I'm looking to buy a 1911 45.ACP... But which?

[Rasmilling]

Hi.

I'm looking to buy a 1911 in 45.ACP... But there is a huge market for guns in that category  It is gonna be a range gun, and to use in competitions like IPSC etc. (just for the fun of it).

I have been checking the websites from some of the dealers around here (Denmark, EU), and some of the opportunities are:

- STI Lawman
- SPS Falcon
- S&W E-Series
- Sig Sauer 1911 Target
- Bul 1911 Gov. 
- Kimber Custom TLE  II 

It is (more or less) the same designs and features. Sig and S&W has an external extractor and the other ones a normal 1911-style extractors. The Bul is the only one with a bull barrel. STI is the most expensive, Bul the cheapest etc. etc. 

I have a Remington R1 Enhanced in 9x19, which is my baseline for comparison. If i could find a R1 Enhanced in 45.ACP, then i would go get it... But the only ones im finding are 1911A1 style R1's  and i'm not into that. 

Any pros and cons of the above? I think Kimber TLE II and STI Lawman is the ones, that resembles my R1 the most.
 

Edited December 22, 2021 by Rasmilling

[Guy Neill]

I'd lean to the S&W.

 

 

[Kema]

STI/Staccato has zero warranty outside of USA so nono, they are basically out of the game. S&W, Sigh and Kimber are not even an option.

 

I would go for STP or Bul, not the SPS

 

https://www.stpgun.de/e-stp-prommersberger-sportpistolen-1911er.html

[Rasmilling]

2 hours ago, Kema said:

S&W, Sigh and Kimber are not even an option.

 

Why if i may ask? 

 

2 hours ago, Kema said:

I would go for STP or Bul

https://www.stpgun.de/e-stp-prommersberger-sportpistolen-1911er.html

Those STP is also good looking! But just a bit too pricy. 

[riden]

Go with BUL Armory - great guns for the money! Give Gilbert a shout at GP Arms LLC. 

[Nc1911]

3 minutes ago, riden said:

Go with BUL Armory - great guns for the money! Give Gilbert a shout at GP Arms LLC. 

This is the way to go……Bul Trophy Classic

[GrumpyOne]

https://www.springfield-armory.com/1911-series-handguns/

[Kilrb]

Dan Wesson

[Nc1911]

5 hours ago, Kilrb said:

Dan Wesson

Yes, exactly correct,

  but I want to buy another DW PM45 and can not find one.

[Browning40]

If it fits your budget look at Les Baer. VERY accurate pistols. 

[ltdmstr]

Springfield and Dan Wesson are the best deal for the money.  Good guns and reasonably priced.  I would pass on SPS, Bul and STI.

[Kema]

18 hours ago, Rasmilling said:

 

Why if i may ask? 

 

Those STP is also good looking! But just a bit too pricy. 

 

Basic S&W or Kimber are not so great guns for the price. You need custom shop ones and they cost more and are rarely available at EU. Sig needs sig parts to fit at all.

 

All USA made guns and parts are hard to get in EU, so Bul and STP are almost the only options. I would get STP, you might find a decent priced one or get STP Sparta and replace some parts(it's not made in Germany). 

 

It's really sad that we are not seeing any USA guns anymore, but it's politics. My warranty case with STI / Staccato never realized.

 

 

[terrydoc]

I've been running a Springfield loaded .45 with shooting star 8 round mags since Classic division started in IPSC have never had an issue with the gun or mags. 

[Kema]

Unicorn is easier to acquire in Europe than Springfield, Dan Wesson or Atlas. 

[Rasmilling]

1 hour ago, Kema said:

Unicorn is easier to acquire in Europe than Springfield, Dan Wesson or Atlas. 

Indeed... We have no dealers around here.
 

The Bul Armory seems to be the best value for the money at around 1.350 EUR (1.500 USD). But are they using regular 1911 parts? 

I find it problematic if i need to get parts from Israel... 

Regular 1911 parts are easy to come by in EU. So i think a gun based on a regular 1911 design may be the best choice?

[broadus123]

I used a kimber deserts warrior and a tle/rl for years shooting competition. I had @50,000 rds thru the warrior. Never had a problem. I wouldn't hesitate to use either in competition.

