Budget 1911

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rabid43

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I'm looking into options for a 1911 to have fun with. It's not going to be a daily carry or competition pistol so it doesn't have to be really high end, it just has to function. I'd heard good things about Springfield and Rock Island and was wondering what everyone's thoughts were.
 
Either one.

Fit and finish will be better on the Springer and it’ll cost a little more but either one should run reliably in 45acp

I’ve owned both.
 
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Once had a Springfield Mil-Spec. Shot it on multiple range trips, and using Springfield factory mags and a Chip McCormick mag, I had no issues. Decent looking 1911 too. I’d have one again as a shooter.
 
I’ve got an old rock island 1911 and it’s been a great gun. Nothing wrong with a Springer either.

Tisas makes a GI 1911 clone as well, around the $400 range of memory serves (pre panic pricing)
 
Ive ran a rock island in idpa off and on for several years now no complaints.
Have a a couple of their ten mm 1911s also and gotta admit I'm a fan
 
@MacEntyre recently bought an interesting 1911. Maybe he’ll comment.
 
I’ve been watching the used gun counters at the local LGS’s ( I’m looking for a TRP for my son) and about a month back a slightly used consignment Springfield Mil-Spec Defend Series came popped up for $525 OTD. It had a very nice trigger for a basic production 1911 but just GI sights and GI rip safety ... so I put it down ... 5 minutes later it was gone. Watch the used gun cases for lightly used deals ... just make sure no kitchen table smithing (Bubba polished ramps, stupid trigger work, etc) has been done.
 
Ok so either Tisas, Springfield, or Rock Island are all good. What about 10mm vs .45? Im leaning 10mm but Im also a sucker for nostalgia.
 
.45 still leaves a bigger hole

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In a full-size 1911, go .45.

We’ve had 110 years to get things like spring rates, cycling speed, and magazines figured out pretty well. The .45 is a versatile round, easy to find in normal market conditions, and it has great case life (if you’re a reloader) because it’s such a low-pressure cartridge.
 
rabid43 said:
Ok so either Tisas, Springfield, or Rock Island are all good. What about 10mm vs .45? Im leaning 10mm but Im also a sucker for nostalgia.
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Depends on how much fun you'll have and at what price. My 1911 is in .45, because that's what a 1911 is supposed to be. I leave the 10mm stuff for the modern plastic guns. 10mm is funky in that it's either factory loaded like a wimpy 40, or something that blows the barn doors off. Can't imagine they can make a 1911 that runs with it reliably with all that's out there claiming to be "10mm". 230gr ball 45ACP? Yea, that's pretty standard.
 
I picked up a Ruger 1911 commander that has been great - loaded with features. I would look around for a used one of any decent brand - most folks simply don’t shoot much and never wear anything out
 
Jayne said:
Depends on how much fun you'll have and at what price. My 1911 is in .45, because that's what a 1911 is supposed to be. I leave the 10mm stuff for the modern plastic guns. 10mm is funky in that it's either factory loaded like a wimpy 40, or something that blows the barn doors off. Can't imagine they can make a 1911 that runs with it reliably with all that's out there claiming to be "10mm". 230gr ball 45ACP? Yea, that's pretty standard.
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I am having a brain far, but somewhere on here one of our older 1911 guru’s said about the same things. That 40 in a 1911 has issues. Can’t remember why or what the deal was though. But that and ammo price/availability kept me from buying that Dan Wesson Bruin I saw last week. Close call.
 
BrettB said:
I picked up a Ruger 1911 commander that has been great - loaded with features. I would look around for a used one of any decent brand - most folks simply don’t shoot much and never wear anything out
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My neighbor has had a Ruger for about 5 years. He shoots it about once a month and takes it as hit sidearm for hunting. Never an issue. Solid gun.
 
One thing I can say is buy a 1911 with a 4” (commander sized) or 5” (full Size) when you stray to far from the original design you can run into issues cycling and overall reliability. Break it in with 230 grain FMJ (ball ) ammo - buy good magazines - most issues can be traced back to mags. For god sakes don’t start changing parts ,springs ...a 1911 is a gun that is tuned and most parts need to be fitted. I have seen many decent 1911s turned into a worthless heap of crap after lots of drop in so called “upgrades” I love shooting them from time to time - maybe I will break out one for next weeks pistol match
 
I have a RI in .45 and 10mm and both have been great. Also a Ruger in .45 as well, and it’s an excellent firearm.


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Jeppo said:
@MacEntyre recently bought an interesting 1911. Maybe he’ll comment.
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I have avoided the low end of the market, which was redefined by Rock Island several years ago. My 1911s are vintage Colts and Dan Wessons. But recently I heard all the good things about various Tisas 1911s that had come through Sterret Swamp, so I got one. It turned out to be a fine firearm. I think Billy put it best, calling the Tisas 1911 the new Norinco.
 
JRV said:
In a full-size 1911, go .45.

We’ve had 110 years to get things like spring rates, cycling speed, and magazines figured out pretty well. The .45 is a versatile round, easy to find in normal market conditions, and it has great case life (if you’re a reloader) because it’s such a low-pressure cartridge.
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John Browning had it figured out over 110 years ago. We've spent the last 50 years futzing it up for one reason or another.
 
