Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

Hey guys lookin for some help here,
I'm lookin for a M-1911 .45 cal and I don't know what brand would be best to get (Thompson, Kimber, Springfield, etc...). I'm lookin for somethin nice that can be used for personal carry and such. Price isn't much of an option but i'm also not gonna get something for thats $1,200 or more, unless its customized which I do plan on doing anyway. If anyone could give me a reliable maker one or two for comparison would be even better. I'm lookin to keep the size normal no barrel extention or shorter than the origional, Thanks everyone

P.S. if anyone knows a site that I can look at custom grips and other customizing nessesities :D that would be great

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

stalker: there are .45's listed in the classifieds. Have a look.

Are you looking for a 1911, or 11-A-1? It may be worthwhile to look for a used one (good condition) and have it built to your specs. At least that way you know what you have. :)

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

SilentStalker8mm,
Welcome to the boards:)
There are a lot of Kimber folks on these boards and they are indeed great guns, but since you mentioned that you would be interested in doing the "custom" work your self, which usually entails picking out a bunch of options and having someone else do the work, I might give the Springfield or Colt "G.I. Issue" models a hard look. Both are in the $500 price range and I'm sure aare shooters right out of the box but those models can always stand a little extra "love".
Good Luck

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

Hey thanks for the info, i'll say either or on the model, I don't truly know the difference between the 1911 and the 11-A-1, the 1911 I believe is the Military version but like I siad before when I finish with it its not gonna be mil spec :D. X-mountie what did you mean by the classifieds? they have them on this site? I am pretty new to the pistol area of firearms. all I know is I shot a friends kimber and loved it, some sort of special addition thing and like I mentioned I want to customize it. Oh and mountie, how can I have it built to my specs if I buy it used nd how can I ensure the quality? thanks again, any model names or websites that you trust would be appreciated

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

There are only subtle differences between the 1911 and 1911A1-
The military replaced the 1911 with the 1911A1 in the 1920's.

The 1911 has a flat mainspring housing and a landyard loop.
The 1911A1 generally has an arched mainspring housing and no landyard loop. For all practical purposes, they are the same pistol.

The Kimbers are good, but I think a bit pricey and have the stupid Shwartz safety. The Colt 1991 is a good basic pistol and I actually like them better than the Kimbers. I bought a Springfield Loaded model (blued) for about $675 mainly on the decision that it doesn't have any of the stupid firing pin block safeties, but has a safety that can lock out the mainspring housing that can easily removed. I've been really happy with the pistol and it still hasn't had a single problem yet after 500 rds through it.

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

If I were gonna get one and customize it myself I would go for the Springfield GI model.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/pr...-1911-GI.shtml

There is a local guy in Denver that just had them on sale for $375.00. So you can get them pretty inexpensively. This would be a good option if you're gonna customize it yourself.

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

Cool thanks a bunch, One other question, You said a guy in Denver was sellin em cheap, I live in PA can you purchase a gun from another owner and have it shiped like you can ammo from UPS? or is there some legal things you have to do and if so would it be cheaper to just go to ACE Sporting Goods and find one (which will probably be around 500 or more i'd expect).

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

If money is no problem then why not go ahead and buy a kimber and trick it out the way you want it.

The thing about the kimbers is that there is going to be little that you can do to improve them. They are awsome awsome guns.

Do let us know what you end up doing though.
One more thing though. Yes you can ship pistols through the UPS. Just tell the guy to take it apart and ship it to you in differant boxes. Perfectly legal. Becouse it is parts not the full pistol.

Good Luck
Leroy

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

I'll let u all know what I get its probably going to be a Kimber Custom II or something similar. I've been lookin for an hour and still can't find any site that sells/makes custom grips, only one I can find is like Ivory and Elephant tusks....no thanks. if anyone has gotten em or knows a site I can check out plz let me know
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review..._Custom_II.htm
here is the website for the kimber let me know what you guys think
oh hey as I was typing I was searchin as well and came across this site, sounds and looks good......check it out
http://www.jardinescustom.com/custom1911s.html
anyone been here before?

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

That is entirely wrong and could get you jail time if caught.


Yes you can ship guns in the mail, UPS or whatever but there are stipulations. You can't simply take it apart and put it in the mail.

You must go to a gun shop and have them give you a signed copy of their FFL. You must mail it along with your payment to the shipping dealer. The shipping dealer keeps the copy of the FFL for their records and ships the gun to the same shop that you got the FFL from. This shop will call you when the gun arrives and then perform the required back ground check and paperwork. After the background check you go home with the gun after paying the store a transfer fee which is usually $10 - $25 for the paperwork and background check.

You can ship all of the parts except for the controled part, which is usually the frame or receiver, with normal shipping methods. The controled part is the part that has the sereal number stamped on it. At least this part must be shipped in the manner above and the required background check and paperwork filled out.

