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So I was chatting with a gun store salesman today about STI 1911s. I thought they were all manufacturered right here in Texas, but apparently on some of their lower-priced offerings the frames are made in the Phillipines, then the rest of the gun is made here and assembled here.

Got me to thinking, which 1911s are 100% made in the USA these days? Or do all the big US manufacturers make some guns from foreign parts and some from US parts? I've heard that many lower-priced Springfields are made from foreign parts, but not sure about this. Obviously the lower-priced guns like Rock Island, Armscore etc. are foreign made.

But does anyone have a definitive list? I'm not ready to buy my first 1911 yet, but when I do I'd like to get a 100% American-made gun if I can afford to do so.

Kimber. 100% American made in Yonkers, New York.

If you wanting to buy "Made in the U.S.A." for economic or patriotic reasons, go for it. But as for quality of major brand guns, it makes no difference at all IMHO.

Imbel in Brazil, for example, has been making guns and forgings for decades. They are quality. Some Springfields are forged and assembled in Brazil (and marked "Brazil.") Some come back from forging in Brazil to be assembled in the U.S. I see no difference in quality. Why should there be? Brazil is not a backward third world country. if you fly on any regional airlines at all, especially American Eagle, you are flying on a Brazilian made jet. Brazil is the third largest economy in the western hemisphere. As for Philippine mfg. guns, I'm not an RIA fan because I never owned one, but you rarely hear complaints about them. Certainly no more than any other major gun manufacturer.

That depends if you consider New York and Illinois part of America, considering their position on the Bill of Rights.

The 1911 is a great gun, and in my opinion (.0126 cents - adjusted for inflation) Kimber makes the best of the best as far as 1911's. I am REALLY biased. I have shot a good number of them, and Kimber makes a great product compared to the competition. Attention to detail is crazy.

My wife carries a Brazilian gun (ultralight .38 revolver) which is a great gun, and I would put it up against a S&W any day.

I am not a "buy local" guy, but Kimber is a good gun, and the level of attention to detail and craftmanship has made me a fan.

*shrug* I own an STI Spartan that has some parts made by Armscor in the Philippines. It is an amazing pistol and there's a FAR cry from milled/machined parts to something as accurate as the STI Spartan, and all that magic happens in Georgetown, TX.

I also own Glocks (Austria)
Steyr AUG (Austria)
M22 (Austria) [hmm...I'm seeing an unintentional trend ]
Walther (all over the place, mine happens to be made in Germany)
Bond Snake Slayer (Texas)
etc.

Frankly, I'd rather my $$ for guns go to industries that are NOT in Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, or California (but I own an M1A, so clearly I'm not fanatical about that).

jester wrote:That depends if you consider New York and Illinois part of America, considering their position on the Bill of Rights.

+1

KaiserB wrote:

jester wrote:That depends if you consider New York and Illinois part of America, considering their position on the Bill of Rights.

+1

The problem is that they ARE part of this country. If they weren't I couldn't care less about them.

BTW, my original answer - post #2 in this thread - was a direct answer to the question. I own a Kimber, and I love it, but I also own a Brazilian made Springfield Loaded, and it's a great gun too, and so is my son's Brazilian made PT1911.

dan wesson has my vote and my money. I do have a kimber but the wesson is my edc. there are many other all american 1911's around, just depends on what kind of money you want to part with. they are usually upper end guns.

Based on my experience with an American-made Colt Mk IV Series 70 Jammamatic, I'll take a foreign knock-off before I buy another American-made Colt.

HankB if you still have that Jammamtic give me a price on it.

I can only speak for the ones I own and shoot regularly, but I have several with dancing ponies on them and can't remember the last time one of them jammed. I really like the New Agent for conceal carry, light weight and very thin. The lack of sights makes it smooth in and out. Not to mention I try to practice on the 3 and 7 yard line not using just one eye so the sights play almost no factor.

austinrealtor wrote:I've heard that many lower-priced Springfields are made from foreign parts...
But does anyone have a definitive list? I'm not ready to buy my first 1911 yet, but when I do I'd like to get a 100% American-made gun if I can afford to do so.

All Springfield frames and slides are made from Brazil. The more expensive guns Trophy Match and TRP and up are assemblied here in the US. Even the custom shop frames/slides are from Brazil. They do excellent forged frames/slides though. I think Wilson, Ed Brown, Nighthawks are all American made.