I’m looking at picking up a 1911 in the near future. I looked around a few sites and there are a ton of brands. More than I thought there would be. I was thinking 500-600 range. Found a lot of Springfield 1911s in that range. Found a lot of Turkish made ones for half that price range. Is a Springfield 1911 a good choice? Or are the cheaper ones just as good?
Well that’s funny. This is my photo.
Popped up on google
Oh yeah, it’s out there.
Well, as long as I’m here, go for a Springfield Milspec.
I second this.
Where can one aquire a non a1 1911?
The pistol belonged to a friend and has been in the family for a very long time.
Thats nice. I like the older styles and hope you take good care of it
Dude, I have a Turkish one let me tell you.. wow. Those Rock Island ones and Tisas are solid. You can spend as much as you want but the Turkish ones are solid man. I had reservations because of the price but yes, they are well built.
As an owner of a rock island and a former range officer, i gotta say while Springfield is absolutely gorgeous and a fantastic firearm selection for accuracy, I've never seen a more picky firearm. If you're not feeding it the right ammo and cleaning it every use for at least the first 10,000 shots, it's a fuckin jam-o-matic if you're using anything lesser than pmc brass, and that's prob still gonna jam. I'd honestly recommend federal, or at least American eagle (federal but cheaper)
My rock island, on the other hand, i equate to the ak of 1911's. I've shot her dirty with hand loads and reloads. I've shot Wolf Steel case. Hell, I've had one of the wolf steel case blow up in my 1911. Fucker shot a fireball at my face and shards of the casing but then cycled the next round like nothing happened. Had the armorer check her out and kept shooting. Accurate too. Maybe not as accurate as a tight tolerance Springfield, but damn if i can't group a bullseye the size of a half dollar at 20 yards.
I have a Springfield 1911 and you are not wrong about how picky they are. Mine specifically only feeds well using the most expensive 1911 Wilson Combat magazines made. The ones that came with it misfed every other magazine or so. I use Blazer 124 and 115 9mm (sorry, not god’s caliber) and it seems to do ok with those. Also ok with hollow points so far.
I mean my USGI 1911A1 ALSO only feeds well using the most expensive 1911 Wilson Combat magazines made (500C-HD, though I imagine the 47C-HV would work too).
All sorts of .45ACP in a few different “USGI” style magazines, and all sorts of problems (misfeeds, failure to lock back, yeeting random rounds to the sky instead of feeding them, one magazine that just wouldn’t seat reliably - about 10% of the time it just didn’t lock in place, ).
Some problems followed the magazine, some problems just randomly happened. Some magazines took about 100 rounds before it started having problems, others had problems from day 1.
All the same kinds of .45ACP in the Wilson Combat magazines?
No problems yet.
I have a Springfield Ronin .45 (gov’t size), with maybe 500-600 rounds through it since new, and never had a failure. Just giving OP another data point. I’ve only ever shot FMJ with it (reman, Speer, and Blazer).
Huh. I have tens of thousands of rounds through my Springfield with one or two FTFs due to limp-wristing it, and that includes a thousand rounds of Wolf steel-case and a thousand rounds of aluminum Blazer. No problems at all.
Rock Island is made in the Philippines. Their double stack 10MM is probably the best one on the market. Definitely best for the price.
Rock Island / Armscor manufactured 1911s for Colt in the 60s and 70s before going direct with their exports.
Can confirm those Rock Island 10mm 1911's are solid. Used to have a coworker who reloaded his own extra spicy 10mm and the gun had no problems with it. Thing was a fucking cannon lol
I regret selling mine but my buddy loves it....
Well hopefully you still get to shoot it occasionally.
Buddy of mine just bought a Tisas 1911 in 9mm. Looking forward to seeing how it shoots, fit/finish/etc
I have a Tisas WW2 GI clone and was impressed. It looks the part and even says US PROPERTY on it. Shoots flawlessly.
Good to hear! Think my buddy's is a 9mm Commander model through PSA, which yeah, fucking PSA. But it's $350.
You can generally find everything cheaper than PSA if you check the website gun.deals
Thanks, I'll give them a look
Edit: you sonofabitch
I've saved literally thousands this year using that website.
