best 1911

[The Rabbi]

"Best" in kind of a subjective thing. How do you compare a $2k Wilson Combat with a $350 Rock Island?
Personally I've had a few RIs through the shop. Every time I see one I think they are better than the last. Some major company just subcontracted them to provide their frames etc and went through the factory and made changes. So look for them to get even better.
Out of the box I think Kimbers shoot the best with the best trigger. I have also seen more Kimbers fail at matches than any other gun. One went full auto at a recent match. I consider them the Jaguars of the gun world, when the run they run great. But they dont run all the time.

[saintsfan71]

by far....para ordanance

[Huey County]

Gotta go with the ParaOrd!

I carry the ParaOrd 14-45 with the LDA trigger, Hogue grip, and 15rds mags.

[brownj21]

Gotta go with the ParaOrd!

I carry the ParaOrd 14-45 with the LDA trigger, Hogue grip, and 15rds mags.

I have a friend who wants to sell me a custom Para 1911, w/ a les baer slide, hogue grips, custom trigger and sight work....its beautiful. He has put about $1,000 worth of custom work into it. I am supposed to shoot it today or tomorrow to help make a decision.

[sorral]

1911

I would have to say any major manufacturer would be a safe bet.

I do advise staying away from the low price guns made in the Philippines like the Charles Daily. Gunsmiths have told me that the metal used for the frame are of inferior quality. I shoot IDPA with a 1911, used a Springfield last year, but this year I have a Taurus Pt1911. I don't have enough rounds through the Taurus yet to rely on it yet, but it looks promising.(only about 200 rounds) I would like to get at least 700 round through it before I deem it reliable.

Taurus, Springfield, Para, Wilson, all great guns, for the price, I like the Taurus. You can pick one up on on line auctions for under $600 and have it shipped to a licensed FFL.

What ever you choose, get the best you can afford. It may mean the difference in your life.

[Austin HiPowers]

I haven't shot it, but I heard some very positive comments about the Detonics 1911. Last month there was an article about their 1911 published in SWAT magazine. Anybody shot one yet?

[Nightshift va]

1911

who makes the best/most reliable 1911 in your opinion

I have five 1911's. Springfield Milspec-SW Sc-Kimber ProcarryII-70series Colt-Para LDA CCW. The Springfield is the most reliable one I have and thats saying alot because it's also had more rounds through it than the others have and Ive used every kind of magazine you can imagine in it. The only thing about the Springfield is I had to drop a bunch of money in it to get it shooting tight groups unlike the Kimber and the Smith which shoot excellent but have been finiky on feeding with certain magazines. The Para shoots excellent groups and hasnt jammed on me yet but it's a new pistol I just bought last week so too early to tell on it. If you are trying to decide which ever one you get use any type of magazines for range practice but invest in atleast two high dollar Wilson Combat Eight round magazines for carry. Those magazines are the only one's I have that have been 100% reliable in all my 1911's.

[acso_reserve]

I own and regularly shoot two Charley Daly 1911s. I've never had a problem with either of them that was the gun's fault in the 6 years i've owned them. However magazines are a different story. They don't seem to like the 8 round flat follower-style magazines, but work reliably with 7 round dimple follower (aka, John Browning's original design.) The magazines that come with the pistols are junk, IMHO, and should be replaced before firing the first shot.

I use 230gr ball for practice and 230gr Hydra-Shocks for carry, and yes, I use 7 round, dimpled follower magazines.

Warren

[jwise]

Well, other than the last poster, the common wisdom is to use Wilson 47D magazines in your 1911s. They are the best I've found. They cost $25 each, or at least they used to.

I have Springield and Kimber, and both are VERY reliable.

[acso_reserve]

I'm not a 1911 expert, but I've owned, shot, and carried several over the years, and done a lot of reading and experimentation with them. My goal has always been to reliably shoot not only ball but jacketed hollow points through my weapons.

If anyone wants to know why I prefer 7 round, dimpled follower 1911 magazines, its because that is what John Browning designed for the gun, and designed it to work. The dimple retards the forward movement of the last round. Its not original to the design - the original magazine design had a flat follower, but John Browning added the dimple to correct the problem of the last round failing to feed.

Also, most 8 round magazines actually use the tube of a 7 round magazine but use a much shorter spring (see Tripp Research's web page at http://www.trippresearch.com/product...de/upgrade.htm) for a comparison of the spring length. So right off the bat, you've got a shorter spring to feed all cartridges into the chamber. Some of these shorter springs are also more likely to take a set and reduce power (Chip McCormick Shooting Stars have done this to me.) Having the longer spring of a 7 round magazine will ensure more reliable feeding.

Years ago I got my first 1911, a Colt Series 80. It came with one magazine (a 7 round Colt magazine) and I purchased two genuine military surplus magazines for it at a gun show. BTW, many of the "military surplus" 1911 magazines for sale these days are modern made fakes, and do not work reliably. I never had a problem with any of those magazines feeding all 7 rounds without any hiccups.

In the late 1990s, I tried some of the 8 round magazines, and found a lot to be desired, mostly because of the affore mentioned flat follower and shorter spring. I would have feeding problems in guns that had fed reliably with 7 round Colt Style. The Chip McCormick 8 round magazines worked reliably with 7 rounds loaded when new. After they got older, the springs took a set and I started to have the infamous last round feeding issues. For the record, I've never used Wilson 47d magazines, however many of the folks that I've talked with or read posts by on the 1911 forum have and experienced last round feeding issues with a variety of 1911s - Les Baer, Kimber, Springfield, Colt, et al, due to the flat follower that the Wilsons use.

