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Best 1911 for beginners


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I am looking at getting a 1911 in .45 to shoot competitions with. As a college kid I can't really afford to go out and buy a $3,000 pistol. I want a gun I can compete with and use stock but then upgrade as I go along to better suit the needs of competition play. My budget for the base gun is $900 max. Please let me know what you guys think I should do.

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+1 on the range officer if you need a 45. Depends on what you want to shoot though.

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There are some guys near me that do single stack division. So that was my intention. So the range officer is good? What about the Springfield Loaded model?

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+1 on the range officer if you need a 45. Depends on what you want to shoot though.

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There are some guys near me that do single stack division. So that was my intention. So the range officer is good? What about the Springfield Loaded model?

I'd buy whatever is less expensive because you're probably going to change half of the parts anyhow.

The only downside to the .45 is that ammo is very expensive... Either way welcome to the sport and enjoy those mag changes in limited capacity!

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If you're planning on shooting USPSA single stack you might consider a 9mm with 10 round magazines. It would be cheaper to shoot, the cost of 45 ammo quickly exceeds the cost of the pistol.

I'm very happy with my Springfield range officer. It's available in both 9 and 45, and you can find one in a regular gun store.

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Range officer with FO frt sight and mag-well

Used STI Trojan with FO frt sight and mag-well

SIG 1911 (ones with adjustable sights) FO frt sight and mag-well

No particular order, which ever you find first at the right price

I've owned all of them and they all are great pistols for the money

Edited by jcc7x7
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I am looking at getting a 1911 in .45 to shoot competitions with. As a college kid I can't really afford to go out and buy a $3,000 pistol. I want a gun I can compete with and use stock but then upgrade as I go along to better suit the needs of competition play. My budget for the base gun is $900 max. Please let me know what you guys think I should do.

Used STI Trojan.

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All 3 mentioned good choices, also the advice on caliber. 9mm is minor so less points out of the A zone,will make you concentrate on accuracy and the speed will come.

With 8 shot shooting positions, the 8 shot major gun will make you concentrate on accuracy even more than minor if there are any steel targets.

The classic thinking on major/minor comes from limited division where the extra ammo capacity isn't enough to make a difference. Having 2 extra rounds at each position (3 to slide lock) instead of only one extra round over the whole field course is a bigger difference.

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Shooters Connection has STI Spartans for $638.00. I own a Trojan so can't tell you from experience but I've seen more positive reviews than negative on the Spartan. The Springfield RO is also a good. I just prefer front cocking serrations and the RO doesn't have them.

Might also watch Gunbroker. Picked up a new Trojan for $930.00 last year.

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So it seems the STI Spartan and Range officer are neck n neck. I know that 9mm would probably be a better choice for competing. But I also have always wanted a .45 1911. So i figured why not kill two birds with one stone? The people I know seem to have no problems being competitive and even winning with a .45. And I have a friend that reloads for .45 for competition and he will let me use his presses and dies for free, I just have to buy my own components. What are some of what you guys would consider the absolute essential upgrades for the competitions I am talking about shooting in? I am talking the bare essentials mods that you couldn't live or win without.

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Thinner front sight fiber optic or not is personal preference, as is width I guess, but generally USPSA shooters seem to like the thin (.09"-.10") fiber optic front sight. And a magwell. Again personal preference enters here, I like the EGW magwell, it's like the Ed Brown or Wilson but only $49.00, Dawson Precision makes a really nice Ice magwell which a lot of people seem to like. Dawson Precision version is not IDPA legal if that's your game.

After that, you can change every part on the gun to suit your desires, but the essentials are sights and magwell. And magazines. I like the Metalform 10 round models for my 9mm, Tripp Research for .40 (I load to standard .40 S&W length, and the Tripp models hold 9 rounds and work) and any manufacturer for my .45. The .45 works with any mags, so I've never had to upgrade the $7.00 Del Mar Gun Show Shooting Star mags I bought about in 2001.

Edited by robertg5322
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The R.O is a great pistol, I don't know about the STI but I'm sure they are good. I shot a Ruger SR1911 for a while and never had any issues with it.

I would say shoot a stock pistol for a while, if you have buddies that shoot SS there's a good chance they have different sights on their pistols that you can check out before you change anything. I personally run a .100 wide front sight with no fiber, I run a .156 rear notch.

A magwell helps a lot, an extended mag release and grips with a thumb notch will help a lot!

Just be warned that 1911s are addicting, USPSA shooting is also very addicting.

The best thing you could do is find a reliable pistol and just have fun. Any of the pistols mentioned in this thread will be plenty accurate for USPSA shooting.

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Again personal preference enters here, I like the EGW magwell, it's like the Ed Brown or Wilson but only $49.00, Dawson Precision makes a really nice Ice magwell which a lot of people seem to like. Dawson Precision version is not IDPA legal if that's your game.

I do not shoot IDPA but I cannot find anything in the rules that would prevent the use of an ICE magwell in CDP.

8.2.3.2 CDP Permitted Features and Modifications (Inclusive list):

8.2.3.2.23 Modification of the magazine well and add-on well extensions.

It does need to fit in the box, but the IDPA box is the same height as the USPSA box so no problem here.

Please quote the rule that would prevent it's use.

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The Spartan already has a Fiber Optic front sight on it. Put on a mag well and I would advise a longer mag release button (Wilson Combat a favorite around here) and some grip tape on the front strap and your good to go.

If you get a Dawson Magwell you will probably have to replace the base pads. From my experience most factory mags are flush with the bottom of the Dawson Ice Magwell. You can use most factory mags without changing them with a Smith and Alexander style mag well.

If you like Single Stack you can always buy a better 1911 and make the Spartan a backup gun.

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