The only issue I ever had in my 10mm Rock was the factory plastic followers in my Tripp Cobra mags. Since I swapped them with metal followers I haven't had a single malfunction. And all my other Rock Islands are just as great and reliable
For sure
Really wish they were available in CA
How’s the recoil? I’ve thought about getting one since they feel so damn good to hold
It's not bad, especially with the bigger grip. Some people like them extra spicy loads, but I've also owned a Delta Elite and the Rock Island is honestly the nicer of the two. Even if we were excluding price, I would stand by my statement they're the best out there off the shelf 10MM 1911.
Love my tisas A1
I have a Tisas 1911A1. It's very solid but the first time I took it out I couldn't get on paper. Then the left 2×4 leg supporting the chipboard the target was stapled to collapsed and I realized I had shot a nice tight 7 round group a little low and 2 feet to the left of point of aim.
Took a look and realized the rear sight was waaaaayyyy off to the left and needed serious adjustment...
I’ve got a Girsan and it’s fantastic. My buddy is an army guy and has one of their Beretta clones and he sings its praises all day. Mine was $500. Girsans are cheap, but not cheap enough to make you worry, and they’re quite good.
Girsans can be cheap. I picked up my first 9mm as a beretta clone girsan for like 250
Love the damn thing. Heavy as heck too, barely any recoil.
Same for my 1911. It’s weighty as all hell. Recoil is a non-issue. I’ve also never had a feed problem or stove pipe with it.
Have a Tisas 1911 Government. Love it. Fired amazingly for a while BUT after several hundred rounds through it, I have noticed it catching a little when cycling rounds, like the angle the rounds are chambering from is too steep or something. It happened a bunch with cheap ammo, but it still happens occasionally with better ammo. I’ve swapped magazines, various types of ammo, and nothing in the gun itself looks broken or off. Mostly presents when racking the first round, but pops up mid-magazine occasionally. Kind of at a loss. Aside from that, it’s the most accurate I’ve ever been with a pistol.
My brother-in-law bought a Rock Island and I was so skeptical. I have to admit I find it to be reliable and fun to shoot.
I love me my Rock Island Armory 1911. It’s nothing flashy but it was cheap and I’ve never had a problem with it.
Which model? There are so many options
Standard full sized black 1911. I think I paid $499 for it.
I have one of these but I didn’t like the trigger. It kept slicing my finger in a way no other 1911 I fired ever did.
I recently bought a Tisas 1911 for tree fiddy and it’s nicer than my buddy’s Colt that he paid $700+ for (back in 2018)
A 9mm model through PSA?
Yessir
I bought a Kimber Stainless II at bimart for $699. Really nice shooter.
I've been out for years; I can't believe this is the first I'm hearing that we have a store!?
Funny you mention that. I am almost certain there used to be a store called Bi Mart in Roscoe Village Chicago. But now I can’t find it. On Google maps. It’s possible I have the name wrong but also possible that it no longer exists.
Also: https://www.bimart.com
This made me lol. Thank you
Springfield makes great 1911s, it's one of the things they're known for. As far as cheaper brands, I've seen that Tisas is solid, but the fit and finish won't be as good on lower end 1911s.
The 1911 sub LOVES Tisas and RIA, they're highly recommended for lower priced 1911s
Can at least give some personal experience on the Rock Island 10mm being a fucking tank with solid accuracy and reliability. Used to work with a guy who fed one thousands of rounds, many of which were his own "Bubbas pissin hot reloads"
That 1911 shot fireballs in broad daylight lol
Was an older single stack Rock Island 1911 with the improved sights. Think he got it with a .45 barrel and slide for like $500?
1911s are weird.
It is one of those things where I think the best option is to either spend $400 or $2000 (used to be like $1200 back when Dan Wessons were actually worth it).
Everything in between is kind of meh. You pay more but don't really get more for your money.
I run a rental range. We have used Colts, DWs, Springfields, Rugers, S&W, RIA, Tisas, Girsan, Kimber... all as rentals.
