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Colt Defender or other 3 inch 1911??

32K views 27 replies 25 participants last post by  MoCCW 
#1 ·
I'm thinking about moving up to a 45 caliber carry gun from a 9mm or .380. I would welcome any advice on selecting a good quality 45 caliber auto with a three inch barrel.
Is any one of them carried more often than the others are? What features are desirable in a 45?
 
#2 ·
There are more than a few choices....Kimber Ultra, Kahr PM45, Colt Defender, and the new Colt New Agent etc.....

Alot of folks have the Kimber Ultra or the Springfield equivalent. I was looking at the Colt New Agent as well as the Kahr P45 (3.5" bbl, slightly bigger than the PM45). The little Colt is streamlined for CCW (trench sight, etc) and has been getting good reviews. The Kahrs also have been received positively.

Some folks with the Kimber and Springfield variants have had trouble with reliability. I won't go into the detail, a search of the forum will give you tons of feedback on the issues as well as plenty of opinions.
 
#3 ·
There are mixed reviews as far as reliability goes out there on the 3-inch 1911's.

Having said that, I got a Colt New Agent less than two weeks ago and have shot it 3 times. On two of those three occasions, I shot the snot out of it, and have had no issues. Absolutely none, and I TRIED to get the doggoned thing to jam (limp wrist, more than one kind of ammo in the magazine, shoot sideways, upside down, etc.).

It is one accurate sucker, too. Some people have trouble with the trench sight. I didn't, not at all. YMMV.

The New Agent is a "go".

As far as features go, that is highly individual. I like the 1911 platform and I like the trench sight. One of the Kahrs, or Glock 36 might carry an extra round or two over the 3-inch 1911's...I'm not sure. My New Agent carries 7 plus one in the pipe. Other folks might just absolutely have to have night sights. Others may feel that any sort of external safety is asking for trouble. It's all an individual thing. Still others absolutely require some sort of external safety.

Even among the 3-inch 1911's there is variation. External or internal extractor? Trench sight or "real" sights? On and on and on...

I think the biggest factor with me was how it felt in the hand. Some guns feel better than others. I'll make a lot of allowances for a gun that feels good to hold, 'cause I think I will shoot it better and be more likely to practice with it.

I'll stop rambling and hope (probably in vain) that I've helped, even a little....

When in doubt, BUY BOTH!!
 
#4 ·
I carry a Kimber UC II, have CT grips and it shoots like a dream. I couldnt believe how accurate this little gun was. During break in, I had the usual hiccups but after about 300 rds of ball ammo, it was good to go and had complete confidence in it as a carry piece. I now have over 1,000 rounds through it and still no issues. Alot of people dont like the officer sized 1911's but they fit my hand better than most other handguns. I'm pleased with mine.
 
#6 ·
I just traded up from a G19 to a RIA 3" 1911.. * goes back to fondeling it*
 
#7 ·
Also a Colt guy...

I have always had good experience with Colts, and have a number of them. For a 3 inch 1911 I got the Defender about 2 years ago, and it has been very reliable and accurate for me. I should think the Colt New Agent would be equally good, with some interesting features like the trench sights. I haven't owned any other brand of 3 inch 1911. Here is my somewhat modified Defender:

 
#9 ·
Response to question



The stocks on my Defender are Officer's size checkered Alumagrips, made by the Alumagrips company in Arizona. They are the "slimline" variety and make for a much thinner gun than the normal 1911.

The beavertail is just the Wilson Combat drop in beavertail, which I like better than the original Colt grip safety. You can put it in yourself without any cutting of the frame, but make sure you buy the correct size part from Wilson - there are several different sizes.

The gun is also modified in having a steel checkered mainspring housing to replace the plastic original, a McCormick aluminum trigger, Wilson magazines and a dehorning of the slide by a gunsmith. It also has a Wilson "bulletproof" slide stop with a small detent hole (drilled by the gunsmith) to engage the plunger positively. This is because at first the slide would sometimes lock back before the magazine was empty.
 
#11 ·
My EDC is a Kimber Ultra CDP II...love the gun. If I had to do it over, I get the same thing.:hand10:

Have fun shopping.

Stay armed...3" Kimber's conceal very well...stay safe!
 
#12 ·
Don't know what a difference 1/2 inch makes as I've never shot a 3 inch .45, however I own the 3.5 inch Colt Officers and a 3.5 inch Para P-12 and they are awesome shooters. Great combat accuracy, especially out of the ParaOrdnance.

Obviously the slim Colt Officers conceals much easier than the chunky 12 shot Para P-12 but both are great guns.
 
#14 ·
Colt New Agent Owner chiming in . . .

