High End 1911s

[coop44]

Isn't Cabot's whole deal that they are "clones", machine produced and not hand fitted ? I got to handle a couple of their early guns at Shot 12 and they didn't feel any better or worse than Browns, Wilsons etc.
How was shooting it "beyond compare" ?
For that money I'd much sooner pay Yost, Burton, Christiansen or such to make a true custom

they are beautifully fit and hand finished, and function smoother and have a great feel. the polish on the slide of the one I shot was like a perfect mirror with no distortion of the reflection. Not the 'funhouse mirror" effect of being held to long against a polishing wheel. Releasing the slide, feeling and hearing it just "snick" into battery. very nice. shot a 3/4 inch 5 shot group (25') with it one handed, of course on a Ransom rest I'm sure it would do much better. I'm sure if it was checked against "as designed" specs it would be spot on.

 

[glockman99]

I don't need a "high-dollar" 1911...I have this one, and it is an EXCELLENT pistol...

 

[asiparks]

No one "needs" a high dollar 1911, but that's missing the point.

 

[cookie]

The Dan Wesson line of 1911 is like buying Wilson Combat quality at Kimber prices no MIM parts.

 

[RetiredLEO]

Like many of you I've owned, carried and shot the snot out of most of them (Wilson, Baer, Brown, etc.)...in my case for fun, in competition (40,000-60,000 rounds per year, USGovt sponsored) and professionally. I ended up with the one that was most dependable, most accurate, fit me the best, and the manufacturer that gave me top service..... Nighthawk Custom. Their T3T is an example of the best that the 1911 platform has to offer, perfect balance, 4.25" bbl for reliability, accuracy and sight radius, hand fitted with no MIM parts, perfect carry size, reliability 100%, outstanding accuracy, etc. With $60.00 worth of Cerakote (Legendary Coatings, Grants Pass, Or) on the frame and slide semi gloss (extra hardener) you can use Anything to clean it and the durability is amazing.
When my competitive shooting career came to an end last year due to loss of sponsorship (at age 75) I bought my own T3T for my duty weapon. That'll tell you how much trust I put into them.
There was nothing wrong with my Wilson CQB at all, good company, good weapon(s), nice people, the T3T just fit my hands better, balanced better and I shot it better.
Best advice, buy a slightly used one shoot it for a while, then go to a range and shoot anything else. It will put your choice into perspective. Hint...look in the NWFA Handgun Classified ads. Why would anyone sell what they felt was the perfect pistol?? Only to raise funds for retirement.
Best of luck with your search.
Semper Fi

 

[geometro]

My short list FWIW: Springfield Professional or something from Liebenberg at pistoldynamics.com

 

[Truenorth]

For $800 I bought a German made Sig Sauer Tac Ops 1911 with 3 factory magazine and night sights that never jams and shoots like a dream.
The quality of manufacturing is top notch. Slide to frame fit is on par with My John Harrison custom Colt 70.

 

[edslhead]

Was thinking of getting one of the recommended 45's and putting the Rowland on it. Anyone try or know if they are worth a hoot?

<broken link removed>

 

[TfflHndn]

Discount Guns in Federal Way has a Nighthawk in their used case for $2700. Really pretty, and feels good in the hand. If I was in the market for something at that price... Wish I could have put some rounds through it.

 

[flhx2008]

For $800 I bought a German made Sig Sauer Tac Ops 1911 with 3 factory magazine and night sights that never jams and shoots like a dream.
The quality of manufacturing is top notch. Slide to frame fit is on par with My John Harrison custom Colt 70.

Sig is also my favourite.

 

[Rem725]

I think I'm going to start saving for a high end 1911. I know of Wilson, Baer, Brown, and Night Hawk. Out of those, and what ever others you might like, which is the best money spent? Say, $3500 tops. I love the look of the Wilson logo on the slide of their pistols. I want something "elegant" and functional. Nothing "tactical". I like blued finish, or maybe stainless. I've had a few Kimbers and Springfields, and one Colt, I've liked them all.

What I have in mind -
Full size
Front checkering
Front slide serrations
Novak style sights
.45ACP
Wood grips
Blued or maybe stainless (or shiny black coating)

Cabot
http://cabotgun.com/better-than-custom-1911-pistols/

Strahan
http://accu-lockpistols.com/options.html

Chambers
http://chamberscustom.com/

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Got a spare 3-4K? I make a joke but after shooting a Wilson they are fantastic!
In all honesty I have a CZ 75BSA that has been smithed by Fred at C.a.R. that the accuracy is every bit as good as the Wilson for 1/5th the total cost.

That has been my experience, also. I only have one 1911 left in the safe a mirror polished (factory) Colt Officers Model, smithed by Shooters Service Center in North PDX. It's my only pistol with a name. I'll never sell it. Dead accurate, dead reliable, beautiful machine! It's worth about 1.5 K.

PS: It was my carry gun for several years!

 

[45 for me]

My 2 cents. I have owned a Les Baer Premier II, and own a Wilson Supergrade. That probably let's you know who I prefer.

I owned the Baer for probably 15 years and shot many thousands of rounds through it. It held up extremely well, even when I sold it, you still needed a bushing wrench to take it apart. Fit was very tight everywhere. Accuracy in my hands was better than everything I owned at the time except a 22 target pistol, it was about on par with that. It was made before the 1.5" guarantee at 50 yrds, but I'm sure it would have made that easily. The bad news was that it wasn't reliable enough. Fine for the range, but not protection. I shot it with cheap FMJ ammo, and once it started getting dirty, it started failing to feed. Not a lot, but I don't like any. It's almost like the gun was too tight, even after all those years.

The Wilson is why I sold the Baer. It did everything the Baer did (for more money of course) but hasn't malfunctioned yet. It also does fine with JHP, which the Baer didn't like as much. Fit and finish was similar, although Wilson does a better job of knocking off the sharp edges. The Baer was blued with a beautiful bluing and shine. The Wilson finish is tougher and more modern, but they all look like spray paint. To me the bluing is much better looking.

Baer's process is a little more like an assembly line, which helps keep costs down. I think at Wilson, a master smith spends more time finishing the gun. The result is something that is smooth, tight, accurate, and reliable.

Here is the Baer:



And here is the Wilson:



I may get flamed for this, I think the best gun for the money (ergonomics, accuracy, quality, reliability, fit and finish) are the German made Sig X5 & X6. You can get them for about 2k.


PS - the first place to look when you have reliability problems with a 1911 is the magazine, and back when I had the Baer, I would use any brand - Mcormick, pachmyr, Brown. The Brown worked best by far. Now days, I use Wilson mags exclusively in all my 1911's, and maybe if I had done so with the Baer, it might have made it better. Even with the Brown mag, it still had trouble with JHP.