now, complete with idiot mark....

The clan elder (a WWII vet) who showed me the 1911 takedown/reassembly process did it in a way that an "idiot mark" was pretty much a given. For a long time, I assumed that any 1911 which was actually used to any extent would have at least a bit of finish wear in the area.

I don't think the most fastidious gun owners in my extended family really cared that much about such things; looking back, I think I may have been the first - or maybe second - of the whole lot that felt compelled to keep a firearm looking new as long as possible.