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No offense Hoss, but for me your sample size of 1 doesn't outweigh the advice of professionals like Vickers and Hackathorn with respect to the 1911 platform in general and Kimber specifically.

Viking87, I'd recommend you get a Colt. You can get one for the same money as a Kimber and you'll never regret having a Colt.

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The Dan Wesson (a subsidiary of CZ now) 1911s have a good reputation. Their CBOB "bobtail" is the sh1t and high on my "to get" list. You'll need about 1/2 of that magical $3000 uber-gun price you described.

Springfield maked a very solid, reliable, affordable 1911.

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No offense Hoss, but for me your sample size of 1 doesn't outweigh the advice of professionals like Vickers and Hackathorn with respect to the 1911 platform in general and Kimber specifically.

None taken. I'm not tied to the brand (and my sample is >1). I'd also recommend a pure, simple GI model for the red-blooded American entry to 1911's.

(I needed stainless and night sights for carry and Kimber fit the bill at the time)

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HossHarris, M2, Beaver, Stoleit and Brick, I appreciate your replies! I have always been intrigued by the 1911; I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t ignoring other options because of the 1911’s prominence. Since I would get it as a hobby gun, it doesn’t need to be your-life-depends-on-it-reliable, but it’s good to hear that it is, or close to, anyways. Looks like a 1911 will be my next weapon…

Now it’s time for me to really get down and research the manufacturers of the 1911! You guys already gave some great info, and I’ve read only about 5 pages of this 123 page long thread lol. Thanks! I’ll start by looking into the Colt and the Dan Wesson, though I may need to go with something more affordable. I don’t have a concealed carry permit, so ease of concealment isn’t high on the list. I was going to take a class here for it, but I decided not to since I am going to move anyhow.

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My first 1911 was a simple Springfield GI (top left)...

IMG_2402.jpg

Mainly because of this scene in Saving Private Ryan...

SavingPrivateRyan.jpg

The other three were the result of actually shooting that 1911! :rock:

Cheers! M2

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Damn, where the hell have I been? I own both production and semi-custom/custom 1911s and you don't need a $2K-$3K 1911 to have a good one. You would be best served with a production 1911 since this is your first foray into the design. Colt is my first recommendation with Springfield Armory being a close second. Look at their basic "low-end" guns. These will typically be more akin to the old GI style 1911. After you've shot it a while and decided if you like the design, you can have that gun sent in for custom work to add features that you desire.

Realize that during testing 100 years ago, the 1911 was subjected to 6,000 failure free rounds. Of course the ammo used was 230gr FMJ (hardball) and not the spectacular hollowpoints we have today. 1911s today are typically made to fire modern hollowpoints reliably, but it has been my experience that the 1911 will always be MORE reliable and function better with FMJ ammo. The 1911 is a good pistol, but it is an old one. Newer guns have overshadowed the design, but that doesn't mean it can't be a reliable and functional gun.

Magazine selection is very important in keeping the 1911 reliable and there are several different designs to look at. The 1911 will be more maintenance intensive as you start getting into higher round counts (thousands upon thousands of rounds). What I mean is certain parts will have to be replaced, but it isn't as simple as removing the old part and dropping in a new one. Many parts of the 1911 have to be fitted, and unless you understand the pistol it is best left to a gunsmith. To me that is a huge limitation in the age of guns that can be worked on by the end-user. The pistol is a joy to shoot and it can be made to have the finest single action trigger pull in a semi-auto. That being said, 1911s require a lot of dedication in the end-user to keep it running... usually a lot more than most people are willing to give.

If this is going to be a hobby gun and not a serious use gun, then go for it. The historical perspective and nostalgia attached to the 1911 is unmatched, and it's worth owning one simply for that. If you are eventually going to use this gun for self defense/carry you need to ask yourself if you are willing to spend the time and effort to keep the pistol running. If you're unwilling to do that, then you would be best served by a newer, more effective pistol like a Glock or M&P.

Links:

History

Magazine Analysis; This link offers some great insight on the original magazine design and how the trend has changed.

1911 Articles; This link has several articles attached to it with a ton of information on keeping a 1911 running. It is dedicated more towards someone who is going to be using their 1911 as a duty/defense gun, but the information and concepts remain the same even for a hobby gun. Pay attention to what magazines are recommended in this one.

Good starter 1911s:

Colt 1991 Series

Colt Series 70

Springfield Armory GI

Springfield Armory Mil-Spec

ETA: Stick with the Government size (full sized) 1911s. The Commander size (3/4" shorter slide than the Government) is an acceptable compromise. The smaller ones, with shorter slides, decrease the amount of room the action has to move and this can lead to reliablity problems.

Edited by Timbonez
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Do any of you guys have any good recommendations on gun safes--preferably one that can hold up to 34 firearms? I've had friends explain to me that the fire rating is important--at least 1hr at 1200F. I'm looking for something quality (fire rating, etc), that looks decent, and most importantly (almost), at a fair price--military discounts are always appreciated and I probably wouldn't buy one without it unless of course it was cheaper to do so. I've been told the safes made by Liberty are pretty good, what about Winchester? Thanks guys!

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I have heard that AMSEC safes are about the best value, but I ended up getting a Browning from the local dealer for a great price with free delivery (friend of mine). One thing I like about the Browning is the ability to store about 8-10 rifles on the door. Also, the max capacity number listed isn't very practical...the guns will be all jammed in there and not accessable. The things to consider, beyond price, are the gauge of steel used in the body & door, and the type of fire protection material used (gypsum board or some sort of concrete fill). You need to find the right balance between cost, construction, fire protection, and capacity that works for your set up. Take into account any delivery fees too, these suckers are HEAVY.

