$3,000 for a 1911...got a Springfield Pro!

[LittleLebowski]

Yep. The RRA was a great gun, and it was a good experience to know what I need; single side safety, padded beaver tail, GI recoil system, blacked out ledge rear, front strap checkering around 25 lpi. I want HRT cut slide stop, blended mag well, flush barrel.

Texas Patriot Arms posted an Alchemy Prime Elite on IG last night...I called around 3pm EST and spoke to Mark, he sold it that morning.

Just my luck.


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I bet that the PF hive mind can help find one.

[NPV]

Yep. The RRA was a great gun, and it was a good experience to know what I need; single side safety, padded beaver tail, GI recoil system, blacked out ledge rear, front strap checkering around 25 lpi. I want HRT cut slide stop, blended mag well, flush barrel.

Texas Patriot Arms posted an Alchemy Prime Elite on IG last night...I called around 3pm EST and spoke to Mark, he sold it that morning.

Just my luck.


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I was going to post that one for you, it sold within 10-20 minutes on another forum.

[Winegamd]

I have shot Wilson's, Nighthawks, and Les Baers. Out of those, the Nighthawks were in a different league. I don't remember the models, but I know I could shoot them better than the other two.

If were looking for a custom, though, I would give AJ Zitto from practical performance a call.

I would suggest Chambers Customs, but they are out of the price point.

[SW CQB 45]

if there is any 1911 I regret selling.... it was an early 2000s Les Baer Monolith Heavyweight. Nothing fancy... (not the 1.5") but it was a tight shooter. I only sold it as it was hard to find holsters for it (think very early days of kydex) and I wanted something else.... so I sold it. I should have sent it to LB for a magwell and kept it. In fact I drove to Comp Tac in Houston and he made a holster for me (right in front of me). Plywood, foam and clamps!!!!

I am relying on memory, but I think I paid around $1200 back then new (dealer cost) from a buddy.

[JHC]

It matters to me, especially beyond 7-10 yards.

I chose the Lwt Gvt for carry because it just carries nicer than a steel gun. But putting a lot of rounds through an aluminum-framed 45 is likely to lead to a cracked frame at some point, so I practice with an all steel gun. I find that the 5" Lightweight Government handles and shoots a lot like a steel 5" gun -- more so than a Lightweight Commander shoots like a steel Commander. Plus 5" guns are easier on my damaged ears at the range than Commanders. That's all -- it's not a revelation or a high concept, just my preference.

Much like the system I'm setting up for this year. Three Operators - LW Operator for carry, LB Operator and 9mm Operator for most of the shooting.

[rob_s]

This thread had me go back and look at Les Baer again. I was pleasantly surprised to find that their “Concept” line isn’t much more expensive than when I owned one over a decade ago. Based on that past experience I’d be willing to try one again.

[JHC]

Having owned 30+ 1911's myself ranging all over the map (including high-end customized guns built by guys like John Harrison, Jim Garthwaite, John Jardine, factory customs like the Springfield Professional, and basic factory guns like the Springfield Long Beach Operator) and working for a police department that has a high number of 1911's in various makes in-service and being one of the armorers that care for them, I feel I'm qualified to make a recommendation here.

In 2021 the only 1911 I will recommend unequivocally to anyone is...

Wilson Combat

You can spend lots of time, money, and heartache trying to make a reliable daily carry 1911. You can spend a lot of effort vetting individual smiths and sitting on waitlists for years. You can order "factory customs" from small operations that go out of business or get absorbed by larger places, or that do not provide adequate customer support post-purchase, or...

You can skip all the drama and buy a gun that you know will work with a factory standing behind it that will fix it if it does not.

My personal recommendation would be to find a slightly used CQB in the $2k price range in 45 ACP. If it doesn't work 100% send it back to Wilson to get freshened up. Learn with that gun what works for you and what does not and let Wilson (and only Wilson) make any changes to it that need to be made. Keep all the paperwork for the gun. Either you will fall in love with the 1911 or if you don't you can always sell it and recoup your cost.

I've watched lots of guys (and I'm one of them) go through several different guns (and smiths) trying to find the magical combo that works. I've also watched a bunch of guys buy a Wilson and carry the same gun, with slight tweaks done by the factory, for twenty years now. I'm done trying to recommend different 1911 routes to people. Just go find and buy a Wilson Combat.

Dang that's compelling. Quick question, WC guarantees their guns and also states on the web they will not work on a WC gun someone else has worked on. Any idea how much of the stickler they are on that? As in one buys a used CQB and turns out when WC gets into the gun, some prior owner had a local smith tune the trigger, fit a slide release or some such.

[KevH]

Dang that's compelling. Quick question, WC guarantees their guns and also states on the web they will not work on a WC gun someone else has worked on. Any idea how much of the stickler they are on that? As in one buys a used CQB and turns out when WC gets into the gun, some prior owner had a local smith tune the trigger, fit a slide release or some such.

I know they've been forgiving of "field expedient fixes" done by PD armorers when something goes wrong (re-staking a plunger tube type of thing) and I know they'll work on their gun when someone has stuck another manufacturer's sights on it. I don't think they want to work on a gun that's been heavily altered for obvious reasons. I'm pretty sure if you called them and told them you purchased the gun second hand with a couple aftermarket parts in it and wanted to "return it to factory" they would likely be accommodating, but I would call them first to make sure.

[Pit]

There was a time I would have recommended WC without hesitation, but I've had too many issues over the last five years with their guns (3 out of 5 WC's had problems). And I know I'm not alone. @Pit @Sensei

Complete agreement TC215. Wilson Combat had been my go to for decades of LEO carry. I never thought that would change. However, based on my own experience with my last couple of Wilson's, I only recommended used Wilson pistols with known reliability.

Still waiting for my ACW Classic Carry which is my direct replacement for my steel frame WC Hackathorn Special Commander. I've got a stash of ammo on hand waiting to put the CC thru it's paces.

JW

[theJanitor]

I bought a used Wilson Combat built Colt Officers awhile back. It had Wilson's logo engraved on it, and I even had the build sheet. I asked them to rebarrel it, and they said, "No, we don't work on guns of that length". I was quite upset, as you can imagine, and even more so because the barrel I wanted them to install was still sold on the website. In the end, I had another smith do the work.

If you have any plans for purchasing/sending a WC pistol in, I'd surely ask before purchasing