torn...

IF i was you?????

..if i was a rich-man i would have to buy me a S&W 1911 45 cal
but shoot the one i like runs about $1300.00 but there is not
a thing wrong with the two you spoke about,

 

Both are fantastic firearms. I personal like the Kimber better, just based on looks which we all know means nothing. The .45 I own is a S&M.
I have had my eye on the Kimber myself, and really want to add that to my
collection. But the live in girl friend & mother of my child said I can't purchase
another firearm until she gets a "ring"

 

Have owned both, and I still own the Kimber. Should give you an idea of my opinion

 

I also recommend Kimber.

They're American-made, whereas Springfield is Brazilian. I've owned 1911's by both makers, and I'll give the nod to Kimber when it comes to overall quality.

 

Love my Kimber.

 

Both Springfield and Kimber make a very good gun. I'm sure somebody gets a "lemon" now and then, but chances are you will be happy with either. Since this is your first gun, I wanted to make sure that you knew there are some fine 1911 makers out there that you did not mention. Smith & Wesson, Charles Daly, and Dan Wesson are three other brands I would look at. I was impressed with the quality of the last Dan Wesson I looked at, Charles Daly is hard to beat in price, and S&W is always a good choice IMHO.

 

I'm seeing plenty of Kimbers on Gun Broker in the sub-$1k range. Look for a Custom II, rather than one of their tricked out pistols. Really, they all shot the same. Kimber makes most of their money off of the tactical crowd these days, so your best value will lie in the Custom IIs or the Compact IIs.

Happy hunting!

 

I prefer Kimber myself....that being said I have a friend on a smaller budget and he is looking hard at the new Taurus 1911.

 

Agreed. Kimber is a fantastic company and they make great firearms. I still own my first Custom Target II and their Rimfire Target as my training gun. I owned their Raptor 4" and loved it, but have moved it on down the line in pursuit of other toys. Kimber makes a great weapon, but they know it and they charge accordingly. Their products are about as good as it gets outside of true custom work, but not many people can afford to just throw down that kind of coin, especially on their first gun.

Taurus' new PT 1911 line is quite a nice model and a great deal within the price range. Good fit and feel. Many options available and the prices are very good for the overall quality. Taurus offers an unconditional lifetime warranty, which is saying something about their commitment to you, and for your first weapon this is something you should consider. Hopefully you will have it for a long time...

 

If Budget is not a concern...

I have a close friend that is looking to get a 1911, and he is the type that researches his options quite a bit before making a decision. He is getting a Les Baer Custom - the Premier II with some options tacked on. You can pick and choose your options when ordering from them, and their reputation is very high among those in the know about 1911's from what I understand. I have also spoken with my dealer about 1911's, and his opinion is that Springfield is one of the best bargains out right now. Speak to shooters and go to some other forums before laying down 1k+...

good luck.

 

For a first gun...

Les Baer, Dave Lauck, Massad Ayoob - They all make great guns, but their custom work is at a level that your average gun owner just doesn't need, let alone afford. These are master craftsmen that have dozens of years of experience and most of their work these days is outsourced unless you are paying for their time specifically, which will cost you about as much as a new truck.

A Les Baer is going to cost you, at a minimum $1800, and that is with no options. This being your first gun, and you aren't even sure if you are in love with the 1911, that is a hell of a stretch for me. I personally wouldn't recommend dropping that kind of coin on your first piece. That's like handing the keys to a new 911 Carerra S to your 16 year old who just got their driver's license....

@ Dibby - If your friend is willing to drop that kind of cash on a 1911, do him a favor and recommend stopping by the Nighthawk Custom website - they make as good a gun, I would say better, than the customs listed above and it will save him probably a grand on the back end...

 

The quote from his "guy" was in the 1500.00 range for the base model that has most of what he is looking for. I know he looked at STI also, but not sure about Nighthawk. Thanks for the info, I will pass it along

 

It's definitely worth it - I own three of them, you can see the pics in my gallery, and they are a fine piece of kit. They eat everything you want to run through them, they can flat shoot and the finished product is flawless. The customer service is awesome.

On my first purchase, a GRP about a year and a half ago or two years ago, I called in to register it and actually talked to the lead smith who worked on the gun as he "happened to be right here". He recommended changing out the factory spring to an upgraded one since I carry with +P ammo and put it on my order at a discount, which was nice. The folks there are very cool and easy to deal with, plus you get a coupon with the weapon to buy ( 6 ) of there Novak mags for $99 - which is actually as many as you want to puchase. I bought ( 12 ) for $200 with my GRP ( $16.67 a mag - sweet ) and another ( 12 ) for my T3.

George at Michigan Gunslingers ( 248.866.5105 ) carries the whole product line & has the best overall prices I have found in the country. He is a hell of a nice guy, very knowledgable and has a standard 12 month, no interest lay away program if you can't afford the whole price up front. Spec out what you want, send a check to get started, he will commission it from Nighthawk and then you make payments and he sends the weapon to a local dealer near you once you are all squared up for you to assume it for a $35 transfer fee. I think he saved me about $300 on my T3, so it's worth shooting him a call or e-mail to price check.

D