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Thread: Accuracy-Reliability in a new 1911 45ACP-Who does it best?

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Accuracy-Reliability in a new 1911 45ACP-Who does it best?

    Who makes the most reliable and accurate 1911 style 45ACP on the market today right out of the box?
    No gunsmithing. No replaced parts. No extras. Just as it comes from the box.
    Reliability to be no failures to feed or fire with new ammunition even if it is only hardball.
    Accuracy to be no worse than 5 inch groups at 25 yards.
    I want to be able to buy a weapon and shoot it knowing that it will consistently put rounds in the 9 ring on a silhouette at normal combat distances without needing work or extra parts to make it function reliably.

    I have had a number of bad experiences with 1911 style semi auto handguns that simply didn't work right or would not shoot accurately. I can't afford to buy a bunch and try them attempting to find one that works as it should.
    I get that kind of function and accuracy with revolvers. The 1911 has been around over 100 years now. Someone should be making a bullet proof gun by now that doesn't require trips to the gunsmith.

  2. #2
    Boolit Mold

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    You didn't mention
    any price range but my Kimber is remarkably accurate and has never malfunctioned with a variety of hand loads and factory ammo. I have a Jim Clark Heavy Slide that will hold 1.5" @ 50 yds but falls in another price bracket. Ed Brown also produces match ready 1911 platforms as well as others.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Sig has been good to my dad and I. Between the two of us we have a 3.3" Ultra, 4.25" Commander Nightmare Fastback, 5" STX as well as a 38 super 5". All are very accurate and very well put together.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    I didn't list a price point because I didn't want to limit suggestions. Prices are always negotiable to an extent. Inexpensive is nice but not at the expense of reliability.
    I don't need match accuracy. The 9 ring on a silhouette target is something like 6-8 inches depending on the target. I want to be able to count on solid body hits at ranges out to 20-25 yards.
    Also, this will not be a concealed carry gun. More for night stand or open carry while in the woods.
    Last edited by tazman; 03-12-2017 at 09:46 PM.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Ed_Shot's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tazman View Post
    I didn't list a price point because I didn't want to limit suggestions. Prices are always negotiable to an extent. Inexpensive is nice but not at the expense of reliability.
    I don't need match accuracy. The 9 ring on a silhouette target is something like 6-8 inches depending on the target. I want to be able to count on solid body hits at ranges out to 20-25 yards.
    Also, this will not be a carry gun. More for night stand or open carry while in the woods.
    Since you are open to suggestions.....a Glock 21 fits your requirements perfectly. Love mine w/LW barrel.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master


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    For the price, I suggest Dan Wesson. Hard to beat.

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    Boolit Master Dan Cash's Avatar
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    I have a bucket full of Kimbers which are flawless and have pleased me for many years, pushing 20 I think. Recently shot a friends new out of the box Ruger commander size pistol with factory and my 225 grain TC hand loads. We put nearly 300 rounds through the pistol with out a failure. Accuracy was first class as well.
    To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, the trouble with many shooting experts is not that they're ignorant; its just that they know so much that isn't so.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy

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    I think a Kimber will be hard to beat. I have a semi custom 1911 Colt. I bought a SS Kimber from a divorce sale and I have been very impressed.

  9. #9
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    I am no fan of the 1911, having had my share of guns over the years that needed work just to make them go bang reliably, but I would look long and hard at the Kimber Line--they seem to offer the best deal for the money and the three I have shot have all been 3 inch or better 25 yard guns.
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    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    Target/Bullseye- springfield 1911 45 range officer

  11. #11
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    I have persoanally bought two brand new 1911 pattern guns in my life. One was an Auto Ordnance back in the late eighties, it ate hardball with no hickups that I can remember. I bought a Kimber Classic Custom in 2000 or 2001 that has never jammed with any normal load.

    There was also a 3½" (Officer's ACP size) Para Ord LDA that was reliable; but it went down the road, I didn't like the round topped sights and the pivoting trigger on what was basically a 1911 just felt wrong to me.

    As for what is on the market right now, I can't help.

    Robert

  12. #12
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    I would not place a moratorium against some common sense tuning since this greatly affects reliability, AND the ammo the pistol will feed. Or not.

