# cheapest 1911 question



## hideit

what is a good cheap 1911 framed gun?

bass pro has the taurus PT1911b on sale for $529.

I was wondering FOR HOME DEFENSE if there is another 1911 out there that is cheaper with the beaver tail grip
and if not
is the taurus 1911 is a long lived gun or do they have parts problems


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## Shipwreck

I would buy a Springfield Mil Spec - cheapest 1911 I'd buy.

The ads for the Taurus that advertsie all the features of the gun adding up to $1500-$2000 (I forget their exact #). Don't fall for that. Go grab a $1500-$2000 1911 and compare it to the Taurus - no comparison...

Without getting into my opinions on Taurus, I'd recommend the Springer!


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## DevilsJohnson

The Taurus PT1911 is probably the best buy out of the box and would tell anyone to get one. _if_ they already had a Springfield first. LOL...I just really like those Mil-Spec Springers:smt023


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## Mike Barham

Why would you look for the _cheapest_ 1911 if you are going to be relying on it to potentially protect you and your family? Cheap 1911s seldom work perfectly, especially with good JHPs. But for the same price as a low-end 1911, you can get a modern non-1911 pistol that will work with near-perfect reliability and with any reasonable ammo.

The 1911 is a good, if very old, gun that was designed when skilled hand-fitting was normal and somewhat affordable. It doesn't lend itself well to modern, slapdash assembly by the unskilled, uninterested workers of today's gun factories.

If you have $500 to spend on a defense gun, I'd pass on all the low-end 1911s and start looking at reliable modern pistols like Glocks, XDs, M&Ps and the like.


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## drummin man 627

*Good, but inexpensive 1911*

The Armscor/ Rock Island Armory (R.I.A.) is the way to go. 
Check these two sites. The first is their section @ m1911.org. They are very highly recommended by actual users, not just "ney" sayers. Many of the members own several variations. Granted they ain't Colts. http://forum.m1911.org/ 
Second is a place to buy them at a very good price. http://www.sarcoinc.com/rockislands-new.html Note: they even list .38 supers. :smt023


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## DevilsJohnson

Lot of people don't like the Rock island 1911's but from what I've seen they will give you your money's worth:smt023


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## Shipwreck

DevilsJohnson said:


> Lot of people don't like the Rock island 1911's but from what I've seen they will give you your money's worth:smt023


I don't wanna get into a pissing match again with the RIA fans, but I personally wouldn't get one. Springer Mil Spec is the cheapest 1911 I'd buy if I wanted one.


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## DevilsJohnson

Oh I in the end will agree with you. I own a Mil-Spec Springfield and it is one of my favorite guns to shoot when I notice I just have way too much ammo and my guns are just too clean to clean:smt082 I've shot a few RIA 1911's and I think they are pretty good for what you are going to pay.:smt1099


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## 45 doctor

hideit said:


> what is a good cheap 1911 framed gun?
> 
> bass pro has the taurus PT1911b on sale for $529.
> 
> I was wondering FOR HOME DEFENSE if there is another 1911 out there that is cheaper with the beaver tail grip
> and if not
> is the taurus 1911 is a long lived gun or do they have parts problems


I would have to agree with SHIPWERCK. The Springfield is a good solid 1911 platform. As for "home defense", I would not bet my life or the lifes of my family on a "good cheap 1911".

I have said in several other posts that I carry and shoot Dan Wessons. This is a gun that I am comfortable trusting my life to. I have put 1000's of rounds thru both of mine and the only I have had are the ones that I caused myself with my reloads.

Please do a little reading of various models that intrest you then buy whatever fits your needs. Don't buy a cheap 1911 just to have one unless it's just for fun plinking. Thats my 2 cents, hope it helps and did not offend.


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## SAS MAYHEM

My ROCK, rocks. A super shooter. But so is my EAA Witness .45 :smt023


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## Mystro

Others have said too... "Cheap" and "Home Defense" DO NOT go together!


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## drummin man 627

"Cheap" and "inexpensive" are not the same. Plastic is "cheap".


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## nemesis

hideit said:


> I was wondering FOR HOME DEFENSE if there is another 1911 out there that is cheaper with the beaver tail grip


Let's consider this for a moment.

You're going to buy a new pistol to defend your home and family and the principal criteria is that it must be cheap.

If price is the principal consideration, what is the value of the lives of you and your family?


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## drummin man 627

Hideit, I forgot to answer your second question. The Taurus PT1911 seems to have only one repeated flaw. The finish is thin and shows wear quickly. A couple have had failures due to magazine dificulties, but that seems common with most 1911s.


