Cheaper 1911's - Page 2

DeadEye1911 · May 28, 2013, 08:47 PM

You'll find very few negative reviews about RIA pistols. I have the Full Size Tactical model and the Compact (Officer Size). I actually just shot most of my guns today, a glock, a sig, and a ruger, but I can honestly say that I have the most fun and accuracy with my RIA 1911s, and I'm a sucker for the 45acp. There are many great 1911s out there and I won't knock any of them or tell you to ignore any recommendations. I only have RIAs because I can't afford much else, but I'm sure my collection will increase. I'd love a Colt.

ttarp · May 28, 2013, 09:22 PM

If yall want to argue about grammar take it to the private messages. Anyway to the op, like others have stated you need to figure out what you really want and then save up for it. I was looking for a basic GI styled 1911 with minimal roll marks and was considering a Colt, but I ended up going with an Auto Ordnance. I would say its in the RIA price/quality, but while I've had no issues as of yet, RIA's have much better history for reliability.

k511 · May 29, 2013, 12:34 AM

heres a couple ideas in your price range...all are great, reliable, accurate shooters. and if taken care of, will last lifetimes..Remington R1, paid around 600 i believe

springfield loaded, paid 700 and 720 for mine..

RIA 400

....save a little more cash and the springer RO, or SIG STX would be in the range aswell

kcub · May 29, 2013, 04:11 AM

Lots of people here know more about 1911's than I do but here is another thought. Buy a used higher quality gun. You can always get your money back out of it. Running a box of ammo through a new gun is akin to driving that new car off the parking lot. Instant heavy depreciation.

I just bought a used Clark longslide for $1050. I know I can get my money back anytime I want but why? Its a friggin' tack driver with range hardball.

Hawg · May 29, 2013, 04:28 AM

The Rock Island isn't the prettiest girl at the dance and new grips and mags are definitely an improvement but even with the factory mag it will feed anything you put in it and comes with a lifetime warranty and some of the best customer service in the business.

thedudeabides · May 29, 2013, 05:59 AM

Of all the cheaper 1911s, the 70 series Colts and higher end Springfields (Loaded, TRPs) are the best.

CDR_Glock · May 29, 2013, 06:30 AM

Sig 1911s are excellent but use proprietary parts.

I had two Kimbers (Raptor Pro and Ultra) that were completely unreliable.

Springfield Loaded
Ruger SR 1911

2tango2 · May 29, 2013, 06:50 AM

Is the Springfield Loaded made in Brazil? Taurus is correct?

Not sure if made in the USA is a deciding factor but both the Remington and Rugers are US made. (In the sub 700 dollar range)

No complaints about my SR1911 Commander I picked up the other day for $659

And fwiw the SR1911 uses the 70 series model

Jumping_Jehosaphat · May 29, 2013, 07:12 AM

Once again fellas, thanks for all the input. I feel that I won't go wrong with any of the "bigger" name brands, but I kept seeing people on here sing praises about RIA also.

kutz · May 29, 2013, 07:22 AM

Kimber!

Posit · May 30, 2013, 02:28 PM

Kimber's have a lousy reputation for reliability and customer service. If you get a good one, they are good - but a lot of bad ones were produced during the height of their popularity... don't know about recent production. But... overpriced.

RIA is a good, economy, 1911. Not known for great accuracy - but there are exceptions.

Springfield Range Officer and STI Spartan fit your bill pretty well.

Bluestarlizzard · May 30, 2013, 04:55 PM

Another reason I recomend RIA is if someone decides to play amature 1911 smith and screws things up but good, at least it's not a huge loss.

scubatop · May 30, 2013, 09:38 PM

I bought a PARA GI Expert in stainless steel a couple of months ago for $600 at a lgs. I have around 600 rounds so far of different ammo. Eats it all. It has 3 dot sights and match barrel. Came with 2 8 round mags. Front strap is smooth so I put Hogue fingered grips on it. I would recommend it. It's made in USA also.

shuler13 · May 30, 2013, 11:11 PM

Finally, someone mentions what I was thinking all along. Spell it with me:

S T I.
STI Spartan. Unless you want a inexpensive GI model you don't plan to upgrade, RIA is a great option. But if you want to get into the $600 range with the most basic upgrades (FO front site, decent grips, eggggggselent trigger, and beaver tail grip safety, you have to at least put your mitts on an STI Spartan.

