looking for a 22LR 1911

[tahunua001]

ok you 1911 nuts out there, you win. I've finally decided that I want to give a 1911 a shot but I also want an economic gun.
I've already got my 45 for an expensive shooter and woods gun and a 9mm for my main plinker and concealed carry.

I would like to test drive a 1911 on a cheap 22LR so that even if it doesn't quite click with me it will still be a cheap shooter and I wont be out of too much money.
my target price is around $250-400, 400 being absolute highest I'd go for a brand new gun.
I know nothing about 1911s so I was hoping that the venerated subject matter experts might be able to steer me towards a few models that fit the criteria.
J&G has a chiappa 1911 for about $300, is that a decent model and price or do I need to keep looking?

is this humble quest doomed from the start?
would any of the 22lr 1911s on the market out perform a ruger 22/45?

[e-mishka]

I wouldnt bother w chiapia, check out GSG 1911.

[Aguila Blanca]

GSG or Colt/Umarex. I've tried the Chiappa and it's junk.

M1911.ORG tested the Chiappa and the Umarex. I think they'll have a review of the GSG coming out fairly soon.

http://ezine.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=86

http://ezine.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=55

For mine, I bought a no-name clone receiver from Sarco and built it myself, and put a Ceiner conversion kit on to make my own dedicated .22LR 1911.

[darkroommike]

Avoid the Chiappa, when I picked one up at a gun show, my first impression was "cap pistol". It feels cheap, the finish is bad, all examples the seller had had "dings" in the slide or bushing. It looks and feels like "pot metal", Hot Wheels cars are made of pot metal not real pistols.

At the back of the dealer case was a solitary example of the GSG-1911, it looked like a 1911, it felt like a 1911 in my hand--ergonomics, take down is almost 1911 and it shoots well. Bought it that day, shoot it often. It likes Federal and CCI bulk and CCI Mini-Mags but will shoot most anything.

My one beef is the roll on paint lettering, I may someday strip the slide and refinish.

Mine was imported by ATI but I see Sig Sauer is selling the same pistol now. Might be an indication of what a real pistol maker thinks of the GSG.

[Jbar4Ranch]

I bought the Chiappa last year ($237.49), based strongly on Jeff Quinn's Gunblast review... apparently he got the only good one ever made. Mine went back to Dayton twice and is still a POS. I recently bought an OD green SIG (made by GSG, $341.99, black was $10 less), and it's like trading in a Trabant for an Impala. (My Colt Ace is the Cadillac )

[Viper99]

Aguila Blanca,

Have anything on the new Colt Rail .22?
http://www.hoffgun.com/SP-Colt1911-22.htm
Regards

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by Viper99

Aguila Blanca,

Have anything on the new Colt Rail .22?
http://www.hoffgun.com/SP-Colt1911-22.htm
Regards

Last I knew it was to be released "soon." That was a couple of months ago, so I guess "soon" has become "See you in September."

As far as I know it is mechanically identical to the original GI/Government model version, other than the light rail (obviously) and the rear sight being an uber-tactical, wedge-shaped, low-profile "combat" sight. But I haven't seen either the rail gun version or the Gold Cup version "up close and personal."

[tahunua001]

so Chiappa= junk got it, glad I didn't runnoft and get that before asking about it. so now that the GSG is in my tunnel vision, would you guys recommend it over an ISSC M22 and a Ruger 22/45?

[Nakanokalronin]

The 22/45 is hard to ignore since its pretty close to having similar controls to a 1911. I had one for awhile but it just wasn't the same. I got a GSG and couldn't be happier. I feed it nothing but bulk Federal 550rd HV ammo and have not experienced a single failure of any kind.



I really like the fact that most frame internals can be replaced with standard 1911 parts. On mine is a Nighthawk MSH w/magwell, Aluma grips, standard grip bushings to accept standard grip screws, barrel adapter for muzzle accessories and some Kimber base plates I had laying around on the mags.

[Microgunner]

Bought a new Chiappa sight unseen. Didn't like it at all, very junkie/toyish.
Sold it.
I also own a Kimber Rimfire Target that I do like very much and can recommend.

[Vortexyz]

I have a GSG 1911 that I picked up over the summer. I bought it because I carry a full size 1911 and wanted a .22 to practice with (cheap ammo). It is a great pistol. I have had absolutely no problems with mine.

