Wessons Browns Baers etc. are not reliable? News to me. $2K isn't required to have a great operating 1911, many in the several hundred dollar range are very fine however most of these will benefit from a bit of trigger work, often with the added expense of some small parts and gunsmith time if needed. For the extra money, slide to frame and barrel bushing fit, as well as the metal finish can be top notch. There is nothing wrong with driving a Pinto. Also nothing wrong with driving a Cadillac. Having owned both I am glad I have owned both. The higher end 1911s mentioned in this thread are carried every day; by no means only safe guns or needing to be kept under glass.
Hemming and Hawing over 1911 Build
- Thread starter BISCUT
- Start date
When I was in highschool, I dreamed I was a drug dealer, and bought a new Z06 corvette. White. I kindof did that exact thing when I turned 25, lol!
I have one 1911 - an entry-level Dan Wesson Heritage that I bought about 4 years ago. Absolutely love it, and it’s been one of my most reliable pistols. In fact, in a couple thousand rounds, I’ve only had one jam, which happened the other day after I let it get very dirty and didn’t lube it at all before shooting some dirty range reloads through it.
This is the exact DW I own:
I’ve been extremely impressed with how fine the machining is, how the slide fits the frame, the consistency of the trigger - everything.
I paid a little over $1100 when I bought it about 4 years ago.
But, I’ve often thought that if I were to make the jump to an actual semi-custom, I think I would like a Les Baer. I’ve watched a few videos in which he was interviewed, and his shop was shown, and was very impressed.
Which Les Baer do you own?
Both in a way.
Have y'all seen what a running driving pinto brings these days? ⚠
1911 E-Series | Smith & Wesson
Probably similar to a running 1911. Harder to find than to buy, lol!
I’ve got a couple thousand rounds through my Colt Competition model (in .38 Super). Not one jam, FTF, FTE. Nothing. 100% reliable. A good running 1911 isn’t an anomaly, they should all run just fine.
2 of the 1911s I bought used had initial problems. A Colt Commander had an extractor problem that was solved by a knowledgeable individual bending it by hand. Had thousands of rounds through it since without another failure except for one ammunition related stovepipe that was cleared in about 1 second. The other was a Para Ord P13 I got for a song (probably because it wouldn't shoot right). It looked like it had never been cleaned. After cleaning it and discovering and replacing a bad magazine, it has not had another failure. A lot less rounds through it, though, than the Colt.
Exceptions were intentional failures put in place by my range instructor so I would become proficient in recognizing and clearing stovepipes, double feeds, failure to battery, and failure to seat the magazine. The instructor had to induce these failures because a maintained 1911 won't fail often enough for the shooter to maintain proficiency without failure drills.
Say what you want about .45 cal 1911s and the capability of the 9mm in other handguns, police who carry the 9mm evidently feel the need to shoot a suspect many many times before they consider them not to be a threat. The .45 doesn't seem to have that problem.
Exceptions were intentional failures put in place by my range instructor so I would become proficient in recognizing and clearing stovepipes, double feeds, failure to battery, and failure to seat the magazine. The instructor had to induce these failures because a maintained 1911 won't fail often enough for the shooter to maintain proficiency without failure drills.
Say what you want about .45 cal 1911s and the capability of the 9mm in other handguns, police who carry the 9mm evidently feel the need to shoot a suspect many many times before they consider them not to be a threat. The .45 doesn't seem to have that problem.
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