[Bumper]

Okay, here's the deal. I have two Kimber 1911's. They are: Kimber Eclipse Pro II (4") and a Kimber Custom TLE II (5"). I bought the Eclipse first and liked it real well. Prospector has the same gun and likes it as well. Very accurate for a non custom gun and reliable. After shooting 550 rounds through his and mine one day we went back to my house and started cleaning them. We both dismantled our respective guns, cleaned them thoroughly and started to re-assemble them. We learned real quick that the firing pin safety sucks and why everyone hates them. Reinstalling the firing pin and gate are damned near impossible with only two hands. We helped each other reinstall and all worked well. Well, mostly. While I was cleaning I removed the extractor and cleaned that as well. It appeared that Kimber machines a small notch on the underside of the external extractor to hold a bit of grease, presumably to keep the extractor lubed up. I may be wrong on this, but the notch is there and there was some red grease in it. At least there was before I cleaned mine.

On my next range trip, I experienced several extraction problems. A drop of oil on the extractor solved the problem. Anyway, to cut this short, I have finally stewed over this enough now that I am going to sell the Eclipse next weekend, along with my Springfield XD-40, and buy something different.

The new one will be, of course, a new full sized (5") single stack 1911. It will have an internal extractor and it will not have a firing pin safety. It must have fixed tritium sights, no preference on grips since I can (and probably would) change them. It must be tight, accurate and very reliable. It should require no trip to the gunsmith to make it accurate or reliable, I want it to be that way right out of the box. It should be all steel, black (preference) or blued finish.

I can't afford a full custom gun like a Wilson, a Nighthawk or a Big Bore like I would like. I am prepared to spend ~ $1300 on it. I don't plan on buying another Kimber or Springfield Armory. I have something in mind but it doesn't meet all of my requirements. I will withhold what that is until I get some input. Nighthawk, don't chime in and tell them.... :wink:

 

[acparmed]

Bumper may I suggest a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special, they are $1600, I have two of them and they are the VERY BEST 1911's I have ever fired.

Check them out at:

www.lesbaer.com

I can't be emphatic enough about how good these are. Though they dont have the external extractor, they are original design 1911's.

 

[Bumper]

Bumper may I suggest a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special, they are $1600, I have two of them and they are the VERY BEST 1911's I have ever fired.

Check them out at:

www.lesbaer.com

I can't be emphatic enough about how good these are. Though they dont have the external extractor, they are original design 1911's.

Not having an external extractor is a plus. I did see Les Baer at the SHOT Show and was impressed with their guns. The problem would be the cost. I never know where to stop. I don't mind spending $1000-1300 at this point, but I would have to drag out a check to cover $1600. My wife has no clue how much I pay for my guns. I normally them from my "slush fund" and money I get when I sell one. I have to watch myself, I can justify anything and I am an impulse buyer on just about everything. I start incrementaly working my way up way too easy. I can start with a $1000 budget one minute and am at $2000 before I know what's happening. $1300 I can afford right now. :022:

 

[Bud White]

the les baer is good choice so would be a ed brown course not under 1300

 

[jdsumner]

Hey Bump,
what about a SA mil spec or Colt nrm and the leftover $$$ for some work by a true custom pistolsmith. Check out the "1*" package offered by Ted Yost. If I ever get a chance to do a custom 1911, that is the route I'm taking. $1295 on a Springer supplied thru y-b.
www.yost-bonitz.com

Hope this helps,

Dan

 

[FortyFive]

I didn't look at the Smith & Wesson 1911 specifications maybe that would be a consideration for you.

 

[Bumper]

Hey Bump,
what about a SA mil spec or Colt nrm and the leftover $$$ for some work by a true custom pistolsmith. Check out the "1*" package offered by Ted Yost. If I ever get a chance to do a custom 1911, that is the route I'm taking. $1295 on a Springer supplied thru y-b.
www.yost-bonitz.com

Hope this helps,

Dan

Actually, I had a Springfield Champion with an additional $1400 of work done on it by Robar. The accuracy, despite the work done, was okay but when all is said and done, it was still a better than average $500 1911. When you sell something like that you take a blood bath. The original owner did, Nighthawk did and I did. My Kimber shot circles around that gun right out of the box. I like Springfield's but I, personally, would rather have one accurate and reliable right out of the box. My philosophy is that it's okay to spend money on a gun and have the features that you want added, but you should not have to have accuracy and reliability work done to make the gun into something you can trust carrying.

As I get older, accuracy of the gun itself becomes more important. My eyesight will (and does) effect my shooting. I want the gun deadass on every time I pull the trigger.

