Interestingly enough, by title, I came here thinking gun stocks. Now that I read 'makers of stock 1911s' into it, I almost feel I should leave, but since the previous poster suggested tons of opinions, I'm now ready and willing. Stock to me means bare bones, basic model. In my opinion, who's been making them longer? Colt? I depended on a Colt M1911A1 starting in 1982 during my service days. As with most of the platforms I dealt with in service, like the M40A1, M870, M16, and M1911....I tend to surround myself in this more modern era with the same or similar. Granted I couldn't afford a Colt in everything for one reason or another, and I've been through a couple of 1911 pistols as a member of the general population. Much as the notion still nags at me for want of another 1911 pistol, and if price was not of concern, I would go with a Colt today. I'm no 1911 expert by any means, so just remember that. You'll likely get better advice from others who are, but realize we'll all have bias one way or another. Secondly, Springfield Armory to my thinking......why I'm thinking may still mainly be due to those manufacturers that have supplied the nation's military for the longest times and hardest times in any firearms. If it comes to an M1A, Springfield would get #1 spot in my opinion, but second on the 1911. I built a custom out of a Norinco 1911A1 in the 90's, and basically it felt and worked just like the Colt I'd been accustomed to the decade before. When they say "copy", this was it and I had to have one, but submitted to the growing hype of custom 1911s, and ended up fiddling with it when I didn't really need to. That Norinco was a good shooter, and I later found out that Wilson's Combat would build off them for a custom. That says something to those who would otherwise laugh at the notion of a Chinese copy of the original back in those days. I bought that Norinco for $389 at a gun show. If I could find one these days at the same price and quality, I'd be likely to sell something to get one if it came to that. They're almost extinct now, and in the hands of those who know their true worth now and won't give them up.
I've contemplated another 1911 several times over the past four years or so, and the somewhat customized versions have appealed to me more than they should as I had seriously looked at the Taurus PT1911, and the RIA models. But when I think of how it all comes down to it, and what I would really want is like you...........one of the basic, "stock" 1911s the way they used to be. It's not on the radar for me now, but always in the back of my mind and not too far away. One of these days I'll have one in my hand again, and it seems to me that I'll almost need to have another before I die to feel complete.
Colt, Springfield, Norinco. All the others just got on the boat IMO. A lot of the best things came from history, and history is getting hard to find.
opcorn:
