[JM1]

hey everyone. this is my first post on this board and, as the title suggests, it is in regards to my desire to purchase not only my first 1911 but my first firearm. I was really wanting an R700 for a while but figured a handgun would see more rounds downrange and after i fired my first 1911 i am addicted.

here is where im at. first and foremost, im a resident of California. ive begun to realize over the last few weeks how tough it is to not only buy a firearm in this state, but also just find one that is legal. I was looking at the Springfield Range Officer--not legal, Taurus PT 1911--not legal, then a specific Sig--not legal. Another problem im having is that Im resigned to the fact that I wont be able to feel in my hand any 1911's before i purchase. there simply are no guns out here--nor any ammo.

my budget a week or two ago was about 800. So if i cant have the springer RO i was looking at the Mil-spec and figured that if everyone says its a great project gun, that i can build it up how i like, or just keep it the way it is. but then i saw its price tag at right around 800, about 200 more than it was going for a couple years ago. AND, a colt mark IV series 80 in brushed stainless is up for just over 1k. hence my dilemma.

my questions:
1) im okay with paying more. a mil-spec for 800? or a colt series 80 for 1k?
2) once this guns/ammo frenzy dies down, will the value considerably drop? i saw online that people were buying colts for 700-800 a couple years ago.
3) all im looking for is an accurate and reliable 1911. one that i can take to the range, and get comfortable taking apart, cleaning, and putting back together.

what draws me to the mil-spec is the same that draws me to the Colt. no front slide serrations, and a classic look. I want a company thats been building 1911's for a while and is reliable. any thoughts???
thanks in advance and sorry for the long post/rant.

edit: also, all ive been hearing about Colt's is how rare they are. so that is playing a part in my consideration too.

 

[hstout1143]

Rock Island Armory has a nice 1911 for around $500. I don't have one but a couple of my friends do and they shoot nice. You can't beat the price and they are milspec. It will just take awhile before they come back in stock. Ammo is starting to show up, but the price is still high.

 

[Double D]

Rock island is a great entry level 1911. I wouldnt hesitate to buy another one.

 

[Uncle Marty]

Rock Island Armory (made in the Phillipines - Armscor) are really great pistols. The standard M1911 model is a hodge podge or the M1911 and M1911A1. You get the Shorter trigger, "Beaver tail, safety or the A1 but the mainspring housing of the orginal (great for those with smaller hands). the recoil spring is a bit on the light side (mine measured out around 18lbs) recomend getting a heavier spring (keeps the slide from beating up the frame) and of course getting a heavier spring for the firing pin. The weapon is set up for standard GI 230 grain ball ammunition. It does NOT have the series 80 hammer block, or the lanyard loop. It does have a good 5 lbs. trigger pull and the hammer release is sharp and crisp. It also has a really good half cock notch (there have been some Colt m1911s of newer manufacture that do not have it - seen it in the gunsmith shop. Some producers think that it is just an expensive extra step that they can eliminate to save time and money.) That being said, since this is your first firearm, DO NOT CARRY THE WEAPON IN CONDITION 1 (hammer locked back, safe on, round in the chamber) or even worse CONDITION 2 (hammer down, round in the chamber). CONDITION 3 is the safest (empty chamber) and as always GET SOME REAL TRAINING.

 

[Sniper30850]

For what it's worth, my first 1911 was a Para-Ord. G.I. Expert. Smooth front like you mentioned. Slightly better than original sights and hammer. I have Han no trouble out of mine. I know they had a reputation of being a "cheap gun" when they were in Canada, but they are currently located in N.C. Also mine didn't even break $600 but that was a year ago. Might be worth a look for you though.

 

[Hawg]

Another vote for Rock Island.