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## 45 doctor

I was just at my Wed. night bowling pin shoot and I thought you might like to know this. I hate to bash any gun maker but, last night was the third time that I had to help someone put the thumb safety back on their Taurus PT 1911. It just flat fell off while they were firing. This was on three different guns. Two of them we put the safetys back on with no further issues that night and one was sent back to Taurus for repair. Still waiting on word of what was wrong with the gun.

Kind'a makes you wonder if this is a production thing or quality control. I know this is only three guns out of ????? many, but this is the kind of thing that would make this a plinker or range gun in my book. Not something I would bet my life on, not until the gun maker got these issues sorted out.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.


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## Tactical Tom

"CHEAP" 1911 - Firestorm 1911 clone = JUNK
"Quality/Low priced" 1911- Rock Island Armory = Good Deal
I Love my Rock, it's accurate & functions great ! The only problem that I've had with this 1911 is the mag (novac). Easy fix - get a Wilson mag!
But like the others said , if your going to carry & depend on this firearm get yourself a GLOCK :mrgreen: or Springer XD or FN . All these can be had for $500.00 or less. just look around.


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## BRSmith

I have 2 1911's a Charles Daly EFS and a Springfield Mil-spec ss.. Neither is my home defense gun, that job belongs to my Ruger Blackhawk .41 mag. I'll grab it first due to the fact that the design is a LOT simpler than the 1911's. the 1911's are secondary weapons.


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## ki4dmh

Shipwreck said:


> I would buy a Springfield Mil Spec - cheapest 1911 I'd buy.
> 
> The ads for the Taurus that advertsie all the features of the gun adding up to $1500-$2000 (I forget their exact #). Don't fall for that. Go grab a $1500-$2000 1911 and compare it to the Taurus - no comparison...
> 
> Without getting into my opinions on Taurus, I'd recommend the Springer!


:smt023


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## crankshop1000

I have a RIA 1911A1 and love it. I also have a Springfield 1911 hi cap loaded and love it too. The Springfield listed for over $300 more than the RIA new, but the guns are really pretty similar as far as materials and machining.That being said, if you are going to get a RIA, I'd go for the tactical, which is fitted out more like a Springfield Loaded. The RIA,Charles Daly, Amscor 1911 clones are really nice, functional pieces with good factory backing.The newer Charles Daly is not part of the Amscor family anymore,so the factory service may be different. Taurus PT1911 looks nice, but they suffer from some bad reports on function and factory service.The Phillipine (RIA/Amscor,Charles Daly))and Brazilian (Springfield)manufacturers use state of the art CNC machining based on original prints and use good quality materials. Apparently you can get a good quality and functional 1911 for under $500.The owners of these clones are the ones to ask.


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## Joeshwa24

I hate to throw a wrench in here but if you want cheap don’t get a 1911... just don’t get one... Cheap and 1911 should never really be in the same sentence. IMHO (and while I am new to this forum I am not by any stretch of the imagination new to firearms) there is no middle ground with 1911's if you go cheap it IS going to give you problems the name on the side of the gun does make some difference but it becomes a question of how often it will brake down not IF it will. Just my 2 cents if you simply must have a 1911 the Springfield is the way to go but if you don’t put a lot of time in both on the range and on the bench it will give you problems.


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## Thirties

hideit said:


> what is a good cheap 1911 framed gun?


The best cheap 1911 gun is a *used 1911 gun.*


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## JJTowman

as sad as it is somepeople have to make price thier top priority and get what they want. Yes they can get a glock,xd or whatever but they want a 1911 and if its price id go with the springfield. Also my idea is in my house im useing my shotgun for HD. in my case a mossberg 590 with pistolgrip.


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## Dynamik1

Any feedback on High Standard GI 1911 45?


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## Dsig1

My Springfield GI Champion was $425. It is very nice for the money and never balked at any ammo. It's a 4" model so it's easier and lighter to carry. The best thing about starting with a quality 1911 is that you can always add to it. I didn't like my sights on my Champion, I was used to a 3 dot picture so I changed them. There are lots of aftermarket goodies for most of the quality 1911 models. My GI is a step below a Mil Spec but I can upgrade it the way I want and most of the changes are things I would have done to the Mil Spec anyway. With a 1911, start low and add on. I would recommend the GI.


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## babs

How about the Kahr owned Thompson / Auto-Ordinance 1911's?
They're definitely inexpensive, and appear to get ok reviews.


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## SFW

I always love when people talk bad about the Taurus PT1911. I have put 1200 rounds through mine in the past month without a single issue. It had the features that I was looking for in a 1911 platform and at a price that was easy to stomach.

