[nhsuper44]

Doing your research before buying is always a good thing to do. That is how I went about buying my STI Trojan, never saw one or handled one, but that's me. That may not work for you. Terry.

[mesinge2]

With that budget I would wait for the new Ruger 1911

[criticalplinking]

Originally Posted by mesinge2

With that budget I would wait for the new Ruger 1911

while that Ruger (and many more 1911's) have caught my eye for sure, i just don't think i can swing the cost of the .45 ammo right now. i definitely plan on getting a .45 model at some point in the future, but i don't really see the point right now since i'm going to want to take my new baby to the range twice a week. i appreciate all of the suggestions, though! pretty much caught between the STI spartan and and PT1911.

[freefall]

Buy that 1911 .22 that Cane is always posting pics of. It will satisfy all of your longings unless you want to carry it for Serious Social Work.

[Gloves]

Originally Posted by freefall

Buy that 1911 .22 that Cane is always posting pics of. It will satisfy all of your longings unless you want to carry it for Serious Social Work.

I was just about to hijack this thread and start talking .22 conversion kits.
Can someone post economical .22 conversion kits? All the ones I've seen
are at least $500! It's just a slide, spring and a few other miscellaneous parts.

From what i've seen, 9mm is almost exactly 1/2 the cost of .45! It's like
they are charging per grain! 115 x 2 = 230 (a-WAH!?)

Let's say you can find this cheap ammo...

MY AMMO CHART FOR SAVING $$$
CALIBER.|.COST EACH....|1,000 Rounds..|5,000 Rounds
--------+--------------+--------------+-------------
.45.....|(40¢/each)....|$400..........|$2,000
9mm.....|(20¢/each)....|$200..........|$1,000
.22 LR..|(3.5¢/each)...|$35...........|$175


After seeing that, I can't believe I've waited this long to consider
a .22 conversion kit!!! PLEASE HELP!!!

[BikerRN]

If you're planning to shoot 9mm I'd stay away from the 1911 platform.

Call me a traditionalist, but the 1911 deserves a .451 diameter bullet IMHO. That and problems tend to arise when one changes the caliber from it's original designation in the 1911 platform. The new Springfield EMP is reported to have "fixed" those issues, but it's too far north of your price point to be a consideration for you at this time.

If you want a Single Action 9mm I'd look no further than John Browning's masterpiece, the Hi Power. You can find a good Used one below your price point. My suggestion would be to get one with the cast frame, as they are built to withstand +P ammunition. To tell cast from forged look at the magazine well. If the bottom of the frame has ripples that look like the ripples in a potatoe chip it's cast. If it's smooth, it's forged.

Biker

[criticalplinking]

Originally Posted by BikerRN

If you're planning to shoot 9mm I'd stay away from the 1911 platform.

Call me a traditionalist, but the 1911 deserves a .451 diameter bullet IMHO. That and problems tend to arise when one changes the caliber from it's original designation in the 1911 platform. The new Springfield EMP is reported to have "fixed" those issues, but it's too far north of your price point to be a consideration for you at this time.

If you want a Single Action 9mm I'd look no further than John Browning's masterpiece, the Hi Power. You can find a good Used one below your price point. My suggestion would be to get one with the cast frame, as they are built to withstand +P ammunition. To tell cast from forged look at the magazine well. If the bottom of the frame has ripples that look like the ripples in a potatoe chip it's cast. If it's smooth, it's forged.

Biker

Thanks for the tip! Is the feel of the Browning in-hand similar to most 1911s? Don't think I've seen any new or used BHPs at the local gun store. Lots of noob questions, I know

[Olympus]

There's nothing wrong with a 9mm in a 1911 frame. They have been being made for long enough now that companies have worked the kinks out. I would probably steer clear of RIA, because if you do have problems and they can't fix your pistol or you keep having to send it back, they will only offer to refund your pistol for the wholesale value of gun, not what you paid for it.

In 9mm, the STI Spartan would be a good option, as would the Taurus and even the Springfield Loaded. You can get the Taurus and the Springfield both in stainless steel, but not the Spartan. Both Taurus and Springfield are much larger companies than RIA/Armscor so if you have to send the gun back for any reason, they will take care of you. I believe Taurus has a policy that they don't tend to advertise, but if they keep your gun longer than 90 days, they will send you a brand new one if you ask and keep track of the days. But turnaround time isn't bad at all. I have a Taurus 1911 and I sent it back for an ambi safety that broke and it was shipped and returned in under 3 weeks. Not a single problem since then. Springfield is also a very reputable company and while I don't own a Springfield, I wouldn't have any qualms about buying a 1911 from them.

As for the Browning Hi Power, I own several of those as well and they are probably my second favorite gun design, after the 1911. Pointability is similar to the 1911, but the feel in the hand is not. The HP is a double stack mag, so the grip will be thicker than a 1911. I have small hands, so I notice that more than anything else. The trigger on a HP is not nearly as nice as a 1911 either. HPs have a mag disconnect safety that the trigger engages and it gives it a different feel than a typical SA 1911 trigger. The trigger on a HP is doing more things at once than a 1911 trigger is and you will notice. Some people will call a HP trigger "mushy". The disconnect safety can be removed though, but the triggers still don't compare to a 1911.

[criticalplinking]

Thanks, gripmaker. I loved the way the 1911 I shot felt all around, much more so than any of the other guns i've shot to date. I know whatever I end up buying will not feel and shoot exactly the same as a $2600 1911, but I might as well try and get as close as I can on my budget. From what I've read, the STI seems to fit the bill pretty well. While I do like the look of the Taurus and Springfield better, SA is just out of my price range, and im not sure if I want to "roll the dice" with the Taurus. Going off of what I've read again, the general consensus seems to be that it's less of a gamble with the PT1911, but has anyone owned or fired the PT1911 in 9mm? Again, I'm a total newbie so I'm not sure how much different the 9mm version is except for the slide/barrel/magazine. I have to wait for another paycheck or 2 before I can buy so I'm trying to do as much research and ask as many questions as possible in the meantime.

[Olympus]

The 9mm isn't going to be a much different design than a .45 except the 9mm will have a ramped barrel instead of a feed ramp that integrated into the frame like the .45.

I would think that you'd be able to find a Springfield Loaded 9mm for around $700 though?