Top 1911 Picks

[patrol]

List the best shooting 1911's you have ever shot in order of prefference

[Country101]

Wilson Combat CQB
Kimber Gold Combat Stainless
Colt Gold Cup(Tuned by Wilson)

The Kimber and CQB could be switched, because the CQB actually jammed a time or two until we oiled it.

[pickenup]

Les Baer
Kimber
Colt.

[patrol]

Thinking of breaking down and getting a Colt Gold Cup they actually aren't much more than the tricked out Kimbers, Springfields and Smiths. I saw one brand new not 70 or 80 series though) for $900 what do yall think?

[Shooter45]

The only Gold Cup I ever owned that was up to my accuracy level was accurized by Ken Hallock. Out of the box just won't do it. I have a very accurate Kimber Custom Target that holds groups almost as tight as my Les Baer Premier II. If you want precission accuracy, you will have to spend more money on a custom pistol.

If you just want a good shooting, box stock 1911 with decent accuracy and total reliability, buy a Kimber.

[travihanson]

I was checking out the kimbers in a local gunshop brand new...I really wasn't impressed...I want a gold cup myself. I have shot a few different ones and liked em. Although I haven't yet shot a kimber. Colt Gold cups are worth more....I know that.

[stash247]

Travi, listen to the wind!
I own a lot of 1911's, the finest being a Swenson Accurised 1943 Colt, coming to me at an obscene price; I knew and loved old Armand, and worked for him for a time, but only now can afford his work!
Short of this 'full house custom' pistol, the Kimbers, in my box, are far more accurate, and reliable, than anything "Colt built", IMHO
This is not to say that Colt cannot build an accurate pistol, but, rather, to point out that they have not done so, recently, while the clone manufacturers are doing so, with regularity; the best of the Colts were, IMHO, the 'pre Gold Cup', National Match pistols, built one at a time, by real gunsmiths, and then, sold at a loss, by Colt!
These guns were of the absolutely highest order, being pistols built, one at a time, for precision shooting, by folks that knew the breed, and cared.
Today, we live in a 'production' environment, and kimber seems to 'own' that turf, with cnc machining, and careful fitting, their norm.
Again, IMHO, you can buy a better pistol, from Brown, Baer, and others, if price is no object, but the Kimber is the most gun for the least money,on the 'production' market, today!

[patrol]

Anyone have a Kimber Desert Warrior or Warrior? I have to agree with stash247 about the Kimbers. Another pricey pistol that is awesome out of the box is a Para Ordinance. I just got a NiteTac LDA the double stack 15shot with a light rail and it shoots like a dream. My buddy got a P14 Para which is the single action hicap and it too shoots really nice. The three manufacturers that have a huge line of under $1k 1911's that out of the box shoot 1 to 2inch groups at 15yards or less are: Kimber, Smith and Para Ordinance. Thats a general statement but based on the five 1911's I own it's a consistent one. Another constant is how important magazines are to the overall reliability of the 1911's. For the mags, I reccomend (the two that come with the gun) Mecgar and Wilson Combat mags. As for the five I own I swear 3 of them shot the best out of the box but shot exactly the same as far as tight groups : Kimber ProcarryII, Para NiteTac LDA,Smith SC 1911 and my Springfield Milspec shoots as good now but I had to dump money into and My Colt 70 series is my safe queen. Of those five, the Milspec Springfield is the only one that has never jammed using many different magazines and tons of different ammo both new and reloads in grains of 185 up to 230 grain.

[JLA]

i aint much help here having tinkered around with them cheap clones of 1911 pistols, but having played host to a score of imports and copies, the crappyest shooting one ive ever owned was a llama minimax. i have decided to quit pokin around and wishin and finally bought me a good one, got a springfield 1911-A1 with a whole list of modifications and it shoots the best by far...

[tex45acp]

My favorites are:

Wilson Combat CQB
Wilson Combat Professional

Before the Wilsons became a part of my family, I had a Springfield GI WW2 Champion. It shot to point of aim right out of the box and with a little hand polishing of the barrels integral feed ramp, would cycle anything I loaded in the mags. I customized the qun quite extensively then sold it to a friend who carries it still today.

[kkramer673]

Wilson Combat CQB
Para Ordnance LDA Stealth Hi-Cap
Kimber Pro Raptor II
Kimber Custom II

[popo22]

For this to be a legitimate question one would need to put some price parameters on it. I own 6 1911's (Para's, SA's, STI's) and just recently bought an "STI, Spartan", which for the money paid ($571.00) is the tightest, most reliable and accurate 1911 on the market right now, IMHO. Lot of good 1911's out there and a lot of crap. You need to set a price you are willing to pay, you'll get much more accurate assesments.
Good Luck

[berto64]

The one of my 1911's I enjoy shooting the most is my old abused USS&S 1911A1 from WWII. It's pockmarked and ugly from being abused in the past but is a blast to shoot and never fails.

God Bless JMBrowning!