PrimaryBruce Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Hey guys, I’m seeking advice on a possible 1911 purchase. Ive been saying I want to buy a Wilson Combat (Protector specifically) for a while now. But I have an opportunity to pick up a Springfield Range Officer Elite with the light rail in 9mm for $850. Would I be regretting this choice? What more am I getting with the Wilson for roughly 4x the price? Is there something else I should look at in this price range in 9mm and with a light rail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve-O Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Check out the Colt Rail Gun and the Colt Delta Elite Rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avedis Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 (edited) I've got an RO Elite that I carry on duty every day. With a little bit of work they are a solid all-arounder. What are you getting for 4X the price? Obviously, the WC is going to have an all around better fit and finish and will have more features than the RO Elite. WC has a bull barrel, checkered front strap, magwell, serrated slide (top and rear) etc. Ultimately its up to you to decide if those features, and the WC name, are worth the price. Will you regret it? Highly doubt it. For me, it was worth it to buy the RO Elite and do a bit of modding. I think if you go into it with the mindset of, "this is a solid 1911 that I can tune/polish/mod into something pretty damn good for ~$1200 total" you will be happy. If you purchase it with the mindset of it having the same performance/fit/finish of a high end custom 1911/2011, you may regret it. Let me know if you have any questions on the RO. Edited August 15, 2018 by Avedis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanb Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 I’ve got an elite as well and find it to be very good for the price. It’s not smooth like a Wilson combat but it isn’t that far away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
427Cobra Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 If you buy the Wilson your done, if you buy the SA you’ll have to work on it or have someone work on it, ie trigger job, grips, ILS remove. Your heart is set on the Wilson, just get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimaryBruce Posted August 15, 2018 Author Share Posted August 15, 2018 Some guys on another forum are telling me I should save a few more pennies and go for a Dan Wesson. Which is what I'm beginning to lean to. It's more than I wanted to spend on a gun that will ultimately only ever be a range toy, but it sounds like the DW may be worth it for the extra hand fitting they do, no MIM parts, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimaryBruce Posted August 15, 2018 Author Share Posted August 15, 2018 6 hours ago, Avedis said: I've got an RO Elite that I carry on duty every day. With a little bit of work they are a solid all-arounder. What are you getting for 4X the price? Obviously, the WC is going to have an all around better fit and finish and will have more features than the RO Elite. WC has a bull barrel, checkered front strap, magwell, serrated slide (top and rear) etc. Ultimately its up to you to decide if those features, and the WC name, are worth the price. Will you regret it? Highly doubt it. For me, it was worth it to buy the RO Elite and do a bit of modding. I think if you go into it with the mindset of, "this is a solid 1911 that I can tune/polish/mod into something pretty damn good for ~$1200 total" you will be happy. If you purchase it with the mindset of it having the same performance/fit/finish of a high end custom 1911/2011, you may regret it. Let me know if you have any questions on the RO. I figure if that's what it takes to get it up to par, I may as well spend $300-$400 more for the Dan Wesson and have the better fit, finish, and no MiM parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodonpaper Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 How do you guys think the resale value would be between the two? Comparable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffz Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 I went through the same process. I went the Springfield route. I hand picked the Springfield making sure it was tight and well fitted. Had my smith add an EGW ignition group, EGW recoil system, Dawson fiber front and adjustable rear, vz grips, and barrel cut flush, rescessed, and recrownded. It added about $500 to the base gun price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimaryBruce Posted August 16, 2018 Author Share Posted August 16, 2018 1 hour ago, jeffz said: I went through the same process. I went the Springfield route. I hand picked the Springfield making sure it was tight and well fitted. Had my smith add an EGW ignition group, EGW recoil system, Dawson fiber front and adjustable rear, vz grips, and barrel cut flush, rescessed, and recrownded. It added about $500 to the base gun price. That's Dan Wesson territory (as far as price) though. And my understanding is after all that, it still won't be the quality/fit/finish that DW puts in. I thought of doing the RO and just putting $300-$500 into it. But at the