BEST custom 9mm .40/.45-1911s for s.s. division $1500-2000 ?

[Kimbertarget]

My misses finally decided to look into a used custom for her first S.S. 1911.

She will run it in steel challenge and USPSA practicals.

Open to major or minor.

However if you were to look for a S.S. 1911 used, Non-rail with minimum criteria being:

1) flat top slide

2) notched trigger guard

3) 20-30LPI front and rear strap

4). Internal beveled magwell

5) 3-4lb tigger

6) tool steel disco/sear

7) serrations front and rear

8) flared /lower ejection port

Optional

11-44* crown and flush cut

FLGR

Serrated rear of slide

Arched MSH

Novak rear gold dot front

Being a Colt guy i like the older "enhanced models as a base for a custom" and is what i run.

You would think finding a 1911 customized with these mods would be relatively simple but ive been watching gunbroker and other sites and cant find anything for her. I finally got her off of the "pretty Kimber grand/pro raptor" she likes.

I called NIGHTHAWK,COLT CUSTOM SHOP and a few others if i use another COLT ENHANCED (which i cannot find blued used only stainless which i dont like due to glare where we live in florida).

Im going to have a new friend let her shoot a 9mm/.40 STI.

Anyone run a SIG MAX MICHELL without the magwell or any production semi-customs that are reliable enough "out of the box" to honestly compete with with NO trigger work etc.??

Thank you in advance

[Chris_C]

Ignoring some of what you said, I'd look hard at the new Para Pro Comp. Get it, have a trigger job done, and still be within your budget. Seems hard to vest if you think age can handle a .40

[twodownzero]

If I were you, I'd buy an STI spartan and send it to whoever will checker it. Add magwell, sights, and mags, and you've got an awesome, $1200ish blaster.

[Kimbertarget]

PARAs ive never seen run well in my inner circle. Not to mention they just do not hold their value well. I had the chance to buy a fellow competitors P-14 .45 for $375 and after shooting it i passed.

The only 1911s i havent run are, SIGs and S&W.

The Springers are ok but for the price i think i can find something better.

A fellow forum guy on here i met in person is going to let her and i run his STIs 9mm and i have a friend with a .40 STI this weekend. It seems like STI is the only option. The full length dust cover on some wont allow it to be CDP/IDPA legal though.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Kimbertarget

[Carmoney]

The best value for the money in your stated price of $1500-2000 is going to be Les Baer. You will probably not be able to find a 9mm or a .40 Baer, but they can be ordered if you're willing to wait.

Before you make any decisions, you might want to look critically at some of the criteria you have listed. The Novak and gold bead fixed sight combination will not be ideal for a competition pistol. If her hands are small, she may prefer a flat MSH. If her hands are soft, she will probably not like 20-lpi checkering. I'm not sure what you mean by notched trigger guard, but if you are referring to building a "hook" onto the front of the trigger guard for the weak hand index finger to rest, be aware that style of hold has been out of favor for practical shooting for more than 20 years.

I recommend a 9mm 1911 for your situation. I would suggest starting with a Springfield or STI and customizing from there.

[steviesterno]

yeah i think you kind of have a lot of demands there, especially to pick up as a used custom. Guys that get custom work done will most likely have it set up for them, not you.

I found a used baer for like $800 ( a steal, i know) that had everything except the flat top. made me happy and continues to shoot better than I do. It's in 45 so no problem with running it, and I load so I can do major or minor 45 for the event. Major ammo will be a solid disadvantage for steel or fun shoots, and anywhere except where you need major to score better.

I would take a hard look at a 9mm spartan and shooting it a while. Then send it out for any modifications you "need" afterwards. I love my Baer's checkering, but found on the clock, $2 worth of skate tape on the spartan held my hand the same. Buy a spartan for 5-600, shoot the crap out of it, and send it out to get flat topped and checkered during the off season

[Kimbertarget]

The best value for the money in your stated price of $1500-2000 is going to be Les Baer. You will probably not be able to find a 9mm or a .40 Baer, but they can be ordered if you're willing to wait.

Before you make any decisions, you might want to look critically at some of the criteria you have listed. The Novak and gold bead fixed sight combination will not be ideal for a competition pistol. If her hands are small, she may prefer a flat MSH. If her hands are soft, she will probably not like 20-lpi checkering. I'm not sure what you mean by notched trigger guard, but if you are referring to building a "hook" onto the front of the trigger guard for the weak hand index finger to rest, be aware that style of hold has been out of favor for practical shooting for more than 20 years.

I recommend a 9mm 1911 for your situation. I would suggest starting with a Springfield or STI and customizing from there.

NOTCHED TRIGGER GUARD

Came factory on COLT ENHANCED MODELS and highend 1911s where the customer wants the highest grip on the pistol.

Here is a pic of my custom,look where the trigger guard meets the front strap, that is notched. They take an end mill to that area and chamfer/notch it so you middle finger is up high,moving grip up to bore axis.

For the value the older COLT ENHANCED MODELS before the XS series are such an awesome value.they didnt sell well in 1990s because KIMBER came on the scene.

If they made them without the series 80 junk i think at $1000 they would sell like crazy to non-purists.

Flat top slide,notched trigger guard,beveled magwell,flat beavertail,arched MSH and three dot target sights,combat hammer is such a great foundation for a build i may just have to find another but there are only shiny stainless models for sale on the auction sights. The blued versions have an awesome finish.

if anyone knows of a custom shop that has something similiar without the series 80 stuff thats what im looking for.

Here is mine before i modded it:

COLT ENHANCED MODEL 1990s prior to XS: $1000

Yes its the same 1911,amazing what a good NIKON and some light can do to show finish

Edited January 9, 2014 by Kimbertarget

[Chris_C]

The rest of us call that an undercut trigger guard.