 

[carver]

hey everyone. this is my first post on this board and, as the title suggests, it is in regards to my desire to purchase not only my first 1911 but my first firearm. I was really wanting an R700 for a while but figured a handgun would see more rounds downrange and after i fired my first 1911 i am addicted.

here is where im at. first and foremost, im a resident of California. ive begun to realize over the last few weeks how tough it is to not only buy a firearm in this state, but also just find one that is legal. I was looking at the Springfield Range Officer--not legal, Taurus PT 1911--not legal, then a specific Sig--not legal. Another problem im having is that Im resigned to the fact that I wont be able to feel in my hand any 1911's before i purchase. there simply are no guns out here--nor any ammo.

my budget a week or two ago was about 800. So if i cant have the springer RO i was looking at the Mil-spec and figured that if everyone says its a great project gun, that i can build it up how i like, or just keep it the way it is. but then i saw its price tag at right around 800, about 200 more than it was going for a couple years ago. AND, a colt mark IV series 80 in brushed stainless is up for just over 1k. hence my dilemma.

my questions:
1) im okay with paying more. a mil-spec for 800? or a colt series 80 for 1k?
2) once this guns/ammo frenzy dies down, will the value considerably drop? i saw online that people were buying colts for 700-800 a couple years ago.
3) all im looking for is an accurate and reliable 1911. one that i can take to the range, and get comfortable taking apart, cleaning, and putting back together.

what draws me to the mil-spec is the same that draws me to the Colt. no front slide serrations, and a classic look. I want a company thats been building 1911's for a while and is reliable. any thoughts???
thanks in advance and sorry for the long post/rant.

edit: also, all ive been hearing about Colt's is how rare they are. so that is playing a part in my consideration too.

Here is a list of hand guns that are/were legal in CA as of right now. http://certguns.doj.ca.gov/safeguns_resp.asp

 

[Double D]

Rock Island Armory (made in the Phillipines - Armscor) are really great pistols. The standard M1911 model is a hodge podge or the M1911 and M1911A1. You get the Shorter trigger, "Beaver tail, safety or the A1 but the mainspring housing of the orginal (great for those with smaller hands). the recoil spring is a bit on the light side (mine measured out around 18lbs) recomend getting a heavier spring (keeps the slide from beating up the frame) and of course getting a heavier spring for the firing pin. The weapon is set up for standard GI 230 grain ball ammunition. It does NOT have the series 80 hammer block, or the lanyard loop. It does have a good 5 lbs. trigger pull and the hammer release is sharp and crisp. It also has a really good half cock notch (there have been some Colt m1911s of newer manufacture that do not have it - seen it in the gunsmith shop. Some producers think that it is just an expensive extra step that they can eliminate to save time and money.) That being said, since this is your first firearm, DO NOT CARRY THE WEAPON IN CONDITION 1 (hammer locked back, safe on, round in the chamber) or even worse CONDITION 2 (hammer down, round in the chamber). CONDITION 3 is the safest (empty chamber) and as always GET SOME REAL TRAINING.

Why not? This is the best possible way to carry a 1911. I have carried one like this for more years than I can remember. Its safe for even a newbie.

 

[sting75ray]

Why not? This is the best possible way to carry a 1911. I have carried one like this for more years than I can remember. Its safe for even a newbie.

I agree, this is the way they were designed to be carried.

 

[gdmoody]

What good is an empty chamber, if you need to use your 1911 in a hurry? You gonna ask the buy guy to hold on while you chamber a round?

 

[carver]

Codked and locked here to! Oh yeah! Welcome to the forum!

 

[bamajvc]

jm1 are you familiar with guns in general? If so, carry with a round in the chamber. If not, get some basic firearms training then carry. I think most people who support carrying with a round in the chamber think everyone was(like most of us "gunnuts") raised around guns. If you are new to firearms I would recommend getting trained up before you even buy.
2nd move out of kalifornia, its not to late

 

[JLA]

I wouldn't hesitate to purchase RIA 1911. They are very well made entry level pistols in the traditional 1911 configuration.

Do indeed seek professional firearms training. It is a must.

And by all means carry your sidearms condition 1. Unless you carry a revolver, then of course youre forced to carry condition 2 in most cases.

