I'm considering a new hand gun... HELP!

-
Frankie

Frankie

Member #9641
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
62,380
Reaction score
35,707
Location
Heart of Georgia
OK, Gun guys...
I'm considering a new hand gun, and I'm pretty sure I want to go with a 1911, but I'm not sure what brand. Everybody makes them prices from about $500.00 to $4000.00

I've always been a revolver guy. .38's 45's, .357's... S&W, Ruger, Colt...

Semi auto's are new territory for me, and I need a quick education.

I like the 1911 45's, but will a 40 do?, or...

I'd like to stay under $1000.00, and I'd like to add some optical help to it.

I'm wide open on this, so there are no wrong answers.

Thanks for your help.
 
I have a super nice S&W Air Lite in .357 I've been trying to sell. Only two cylinders (10 shots) have been through it. It weight 12.5 ounces unloaded. Stupid crazy.
 
Kind of depends on what you want to use it for. I personally am very attached to my 1911. I own a Springfield Loaded in .45, and I bought my wife a Rock Island Armory 1911 tactical in 9mm. We installed a fiber optic front sight on her pistol and it is real easy to pick up with my old eyes. I gotta be honest, when I was looking at that Springer, if they would have had on in 9mm at the same price, I would've jumped on it in a New York second. A 1911 in 9mm is just stupid fun to shoot.

I've got pictures that I can post when I get home tonight.
 
Post up a pic or 2. I've already go a 357 revolver, though. Really looking at a semi-auto.

Bruce, I like that.

I'm sort of eyeballin' the Colt Series 70 .45ACP, and the the Springfield.

The Colt is about $825.00, and the Springfield about $600.00

Remington has one about $700 that looks pretty good, too.
 
Frankie said:
the Springfield about $600.00
Click to expand...

Wow, they've gone up. I bought mine brand new with two clips, cleaning brush and a hard storage case for 375.00. Cha-ching, that's why firearms are typically a good investment.
 
I got a .357 Sig made by Glock that I love. This is different than the .357 mag round. It almost has the power of a .357 mag and more than a .40 cal in a semiautomatic style. I bought it because I bought the wrong .357 cartridges and then went to find the gun that used them. The sporting goods shop owner told me he thought this was one of the best rounds available.

Just another option. Cost me $560 for the handgun.
 
Huge 1911 fan, they are entirely different than the modern striker fired. I would suggest getting a Glock or Springfield used. But a new 1911 is always worth it, especially something you can hand down.
Ruger really came out with an excellent pistol, however, all my buddies have purchased the Sig family. A buddy got the Sig with laser grip for $800 on sale at Cabelas (1100 normally).
Rock Island is a great budget pistol. I personally have a Citadel by Armscor which was built on Colt Machinery sent to the Philippines during WW2. The machinery was packaged for 30+ years and brought back into service in 2000.
 
Colt 70 gets my vote. Great piece. Been trouble free for 1000+ rounds so far. It does have some kick tho. My Beretta 9 is super smooth by comparison, but not quite the knockdown.. love my Colt..
 
Baer 1911 srp, spend some of your money Frankie.
 
I have owned four, all .45acp.

Series 70 Colt Combat Commander in nickel.
REALLY miss it!

Taurus PT1911 Homeland Defender w/Crimson Trace laser.
Miss it, too, but I never really found the laser to be very useful for plinking...maybe on a body target in a stressful situation, but I wouldn't pay extra for one. Training and practice are a better bet.

I have owned this Para Ordnance P1445 for 22yrs and will never part with it.



I did 95%of the custom work to it, with a 3.5lb trigger it is a sweet little shooter.

I picked up this Rock Island for $325 and after a few upgrades and removing a burr in the chamber, it is also a nice piece, especially for tbe price...but I would generally advise to stay away from Armscor guns, I have built a bunch of them and they have thier issues.



The choices are wide open, Colt,Taurus,Sig,or Remington are all good bets, among others.
I spent a year gunsmithing for STI, which generally are nice but expensive.

Do your homework. Stay away from spur hammer models. Hammer bite is real and hurts! I would take a good set of three dot fixed sights or a single white dot on the front over a laser any day, the luminescent Trigicon type fiber optic sights help acquisition, but if it is to be a carry piece consider the profile of the front sight, especially sharp edges that may snag on clothing.

My next one will most likely be a Sig.
 
What specifically are your intentions for the weapon use?
Just like everyone asks what are the intentions of the use of their car in regards to building an engine.
I work for a weapons components MFG plant for alot of hand weapon MFR's up to and above 20mm Vulcan cannons.
So, "use" is the question. Protection? Sport? Target? Hobby?
 
Even being a doublestack mag gun, and having average size hands, they are super comfortable. The feel is not the same as a traditional single stack 1911, but the finger grooves just fill the hand so nicely.
 
My Sister just recently picked one of these up at a yard sale for $400 and it's an S&W40VE in new condition with one clip through it.
Really nice and light composite and stainless.

Shoots nice, accurate, and isn't big and bulky.

I asked her if she would trade me for my Colt Python .357 but she wouldn't do it, dammit. :D
 

Attachments

  • S&W40.jpg
    22.9 KB · Views: 329
I asked her if she would trade me for my Colt Python .357 but she wouldn't do it, dammit. :D[/QUOTE]


tell you what I will buy your python for 500, I'd like to add another python to my collection.
I have an early model python and it's worth way more than 400.
so are ya sell'n. lol just think of it, you will have an extra 100 for your car.
 
For what it's worth I've owned and used quite a few. For a 1911 a Springfield Armory Loaded is the most I'd spend on an out of the box gun. If I wanted more than what it offers I'd call Leornard Baity.

Leonard has built four of the five 1000 yard match rifles and one extremely nice varmint rifle for me. He is a super nice ole country boy who is smart as hell. Here is a link to him. He is in North Wilksboro NC which is not too far from you.

http://baityscustom.com/handgun_1911.html
 
I have never owned a 1911. With that being said I have shot a few including the Springfield. When it comes to guns the saying "you get what you pay for" applies. The Springfield was a great gun but after I shot a couple of kimbers my thoughts on the gun changed. If I HAD to have a 1911 but didn't want to spend big money then the Springfield would be my choice. Currently I really want a 1911 but not enough to conpramise. I'm waiting for the money to get one of the kimbers.
 
Frank, are you looking for something to actually carry? Check out the P-10 Para Ordinance. Always wanted one. It's a sub compact 45 ACP.
 
So, there are some mighty fine handguns out there. I really don't have anything against Glocks, they just don't work for me. I was learned on Uncle Sam's .45, so I always kind of went back to the 1911.

This is my Springfield Loaded .45 that I picked up on a ridiculous sale. Awesome trigger and reset. The fullsize Government models take the .45 ACP round's kick with ease.
View attachment IMAG0221 (1).jpg

I really need to emphasize that you should only pick up a 9mm 1911 at your own risk. This is my wife's birthday present, a Rock Island 9mm. I avoid shooting it too much, because it is dead on, easy recoil and follow up shots are real quick. Stupid fun. It eats anything you feed it and probably has 1200 rounds through without one hiccup. You've been warned.

View attachment IMAG1311.jpg

Oh, and I own a revolver or two, also.

View attachment IMAG1357.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top