[Kilrb]

On 12/22/2021 at 6:21 PM, Nc1911 said:

Yes, exactly correct,

  but I want to buy another DW PM45 and can not find one.

Guns.com has one. I just found a Dan Wesson Dave Pruitt Signature NIB grabbed it

[JGus]

There are always the replys of don't buy brand (insert any name) because they are junk but then they never give any specific reason or personal experience why they claim it's junk.

 

[ltdmstr]

9 hours ago, JGus said:

There are always the replys of don't buy brand (insert any name) because they are junk but then they never give any specific reason or personal experience why they claim it's junk.

 

 

Most people who've been around here and other sites for a while are familiar with the particulars.  The examples zzt posted above are just a few of many.  For companies like STI, there are too many horror stories to count.  No point in reliving all that every time this question comes up.

[WFargo]

You could get a Springfield from TheDuke in Germany. They have many in stock. 

But to be honest... I have a Springfield Range Officer Elite in 9mm and bought it for IPSC Classic division:

- hammer, sear, disco are crap... very bad trigger from factory with MIM parts. 

- Chamber is so tight you can't shoot your reloaded ammo

- Horrible beavertail and no undercut under the trigger guard so you can't get a high purchase on the gun. 

- no front strap checkering. 

So to be honest... we pay € 1.600,- for a new one... and it's crap. 

I also have an old STI Trojan with large Horsey logo and Large roll mark.  It's a superb gun, but has everything changed out to high-end parts, so that doesn't count.....

 

You can't get Dan Wesson PM's here. 

 

The Bul guns are really good for the money. Really...  and the Bull Trophy 1911 guns are quite close to race-ready. 

 

My next choice would be a STP or a HPS.  They now have very very nice race-ready 1911's on their website.... but they're over € 2.000,- 

[zzt]

2 hours ago, WFargo said:

So to be honest... we pay € 1.600,- for a new one..

 

Geez.  That's almost triple what it costs in the States.

 

2 hours ago, WFargo said:

Chamber is so tight you can't shoot your reloaded ammo

 

You need to resize your cases better.

 

I don't share your assessment of Springfield.  A bunch of the pistol shooters at my home club shoot SA 1911s of one sort or another.  Frame, slide and barrel are nicely fit and tight.  It is true most of the fire control parts are MIM, but it is not the junk MIM Kimber uses.  You can easily go 30,000 rounds before you have to change or reprofile anything.  Then it is simple to install high quality parts.  Trigger pull when new is a problem, even with the newer non-ILS system.  They smooth out after 500 pulls, but they are still heavy.  That is easily correctible.   All that being said, there is simply no way I'd pay the equivalent of $2300 for an SA RO.  

[WFargo]

No, I don't need to resize my cases better. 

This is a known problem for Springfield. 

My hand loads have been tested in 3 more 1911's in 9mm and two CZ TSO's without issues. 

I had to have the chamber reamed. 

 

Here in Europe you get a Bul for almost the same money as a Springfield but the Bul has:

- front strap checkering

- higher raised beavertail

- trigger guard undercut

- better trigger from the factory

 

And please don't get me wrong. I really like Springfields but when you want to use it for IPSC / USPSA, the Bul pistols are more suitable. 

The list above are need-to-haves in my book for competition pistols, and Springfield does not offer it unless you pay big money for the way more expensive models. 

[jpm2953]

Hard to beat a Bul trophy classic. It’s A lot of gun for the money. Mine was ready to go out of the box minus a magwell. 
 

 

[ahfox32]

I recently purchased a Springfield Emissary in 9mm but they are made in 45 also. Probably have 1,000 rounds thru it.

I changed the mag release to a Dawson, safety to an Atlas shielded, trigger to an X-line vario, and the front sight to a fiber optic Kensight. None of these changes were needed but what I wanted. Gun is now setup to my specs and is really nice in my opinion.  

[shred]

Please review the guidelines for acceptable post content.

 

"so and so sucks" is not acceptable, despite how much they might suck.  Brians rules.  Try "I would not buy a..." or "I prefer .. " or something of the sort.

 

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