    Of all the 1911s made in the last 20-30 years, the trend has been for manufacturers to do as little to the throat of the barrel as they can get away with. This includes Kimber, and even Lone Wolf if you ask for a cast boolit throat, you will get a longer section of .4515" freebore that STILL will not plunk a .452" boolit unless it's seated too deep.

    Pretty much going to be able to look in any of the production guns' barrels and see very little freebore, and I honestly cannot tell you or recommend which manufacturer might have a sufficient, and I might add properly SAAMI spec'd throat in the barrel. They just don't bother.

    For the record, the barrel in this photo is a stock Range Officer barrel on the left, and after throating on the right. Note the lack of any sense of what you could call a throat. This is typical, and they typically shoot lights out after throating, so I would not stand too heavily on having ZERO work done to a 1911, unless all you want to ever shoot is hardball.

    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    SIG also makes a good 1911. I bought a Fastback full size that you could call new because of the lack of use from original owner. I have over 1500 rnds through it so far. Mixed comercial and reloads of all bullet shapes and weights. Eats it all.

    Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy
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    And I forgot to say pretty accurate. Without doing any work to it. I do think that it needs the trigger smoothed out. Maybe by polishing innards.

    Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy

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    Bullseye shooters that go for reliability and small groups give all their praise only to the Spingfield Range Officer. The Range Officer is the only 1911 currently made to take you all the way to master without any work to it out of the box. Ask your question at Bullseyeforum.net, and you'll get the answer I just provided. They shoot lead as good as jacketed, don't buy the BS they need throating work done.

  16. #16
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    Les Baer

    http://www.lesbaer.com/

    http://www.lesbaer.com/CMP.html

    These are guaranteed to shoot 10-shot, 3 inch groups at 50 yards with ball ammo. They used to guaranty 1 /1/2" for there standard NM build and 1" 10 shot groups at 50 yards for select for an up charge. The issue they had was the guns would do it but most shooters ammo or the shooter was not up to the task so they got a lot of returns and when tested with factory match ammo holding 10 sub 1" groups was not a issue I am not sure but I believe they still offer the 1 1/2" guaranty for an up charge. The test group with mine was about 3/4" . Mine is a standard NM. A group of us ordered five. Only one is not still with the original owner. He no longer can see well enough to shoot.

    At 15K plus through it is still easily sub 1 1/4" for 10 shot groups at 50 yards with Federal or Winchester match.

    I can't say for sure I don't remember ever having a stoppage with it.
    Last edited by M-Tecs; 03-13-2017 at 01:19 AM.

  17. #17
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    To the OP:

    This is a great thread, thank you.

    For years I have owned and shot my beater Auto Ordnance with great results. When I first got it it was already well used. I replaced the extractor and firing pin stop. This cured the faulty ejection and feed issues.

    I have fired thousands of Lee 200 gr LSWC's through it and I love it.

    Then, in preparation for my new CCW, I broke down and bought a Kimber Ultra Carry ll. My first three shots were 1 hole at 15 yards. It eats everything and the trigger is great.

    Now I know why guys shell out the extra bucks.

  18. #18
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    I have a box stock S&W SW1911. It is very accurate.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
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    My 1911 experience has been different than some or maybe I was just lucky. My first was a Colt in the early 80s in 38 ACP. I didn't have it long but don't remember any issues with it. I made another run at 1911s a couple years ago. I have 2 Springfields, a RO and a RO compact in 45 ACP that have never had any issues at all. My Ruger SR CMDR in 45 has had maybe half a dozen, self inflicted, failures to feed caused by me trying to get another load out of brass that should have been trashed. I shoot the Ruger more than the others. I've put several hundred rounds of ball and reloads with a HG 68 coated boolit through them. I picked up a RI GI in 38 super a few weeks ago and have run 50 rounds of ball and about 300 of Lee 124 TC coated boolit reloads through it without any issues so far. All of them more than fall well into your accuracy standard and all of them are out of the box except the Ruger. I replaced the barrel right after I first got it because the rifling in the original barrel was very rough. Could have sent it back to Ruger but wanted to try my hand at fitting a barrel.

  20. #20
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    Wilson Combat

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BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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