I was previously looking for a small 1911 (defender size) but kept getting turned off by all of the info about reliability and accuracy etc. I gave up and moved on. Just recently got bitten by the bug again and started researching on the 1911 forums on the web and saw nothing but great reviews on the Colt New Agent. I gave in and bought one. It is now ( 2 weeks later) my favorite gun that I have ever owned. Ihave carried Glock, Dan Wesson, Kimber, Ruger and H&K. This little gun has fired everything that I have fed it with out a single issue. I love the looks and it has a character about it. Trench sites are fine . . .I described shooting it to a friend as "switching off the targeting computer" (shameless Star Wars reference.) The little gun was plenty accurate and I'm sure I'll only get better at shooting it. It good to go! Fit, Finish Function 10/10

Tbird
 
#16 ·
I have both a Colt defender and a Springfield Micro compact in .45. The basic pistols ere near clones of each other. The Springer has a light and better sights, but both are good shooters. The early Defenders had some problems related to a MIM extractor, but after replacing that, the defender has been very reliable. The Springer and Defender are alloy frame lightweights and both are top quality.

 
#17 ·
i have the kimber ultra aegis (9mm).
i would highly recommend either kimber or springfield for what you want. both are absolutely great.
colts are not bad either. personally the kimber feals best in my hand.
they all have advantages and disadvantages
the kimber 'disadvantage' is that it has a break in period, but so what! You need to practice with the gun anyways.
 
#18 ·
I too longed for a 3" 1911 but was worried about all the negative press. The Colt Defender probably has the best reputation but I didn't like the looks. I ended up with a Colt New Agent and simply love it. Mine has been a bit picky with a few hollow points (corbon and remington UMC) but loves any hardball and it loves remington golden sabre JHP.

I was worried about the trench sight but found it very easy to get used to and it's a VERY accurate gun. The real surprise was the recoil. I found recoil to be softer than my full size SA .45 1911. The think I did have to get used to was how sensitive the trigger is :image035:

I love the looks and the fact that the front strap is serrated and the grips are nice "thin" grips already.

I purchases some black Wilson Mags for it and it's just a great set up.
 
#19 ·
I have a Colt OM for many years now. I pick it up at a pawn shop years ago for $250 that some LEO had carried a lot, all skinned up, chunks out of the outside grip pannel. I had Vandenberg Custom of Houston refinish it and do a once over check. It has run like a house afire since. I believe when you look at it, that all the bad press in the past was from growing plain when the short barrel and slide new. Now everyone has workd on them and toyed with them and the companies KNOW WHAT WORKS now.
 
#21 ·
I have the Kimber Ultra Carry II in stainless. It needed a breakin period to settle in but is an excellent little gun now. My first choice was the Springfield Micro followed by the Colt Defender but none were available.

I ended up with a very good gun in the Kimber. I still want the Micro and Defender though.
 
#22 ·
I am liking my new New Agent. Its been 100% reliable and carries great. The only think I'd like to do to it is put the pearce rubber finger groove insert in it. The serations on the front strap aren't aggressive enough for me.

I really want a 3.5" 1911. Springfield makes one that I tried to buy for 6 months but Springfield doesn't even have any. I have since found a 3.5" Wilson that I really like. I think I'm going to buy one soon and I am going to send the New Agent to wilson to have the blued slide finished in their heavy duty finish.
 
#23 ·
I have a Springfield Micro Compact .45 bought used at a gun show. I have fired abou 400 round thru it so far with no issues at all. Very accurate, easy to carry/conceal in a Brommeland IWB holster. Have not owned/fired any other 3" .45s so I cannot make any comparissons. My Springfield is great so far.:buttkick:
 
#24 ·
New Agent.

My first post on this forum starts with praising my new CC friend: New Agent. Nice looking and very nice shooting gun. I carry it most of the time (can't do it in our corporate) and it's very comfortable. I was torn between the New Agent and Kimber SIS Ultra. Both felt fantastic in my hand. I decided to go with Colt for a few reasons (in no particular order): I liked the simple look of Colt, slimmer, color and price ($850 vs. $1,175). The price wasn't a big decision maker, it was more confirming the decision made based on looks and feel.

There is a good review of the New Agent on ezine: The M-1911 Pistols Organization E-zine (mods, if this is against the forum rules, my apologies, please remove it).

Good luck!
 
#25 ·
My EDC is the Springfield Micro Compact. It has digested everything I have run thru it wth out a single hiccup since day one. No break-in period,just total reliability. My amo of choice is the 185gr all copper DPX hp from Tarus even tho Springfield told me that the little gun would handle the +P loadings ok I prefer to just stick with standard velocity stuff.
 
#26 ·
para?

I switch between this and my ultra carry for daily ccw...
para carry 9 (9+1) Federal Hydrashoks This para has the lda trigger, very nice. good shooting gun..

 
#28 ·
Holding up good so far, you can tell they have cheap paint job though, especially for the price.. My kimbers, and springer so much better in comparison..
 
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