[fastluck13]

Dan Wesson PM9 has 90% of your wish list but is stainless. Have it ion bonded or melonited and you are set.

[Kimbertarget]

COLT calls it notched and a second notch for the support hand index we call a reference notch to make sure your purchase is bilaterally symmetrical,every presentation.

While in machining nomenclature an undercut is a recess in a corner, if you look closely its much more than just an area which has been recessed.the fact is i bet you would be hard pressed to name 5 manufacturers whose production 1911s have them anyhow.

I like that COLT wanted to revive the ho-hum Design with practical enhancements ergo the name. Any other american (non armscore/S.A.M.) 1911 that would have the same :undercut (notched trigger guard),beveled magwell and flat top slide alone would be a great seller especially if you could pick from different LPI checkering and sight option (novak/bomar).

With all the new 1911 companys im surprised not one has made one yet. I hear ROBERTS DEFENSE was close but had terrible machining for the price.

[Nebwake]

get a Brazos or Dawson STI Trojan 9mm. Most of what you are asking is already there. (minus the MSH which is polymer stock but a cheapish upgrade to what you want)

[steviesterno]

if you want the colt, get it. I don't know a single person serious about running USPSA SS using a colt. I spoke with a couple of guys shooting for Colt in 3 gun, and they didn't even like their guns. it's a personal preference thing, but with all the colts I've shot and played with, the fit and finish was sub par, it rattled, and didn't feel right. I know a lot of old purists must think I'm nuts, but the series 80 crap and the huge premium their name commands doesn't seem worth it.

by the time you set that colt up with new milling for the sites, etc, you have a $1400 spartan with a different brand name. doesn't make sense to me, but the cool thing about this sport is whatever makes you happy, go for it. Get a colt, pull the 80s series crap and put a 70-80s adapter plate in it, and be sure to post pics when you're done.

Edited January 9, 2014 by steviesterno

[Rick88]

I think I said this before in your other thread on this topic. But talking her out of what she really wants is most likely going to bite you in the ass in the long run, if she is in love with that Kimber buy it. Just because a couple people on this forum think the new Kimbers sucks isnt a factor I would consider it could very well be perfect right out of the box, if not a good smith could slick it up for you and she will be happy. Your custom wish list sounds more like what you want then what she wants. Save yourself the aggervation and write the check.

;-)

[fastarget]

9mm sig X5

[Kimbertarget]

Its not the arrow its the indian. But i would like the straightest arrow for the value.

Ive met someone on here locally and im willing to let anyone try my colt against a baer,brown of same caliber.

Ive owned other semi and full house customs and most nowadays are not worth the money if its not an S.T.I. OR S.V.

Even then ive seen $4k open div pistols have failures.

An accurized series 70 or modded series80(block plate) with quality bushing ,tight lockup and trigger work is the small block chevy of 1911s. People just follow the heard because they hear it works for the majority so they dont try using what they have.i want to run something different and now i think i will stick with a custom COLT..

Also regards to those who say COLTs suck.

http://www.coltsmfg.com/ColtintheMedia/PressReleases/tabid/252/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/46/COLT-SPONSORED-SHOOTER-MARK-REDL-SEEKS-USPSA-MASTER-CLASSIFICATION.aspx

Tell that to:

__________________

MARK REDL

TEAM EOTAC

COLT FIREARMS

Edited January 10, 2014 by Kimbertarget

[Chris_C]

An A class sponsored shooter? Very impressive!

[Prov1x]

Its obvious you want a colt...no matter what anybody else in this thread is trying to tell you. Why start a thread to argue with everyones suggestions. Thats counter productive to say the least.

The big question is what does your WIFE want, not what you want?

STI Trojans are great guns and I've ran mine for two years now with only a broken slide stop and that was an easy fix.

[Carmoney]

This has gotta be some sort of Doodie troll deal!

[sperman]

An A class sponsored shooter? Very impressive!

Must be somebody's nephew.

[steviesterno]

if anybody wants to be a fan boy or bash a specific brand, there's plenty of room for that on other boards like 1911forums.com or ARF. If you ask a bunch of competitive shooters what's the best whatever for competition, that will be for a very specific reason and we all have our personal competitive fave.

I personally don't like that brand from my experience. However, they are starting to sponsor more stuff, and I hear QC is much better. I may give them a look later, maybe not. My dad is a huge fan, and calls all 1911s Colts no matter their make.

if you want one, buy one. As far as your link to sponsorship, aren't we ALL trying to get master this year? Some of us (myself included) just have a little further to go.

you enjoy colts, go for it. don't rag on us here for going with something different. My suggestion is buy the wife whatever SHE wants. Happy wife, happy life. get yourself a new colt to go with the Kimber she wants, and you both win

[Kimbertarget]

An A class sponsored shooter? Very impressive!

MARK is a MASTER class shooter in CDP.

Just out of curiosity what class and division you run? This is exactly what i mean.

Also who is ragging on brands,i currently own/owned other 1911 semi/full customs and wanted to try something different. STI or SV,only fanboys get defensive when they realize that your pistol doesnt need to cost $6k to be reliable as a gaming tool.

Im picking up an STI,but i will finish 2014 season in steel challenge and USPSA in frostproof coming up with my COLT.

Thank you for your opinions.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Kimbertarget

[a matt]

get a Brazos or Dawson STI Trojan 9mm. Most of what you are asking is already there. (minus the MSH which is polymer stock but a cheapish upgrade to what you want)

Plus 1

[RePete]

Have a look at the STI Sentry, about everything that you listed.

[OPENB]

Have a look at the STI Sentry, about everything that you listed.

I think you missed it, he wants us to tell him to get a Colt...

[Chris_C]

No, he wants a COLT not a Colt