For the record, I own an RIA, Two Spartans, and a Colt. I bought and sold the Sig 1911 (TacPac non railed) because it offered nothing above the ones I already owned.

viciouskitty · May 31, 2013, 12:15 AM

I only have one Kimber at the moment it's a custom 2, I bought it lightly used for 725. The gun has been awesome I've put 500 rounds of factory ammo thru it and around 300 reloads not a single hiccup yet. So don't rule out used guns because there's a lot of gems out there.

monaco · May 31, 2013, 12:21 AM

Do what you want, but I wouldn't buy a cheap 1911...

I like reliable guns that also retain their value. My pre 70 series Colt is probably worth twice as much than the $800 I paid for it.

Venom1956 · May 31, 2013, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Finally, someone mentions what I was thinking all along.

I mentioned it on the second post!

Still waiting for a 9mm version I got for a friend. Apparently they are pretty back ordered.

qwiksdraw · May 31, 2013, 07:04 AM

Let me tell you about a 1911 Government Model that in 2,000 rounds so far has never failed, been a consistent and accurate shooter and still looks as good as it did when purchased (after cleaning the packing gook of course)?

Let me add this gun has shot cheap TulAmmo and all the popular name brands as well; it has shot FMJ & JHP; it has used the GI mags from CTD ($5.97), Chip McCormak mags, MecGar mags, and Wilson Combat mags. All this and not one failure of any kind.

This is a real 1911. How much is it worth?

**Spats McGee** · May 31, 2013, 08:21 AM

I just spotted an STI Spartan IV, Commander size, down in the TFL classifieds, as well.

TacticalDefense1911 · May 31, 2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Let me tell you about a 1911 Government Model that in 2,000 rounds so far has never failed, been a consistent and accurate shooter and still looks as good as it did when purchased (after cleaning the packing gook of course)?

Let me add this gun has shot cheap TulAmmo and all the popular name brands as well; it has shot FMJ & JHP; it has used the GI mags from CTD ($5.97), Chip McCormak mags, MecGar mags, and Wilson Combat mags. All this and not one failure of any kind.

This is a real 1911. How much is it worth?

So...? I've got a Kimber with an external extractor that is the bane of most peoples existence that has almost 11,000 rounds through it and it went 8000 rounds without a single failure before I wore out the plunger tube spring. Does this mean that all Kimbers are gtg? Heck no. On the flip side I've owned two Springfields that were turds. Does that mean that all Springers are bad? Nope.

To the OP. If you are looking for a low end 1911 the RIA's and the STI Spartans are very good guns for the money. The Spartan is pretty much a RIA with better small parts. These guns run really well for the money. Anything else until you get into Colts, higher end Springers, STI's or Dan Wessons are pretty much the same quality wise with the one exception being the S&W E-series guns which appear to be quite the bargain for the options you get. My stay away list would include Taurus, Para, Sig and Kimber. These companies can make a good gun but they make a fair amount of bad ones too. Unless you are 1911 savvy and know what to look for I wouldn't waste my time on one of these guns.

shuler13 · May 31, 2013, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Venom1956

I mentioned it on the second post!

Still waiting for a 9mm version I got for a friend. Apparently they are pretty back ordered.

That you did. My bad, I missed it...

PT-92 · May 31, 2013, 08:59 PM

Lots of very good recs made in this thread, all of which would serve you well. That said, I have never really been a "1911 fanatic" but I had to buy my first one a few years back if for no other reason than to honor the great John Moses Browning and the 100th Anniversary of his ICONIC masterpiece (is a man's collection, however modest, ever complete absent one?)!

I did not want to break the bank but wanted a no frills durable 1911 and decided on the ATI Regent R100 after significant research into "budget" 1911's. Several years later and now some 2K's rounds down range, it's been great.

