first time in the big pool

[Pawpaw]

If we can work out a day & time to get together, I'll let you fondle and shoot my V-Bob & Guardian.

Hang on - you're letting a stranger shoot my inheritance???

Well, you keep coming up with excuses why we can't get together to shoot. You are apparently infected with the work virus and now you've spread it to me!

[rwg3]

So now the question morphs to, Are there other makes that would be similar in feel to the Wilson, without the $3000+ price tag?

Check out the Dan Wesson lineup. The Heritage lists for about $1300 and the line runs up to a high of about $2000 before you start getting into "race guns".

If we can work out a day & time to get together, I'll let you fondle and shoot my V-Bob & Guardian. They're both bobtailed commanders, but the V-Bob has a forged stainless frame & the Guardian has a forged aluminum frame. The difference in recoil is very small.

Thank you for a very gracious offer, I would like to take you up on it someday. I am still in study mode trying to gain a better understanding of the 1911 model .45's and why they are so attractive to me. This thread and a few others have been most helpful in that regard, but ultimately I suspect nothing will replace the range tests.
Oh and Andy if it comes to pass, I promise I wont drool on your inheritence