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I'm looking to get a 1911 (45 ACP). I don't to pay more than $1000. Not quite sure whether to go full length barrel at 5" or something smaller like a 4.5".

Any recommendations?

I find the "look" and "feel" of some of the Sig Sauers quite attractive. However, I've been told by a couple of people that Sig 1911's (unlike their "modern" DA/SA pistols) are not very good in terms of durability and reliability.

Thanks for the help.

Ruger SR1911 or their SR1911commander. I've shot the full size and its sweet! Just over $600 at Academy. I've seen em between $650 and $700 at LGS.

What are you using it for?

To play games: Springfield Armory Range Officer. http://www.springfield-armory.com/1911R ... fficer.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

STI Spartan second choice. You might be able to get a STI Trojan for under $1000 if you shop around and are patient.

But SA RO is hard to beat for IDPA.

Regards,
James

Springfield Loaded
Springfield Range Officer
Used Springfield TRP
STI Spartan
Metro Arms American Classic

No necessarily in that order.

extremist wrote:What are you using it for?

To play games: Springfield Armory Range Officer. http://www.springfield-armory.com/1911R ... fficer.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

STI Spartan second choice. You might be able to get a STI Trojan for under $1000 if you shop around and are patient.

But SA RO is hard to beat for IDPA.

Regards,
James

I'd like to start shooting competition (amateur level only). But not sure how serious that'll ever get.

The 1911 will get used for sure at the range, and home defense.

You can even get some Colts in the 800.00-900.00 range

Maybe a better question is whether there are particular brands or models that I should be avoiding?

I picked up a Remington R1 a while back and can recommend getting one.

There are sooo many good choices out there it's kind of hard to go wrong.

For a first 1911? Easy, a Taurus PT-1911 for about $500.00 (don't knock it until you've tried it---and the Taurus haters typically haven't) and about $500.00 worth of .45 ACP ammo. Then, if for whatever reason you decide that you need to spend more on another 1911, you can sell the Taurus for just about what you paid for it and spend to your heart's content.

AndyC wrote:Avoiding, hmmm...

I would never buy an Auto Ordnance - ever.

Two other brands I'm not fond of are Para Ordnance and Kimber.

Agreed. And I'll add Sig to that list...

And any S&W 1911 with a Swartz safety system.

James

Under 1000 sti springfield and citadel on the low end. Best 1911 for the money Imo from what I have shot is the Cz Dan Wesson but 900 is the low end. Cz bobtail in 45 or 10mm

Some comments on other suggestions by people:

Colts are not "finished" nicely. The ones I've handled have lots of sharp edges. No blending. Read some reviews.

I will not buy any more 1911s with any firing pin safeties (Series 80, Swartz, etc.). I had one fail at a local IDPA match. Not recoverable. No more. I only own two, an early S&W PC1911 that is an awesome shooter and a S&W Rolling Thunder Commemorative 1911 that's too pretty to shoot. I only shoot the PC1911 at steel matches or local IDPA matches maybe once a year. Everything else I own is standard JMB pattern, and I own a few.

Taurus, Remington, Kimber, most S&W, Sig all use some sort of firing pin safety.

This "problem" is easily solved by strong firing pin springs and titanium or lightweight firing pins. NONE of the premier 1911 makers use them. NONE. STI and Springfield don't use them either.

Just my .02 worth.

James

for my first 1911 i went with the Philippine made Rock island. shot it,broke it down,beat it, shot it some more. (great bang for the buck) now, I am a certified 1911 nut. i am now saving...... YES still saving up for the STI duty one in 5.0. hopefully this year

extremist wrote:

AndyC wrote:Avoiding, hmmm...

I would never buy an Auto Ordnance - ever.

Two other brands I'm not fond of are Para Ordnance and Kimber.

Agreed. And I'll add Sig to that list...

And any S&W 1911 with a Swartz safety system.

James

I've had good results with Kimber, and I have no particular opinion about Paras other than I think that a double stack defeats part of a 1911's raison d'etre, but I'll second the complaints about Sig 1911s. Mine was a disaster. Doesn't mean they all will be, but this one was horrible. Beautiful to look at, but about as useful as a brick.

Springfield Loaded is a pretty decent gun at an affordable price (read that, "under $1,000), and I like mine. My son has had a Taurus PT1911 for a number of years and it has only ever had one failure, which was fixed in 2 minutes by using a Kimber part I had laying around.

Right now I only own two 1911s, and both are 5" guns. But I think that if i had to settle on only ONE 1911, I'd make it a 4" model just for carryability.