N.H. Yankee · June 1, 2013, 06:40 AM

I bought 5 Kimbers when they first came out, a friend was a master dealer. All were exceptional, but from reports things have changed. I owned 2 Taurus 1911's both were reliable decent accuracy, not tack drivers but good. I just bought an RIA 1911 Tactical in 9mm, never had a 9mm 1911 and I couldn't be happier. The RIA has a very good trigger, has been 100% reliable with factory and reloaded ammo. I have owned well over 20 1911's some custom and have to say dollar for dollar the RIA is hard to beat.

May 28, 2013, 08:47 PM	#26
DeadEye1911 Member Join Date: March 22, 2013 Location: Rio Grande Valley Texas Posts: 35	+1 for Rock Island Armory You'll find very few negative reviews about RIA pistols. I have the Full Size Tactical model and the Compact (Officer Size). I actually just shot most of my guns today, a glock, a sig, and a ruger, but I can honestly say that I have the most fun and accuracy with my RIA 1911s, and I'm a sucker for the 45acp. There are many great 1911s out there and I won't knock any of them or tell you to ignore any recommendations. I only have RIAs because I can't afford much else, but I'm sure my collection will increase. I'd love a Colt. Last edited by DeadEye1911; May 28, 2013 at 09:01 PM.

May 29, 2013, 06:30 AM	#32
CDR_Glock Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2010 Posts: 704	Cheaper 1911's Sig 1911s are excellent but use proprietary parts. I had two Kimbers (Raptor Pro and Ultra) that were completely unreliable. Springfield Loaded Ruger SR 1911

May 29, 2013, 06:50 AM	#33
2tango2 Member Join Date: December 16, 2012 Location: NH Posts: 85	Cheaper 1911's Is the Springfield Loaded made in Brazil? Taurus is correct? Not sure if made in the USA is a deciding factor but both the Remington and Rugers are US made. (In the sub 700 dollar range) No complaints about my SR1911 Commander I picked up the other day for $659 And fwiw the SR1911 uses the 70 series model

May 30, 2013, 11:11 PM	#39
shuler13 Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2011 Location: Austin Posts: 156	Cheaper 1911's Finally, someone mentions what I was thinking all along. Spell it with me: S T I. STI Spartan. Unless you want a inexpensive GI model you don't plan to upgrade, RIA is a great option. But if you want to get into the $600 range with the most basic upgrades (FO front site, decent grips, eggggggselent trigger, and beaver tail grip safety, you have to at least put your mitts on an STI Spartan. For the record, I own an RIA, Two Spartans, and a Colt. I bought and sold the Sig 1911 (TacPac non railed) because it offered nothing above the ones I already owned.

May 31, 2013, 08:21 AM	#44
Spats McGee Staff Join Date: July 28, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 8,825	I just spotted an STI Spartan IV, Commander size, down in the TFL classifieds, as well. __________________ I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.

May 28, 2013, 09:22 PM	#27
ttarp Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2013 Posts: 888	If yall want to argue about grammar take it to the private messages. Anyway to the op, like others have stated you need to figure out what you really want and then save up for it. I was looking for a basic GI styled 1911 with minimal roll marks and was considering a Colt, but I ended up going with an Auto Ordnance. I would say its in the RIA price/quality, but while I've had no issues as of yet, RIA's have much better history for reliability.

May 29, 2013, 12:34 AM	#28
k511 Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 461	heres a couple ideas in your price range...all are great, reliable, accurate shooters. and if taken care of, will last lifetimes..Remington R1, paid around 600 i believe springfield loaded, paid 700 and 720 for mine.. RIA 400 ....save a little more cash and the springer RO, or SIG STX would be in the range aswell

May 29, 2013, 04:11 AM	#29
kcub Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2010 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 3,318	Lots of people here know more about 1911's than I do but here is another thought. Buy a used higher quality gun. You can always get your money back out of it. Running a box of ammo through a new gun is akin to driving that new car off the parking lot. Instant heavy depreciation. I just bought a used Clark longslide for $1050. I know I can get my money back anytime I want but why? Its a friggin' tack driver with range hardball.

May 29, 2013, 04:28 AM	#30
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,199	The Rock Island isn't the prettiest girl at the dance and new grips and mags are definitely an improvement but even with the factory mag it will feed anything you put in it and comes with a lifetime warranty and some of the best customer service in the business.

