colt, kimber or springfield

[wildchild]

all in 1911 style. Anyone have any honest comparisons in regards to reliability, trigger pull, accuracy of the handgun.

pricewise the springfield is 600, colt 950 and kimber is right around 900 - 950.

what makes the two worth much more?

just looking for opinions. obviously comfort and actual shooting will play into whether or not one gets chosen over another. I have not shot any of them but have held the Kimber and worked action and such. very comfortable to my hand.
i have to say though if I can save 350 bones and have a weapon of equal quality I'd be leaning that way.

[Kaneman]

I don't like my Dad's Kimber 3", seems to jam MUCH more than any gun with that rep and at that price point should. The magazines are hard to get in sometimes too.

Never shot a Colt or a Springfield, but I love my Taurus 1911.

[wildchild]

that's funny because I just bought a Taurus .357 everyone said I should stay with "namebrand" and that I would regret the Taurus. I love it so far. it's a revolver how much could go wrong? it has the reliability of a hammer.

[Kaneman]

that's funny because I just bought a Taurus .357 everyone said I should stay with "namebrand" and that I would regret the Taurus. I love it so far. it's a revolver how much could go wrong? it has the reliability of a hammer.

Yea, my Taurus was $600 I think, Dad's Kimber was $900+...and yet mine has never jammed and I shoot tighter groups. Granted, mine is full size.

[Riceaholic]

Para Ordinance makes very nice 1911's as well in that price range. I have a Warthog (subcompact .45) that I love.

[goof2]

I have a full size Springfield GI model in stainless. I have no complaints. I haven't tracked it but I would guess I have around 4-5,000 rounds through it. The only problem I have had was the tip of the extractor broke off. Springfield has a lifetime warranty so I called and told them about it, they emailed me a prepaid FedEx overnight label, fixed it, and shipped it back all at no charge. Turn around time was about a week and a half.

My only regret with the gun is I should have got the Mil-Spec model instead of the GI. The GI sights are blacked out and it is difficult to aim without bright lighting while the Mil-Spec has three dot sights. The Mil-Spec also has a lowered and flared ejection port. Without that the GI mostly sends empty shell casings directly over my head. The rest of the time it sends them in to my forehead, behind my safety glasses, down my shirt, and various other places. The extra charge for the Mil-Spec is worth it if for no other reason than to avoid dancing around like an idiot to get a hot shell casing out of your shirt.:lol:

[Smittie61984]

that's funny because I just bought a Taurus .357 everyone said I should stay with "namebrand" and that I would regret the Taurus. I love it so far. it's a revolver how much could go wrong? it has the reliability of a hammer.

I agree. I got a Taurus 44mag for my first pistol and then a Taurus stub nose 357 for my truck gun. Even with it getting rained on from leaving the windows down and outright neglect, it still fires like a champ. My S&W 45 was nothing but a piece of shit and I sold that fucker off quick.

I am a Kimber man. I don't own one but have shot a ton of them. I really like how they all come pre melted too. Colts are very good 1911s and would get a Colt in a heartbeat. I've never shot a Springfield pistol that wasn't an XD but I think they are solid built guns.

[OTB]

The extra charge for the Mil-Spec is worth it if for no other reason than to avoid dancing around like an idiot to get a hot shell casing out of your shirt.:lol:


Yea, though I walk through the Valley of Death, I am the dancingest MoFo in the valley....
http://www.gifmania.co.uk/weapons/target-practice/frange.gif

['73 H1 Triple]

New Kimbers are a crap shoot. You may get a good one or it may have to go back for work to get it right. An older Kimber are fitted better, they seem to have gotten too popular and the quality has suffered.

The only Colt 1911 I'd own would be a series 70 or earlier. You seem to be paying more for the name than the quality.

I own a Springfield 1911-A1 in .45 acp. I purchased the what they now sell as the GI model ( parkerized ) and had some work done. Trigger ( set at 4.5 lbs ), sear, hammer, springs, mag well chamfered, ejection port relieved and a new fitted barrel bushing. I was going to have the slide matched to the frame but my gunsmith said it was tight enough and to save the money. I also added Pacmayr wrap around grips.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/JRD77VET/Seneca%20Arms%20Co/DCP_1637A.jpg

It's my primary carry weapon. That's how confident I am in Springfield :yes:

[dReWpY]

I love my springfield never had a problem

[goof2]

Yea, though I walk through the Valley of Death, I am the dancingest MoFo in the valley....
http://www.gifmania.co.uk/weapons/target-practice/frange.gif

Too true.:lol:

[racedoll]

I shot a few Kimbers and weren't impressed with them, especially for how much they cost. Never shot a 1911 Springfield, but their other guns are very nice and are on my wish list. I own a Colt, but only for looks.

I'd say go shoot and make your decision then.

