.....
Now I have the itch for a good-quality 1911 .45 (I got it bad...). I know this is hardly a new thread thus far, but I'm looking for opinions on thresholds of quality. For example, I can pick up a Rock Island for around 500 bucks - will that have the quality that I'm accustomed to? Or for example, Kimber has the awesome Pro Carry series if I'm willing to step up to the $800-1000 range. Is that good enough, or will I truly see another level of quality by going into the $1500-3000+ range of the Wilson Combat/Ed Brown offerings?
I really don't care to pay extra for name recognition, resale value, or status. However, I really do appreciate fine craftsmanship (mechanical, not cosmetic) and am trying to dial in the correct bang-for-the-buck on this next purchase.
Your most pragmatic opinions are appreciated!
Rock Island is making a fine gun, if I were operating on a tight budget that would be my piece, even more so that the PT1911.
Will that have the quality that I'm accustomed
to?
Better than a Hi Point in the long run I'd say, but I'd have to put it below Glock in overall terms. Some of the parts/fitting are a
little rough.
Is there a difference in the overall quality of Kimber and Wilson, Ed Brown, Les Baer etc.? YES.
"Is that good enough?"
That's a matter of perception and opinion. With my track record with Kimber it's hard to recommend them, but I will say that the happy end-users out number the unhappy end-users. So I will neither recommend or not recommend them. Kimber makes a nice gun, but they are no Wilson Combat or Les Baer and that's all I'm going to say other than I've had four Kimbers, three of them have been "Custom Shop" guns. My "working" 1911s are as follows: 1 Wilson, 1 Les Baer, 1 Springfield and 1 Kimber.
....I really don't care to pay extra for name recognition, resale value, or status. However, I really do appreciate fine craftsmanship
Given that, I'm going to throw out the default answer, go with a Springfield Loaded or Dad Wesson CBOB or other DW 1911. They are a little more finely made than other mid-tier options. And I don't find you're paying more for the name. There are two makers of 1911s where I think you're paying for the name, that's Colt and Kimber.
As I've said previously regarding the PT1911, yes they have a good set of options, but most of them are standard on the base model from most makers of 1911s, to recap:
"Standard features worth over $2100 on a custom gun" Yet I didn't pay anywhere near that for my Les Baer TRS or Wilson Combat, and don't even try to compare the PT1911 to those, I'll laugh myself to death.
Beaver Tail: Almost industry standard
Elongated RH safety: Almost industry standard
Ambi-Safety: If you're LH, sure it's nice, if not why do you really want the ambi safety? - Factory Option on SA Loaded
Full Length Guide Rod: Useless upgrade usually used to justify a higher cost.
Lowered and Flared Ejection Port: Industry Standard
Machine Checkered Front Strap: Functional, yet butt-ugly
Heinie or Novak Sights: I list both as the original PT 1911 had Heinie style sights, but now they have Novak (or Novak style sights) Oddly enough, one of the biggest complaints about the early PT 1911 was that users did not like the Heinie sights. Taurus lists the front sight as being genuine Novak, but nothing about the rear on some of the newer models. So you're getting either plain black or three dot Novak style sights, just like you're getting on a Kimber (I know they are not Novak, but are "better" than stock GI sights and are pretty nice sights) S&W, Springfield, Para, what ever.
I'll have to look at the advertisement for the PT1911 again to see what all they list as "Custom Features", but lets be honest. What they are putting off as custom, really isn't. I know, I know, I'm just a gun snob hating on the Taurus. I'm not. I'm just stating an educated opinion. I think it's great that it costs less, but I don't think it deserves the hype that it gets. Do I own one? No. But lets face it, if all that stuff costs $2000k to do to a gun, how is Taurus NOT loosing money? If you compare any Taurus to the originals that they are copying, you can see the difference, the same applies to the PT1911. Will it go bang just like a higher costing 1911? Sure. But if you do appreciate a better fit, finish, appearance, build quality etc. You can do better than a PT 1911.
Now all that being said, if I wanted a RAILED 1911 and I didn't want to pay out close to $1K, I WOULD buy the railed PT1911.
I guess it all depends on what you want.
Here's the blog I wrote on 1911s in general.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Don't like what I have to say? Here's an article from Hilton Yam:
Choosing a 1911 for Duty Use