end of the day the better route sounds to be ponying up the money for the DW and being done with it. Right out the box great fit, great finish, no MiM parts, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlvrDragon50 Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 1 hour ago, PrimaryBruce said: That's Dan Wesson territory (as far as price) though. And my understanding is after all that, it still won't be the quality/fit/finish that DW puts in. I thought of doing the RO and just putting $300-$500 into it. But at the end of the day the better route sounds to be ponying up the money for the DW and being done with it. Right out the box great fit, great finish, no MiM parts, etc. Back when I was looking into 1911s, I ended up at the same conclusion for the Dan Wessons. The only other 1911 I was really considering was the Sig Sauer Max Michel. Though it should be noted that the DW Stainless finish wears quite quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimaryBruce Posted August 16, 2018 Author Share Posted August 16, 2018 2 hours ago, SlvrDragon50 said: Back when I was looking into 1911s, I ended up at the same conclusion for the Dan Wessons. The only other 1911 I was really considering was the Sig Sauer Max Michel. Though it should be noted that the DW Stainless finish wears quite quickly. Not into stainless anyway. I'm looking hard at the Discretion which has their black "Duty Finish" on it. From what I've read it's considerably more durable than most finishes on the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlvrDragon50 Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 1 minute ago, PrimaryBruce said: Not into stainless anyway. I'm looking hard at the Discretion which has their black "Duty Finish" on it. From what I've read it's considerably more durable than most finishes on the market. Yup! Duty is the way to go. Haven't heard any reports of the Duty having problems. The DW Discretion is my favorite DW. Quite a bit more expensive than a SA 1911 though (comes with the appropriate upgrades too). I'd recommend you take a look at Les Baers as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffz Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 +1 on the Baer 1911. Wounderfully built, very tight and you must get used to that. I have owned a few over the years and all were great. Les built my first competition gun when he was living in Allentown PA. Baers are less than Wilson more the DW. If want to spend less than a Wilson and more than a DW, go Baer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjb45 Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 Wilson are great guns. the RO is a very good basic gun. You want to improve it. Call SA and their performance shop. Dave has/had three of his smiths belong to the PistolSmith Guild. That is a big deal! C&S has two. Virgil is one. Sandy S is another. Look their membership up. There are alternatives out there, guys from Baer or Wilson's shops have their own shops now and produce quality work. Do you want cast or bar stock steel? Or high quality steel. Workmanship is nice, i.e. blending. Barrel fitting is critical. Way too many variables here for a 20 second sound byte response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhdeal Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 You mention that you will use this pistol as a range toy mostly. In my opinion, that is where you would want as nice of a pistol as possible. My carry pistols have to be a certain type, but at the range I can do as I please so I make sure my range guns are supermodel strippers! If you start with a SA, you will spend much more before you are done. Unless you are extremely controlled in your spending, you will be into the Les Baer $$$ before you are done and no, the resale won't be there on that SA. I've been there and done that. Even though I did ALL the work on my SA Loaded, I don't have much less than $2500 in it. It shoots as well as any of my custom pistols (it is a custom) but it's value on the market is what it is..... Comparing a SA to a Wilson is not a fair comparison, but I know you know that. Yep, 4× the cost but the semi customs are a different cat. Even if that Wilson happens to be a dog it will still be a well bred dog. Treat yourself well here!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimaryBruce Posted August 23, 2018 Author Share Posted August 23, 2018 I'm still not quite convinced on spending money on the Wilson. Pretty set on saving for the DW Discretion. Just doesn't seem by most accounts that I'm getting 2X the gun buying a Wilson over DW. For half the price DW is offering a hand fit gun with no MiM parts. Sure, maybe I'll be missing out on that extra mile of the extra blending from Wilson...but that, to me, isn't worth another $1500-$2,000... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimaryBruce Posted September 26, 2018 Author Share Posted September 26, 2018 Well, I ordered the Discretion. Super excited. I'll do a small written review (and possibly video review?) if anyone is interested in hearing about it from someone who isn't really a 1911 person. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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