My dad owns a Kimber Warrior. In a recent 400 round range visit, his Kimber FTF 10 times. I had no issues with my PT. Do I think that the PT is better than the Kimber? I think that they are both fine guns. Every manufacturer has it's lemons. I trust the PT with my life, as it is my carry weapon.


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## Richard

I prefer the term inexpensive to cheap. I own about 17 1911s and yes, my RIA will get me through the night and well into the day. I deem the RIA to be a worthy heir to the Norinco 1911 legacy. Regards, Richard 

My RIA:


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## dubseven

Mike Barham said:


> Why would you look for the _cheapest_ 1911 if you are going to be relying on it to potentially protect you and your family? Cheap 1911s seldom work perfectly, especially with good JHPs. But for the same price as a low-end 1911, you can get a modern non-1911 pistol that will work with near-perfect reliability and with any reasonable ammo.
> 
> The 1911 is a good, if very old, gun that was designed when skilled hand-fitting was normal and somewhat affordable. It doesn't lend itself well to modern, slapdash assembly by the unskilled, uninterested workers of today's gun factories.
> 
> If you have $500 to spend on a defense gun, I'd pass on all the low-end 1911s and start looking at reliable modern pistols like Glocks, XDs, M&Ps and the like.


Well said. Family protection is one thing really not worth skimping on. Kind of like not fixing your brakes :mrgreen:


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## mvslay

STI has a new model called the Spartan. Brazos sells it for less than 600. The frame and slide are ArmsCorp. I have not shot or seen one, but it may be worthy of further research. It has a ton of great features.


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## kcdano

RIA all the way, i picked one up new for $389.00 and this thing is awsome!
Really like it alot.


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## painter69

quote"Let's consider this for a moment. 

You're going to buy a new pistol to defend your home and family and the principal criteria is that it must be cheap.

If price is the principal consideration, what is the value of the lives of you and your family?
__________________
let's consider our current home defense is a flashlight and a louisville slugger. Any 1911 is a minor upgrade:smt082 What ever pistol I get is actually going to be a backup to a 12 ga. pump:smt023


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## DevilsJohnson

painter69 said:


> quote"Let's consider this for a moment.
> 
> You're going to buy a new pistol to defend your home and family and the principal criteria is that it must be cheap.
> 
> If price is the principal consideration, what is the value of the lives of you and your family?


That is exactly right.


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## cimarronvalley

*Cheaper 1911's*

Try the Rock Island Armory (RIA) from the Phillipines. They are manufactured by a commercial arm of the Phillipines National Armory and are Mil-Spec copies of the original 1911. They are imported under the Charles Daly and High Standard names, but you can get them cheaper by ordering the RIA brands through www.centerfiresystems.com. According to their last flyer, the prices range from $330 - $380 for the Tactical.

I have four of them; 2 in 38 Super, a High Standard in 45ACP (paid too much for it because of the High Standard name), and a RIA 1911 Tactical with the extended spur, stronger spring, combat hammer, sights, and skelatonized target trigger. I installed a 400corbon barrel in the tactical. Fantastic!

I have cycled over a 1,000 rounds through the 38 Supers with never a malfunction. Accuray is good for 30m steel target shooting. On paper at 30m, I get 4-5" groupings. That ain't bad for me and and Mil-Spec sites.

The High Standard 45 is very particular. It won't accept any bullets below 200 grain and prefers the military 230 grain ball ammo. I tried a 400corbon barrel in it and it would not function. The loading ramp to the barrel chamber is steeper than the RIA. I shot several hundred rounds of Ball through it with no problem.

The best of the bunch is the Tactical Model. With the 3-point sights and target trigger. It is only $50 more than the Mil-Spec. I can consistantly get 3-4" groups at 30m (as I said, these are not target pistols. For target shooting I use my Kimber Custom 38S TLE II Target). I shot several hundred rounds of 45ACP through it prior to converting it to 400corbon, after that, who would ever think about shooting a 45ACP! The 400corbon has twice the effective range of a 45ACP and a wider selection of bullets for reloading.

The only problem I ever had was with light powder loads. They don't like them. You got to make sure your reloads or manufactured ammo are not light loads. With light loads, the slide will not go back far enough to completely extract the spent casing.


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## hideit

i didn't mean cheap as in poor quality
i should have said inexpensive and it appears the answer is
springfield GI but a few bucks more the springfield mil spec seems to be the best value for the buck
thanks

i already own a colt 45 govt but it is engraved and don't want to put a round thru it.

however, i am thinking of going with the new generation 45 as in glock21sf or S&W or XD
there was one thread on "glock vs S&W M&P vs. XD" and i cannot find it
can someone point me to that thread?


