tonydahose wrote:Which 1911s do you guys like. I was told Kimber was the top of the line but when i went to the gun store the guy at the counter was telling me that their customer service sucked and in the last few years quailty had gone down. He was pointing me to a smith and wesson 1911. Any thoughts?
Kimber's ad budget could buy us all Spydies for the rest of our lives. That being said the early series 1 guns are nice and the Clackamas marked guns bring a premium.
The new Kimbers have a built in upcharge so they can take out at least two full page ads in every gun rag. This makes them 100% not worth what they charge.
Also the aluminum framed Kimbers have issues, but that's more of a software problem, shipping alloy framed guns with mags that have steel followers... Not a good idea.
1911s quickly become a thing of diminishing returns, especially when you hit $2000-$2500. Is a $4000 Wilson that much better than a $1500 Kimber? Probably not to most.
For the money ( unless you are looking to drop 4k, if so I know of a very nice Wilson CQB...) Springfield is putting out incredible guns.
Let me add a disclaimer. To most 1911 purists ( myself included) a 1911 has a five inch barrel and steel frame. The Springfield TRP is an incredible value for an almost custom piece at a production price. Even the Springfield Loaded models are a great value.
That being said my favorite 1911 at the moment can be had for less than $500. The Rock Island Armory Tactical. For the first time 1911 buyer or someone who wants a good knock around gun they can't be beat. I put 5000 rounds through my first one without a hiccup. Of course with all 1911s you need good magazines, and not many are better than the Wilson 47D. My $500 RIA will feed empty cases with those mags. Not so much with the stock mag.
Moral of the story is there's a 1911 for everyone. I think of Kimbers as those knives with the butterflies on them. Lots of hype, no *** to back it up.
Edit; +1' on the Dan Wessons as well, there may be a Valor in my near future, as long as my wife doesn't read this.