# 1911



## Cropduster (Feb 7, 2015)

I've been doing some research on .45acp. It looks like the Taurus 1911 is a good bang for the buck. Reviews on all 1911s are ya or nea. What do my fellow country folk have to say about it? http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=59&category=Pistol :cowboy:


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I am certainly no expert on the 1911 , but there is some debate over will standard parts fit in a Taurus , I also have known a number of people who had issues with Taurus and the gun goes away for months 

the biggest issue is that I am not sure standard 1911 parts fit the PT1911 I know the grips are different but is it only the grips or is it more , makes me nervous knowing the grips are different that the rest will be standard parts , and any time you start limiting parts and accessories you start paying more for anything you want later

my 1911 experience is with the Ruger SR1911 and for a bit more money than the Taurus I think you get a better gun and I know their service is good 

for a bit less than the Taurus you can have a RIA Rock Island Armory , an I have worked with their customer service in Nevada and they are good , I sent in an RIA revolver and had back a replacement in under a month including shipping in both directions 

If it where me I would spend the $ for the ruger or take the deal on the RIA but skip the Taurus either way , with a bit more thought , I would just get the Ruger it's about a hundred dollar difference and it buys you a sure thing.


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## Cropduster (Feb 7, 2015)

Thats on the top of my list to. The only thing on the Taurus I see that I wouldn't like is the decommission key. I had a Ruger P89 and I hated it. But I also had a .44mag super blackhawk and that was an awesome pistol. My experience with the P89 is why I hesitate with Ruger. I've seen the RIA around but don't know much about them.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

can I ask why you hated the P89 ?
I have only shot 1 P89 the DA trigger was nothing to write home about but it was accurate in SA


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## tamarackreg (Mar 13, 2006)

P89 - no comparison to SR1911.

I've had some good Taurus pistols, but Ruger is well worth the few extra bones on this one.

Neighbor has a Remington 1911, nice gun, no jams, shoots straight.


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## Cropduster (Feb 7, 2015)

My P89 had a mile long trigger pull.


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

The Taurus suffers from intermittent quality control. You get a three good ones and then you get a bad one.

A similar problem happened several years ago with the FEG copy of the Browning Hi-power. You could get one with parts that looked like they were hand-fitted by a good gunsmith and you could get one that looked like it had parts machined by rats with metal teeth.

RIA makes nice weapons for the money. Remington and Ruger are good guns.

But...I know it's a tad more than the Remington, but not too far off of the Ruger, but a Colt 1991 series 1911 can be had for about $700. Not any bells and whistles, but Colts tend to work and hold their value very well.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/..._id/36291/Colt+O1991+1991+Series+7+1+45ACP+5"


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## S.A. Boggs (Oct 20, 2007)

Go Sig P220, reliable, accurate, easy to dismount to clean. The M19ll-A1 is a Chinese puzzle to completely break down. I have been using the 19ll for 50 years and still own/use. My carry gun is the P220.
Sam


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Cropduster said:


> My P89 had a mile long trigger pull.


yes they did , it used a transfer bar between the hammer and firing pin it had to move up into place to fire 

the Series 80 1911 also implemented a firing pin block and a lot of people hated them for it , it made the trigger pull much longer because it had to move the firing pin block before it could release 

if you like short pull stick to series 70 type 1911


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## hoddedloki (Nov 14, 2014)

+1 on RIA. Got my brother a RIA 1911 a few years back, and he has had no problems with it.

Loki


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

tamarackreg said:


> P89 - no comparison to SR1911.


Now why are you comparing a 9mm with a 45? To add to this, I have to say I much prefer my Ruger 345 (45ACP) to my 1911 (45ACP).


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Friend of mine had a PT1911, and his son had a Colt 1911.
To me, the Taurus shot every bit as good as the Colt, and he loved it.
I think they are OK


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

I'd also suggest the Ruger 1911 over Taurus.

We're seeing recommendations based on single examples. I've seen a couple different people that worked in the gun selling business that say they had more troubles with them than other brands, one said over half the Taurus guns they sold ended up getting sent back.


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## coolrunnin (Aug 28, 2010)

I couldn't stand my SR1911! Never could get used to it just felt unbalanced and uncomfortable, I also own a series 70 colt combat commander and 3 PT1911 (aren't divorces lovely for buying opportunities.

That being said I love my Ruger's blackhawk, vaquero, and an SR45.

On the other hand my son loves that Ruger 1911

As to the parts changing in Taurus, so far the extractor, firing pin, firing pin spring the wilson models have all fit.