An empty chamber does you no good in a defensive situation. fractions of seconds can determine who gets to go home alive after a defensive confrontation. You cannot afford the time it will take you to draw, rack and present your weapon. You need to be trained to Draw and present all in one fluid motion and the safety should click off the moment the muzzle is presented to the target leaving but one NASTY decision to make.

I carry at least 1 handgun in my vehicle at all times. And it is almost always cond 3. And that's simply because its there just in case I need it and in the instance I would need it id have ample time to arm myself with it and go cond 1.

Anytime I carry on my person its Cond 1.

The important thing to advise here is proper training. In a defensive situation you wont have time to think. You will automatically fall to your level of training, and you are either trained or untrained.

 

[therewolf]

I'm happy with my Springfield Mil-Spec.

Always carry it cocked and locked.

I've also heard good things about the

RIA 1911s.

 

[WHSmithIV]

I carry mine in Cond. 2 - That gives me 9 rounds plus the extra magazine. If I need to draw it I cock it as I draw it. It's personal preference I guess but I find that it's just as easy to cock the hammer back as it is to flick the safety down.

 

[nmckenzie]

I carry mine in Cond. 2 - That gives me 9 rounds plus the extra magazine. If I need to draw it I cock it as I draw it. It's personal preference I guess but I find that it's just as easy to cock the hammer back as it is to flick the safety down.

Carried my M1911A1 that way for 30+ years. Guys I worked with were always nagging me about it, but I pointed out that with hammer at rest on a loaded chamber you could bash the hammer with a mallet till either the hammer or mallet broke, but the pistol wouldn't fire. Many years ago HP White Labs did a test on the 1911/11A1 series to determine under what conditions the pistol would fire if accidentally dropped - this was with hammer cocked and locked, at rest on a loaded chamber, etc. Their determination was that in order for the spring loaded firing pin to fly forward with enough force to discharge a round, the pistol had to be dropped from a minimum of 11', landing with the barrel perpendicular to a hard surface. Cocked, locked, uncocked, unlocked, hammer on half cock safety notch, or no hammer installed at all, the pistol would discharge a chambered round when impacting perpendicular from a minimum height of 11'. Taught myself a long time ago to have the hammer cocked by the time the barrel came up level, and never, ever, fumbled it. Piece of cake with just a bit of practice.

 

[AustinTx]

Rock Island Armory has a nice 1911 for around $500. I don't have one but a couple of my friends do and they shoot nice. You can't beat the price and they are mil-spec. It will just take awhile before they come back in stock. Ammo is starting to show up, but the price is still high.

Actually, there are more 1911s that are "mil-spec" than the Springfield is. I have both. The Springfield has a 38 Super titanium firing pin and a gun lock on the mainspring housing. The Springfield also has a heavier mainspring to make sure the lighter titanium firing pin will ignite the primer. That whole set-up is to keep from needing to put a firing pin block, in the pistol. The lighter firing pin doesn't have enough mass to light off a primer, if you drop the gun. They also have a much better sight than the RIA, the RIA is "as issued" by the US Army, warts and all. It's also easier on the pocketbook.

 

[qwiksdraw]

MetroArms American Classic models have an excellent fit, finish and performance that rivals even more expensive guns.
In over 1 1/2 years my Government Model has shot about 2,000 rounds without as little as a hiccup. Every bit as accurate and reliable as my Colt.

http://grabagun.com/firearms/handguns/semi-automatic.html

 

[gvw3]

I just bought a Ruger Commander and my son bought a Remington 1911. Both are in your budget and both are very accurate. Very good 1st gun choice.

 

[mikld]

I feel for ya brother I escaped CA 4 years ago and couldn't be happier about it. I am also a Rock Island Armory 1911 owner. It is my first 1911, but my second 45 ACP. I have had it apart prolly a hundred times, some just to play with it, some to modify/upgrade, and some to clean. I love it. If I were going to carry a specific weapon, I would make real sure I was familiar with it, and have the best carry equipment I could find (holsters, etc.), regardless of what "condition" you choose. I would (and have) holstered up and packed a gun around the house and workshop. I was able to practice drawing and presenting my gun while empty to be sure I was able to draw without shooting myself...