The only ones we still use are RIA, Tisas and Girsan.
In actual use our Springfields, Colts, Rugers, all the mid priced options had significantly more issues than any of the Turko guns or the RIA. The early DW we had did very very well but at the cost it wasn't worth it for a rental.
Our RIA and Tisas have been in service for about a year and a half now with many thousands of rounds across them. No issues to report. Our Girsan did have issues when we first bought it but a new extractor for $30 fixed it and it didn't have a single issue after.
The dirty secret is a lot of the lower end guns actually have less MIM parts than the other American brands and shockingly have less problems.
1911s are vibes guns these days and if you just want a 1911 to scratch the itch I would just get a Turkish one or a RIA.
As with all 1911s, first thing you should do to ensure reliability is throw out whatever mags come with it and buy Wilsons, Chip McCormick's, etc... The mags all 1911 mags come with are straight trash. Kimber is particularly guilty there.
What's the issue with Dan Wesson? Is it just pricing?
Wondering the same thing. DW’s are some of the best mass produced 1911’s.
Pricing went up and quality went down
Quality… how so? I’m seeing Valors and Specialists selling for $1400-1600 on “the streets.” (Lord forgive me for using that phrase) They seem to have been at that price for the past 7-14 years.
I see the newer Valors come with Stan Chen one piece magwell MSHs which is a huge step up from coming with no magwell. I have a Valor manufactured in 2011 that I upgraded with the same magwell. I’ve held several specialists made in the last 5 years and all were as tight in lock up and smooth to cycle. I did not fire any of them and you may be referring to quality in that department.
MIM parts? Not familiar with that acronym
Metal injection molding.
There isn't anything wrong with MIM persay however it needs to be done correctly and have proper QC on every part to ensure quality. Many companies don't bother and it leads to problems.
Springfield would be my choice, but Tisas is also really solid. I'm just partial to the fit and finish of the Springfield since they make some of the best production 1911s you can get these days.
Very much enjoy my Springfield 1911A1. Great weight, enjoy the recoil. Also American without branding price hikes like Colt
Get the Springfield; got mine in 10mm recently and it’s my favorite now
I have a Tisas A1 and I love it to death. I haven’t had any issues with it, and she runs like a champ!
I have a Tisas US GI spec 1911A1 that I got for $330. Shoots as well and as reliable as my Colt Gold Cup Trophy Lite, Sig TacOps 1911, and my S&W 1911 (all of which are 2-4x the price).
Here's the big deal for me, the CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program, of M1 Garand fame) uses Tisas as their supplier for new 1911's into their inventory for distribution through their program.
I have and love my Tisas 1911 in .45, but I had issues with my Rock Island 1911 in 9mm before I sold it.
I've got 9 and 10mm Tisas' and a .45 Springfield 1911, and they're all pretty good. The Springfield is the first gun I bought and is a joy to shoot. It would be on the higher side of your price range, but the quality is worth every penny. The Tisas are also good quality for the money. The 9mm is surprisingly accurate despite its shorter barrel and very basic sights, and the 10mm is remarkably stable with about the same recoil as the .45 despite the spicier cartridge. You honestly can't go too wrong with either brand.
That said, you should be aware that tradition dictates that your first 1911 should be in .45, as John Moses Browning intended.
I've never had a problem with my Rock Island and it came with a free revolver. Friends with really high end 1911s have had a lot more issues in my experience. It's an old school gun that's best with old school tolerances. Run it wet with oil and wipe it down as needed.
Don't have any experience with Springfield. My Tisas fit and finish is a hair above my old Rock Island. But my best 1911 is a Magnum Research/Bul Armory 1911 I got used for 600. My old Remington R1 was pretty good as well but not as accurate as the Rock Island.
I personally own a Tisas M1911 A1 Government, which I paid $350 for. It is one of the best pistols I've shot, period. I've heard Rock Island Armory ones are good, too. The M1911 is a pistol that is often sold at a markup to get extra cash out of people. You really do not have to pay much to get a dependable one.