 

[CLASS3NH]

Bumper? I'm not sure how you feel about used weapons, but I've found a few les Baer's 45's at Kittery Trading post KTP.Com this is NOT an advertisment but just to help you out
LES BAER CONCEPT VII HANDGUN: PISTOL 45 ACP $1,125.00 COMMANDER SLIDE, BLUED, NOVAK SIGHTS,4.25in.,W/BOX 97%
LES BAER CFI CUSTOM HANDGUN: PISTOL 45 ACP $1,250.00 SV FRAME, ADJ SIGHTS, BLUED,5in.,13-RD MAG 97%
LES BAER PROWLER HANDGUN: PISTOL 45 ACP $1,565.00 PARKERIZED CARBON FIBER GRIPS 'WAFER' ON BBL END,5in.,W\BOX,PAPERS 98%
If you want, I can go look at them and give my honest opinion, These guys are pretty honest at that shop..
hope this helps

 

[CLASS3NH]

Bumper?
there are a few Springfield's up there as well..champion $ 595.00 and a few other's including Colts, Pachmyers etc.... look it up on their website, they'll ship to your FFL
hope this helps you out

 

[QKShooter]

Hummmmmm

I apologize for the large photo. I swiped it directly off the SigArms page.
I can think of a few different pistols. Here is one.
I would go maybe with the SIG GSR Ltd Edition MAY 05.
Yep...I know it has a stainless frame but it sure is a damn good looking pistol.
No junk or MIM parts & the SIG guns seem real extra nice looking these days.
And were I you ~ I would call SigArms up on the phone directly & tell them that you intend to review & critique the pistol on YOUR web site. CombatCarry.com
That should get you a really nice & well fit together pistola.
Just one thought.

 

[Bumper]

Bumper? I'm not sure how you feel about used weapons, but I've found a few les Baer's 45's at Kittery Trading post KTP.Com this is NOT an advertisment but just to help you out
LES BAER CONCEPT VII HANDGUN: PISTOL 45 ACP $1,125.00 COMMANDER SLIDE, BLUED, NOVAK SIGHTS,4.25in.,W/BOX 97%
LES BAER CFI CUSTOM HANDGUN: PISTOL 45 ACP $1,250.00 SV FRAME, ADJ SIGHTS, BLUED,5in.,13-RD MAG 97%
LES BAER PROWLER HANDGUN: PISTOL 45 ACP $1,565.00 PARKERIZED CARBON FIBER GRIPS 'WAFER' ON BBL END,5in.,W\BOX,PAPERS 98%
If you want, I can go look at them and give my honest opinion, These guys are pretty honest at that shop..
hope this helps

Thanks for the offer, CLASS3NH, but at this point I would rather buy new. When you buy new you know that the gun hasn't been mistreated and can get any problems that do come up resolved under warranty. I just like to know the history of something I am going to bet my life on. :wink:

I do appreciate you looking those up and offering to go up and look at them.

 

[Bumper]

I love Sigs and have regretted selling my P226 ever since I did it. I had the opportunity to handle the GSR at the SHOT Show and I really did like it except for one feature. Well, two actually but I could probably live with Sig's external extractor. I don't want a gun with a rail. Nothing about them appeal to me. I like the lines of a classic 1911 and a rail that I don't intend to hang anything off of is just added weight and bulk and sorta ruins the look for me.

 

[ExSoldier]

Barring the Thunder Ranch Special, I'd have to go with the S&W 1911. Or heck, how about a Sig P220?

 

[Bud White]

I do admit the 1911 SC smith has been looking good to me forgot about that one earlyer

 

[Prospector]

Bumper, you might look at STI's Trojan or Lawman series, they're both in the price range, and it seems a lot of the "Custom" folks use their parts.

 

[Bumper]

Bumper, you might look at STI's Trojan or Lawman series, they're both in the price range, and it seems a lot of the "Custom" folks use their parts.

Well, since you hit it on the head, I will confess. Those are the two I am looking at. The Trojan has adjustable sights unless you special order it, which I would probably do. The Lawman I would have to order with a custom finish since that model normally comes with a green receiver. Unless you're in the military, it might was well be blue to match my bluejeans. :wink: The guy that builds Big Bore 1911 said the only thing he would recommend changing out in either of those models is the trigger. STI uses a composite material instead of aluminum.

 

[ExSoldier]

Evidenced by the folks at my IDPA club, the quality control on STI's can be pretty erratic, so be careful. Especially in their single stack frames.

 

[QKShooter]

pic Trojan ~ Lawman

 

[Bumper]

Yup, that's the two I am looking at, QKShooter. Probably looking closest at the Trojan with fixed sights. Would definitely change out the trigger fairly quickly. I haven't settled on the STI yet, but it is the closest one that matches all of my requirements so far.

Anyone had any experience with the Rock River 1911's?

 

[acparmed]

Bumper, have you not read what I have?

My total custom 1911 (which is custom right down to the RR BOBFORD1 serial number is a Rock River.

Chuck does a great job with these guns. Im very impressed with mine. It's more like a bullet launching precision machine, than, "just another gun" lol.

Mine is very custom however. I will attach a couple of pics. Both with the hard chrome finish before I blew the damn thing up with a double charge of Hogdon's, and the remake of it with a new top end and new "Body Coat" finish.