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Been wanting one of these for a while, so I drove to Houston to pick one up today...

CenturyArmsPSL762x54mm1.jpg

P8230091.jpg

They're getting tough to find, and the price was right. It's an actual Cigar-built one, not a Century parts kit; and has a chrome lined barrel. I may have to install a G2 trigger group on it, but I'm going to wait to see how it shoots first as I'd like to keep it as original as possible...

Cheers! M2

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M2, I appreciate the NSFW post as much as anyone, but would you move it to another thread? GUN TALK is one I frequently access from work, and I dunno what kind of loggers and spyware big blue has on my machine, but why take the chance?

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M2, I appreciate the NSFW post as much as anyone, but would you move it to another thread? GUN TALK is one I frequently access from work, and I dunno what kind of loggers and spyware big blue has on my machine, but why take the chance?

"Two"

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M2, I appreciate the NSFW post as much as anyone, but would you move it to another thread? GUN TALK is one I frequently access from work, and I dunno what kind of loggers and spyware big blue has on my machine, but why take the chance?

"Two"

Good points, gentlemen; the 'Chicks with Guns' calendar post is now located in the thread and the 'NSFW' banner on this thread has been removed.

Cheers! M2

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The picture quality sucks. Took these on my phone which also sucks.

Got a Sig 9mm/2022 today mostly because my XD .40 is too expensive to plink with. I was actually intending to sell the XD and keep the Sig as my primary carry piece but after putting 250 through it today, I've changed my mind.

Now I'm going to give the retard disclaimer first. **Yes, I should have rented one, borrowed one, stolen/returned one first before I bought the damn thing to see if I actually like it.**

But I literally did about 6 months of research / debating and never once heard anything about this insane trigger pull. I mean I know Sigs have a long trigger pull but, Jesus H. I'm not sure if this is standard on all 2022's but you must literally pull the trigger until it is flush against the rear of the trigger guard (in both DA and SA) before the damn thing goes off. It isn't comfortable at all, though it is giving my a head-start on arthritis. I've heard the pull is about 10 pounds, I don't know. Its ridiculous though.

I've heard that they're called 2022 because the French signed a contract with Sig to buy them until the year 2022. Whether that's true or not, I don't know but I guess I'd surrender all the time too if my guns were this hard to shoot.

I'm going to give the Sig about another 250 rounds but if the trigger doesn't lighten up I guess I might be minus a 9.

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Its funny you mention that rainbow BS. The inside of the slide where it catches on the guides IS rainbow colored. At first I though it was just oily from the factory grease, but after a few cleanings, its multicolored as ever. Looks like they're sneaking in the rainbow where they can whether you like it or not :(.

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Its funny you mention that rainbow BS. The inside of the slide where it catches on the guides IS rainbow colored. At first I though it was just oily from the factory grease, but after a few cleanings, its multicolored as ever. Looks like they're sneaking in the rainbow where they can whether you like it or not :(.

Maybe, or it could be a reaction of the metal from heating. I've seen this on non-SIGs. Those :rainbow: SIGs' finish is very distinctive.

I'm interested to see how your SIG runs so keep us updated through the 1k, 2k, etc. milestones.

Edited by Timbonez
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Maybe, or it could be a reaction of the metal from heating. I've seen this on non-SIGs. Those :rainbow: SIGs' finish is very distinctive.

I'm interested to see how your SIG runs so keep us updated through the 1k, 2k, etc. milestones.

Well I noticed it before I shot it, so, maybe its not intentional, but its definitely there.

And I have 600 through it so far. Mixed ammo. Cheap Russia stuff, Federal, Winchester and some hollow points. So far so good. I'm warming up to it!!

Will do.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I went to a range and got to fire off some guns. It was pretty freaking sweet. I fired a 9mm Hi-Point carbine (my favorite to shoot), Smith and Wesson Sigma SW40VE, Ruger Mark III Target Rimfire, 1911 Rail Gun, and an old revolver that I cannot remember the name of. The revolver sucked, I did not enjoy shooting that. I did pretty well though, my groupings were tight and accurate. I shot the hell out of a zombie pizza boy. I think if I were to buy a handgun after today, it would be the Sigma followed closely by the 1911. Both of those felt really nice.

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So I went to a range and got to fire off some guns. It was pretty freaking sweet. I fired a 9mm Hi-Point carbine (my favorite to shoot), Smith and Wesson Sigma SW40VE, Ruger Mark III Target Rimfire, 1911 Rail Gun, and an old revolver that I cannot remember the name of. The revolver sucked, I did not enjoy shooting that. I did pretty well though, my groupings were tight and accurate. I shot the hell out of a zombie pizza boy. I think if I were to buy a handgun after today, it would be the Sigma followed closely by the 1911. Both of those felt really nice.

It's good you got to shoot some handguns to get a feel for them before you purchased one. I strongly recommend you look at S&W M&Ps before the Sigma line. Their Sigma line is the bottom of the barrel that they offer. The M&P is a much better handgun with respect to ergonomics, reliability, and durability. If you enjoyed shooting the Sigma and shot it well, I would almost guarantee that you would like the M&P series pistols. It will also have a better trigger, as the Sigma line is given a ridiculously heavy trigger

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