Shortly before I stepped down as a reserve deputy (due to family reasons), one of the jailers was trying to qualify with a 1911 using 8-round flat follower magazines. He had so many feeding problems that he was stopped and told to try to qual again after he bought new magazines or with a different weapon.

In my experience, and again I'm not an expert, the one magazine that has fed reliably in a variety of 1911s is the original design - a dimpled follower, 7 round magazine made by Colt. These days, Colt subcontracts their magazines out, either to Okay or Checkmate Industries. I've been told that the Checkmates are better then the Okay's because they use better springs. Also, all my 1911 magazines use an 11 pound Wolff spring, and I've never had a problem.

If you want more information on magazines, go to the forums page of www.m1911.org, and check out the magazines sub forum. Look for posts by a fella named 1911tuner. He's a 1911 gunsmith, and he has forgotten more about 1911s then I'll we'll ever know. He's the main one that preaches the 7 round, dimpled follower 1911 magazine.

YMMV, but the one magazine that has consistently worked for me has been the Browning designed 7-round, dimpled follower model. I'll always trade one round for reliability with the other seven!

[KenW.]

Some will consider it sacrilage, but I am a believer in the 47D. No, it is NOT in Browning's original design, but niether is the thumb safety, mag wells, bushingless barrels, wrap around grips, or good sights.

It's like saying the Mustang was not Henry Ford's original design, so we should all drive Model Ts.

I'm more of a purest than some, but: If one can improve on something, why not make it available? There are even (gasp) widebody polymer frames out there now.

[j706]

I'm not a 1911 expert, but I've owned, shot, and carried several over the years, and done a lot of reading and experimentation with them. My goal has always been to reliably shoot not only ball but jacketed hollow points through my weapons.

If anyone wants to know why I prefer 7 round, dimpled follower 1911 magazines, its because that is what John Browning designed for the gun, and designed it to work. The dimple retards the forward movement of the last round. Its not original to the design - the original magazine design had a flat follower, but John Browning added the dimple to correct the problem of the last round failing to feed.

Also, most 8 round magazines actually use the tube of a 7 round magazine but use a much shorter spring (see Tripp Research's web page at http://www.trippresearch.com/product...de/upgrade.htm) for a comparison of the spring length. So right off the bat, you've got a shorter spring to feed all cartridges into the chamber. Some of these shorter springs are also more likely to take a set and reduce power (Chip McCormick Shooting Stars have done this to me.) Having the longer spring of a 7 round magazine will ensure more reliable feeding.

Years ago I got my first 1911, a Colt Series 80. It came with one magazine (a 7 round Colt magazine) and I purchased two genuine military surplus magazines for it at a gun show. BTW, many of the "military surplus" 1911 magazines for sale these days are modern made fakes, and do not work reliably. I never had a problem with any of those magazines feeding all 7 rounds without any hiccups.

In the late 1990s, I tried some of the 8 round magazines, and found a lot to be desired, mostly because of the affore mentioned flat follower and shorter spring. I would have feeding problems in guns that had fed reliably with 7 round Colt Style. The Chip McCormick 8 round magazines worked reliably with 7 rounds loaded when new. After they got older, the springs took a set and I started to have the infamous last round feeding issues. For the record, I've never used Wilson 47d magazines, however many of the folks that I've talked with or read posts by on the 1911 forum have and experienced last round feeding issues with a variety of 1911s - Les Baer, Kimber, Springfield, Colt, et al, due to the flat follower that the Wilsons use.

Shortly before I stepped down as a reserve deputy (due to family reasons), one of the jailers was trying to qualify with a 1911 using 8-round flat follower magazines. He had so many feeding problems that he was stopped and told to try to qual again after he bought new magazines or with a different weapon.

In my experience, and again I'm not an expert, the one magazine that has fed reliably in a variety of 1911s is the original design - a dimpled follower, 7 round magazine made by Colt. These days, Colt subcontracts their magazines out, either to Okay or Checkmate Industries. I've been told that the Checkmates are better then the Okay's because they use better springs. Also, all my 1911 magazines use an 11 pound Wolff spring, and I've never had a problem.

If you want more information on magazines, go to the forums page of www.m1911.org, and check out the magazines sub forum. Look for posts by a fella named 1911tuner. He's a 1911 gunsmith, and he has forgotten more about 1911s then I'll we'll ever know. He's the main one that preaches the 7 round, dimpled follower 1911 magazine.

YMMV, but the one magazine that has consistently worked for me has been the Browning designed 7-round, dimpled follower model. I'll always trade one round for reliability with the other seven!

I don't doubt you on all that, however I have NEVER had a malfunction of any sort with Wilson 8 round mags. I carry four of them for duty. They are a little pricey though.

[Enikad]

Kimber, hands down in my opinion. Loved the Kimbers I played with, if i had the money in my wallet, at the same time i had a place in my heart for the TLE's, Royals, and Warriors I fired, I'd 'ave bought them on the spot.

However one 1911 has a super special soft spot for me since no matter when, where, or what conditions I've never shot outside of the 9 ring with them, always tight awesome groups, so comfy too, has a real tight fit in the hands. I speak of course for the Springfield Armory 1911 Mil-Spec, best 1911 I've ever fired.

[97ss150]

ive used my daly for a while as well. lots of rounds through it and never an issue. even shooting nasty wolf ammo at the range. i had a lil ramp work done when i first bought it and never and issue. hope to get something good soon but ive never had even a jam in this weapon.

[Austin HiPowers]

Is there anybody with experience with the Detonics 1911. I am very curious.