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## hideit

i finally found it unnder "general handguns"


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## babs

I stumbled on an interesting write-up about the Taurus PT1911...
http://www.handgunsmag.com/featured_handguns/HG_1207_09/

I still think this 1911 is a great great value for what appears to be a pretty well built pistol. Going of course on what I've read and heard. It'd be between a Mil-Spec and this Taurus, if I was after any sub-$1000 1911.. Well, I'd throw Para and Sig in there if they have any sub-$1000's.. But also the S&W's have been mentioned to me to be one to look at.


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## babs

hideit said:


> i finally found it unnder "general handguns"


http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=5751

... and I vote XD (SA, grip safety, chamber and striker indicators, etc among a bunch of other reasons of performance and design the XD is the hot tomale on the forums).


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## jtnau

*Good Cheap Pistol*

Based on actual experience, I submit the following for your consideration. Pistols don't have to have a high priced name to be good. 
As an ex-small arms instructor in the military, I have been exposed to and fired many weapons. And unlike some people, I have actually owned more than one type/brand of 1911 style pistol. I have had S&Ws. I have had a Kimber - its name cost more than some of the pistols I still have. I have an older Colt Series 70 (1976 I think). I have a Taurus PT1911. I also have an RIA in the FS model and the CS model. I carry the RIA CS model concealed daily. All four have several thousand rounds through them wiithout a single malfunction or failure. I only shoot 230 gr. FMJ ammo and I think I can honestly say that I have never had a jam or FTF of any type in any of the four. While one might be prettier than another, I can't tell one from the other as far as reliability goes and any of the four will shoot better than I can shoot them. Reliability suffers when inexperienced people start doing a lot of needless tinkering with their guns or the ammo they use. 
The stock 1911 pistol, with a few exceptions, was originally designed to reliably fire 230 gr. hard ball ammo. It is a good bullet because it is heavy and if it doesn't expand - so what? It is already huge in diameter and will definitely stop the majority of the bad guys that it hits. 
I know that those nasty old Tauruses were made in Brasil. Guess what. So are many of the Springfields. My PT1911 is actually a nicer pistol to shoot than my Colt and at least as nice as the $400 Kimber with the $700 name that I used to have. The RIAs were made in the Philippines by the sane company that makes the more expensive Charles Dalys. One just has a higher priced name than the other. The basic pistols are the same. To make a long story short, you don't want to buy garbage, and there is some garbage out there, but you don't need to spend a small fortune for a $400 pistol. All the best and good luck!!!


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## babs

Ok.. stop making me imagine a set of snazzy grips on this stainless. :smt023


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## cmholliday

I was in a position similar to your recently.....looking to get a 1911 platform but didn't have a grand to drop. I did a lot of research before buying, and narrowed my search to the SA Mil-Spec and the PT1911. Due to the surprisingly positive reviews and added features offered I bought the stainless steel version of the PT1911. I haven't had a single bad issue or misfeed with the gun yet, and I've probably run 750 or so rounds through it. 

I'm certainly not claiming it's the best 1911 platform on the market, but for me it's been a great handgun for the sub $600 price tag. It looks good, has nice features typically not standard, and is surprisingly accurate. The two knocks on the pistol I've heard are the finish, which I eliminated by buying stainless, and the magazine feed, which is typical with a lot of 1911's and can be overcome by buying a couple Wilson Combat mags for $28 bucks each.


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## gunnerboy

i've got a high standard G.I. i'm pleased with it.
i've only put 50 rounds through it using fed.american eagle.
mine came with one colt mag, flat sarated MSH, serated trig, chkrd-recoil plug slide stop mag release and hammer.
i just gotta post pics. Pics are a thousand words......


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## DevilsJohnson

babs said:


> Ok.. stop making me imagine a set of snazzy grips on this stainless. :smt023


Haahahahaa..I got one of those..Shoots as well as it looks. Got an RIA too but am looking for one in 38 Super...Just...because


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## nicknitro71

I own both a SA Trophy Match Long Slide and a PT1911SS.

The SA was almost twice as much as the PT and it's not by any means twice the gun!

The PT is by far the best buy in 1911s. Yes its grips are cheap (big deal I replace them on all my handguns), I don't like the hammer safety and the series 80 stuff so I got rid of both. Now it has a 2.25 -LB trigger.

My vote is for the PT.


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## Fredericianer

Nicknitro71,
we can't see the photo unless we are logged in to www.taurusarmed.net.

Can you post the photo here instead?

Regards
Fredericianer


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## nicknitro71

I cannot post attachments.


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