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Never shot one, never seen one...but as I was doing a bit of research on current 1911's, this gun cropped up at the $600 or less mark:



[YOUTUBE][ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm4C38vzfHg[/ame][/YOUTUBE]


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## Cropduster (Feb 7, 2015)

I think I'm going to save up for the Colt. Two brands I'd like to try. Colt and Kimber.


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Cropduster said:


> I think I'm going to save up for the Colt. Two brands I'd like to try. Colt and Kimber.


My son has a Kimber, it's a super nice gun
He also has a RIA 1911, while not as nice as the Kimber, for some reason he prefers it.
Me, I like the Kimber, but I'm ok with my Springfield 1911 too.


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Another option if you are interested,is the argentine ballester molina.It "IS" a colt 1911.Due to some law it could not be an exact colt 1911 so the only change that colt made was to the grip screw placement.Everything else is a 1911 colt.There are also 2 other argentine named 1911 that are the exact same thing.I don't remember the names on them.One was a police issue,another a army issue and the other a navy issue.
I picked up 2 of these a few years back for $250 each. They are a fine gun. If you like the original colts you will like these.

Wade


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## Cropduster (Feb 7, 2015)

I want it to be my last side arm so I'm going to bite the bullet and get a good one.


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Take my word for it, it's hard to stop at just one...


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Cropduster said:


> I want it to be my last side arm so I'm going to bite the bullet and get a good one.


+100!

Here's my thoughts on 1911's for what it's worth. I've owned 16 of them over the years since 1978 when I first qualified with one as a young MP. I was in the Army when we transitioned to M9s. I still have three 1911's; two Les Baers and an old surplus Colt that I keep for sentimental reasons. I regularly shoot and compete in IDPA with one of my Baer's. 

I also am a safety officer for my local IDPA club and take a 1-2 pistol/carbine classes a year. So I get to see a few rounds go down range from different shooters and pistols. Positively the pistol I see have issues most often is the 1911. I'm to the point that when I see a new shooter show up with a 1911 I start thinking "here we go again". Most of the issues seem to be extractors, magazines, or a guy with a dremel that thought he could throat a barrel (Used to be the guy with a vice tightening slide to frame fit, or whapping on the rails with a hammer, but I haven't seen that lately). 

Yesterday I was in an 8hr tactical pistol class with 11 students, two carrying 1911s. We went through 400+ rds doing drills/movement. One 1911 ran "OK" (several stoppages), the other was removed and replaced by a Glock (Extractor I think, regular stovepipes). There were several different makes on the line, but the 1911's stood out as having issues (and one Taurus 92). I used one of my Walther PPQs with zero issues, I also saw a couple SIGs and Glocks run without a problem. This was not your typical "square range" stuff, we were shooting in different positions, repeatedly dropping mags and reinserting, so there was some dust/dirt introduced. 400+ rds in a day in those conditions and the issues with your equipment start to surface whereas they can remain hidden with the 50rds, then cleaned regime. It's neat to be "the cool kid" carrying a 1911 and spouting "Cooperisms", but it's a lot neater when your gun can run the entire day........not to mention safer if it's the one you're trusting your life to. 

Don't go cheap with a 1911, unless it's going to be a 100% range toy. Too many companies are making them to too many different standards, deviating from JMB's wisdom. A match grade 1911, doesn't happen without some serious handwork from someone that know's what they're doing and that's not cheap. Chances are with decent mags a cheaper pistol will run with 230 HB and decent magazines. Try running SWCs or HPs and you'll start getting issues (cause 1911's weren't designed for that). Don't skimp on magazines! Don't skimp on magazines! (worth saying twice) 

I've seen a lot of guys "start cheap, and end up expensive" by the time their done paying a gunsmith to tune an extractor, polish a feedramp and swap sights. Buy a good solid pistol and go from there. Then take a class, start shooting action pistol stuff. 

Chuck


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## beenaround (Mar 2, 2015)

my last one would be me declaring I'm about to die. Way to many to pick just one.


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## Gabriel (Dec 2, 2008)

Seconding what Chuck R. said - I've been to multiple classes and hard use range days and the only 1911's that ran without serious issues were custom jobs.


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## biggkidd (Aug 16, 2012)

I have a PARA 1911 went over a 1000 rounds without cleaning and not a single issue. Multiple mags mostly hardball ammo a few defence rounds. It was not cheap and is a match grade pistol. I wouldn't part with it short of death...

My 14 year old daughter dang near out shoots me with it too!


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## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

Just my two cents, my Colt MK IV, series 80, .45 ACP, stainless steel.


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