I wouldn't be afraid of a 10mm 1911 if that's what you want. Rock Island has sold probably several thousand of them in the last 10-15 years. If there was a systemic problem you would have heard about it. Since it is to be a fun gun a difference in reliability between 99.8 and 99.99% (pulled these numbers out of you know where) shouldn't be a huge factor.

I have a Rock Island double stack 1911 in 10mm that has eaten everything I've fed it, even .40, and I expected no less from the reviews I read/watched before purchasing.
 
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BrettB said:
For god sakes don’t start changing parts ,springs .
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BrettB said:
I have seen many decent 1911s turned into a worthless heap of crap after lots of drop in so called “upgrades”
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AMEN^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
MacEntyre said:
I heard all the good things about various Tisas 1911s that had come through Sterret Swamp, so I got one. It turned out to be a fine firearm.
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Engineer speaking here^^analytical thinking. This time he is Right!!! ;)
 
Don't forget about the ATI FX 45s. Can get them less than $400. I have the commander size GI version but ATI has various other styles. Mine has been flawless. It is nothing fancy and is not pretty but is what a I wanted, a basic 1911. Series 70, and will feed hollow points as well as round nose.

j
 
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All of my 1911s are 10MM. My two Ruger 1911 10MMs have never had malfunctions through around 600 rounds between the two of them. My Dan Wesson chokes pretty often, but it's a range gun, so meh.

FWIW, the Rugers have a ramped bull barrel and the DW has a standard two piece ramp with a bushing. Both use full length guiderods.

My intuition is that 1911s with ramped barrels are better suited for the longer, flat point 10MM cartridges.
 
Gaston said:
All of my 1911s are 10MM. My two Ruger 1911 10MMs have never had malfunctions through around 600 rounds between the two of them. My Dan Wesson chokes pretty often, but it's a range gun, so meh.

FWIW, the Rugers have a ramped bull barrel and the DW has a standard two piece ramp with a bushing. Both use full length guiderods.

My intuition is that 1911s with ramped barrels are better suited for the longer, flat point 10MM cartridges.
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Ramped or "un ramped" can both work well in 10mm, but with ramped you get a safety net with the heavier stuff that may not play nice with lesser case support.

Honestly I think the Delta Elite I have ( with good mags! Very important with any 1911 really) feeds most rounds better then my ramped models....but...

Anyway, if your looking for a .45 these days, at a reasonable price, you have many great options these days ( If you can find them, what with current events <_< )

I really like the Springfield "Mil-spec Defender" ones if you can locate them for a reasonable price. They are "Mil-spec" pistols with checkered wood grips (I think they are nicer then the ones they use on the regular "Mil-spec" pistols...) and a basic cardboard box, and one mag.

Forged frame, Forged Slide, decent stainless barrel. Basic "series 70" fcg. Add mags you like and that work ( I prefer the 7rd checkmate types), and see what you like.

A friend of mine has a PT1911 and other then an out of spec mag catch ( It was an easy fix, but it shouldnt have been a problem...) it has been great since. Forged frame, forged slide. "Series 80" style fcg. Checkering. Actually a nice pistol, once troubleshot.

The Tisa's Ive seen are "sharp" but seem very well made. Ive not got a chance to shoot one, but Ill admit eyeing them... I love 1911's
I believe forged frames and slides.

Rock Island 1911's I've handled have continued to be a reasonably nice option and a source of a plethora of options and features at very reasonable prices. You can pick anything from a basic G.I. style pistol to something that looks at home on an old school gun rag cover with all the bells and whistles. Excellent customer service.

Cast frames, forged slide, many types of barrels ( stainless, bull, ramped, unramped, you name it...) "Series 70" style fcg.

Ruger 1911's are also very nice.
Solid, they look good, and have good feature sets. Excellent Ruger customer service aswell.
Cast frames ( excellent Pine tree castings, same as any Ruger, and actually, supposedly the same castings from Pine tree also make Caspian frames...) and I believe Bar stock slides. I believe they have a "Series 80" style fcg.



IF you decided to go for a 10mm, the Rocks are an excellent choice to start with, they have ramped barrels aswell.

Ruger has options that are nice, and also have ramped barrels.

Dont know If I'd suggest a 10mm as a first 1911, just due to the fact its hard to make a traditional .45 1911 that you cant get to run. The 10mm chambering introduces some issues that are different.
 
For those thinking of Tisas ... or any Turkish made firearm ... don’t dawdle around. The Turkey/US relations are getting a little tense with Biden and others talking/labeling Armenian genocide in Turkey a 100 years back when it was more known as The Ottoman Empire. If Slo Joe keeps up his crap no telling how trade relations could be politically manipulated along with other agreements from travel to military access. If both sides get in a pissing posture then who knows what Turkish goods could be cut off.
 
rabid43 said:
I'm looking into options for a 1911 to have fun with. It's not going to be a daily carry or competition pistol so it doesn't have to be really high end, it just has to function. I'd heard good things about Springfield and Rock Island and was wondering what everyone's thoughts were.
Click to expand...

Saw one RI at Winston show today; $500 OTD.
 
I've had a couple of different Rock Islands and both were absolutely tanks.
 
All very good information, thank you. So my biggest takeaways are Rock Island and Tisas (while I still can), stick with .45 cause thats what it was meant to be used with, and go full sized (which was the plan anyway).
 
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