Best compact (3'') 1911....

[mkim1120]

i am looking for a primary ccw
i just recently purchased a springfield micro..
i have yet to take it to the range but have been reading some negative things about feeding issues...:(

in everyones opinions out the box what is the most reliable (you would put your life on) 3'' micro 1911 on the market?

[AEA]

All 3" .45's Makers sometimes have problem guns. When you buy a 3" you are taking a chance that you will have an excellent gun or a troublesome gun. The troublesome ones can usually be fixed and most companies now have lifetime service.

It's just a matter of the luck of the draw with 3" .45's. I have had two. A Kimber with the external extractor that I had FTE problems and instead of sending it back, I just worked on the extractor myself and it runs 100% now. The other was a Springer Micro and it ran 100% right out of the box although it shot about 2 inches low at 15 yards.

I sold the Springer, but still have the Kimber and use it as a Summer carry.

I would recommend that you go with a Commander Length .45 (4") as the smallest and you are almost guaranteed to have no problems and a very accurate .45.

[G.A. Heath]

My primary carry is a 3.5" compact from Rock Island Armory. A lot of people will tell you a RIA is junk (mainly because of the low price tag), however I have had nothing but good experiences with each of their guns. The front sight on my compact came loose (A RO where I used to shoot handled the gun a little rough while I was hanging targets) and the RIA lifetime warranty covered the repair. I would recommend any major name brand manufacturer's (as well as a RIA) compact or sub compact 1911, but be prepared to tweak the gun yourself or have it tweaked by someone who knows what they are doing. Compact and sub compact 1911s are more susceptible to minor problems when they are new than a full size. They also exaggerate minor problems that might go completely unnoticed on a full sized.

[Reysc]

+ 1 on all the comments. For obvious reasons your CCW has to be be 100% reliable . The 3" -31/2" barrel 1911 could have some initial issues but could easily be taken cared of or tweaked. IMHO, it is because the 1911 design was based on a full-sized frame not on a compact or subcompact..I have a 1991A! Colt Compact and I love it after a few trips to the gunsmith but in all reality the only thing it needed when it was "not realiable for carry yet" was a set of good mags and a few hundred rounds. Just like most 1911 lovers, I ended up up installing upgrades that looked good and functioned well but unnessesary. I too, have heard a lot of good things about the Rock Island Armory Compact. I have two Rock Island full size 1911 myself and I have became a believer and a big fan..Might be something to consider.
Here is a pic of my Colt Compact and good luck on your search..

[troglodyte]

Colt Defender and don't look back.

Not the fanciest but augumentively the best.

[AEA]

I agree that the Colt Defender is a fine gun. I do not agree that every one that is made/sold is free of problems that can exist with any 3" 1911 .45.

[CompVest]

Kimber Ultra Carry. I use mine at IDPA bug (back-up gun) matches and have never had any issues with it. Shoots great and accurate.

[rm9792]

Kimber Ultra Carry. I use mine at IDPA bug (back-up gun) matches and have never had any issues with it. Shoots great and accurate.

+2 on the Kimber UC. (i have 2), but i stopped using for IDPA and went with a Kimber ProCarry. I shoot too low for some reason with the UC in competition. Its not the gun, its me.

[NcongruNt]

There was some brief discussion about barrel size in another thread several days ago. Many people (myself included) will tell you that for most concealment situations, barrel length is not as important factor as other variables such as grip size. For most hip-carry situations (IWB or OWB), length is not a real issue. Reliability being more of an issue with shorter barrels, you might take a try on something longer before you buy and see how concealment works for you. You can take a look at the discussion here:

http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... ht=#125439

[endigo]

I love my Kimber Ultra CDP II, it is all I carry.

[dukalmighty]

I too have a Rock Island Armory compact 1911,the gun fired flawlessly right out of the box,and is extremely accurate for a 427.00 dollar firearm,only problem i had was the parkerized finish came off and i had to strip and reblue it.In the future i will send it off to be hot blued because cold blue isn't as resilient.

[Quick6]

Kimber Tactical Ultra II. Take everyday. Apply as needed.

[JJB]

I like my Kimber Ultra Carry II, have not had any problems with it.

[RPBrown]

I am a SA fan. Had the Kimber Ultra II and had nothing but problems with it.

[Stupid]

I carry Kimber UC II. My experience is the gun comes with tight tolerance. Hand-cycle a few hundred times (500 to start) with dummy rounds (with FMJ bullets) before you start firing. After that, fire another 100 or so.

Stay with Kimber Tac mag. Haven't had problem since.

I love this tiny little beauty so much that i sleep with it too. Only complaint is the 7+1 rounds. compared to G19's 15+1.

Well, if a situation requires more than 7 shot - got have to keep one for myself - I would go for my long guns.