[hardhat harry]

SIG 1911-22.

[Aguila Blanca]

Harry, the SIG is a re-branded GSG.

[rodfac]

I'd get a .22 lr conversion unit from Ciener, Marvel or Advantage Arms. All three shoot as well as or better than my custom Colts in .45 acp. You'd have the advantage of using the same frame, grips and trigger pull that way...and any of the three will satisfy your spending criteria. Rod

[Lurch37]

I have 2 GSG styles, one GSG model that came with a rail, threaded barrel, 2 mags, and a fake looking suppressor. The other is a SIG branded GSG, sans the rail and threaded barrel.

The only trouble I had was when shooting the GSG threaded barrel model with my suppressor mounted. It just didn't seem to function reliably with the can.

I tried 5-6 different brands of ammo in both guns, and settled on Federal Auto Match in the 325 bulk pack for shooting in our rimfire league here.

The Ruger 22/45 is an excellent pistol and ergonomically is very close to the feel of a true 1911. You can even change grips on them like a 1911. I have one and like it very much, but it is not a 1911.

The .22 conversions are nice and most work well, but your going to have close to $300 in one of those. I may be biased, but to me I would rather spend another $50-$100 and have another complete gun.

[tahunua001]

I'd get a .22 lr conversion unit from Ciener, Marvel or Advantage Arms. All three shoot as well as or better than my custom Colts in .45 acp. You'd have the advantage of using the same frame, grips and trigger pull that way...and any of the three will satisfy your spending criteria. Rod

I dont have a 1911 yet so getting the conversion kit wouldn't be a very economic choice since I'd have so spend a good $500 for a decent and most of the CKs I've seen only fit GI typed models so a lot of the dovetailed comp typed models that I'm more inclined to ogle are out of the question and again, I'm using this more as a 1911 testdrive so buying a fullsized and a conversion would leave me with a very expensive option that I may or may not like.

and I kindof agree with lurch, between a 250 dollar conversion and a 350 dollar new gun I'd go the extra mile and get the new gun

[Eghad]

SIG/GSG 1911-22 wil fill the bill.

I have a Kimber Conversion Unit that has been flawless... the GSG/SIG 1911-22 is better.

[varoadking]

I am more than pleased with my Colt/Umarex:

[tahunua001]

so is there any real advantage of the Umarex over the GSG aside from colts brand name? I kindof like the idea of having a colt but at the same time there is a LOT of writing on the slide that I'm not particularly fond of.

[varoadking]

I kind of like the idea of having a colt but at the same time there is a LOT of writing on the slide that I'm not particularly fond of.

I don't like ambi-safety's, so I didn't give GSG a serious thought for that reason alone.

I hear ya about the writing. It would bother me too if this was a "real" gun, but since it's a .22...meh...no big deal.

I took a Sharpie to some of the smaller marks and it worked well enough.

[tp1l]

Just out of curiosity, does the GSG slide lock back on the last round like the Colt?

[Ridge_Runner_5]

Yep, locks back every time.

[tp1l]

Thanks. I've put one of these models on my "try and buy" list as a gateway to a real 1911, which is probably backwards from most folks. But I figure I'm better off this way in both initial outlay and ammo costs if I decode I don't like the platform.

[darkroommike]

The .22 is a great trainer for the .45 but most folks will not decide if they like the .45 until they shoot one.

[tahunua001]

The .22 is a great trainer for the .45 but most folks will not decide if they like the .45 until they shoot one.

I already have a 45 and love the round itself. as far as a full sized 1911 I would probably go with a 9mm if I wanted to continue expanding my collection in that direction just because of ammo prices. I rented a pair of RIA 45s at my local range a few months back but the damned things refused to go into battery. out of a 7 round and an 8 round mag both of them were failing to fire 2-5 times per mag regardless of grip/firing speed/ammo. I had smack the back of the slide with the butt of my palm to force it back into battery. my 3 buddies who were also shooting there never picked up on that little trick and refused t shoot the 1911s, after getting through the first box of ammo I bought I traded for a glock 23 and finished off the last 50 rounds I had intended to shoot out of a 1911. so this is the main reason I've been leary of 1911s.