I have 3 rock Islands (made in Philippines) and one Tisas plus a few other SDS products(turkey and one China) as well as some Turkish SARS (which rock) and I love them all. They all shoot super smooth and are all next to my P226 in reliability. As much as I want to buy a Springfield, I can't stop buying Rocks and Turkish firearms.
What I can say about the cheap ones is that the Turkish Tisas brand 1911 frame is high quality forged and machined billet steel.
Rock island armory 1911 frames use cast steel which is decent but rock island has been around since before WW2 so they have a lot of experience (their factory in the Philippines was taken over by the Japanese during WW2 lots of history).
I have a rock island 2011 in 9mm and it’s the best gun I own.
Springfield over Turkish.
Kimber 1911s are heavy but pretty.
I avoid +P ammo with older guns and regular ACP works fine.
I have found magazines aren't as interchangeable as advertised at shows. So I don't stock up on mags assuming they'll work.
Keep older ones as original as possible.
Keep it clean and enjoy!
I have a full-size 'loaded' Springfield 1911 in .45 ACP and it is glorious.
https://preview.redd.it/higx18ddns9g1.jpeg?width=2884&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ec401dc6954a6894300d618eb61a7e92f12a2b5
Go with Springfield. You won't regret it
I have owned 1911s from the Turkish to a Swenson. My favorite is probably a 1911sc. That being said - Springfield ain’t it anymore. Pay less. Buy a Tisas or Girsan or RIA.
I have had a Springfield Mil-Spec for over twenty years, and it is the funnest gun to shoot. It won't win any beauty contests, but it puts the bullets where they need to go.
I've had two or three 1980s-90s Springfield 1911s and the quality was equal to my 1970s-80s Colts. No idea about the most current models.
Early SAs were fantastic. I have an early TRP and it is amazing. It was hugely expensive at launch. I think close to $1600 in early 2000s money.
These days though current SA quality is pretty crap. Much better choices exist.
I've got a 1911M1 that came out of Springfield Armory's custom shop, a the thing shoots like a dream. Even after being stolen in 2009, and recovered in 2019, all it needed was a good cleaning by a competent gunsmith, and it shoots just a good as before.
I got a Rock a island for about $400 a few years ago. Replaced the main spring and extractor with Wilson Combat ones and it runs like a top.
I had a Springfield Mil-spec 1911 before it got stolen. Ive been devasted ever since but just haven't replaced it because the memory hurts a lot. It was a fantastic pistol and I really loved the shorter trigger pull as well as the all black. It was so badass and I miss it so much
Anyone have opinions on the 1911 DS 9mm’s? I’m considering one. I like them heavy.
Kinda depends what you want to do with it.
If you’re looking for a quality 1911A1 to run at the range or fill out a collection. I think the one that Tisas produces for the CMP is an excellent choice.
If you’re looking for something a bit more tactical and what the ability for optics, lights, or higher capacity. Tisas I think also has options but Springfield tends to be next up the rung on the budget ladder. I really like the prodigy double stack.
Springfield is of course going to be good.
Now the Turkish ones. They rock dude. Seriously.
Tisas is doing one piece forged frame and slide. You can’t really asks for a better starting point, especially at that price.
I happily carried a Tisas 5” Duty rebuild with all Wilson Commander internals for several years. It’s actually kinda scary with its mouse click like trigger, but that’s on me.
The only reason I don’t still carry Tisas is my wife bought me a Dan Wesson.
Springfield's fine, I have a few RIAs that run great, just get something with a beavertail.
I personally really like springfield for their 1911s, they tend to be made well and work very well out of the box. That being said, Tisas is absolutely the king of budget 1911s they build their pistols with 100% forged parts, and if you want that from any other manufacture you are going to be paying 2k or more. They are an insane value and are well known for reliability and build quality. IMO if you want a tool designed to be carried and used, buy the tisas. If you care about pedigree, branding, and decades of experience buy the springfield. Avoid new colts, they are junk.
honestly, I don't get the fascination with the 1911 if you want a sidearm that doubles as a club/hammer buy hk
<3, <3, <3
I got a Springfield for a bit more than what you’re looking to spend. It’s nice. But I see Rock Island and TSAS knocked around a lot for that price range and hear good things. If you can get to a range a shoot them, do that, if not, watch a shit ton of YouTube vids, read what you can on Reddit from what people think, then make your decision. But Rock Island or TSAS from what I hear.