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

Thanks man I don't need arrested. Anyway I found this one site while I was browsing around this guy makes customs w/e u want/need apparently and I figured let yaw all know about it u don't already.......
http://www.jardinescustom.com/custom1911s.html
Well no new news I sent this guy an email cause it a toll to call so waiting on a reply. I know I’ve been asking a lot of questions some may be rather dumb but I honestly have little knowledge of handguns side from how big a hole a 50 can make =). If anyone has any idea of things I could have added to my 45 w/e I get it let me know. I'm thinking on night sights (not sure what other name they are called) but not sure what else.

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

Ooh them Jardine pistols look very very nice. Built on Valtro pistols that cost $2500 without the customizations.
I didn't see any prices on the site, but judging by the looks of them and the high level of customization on them, they probably won't let you touch one unless you have $5000-$6000 burning a hole in your pocket[:o] Heck some of the knives they have pictured with the pistols are worth more than a Springfield Milspec:D


If you want to go to a good website that might help you find the right 1911, check out http://1911forum.com/

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

question, that site, would that all work for the M1911A1 as well? And that is expencive as all ****, you sure thats what it would run?

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

Those 1911's are not your every day, run of the mill 1911's. Kimber anit got nothin on those.

Everything on those is hand fitted custom parts. You won't find anything "stock" about them. There is a heck of a lot of work that goes into those 1911's.

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

ok guys thats way outa my price range so hows bout this one on the site u gave me The M1911 Pistols forum, i found this is it any good? something i could customize a bit?
http://www.m1911.org/full_models.htm its the 2nd one down called Auto-Ordnance's section revised.....the Stainless Steel one should be first to come up what ya all think of that?

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

I would stay away from autoordinance- stick with Colt, Springfield inc, and Kimber if you want a quality handgun at a decent price.

If you want a basic model I would go with a Springfield Mil-spec.
Here's a site where a pistolsmith has done some serious torture tests on a springfield G.I. milspec- its a pretty good read if you follow his links. http://thehighroad.org/showthread.ph...threadid=81964

The standard milspec is pretty much the same pistol as the G.I. milspec, except with better sights, a lowered and flared ejection port and grasping grooves on the front of the slide- they sell for around $450.

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

I have a buddy who is a pretty good target shooter w/ 1911's. He buys Auto Ordinance and Llama pistols. He then strips them down, keeps the frame, and throws everything else away. He then buys parts from Wilson Combat and others and rebuilds the pistols into competition guns.

If what you mean by "customizing one yourself" is similar, go for it. Either gun can be bought for around 250.00 to 350.00 dollars. Then you can order the parts you want, and fix it up the way you want.

Of course, by the time he's done, he's got about as much tied up in his guns as you'd spend if you got a Kimber or something similar all ready to go.

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

hey Danny, thanks for the info i just took a look at the wilson combat homepage and that place seems to have a ton of addon/modifications you could get. got one question if I bought say a M1911A1 base for 350 how hard is it to "Customize it" by ones self? I have never done something like this before is there anything I should keep in mind or is it simply take one piece off and replace it with the new one?

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

I might suggest if you are going to all the trouble to buy a base model 1911-A1 and then strip it and throw away the "spare" parts,...just go to Brownell's or Midway's home page and see what a "matched" frame and slide cost. Maybe a Caspian or even a STI or something like that. It will be totally custom as you have selected the parts.

It can be, but generally these parts are slightly oversized to be fitted, by a competent gunsmith for a nice tight fit. Which is the reason for my earlier suggestion. If you have to visit/pay a gunsmith anyway, might as well drop off a bag of parts and have your gun fitted together with the parts you want the first time.;)

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

I've seen some of the homejob customizations- parts poorly fitted, and probably unsafe. The parts you can order are sometimes described as 'drop-in' pieces which might work but will probably fit loosely. Unless you have the techinical knowhow, you should just leave the 1911's alone. I wouldn't even be comfortable sending mine to a neighborhood smith for a trigger job let alone have a safety fitted.

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

hey guys I found what i'm gettin its a Kimber Custom II, found it at the Local Ace Sporting goods store for only $788.88 not to bad considering. I know I want new Dot sights not sure if I want night sights or not and I want new grips so any info u can give me on good places to look would be great. I already checked out that 1911 forum.com they have alot of cool stuff but none of the designs cought my eyeand those that did didn't give me a price. Thanks for all the help

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

I bought a Colt 1991 last year. It was used, and no longer in production. I believe I paid $569 for it. I may have paid a tad much, but its not one that I have seen around here before. I would look into the Springfield Armory 1911's or ParaOrdnance. PA has a compact .45 on the 1911 design, but that is much more compact and carries a 3" barrel.

RE: Need Help with a .45 M-1911
 

Hello again, still lookin for a place to get some decent lookin grips and a holster as well as any ideas on a good dot sight, wether it be night sights or not. Any info would be much appreciated, and again thanks for all your help, you have been very helpful