[wildchild]

I have a full size Springfield GI model in stainless. I have no complaints. I haven't tracked it but I would guess I have around 4-5,000 rounds through it. The only problem I have had was the tip of the extractor broke off. Springfield has a lifetime warranty so I called and told them about it, they emailed me a prepaid FedEx overnight label, fixed it, and shipped it back all at no charge. Turn around time was about a week and a half.

My only regret with the gun is I should have got the Mil-Spec model instead of the GI. The GI sights are blacked out and it is difficult to aim without bright lighting while the Mil-Spec has three dot sights. The Mil-Spec also has a lowered and flared ejection port. Without that the GI mostly sends empty shell casings directly over my head. The rest of the time it sends them in to my forehead, behind my safety glasses, down my shirt, and various other places. The extra charge for the Mil-Spec is worth it if for no other reason than to avoid dancing around like an idiot to get a hot shell casing out of your shirt.:lol:

perfect review, that was the version i was going to look at. think i'll look at the mil spec instead. i am a lousy dancer. LOL

[goof2]

perfect review, that was the version i was going to look at. think i'll look at the mil spec instead. i am a lousy dancer. LOL

No problem. I like the plain look of the GI but there is a tradeoff in functionality, one I wouldn't make again. I didn't mention actually shooting but in that respect I have been very pleased with it. No problems with feeding or ejecting any of the ammo I have used (mostly Winchester White Box and Remington UMC, both standard FMJ). It is a lot more accurate than I am as well. I don't regret getting the Springer over a Colt or Kimber and the difference in price paid for 1,000+ rounds of ammo.

[Inferno]

I had a SS Springer 1911a1 MilSpec, nice gun. IMO, Kimber, Colt and SA quality 1911's are all just about equal. They all had the Mil contract at one time or another. From what I have seen, SA's 1911's are priced a bit lower than similar Colts and Kimbers.
What I would like is a Colt .38 Super nickel plated 1911

[fnfalman]

Can't say that I'm impressed by any of these choices, but then I can't stand M1911s anyway.

Though I didn't turn down the $350 for a Parkerized Loaded. It'll worth a lot more than that comes tradin' time.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f308/fnfalman/Guns/M19M1911Loaded023.jpg

[Adeptus_Minor]

Though I didn't turn down the $350 for a Parkerized Loaded. It'll be worth a lot more than that comes tradin' time.


Ya think?! Holy shit, dude. Compared to MSRP, that's a steal at twice the price.
Why don't deals like that ever come my way*?






*when I have the cash to actually act on them

[fnfalman]

Ya think?! Holy shit, dude. Compared to MSRP, that's a steal at twice the price.
Why don't deals like that ever come my way*


*when I have the cash to actually act on them

Deals like that don't come my way all that often either. I'd dare say this is the second time in twenty-something years.

I got a SW Gunsite for $400 some years back. Once again, can't stand the M1911 platform, but for the price I figured what the fuck. I'd keep that gun though just so that I can talk shit about M1911s AND it does have the cool Raven.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f308/fnfalman/Guns/Thanksgiving016.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f308/fnfalman/Guns/Thanksgiving017.jpg

[Smittie61984]

Why don't deals like that ever come my way*?

*when I have the cash to actually act on them

I'm with you there. I see them all the time and usually am just short of having the cash to do it which makes it shitty. The Dixie Chicks could be giving away blow jobs for $10 but I'll only have $9.95.

[tallywacker]

Para Ordinance makes very nice 1911's as well in that price range. I have a Warthog (subcompact .45) that I love.

Oh yeah? I've had nothing but problems with my para and had to take it to a gunsmith to have it machined to get it to feed

[Riceaholic]

Oh yeah? I've had nothing but problems with my para and had to take it to a gunsmith to have it machined to get it to feed

Really? What model? I've had mine for years and never had a problem. It's the only Para or 1911 I've ever had so I don't really have anything to compare it to.

A couple of friends bought the same one as a carry piece based on the good results I've had with mine and haven't had any problems either. Maybe I just got a good one...:lol:

[fnfalman]

I'm with you there. I see them all the time and usually am just short of having the cash to do it which makes it shitty. The Dixie Chicks could be giving away blow jobs for $10 but I'll only have $9.95.

There was a time when somebody had a Steyr SSG69 with the factory Kahles scope for sales at $650 and I only had $500.

[nhgunnut]

One of the reasons for the price differences is places that are manufactured. The Last Springfield I owned was South American. That is not to say it was a bad gun just very different labor costs.

[tallywacker]

Really? What model? I've had mine for years and never had a problem. It's the only Para or 1911 I've ever had so I don't really have anything to compare it to.

A couple of friends bought the same one as a carry piece based on the good results I've had with mine and haven't had any problems either. Maybe I just got a good one...:lol:

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o242/thepittman/SSPX0010.jpg

They reimbursed me for the repair though, I guess I shouldn't be so negative, its a Night factory custom we go on a group buy with our unit laser etched on it when we got back from Iraq, only thing different from the rest of the full size is the light rail