$500-600 range? CMP Tisas 1911 A1 - currently $429 until December 31st so drop your packet in the mail on Monday!
You can find other commercial Tisas models in the lower end of your price range too, they’re generally pretty good pistols.
Expect to have to drop some cash on good magazines for the gun (see here) - 1911s can be very particular about their magazines, the Wilson Combat ones cost quite a bit, but everyone I know swears by them (including me after a brief period trialing other options).
Get a Tisas M1911A1.
I like my Rock Island GI model I picked up for 500$ back in like 2013
I own both Tisas and Rock Island 1911s and they are both are very solid guns, which have been nothing but reliable as well. They do feel different though-the Tisas has tighter tolerances, with milled parts, while the RIA is a little looser, with MIM parts. Neither necessarily feels “better” than the other one though, and I can shoot both accurately. For the money, they’re spectacular.
It really comes down to Colt or Springfield. Possibly even Kimber. Couple hundred more than your budget, but its definitely money well spent.
If you want a “real” 1911 you should get a Springfield or a Colt. Kimber has some nice options as well.
I love my Rock Island 1911! Under $400 for a blacked out MilSpec with rubber grips equipped. The only issue I have is that hollow point rounds sometimes catch on the feed ramp.
I’d get a Springfield Defender. They’re about $500 and the only cheaper options from Rock Island are only about $150 cheaper at most. That’s like 300 rounds of 45 ACP. In general cheaping out on guns doesn’t make sense to me considering how much you spend on ammo if you actually shoot. I’ve had exactly 0 problems with my Springfield Defender and it’s totally filled the 1911 desire that I’ve had. Seriously.
PSA has a Tisas 1911A1 on holiday sale for $280. This was too good to pass up. Just picked it up from my FFL yesterday. Looks great. Hoping it fires as well as others have mentioned.
I’m looking at that now. It’s tempting
I can only tell you about the ones I've personally shot. In my humble(ish) experience, I'd say Springfield, is, of course the best. Ruger was a close second. The Rock Island ones were pretty decent. Stay away from the Llama. That's a shitty Spanish knockoff, and to say that it's subpar just doesn't quite cover it. That thing had feeding issues out the wazoo, jammed up if you looked at it funny, hell, even the iron sights were off. I'd suggest going with the Springfield or Ruger if you can afford it.
Check out the 1911 sub. The answer is Tisas if you want to spend under 1.5kish. They beat out all the low and even mid tier options. I would take them over anyone up until you get to Dan Wesson money. Beyond that you are in the semi custom and custom range which is pricey and unnecessary unless you are really into it.
Rock Island Armory supposedly makes the best. Personally I agree but that's cause it's the only 1 I've ever shot and it's my dad's but he's had it for awhile now with no issues. Only time I've had issues is with magazines that are higher capacity which is normal. In all though 1911s are an old design and it's hard to mess that up but it's not a bad idea to check which brand makes the most reliable and affordable model.
I had a Springfield and I didn't like it. It has a lot of MIM parts, which are basically cast metal powder. Call me a traditionalist when talking about this particular firearm, but I'd rather have a forged everything.
I really just wanted a G.I. gun with iron sights. Used to shoot my dad said it's just fine, it's not a precision long range weapon.
I'm actually getting curious about a Tisas. Or a series 70 colt, although I'm not sure how Colt manufacturing quality fared per given year of manufacture. In other words I suspect there are some years of production to avoid and some to look for.
I used to shoot my father's, it's a beast of a weapon, a real hand cannon, although it shoots quite softly as it has so much mass.
My dad sold his, honestly if I could get a straight G.I. weapon I would. It's still my favorite type of pistol.
Any 1911 sub-2k is going to have MIM parts. They're fine, but also easy enough to replace.
Stay away from Turkish guns
Why?
Just have heard bad things about their shotguns. Idk about the 1911s though
May I ask why? Would this be your first pistol?
No. Just want one.