May 29, 2013, 05:59 AM	#31
thedudeabides Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Posts: 1,031	Of all the cheaper 1911s, the 70 series Colts and higher end Springfields (Loaded, TRPs) are the best.

May 29, 2013, 07:12 AM	#34
Jumping_Jehosaphat Member Join Date: April 21, 2013 Posts: 67	Once again fellas, thanks for all the input. I feel that I won't go wrong with any of the "bigger" name brands, but I kept seeing people on here sing praises about RIA also.

May 29, 2013, 07:22 AM	#35
kutz Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2012 Location: Arizona Posts: 393	Kimber!

May 30, 2013, 02:28 PM	#36
Posit Member Join Date: August 9, 2008 Posts: 17	Kimber's have a lousy reputation for reliability and customer service. If you get a good one, they are good - but a lot of bad ones were produced during the height of their popularity... don't know about recent production. But... overpriced. RIA is a good, economy, 1911. Not known for great accuracy - but there are exceptions. Springfield Range Officer and STI Spartan fit your bill pretty well.

May 30, 2013, 04:55 PM	#37
Bluestarlizzard Senior Member Join Date: May 23, 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 347	Another reason I recomend RIA is if someone decides to play amature 1911 smith and screws things up but good, at least it's not a huge loss.

May 30, 2013, 09:38 PM	#38
scubatop Junior Member Join Date: February 10, 2013 Location: KY Posts: 7	I bought a PARA GI Expert in stainless steel a couple of months ago for $600 at a lgs. I have around 600 rounds so far of different ammo. Eats it all. It has 3 dot sights and match barrel. Came with 2 8 round mags. Front strap is smooth so I put Hogue fingered grips on it. I would recommend it. It's made in USA also.

May 31, 2013, 12:15 AM	#40
viciouskitty Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2010 Location: South Texas Posts: 316	I only have one Kimber at the moment it's a custom 2, I bought it lightly used for 725. The gun has been awesome I've put 500 rounds of factory ammo thru it and around 300 reloads not a single hiccup yet. So don't rule out used guns because there's a lot of gems out there.

May 31, 2013, 12:21 AM	#41
monaco Member Join Date: January 17, 2013 Posts: 28	Do what you want, but I wouldn't buy a cheap 1911... I like reliable guns that also retain their value. My pre 70 series Colt is probably worth twice as much than the $800 I paid for it.

May 31, 2013, 07:04 AM	#43
qwiksdraw Senior Member Join Date: May 23, 2012 Posts: 534	Let me tell you about a 1911 Government Model that in 2,000 rounds so far has never failed, been a consistent and accurate shooter and still looks as good as it did when purchased (after cleaning the packing gook of course)? Let me add this gun has shot cheap TulAmmo and all the popular name brands as well; it has shot FMJ & JHP; it has used the GI mags from CTD ($5.97), Chip McCormak mags, MecGar mags, and Wilson Combat mags. All this and not one failure of any kind. This is a real 1911. How much is it worth?

May 31, 2013, 08:59 PM	#47
PT-92 Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2007 Location: "Undisclosed Bunker" Posts: 1,464	Lots of very good recs made in this thread, all of which would serve you well. That said, I have never really been a "1911 fanatic" but I had to buy my first one a few years back if for no other reason than to honor the great John Moses Browning and the 100th Anniversary of his ICONIC masterpiece (is a man's collection, however modest, ever complete absent one?)! I did not want to break the bank but wanted a no frills durable 1911 and decided on the ATI Regent R100 after significant research into "budget" 1911's. Several years later and now some 2K's rounds down range, it's been great.

June 1, 2013, 06:40 AM	#48
N.H. Yankee Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2004 Location: Rural N.H. Posts: 1,586	I bought 5 Kimbers when they first came out, a friend was a master dealer. All were exceptional, but from reports things have changed. I owned 2 Taurus 1911's both were reliable decent accuracy, not tack drivers but good. I just bought an RIA 1911 Tactical in 9mm, never had a 9mm 1911 and I couldn't be happier. The RIA has a very good trigger, has been 100% reliable with factory and reloaded ammo. I have owned well over 20 1911's some custom and have to say dollar for dollar the RIA is hard to beat.