As always, nice work David.

On topic, I think the SR1911 is good value. The Remington 1911 R1 if you avoid the early ones.

Thank you Dave........sorry guys.

The trigger on the Ruger is quite good. Nothing like you will find on a production gun in the $1500+ range, or on a custom gun, but I only paid $650 for the darn thing. Oh, and I have actually shot guns costing several times that that had worse triggers.

No problem Henry, its always a pleasure to see Dave's work an any thread.

How many of you have personal experience with what has been suggested?

thank you Brent. Sorry for the intrusion.

I have shot the DW and the Ithaca, I own and carry the Colt. The best trigger on the lot of them is the DW in my book.

Sorry for the late respone, been a little sick. Anyone else halucinate when they take cold medicine?

No intrusion at all Dave. All spoon pics are good. Most of yours are above good.

So we have good triggers, how well do they group? 2", 3", .58"?

That's going to be up to the individual gun for the most part. The best example produced from one of the lower cost manufacturers will often outshoot a mediocre example from one of the higher end manufacturers. As a whole, production 1911's have never been more accurate and reliable. Pays your money and takes your chances... Besides, unless it's in a Ransom rest, it's really more up to you than the pistol.

I bought the Springfield 1911 A1 Range Oficer from Cabela's last yr. for < $780 OTD.
My first 1911, aside from the sloppy GI that I carried in SE Asia, so I can't do a recent comparison to others.
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Springfield Range Officer - a review - 1911Forum
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http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/07/pats_product_reviews_springfie.html
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1911 Range Officer
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1365023594.jpg

I agree, but if it shoots a 4" group and I can shoot a 2" group that means we are now at a 6" overall with me and the gun. I can make a smaller overall group by having a gun capable of grouping smaller than me. Thats my logic anyway.

Can't fault that logic.

I think what it boils down to is that any modern 1911 from a reputable manufacturer is going to shoot well enough that the gun itself will not be the weak link.

I read a 600cc sportbike shootout in Cycle World a couple of years ago. The editors said that any bike you buy today in that class is better than you are, freeing all of us up to "pick like a girl" - pick the color you like. Yes, they were able to differentiate their performance - on a race track, with professional riders. The rest of us can't.

We have reached that happy state of affairs with the modern 1911. Stick with the reputable manufacturers, and you simply cannot buy a "bad" one. If, somehow, your luck is horrible and you find the one that slipped through, those reputable manufacturers will make it right for you.

So, just pick the one you like, the one that floats your boat. It's really hard to go wrong these days.

Good to know. When I last looked about 10 years ago there were some throwing 3 and 4 inch groups from a ransom rest according to the reviews. Certainly good enough for home defense but kinda sucky at the range. Outside of home defense I need to be able to hit all 5 10" steel plates at 25 yards or less on the Texas Star. I can do it with the revolver, but sometimes I need all 6 shots. I figure I should be quicker with a 1911.

I have the Raptor 2 compact in stainless.
I really like it. It's my first choice for CC

My current battery of 1911's includes pistols from Springfield Armory, Kimber, and Ruger, all made in about the last five years. They all three shoot very well. The Kimbers have the best triggers, the Springfields the worst. Even at that, however, one would have to shoot the Springfields side by side with the Kimbers to make that determination. The Ruger is surprisingly good, especially when weighed against my experiences with their single action revolvers. I didn't think they could produce a decent triger, but apparently they can.

Two hands, standing, I shoot about four inch group at 25 yards. A friend bought a Colt 1911, the right model, the right year, blah blah blah and it shot about a 15 inch group at 25 yards. Whoo, the friend was upset (hehe). I was using a 230gr projectile with a light to moderate load. Later he tried 180gr projectiles with a hot load and got about a 4" group and I got the 15" or worse the my Springfield.


So... Even a .45ACP can be fussy about ammo.


Just remembered. What helped me win a comp was shooting 8" steel plates at 50 yards with the 1911. The only other guns in the comp to have that accuracy were revolvers.

Bill, I hear you there. When I was at Spragues in Yuma they had factory reloads for $12.50 a box. They would group about 4-5 inches at 25. We tried some of the expensive defensive loads and they were far worse. WWB weren't bad either and they had some higher end 230gr ball that the range master said shot really well. I never had the chance to shoot a 1911 at the moving plates yet. I did shoot dad's 1908 at the star at 15 yards. That was humbling. Of course the 1908 is fractional mor (minute of refrigerator). Great pocket gun though. I would take the 1908 over a PPK.

On your comp, I do like 2 things about the revolver, the 6" barrel gives me a decent sight radius for my getting old eyes and the crisp break on the trigger firing single action. Plus it is pretty darn accurate with anything I put in the cylinder, including cheap .38 special wadcutters. Plus, I grew up on revolvers.

Jeff, my brother in law has a Remmy. It was OK but it didn't feel "special". Don't know how to describe it.

Got it narrowed down to DW which is as expensive but have yet to hear anything bad about them anywhere, Ruger which will save some money, or the Kimber in my post. It has to be blued or a dark color. Just a personal preference.

DW is absolutely unbeatable in the price range. And their post-sale support is peerless.

Spend once, cry once. :D

That was ultimately my conclusion when 1911 shopping. I figured the gun would be more accurate than I was, and I'd be better off spending the money at the range.:cool:

Spending money at the range may be an issue. Can't spend it if there is nothing available.

Can I reload .45 ACP brass with 300gr .45-70 rounds? :)

Hm, .458 bullets in a .452 bore. Sounds exciting.. :D