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

[reddog81]

If 5" groups at 25 yards is your benchmark then most of today's makers should be capable. Any manufacturer that is worse than that has either been weeded out of the market or the gun you got is a lemon. I'm guessing most of the guns in the $600 to $800 can meet that standard. If you can spend a little more than $1,000 i'd just go with a Colt Gold Cup. If you've got a couple grand than any of the custom makers out there will be able meet your needs.

[Love Life]

Don't be afraid of looking on the used market for a higher end gun. 1911 addicts always has some deals. I bought my first Les Baer, a Hillsdale made Ball Gun, used for $1,250.00. It was somebody's safe queen and is know one of my range favorites.

[ole 5 hole group]

Love Life is on the money there - I purchased both of my Baer PII's with 1.5" option used - one for $1,450 and the other for $1,400.

There are many people out there that believe the pistol shoots the small groups and when they find out they can't shoot that 1911 guaranteed to shoot 10 rounds into a 1.5" group at 50 yards any better than their less expensive 1911, they are a little disappointed/disgusted with the whole game of handgun target shooting. I'm pretty sure I could have purchased the pistols for less, but their offering price was very reasonable and I see no reason to kick a man when he's down, unless he's my enemy.

Some people have run into better deals from deep pocket guys who just want to get rid of their "mistake" and move on to something else - I haven't been fortunate enough to run into those guys.

[PbHurler]

I’ve ALWAYS been a revolver fan, and shoot them pretty well.I once asked a gentleman if 1911’s were inherently inaccurate since everyone I saw shooting them at the range he worked at, couldn’t print a handball sizedgroup at 25’ with them. He told me if you can shoot, they’re darned accurate.

In 2010, I decided I’d buy a 1911 in .45 acp because I’ve always wanted to own this iconic model and it was the 100yr anniversary of the 1911.

I figured I’d only own one, felt a few over & became enamored with the Ed Browns. When I finally decided to purchase, and after the bosses’ “permission”,I went to pick up a SS Special Forces Ed brown.

Much to my disappointment, it had sold. (it figures). I was shown another Brown, the Molon Labe model, and this model felt wonderful. It came home with me. This was (is) a fantastic shooter with whatever I’d feed it.230 Ball, 200gr SWC’s , anything. Phenomenal trigger, slide feels like it’s on ball bearings, I justlove it.

So much so, I was in the shop a few weeks later and the SS Special Forces was back in stock. Yep, it came home too. Another fantastic 1911.

I don’t do things like this AT ALL, but my wife encouraged me, and I had her blessing to do so for being an OK guy I guess.

I have absolutely NO regrets with my Browns, They’ve been flawless for me and have always been damned accurate to boot

[Love Life]

Whenever a question like the OP's comes up, I tend to ask "How far do you want to shoot, and how much do you want to spend?"

If the asker is your typical 7 yard superexpertoneholealldaylongif'nIdomypart type of person, then I recommend a bargain basement foreign job because any 1911 made with semi ok parts and sort of in spec will shoot very well at 7 yards, good to ten, and probably respectable to 15 yards.

If the asker starts at 15 yards, and wants great accuracy there and up to 25 yards, then I'll recommend a Colt, Springfield, or a Kimber.

If the asker starts at 25 and wants to shoot 50 yards, and may even want to shoot groups on paper...for score (not ring steel all day long if'n I do my part) then I start to creep up into the semi customs with Baer leading the way for value to performance ratio.

If the asker wants to win...then I recommend custom smiths.

[lotech]

I've shot 1911's, other semi-automatics, and revolvers for many years. Perhaps I just lack good shooting skills, but I've always thought 1911s were the most difficult of full-sized handguns to master. A plain out-of-the-box 1911 is generally capable of much better accuracy than many will admit. It takes some serious 25 yard shooting over a steady rest using a good consistent bench technique to verify this. I suspect many of us have never done this or have attempted it only to have a true depiction of accuracy negated by our shortcomings.

[XDROB]

25 yards, but not an out of box gun. First used gun I ever bought. Granted not a carry gun either.

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[35remington]

Actually, in my experience, when I introduce people to shooting they have without a single exception shot the 1911 better than any other centerfire automatic and very noticeably better than any of the plastikpistoles.

[brassrat]

That's because it's a real .45

Oh yeah, I second getting a Dan Wesson or maybe a Les Baer, both used.

[The Governor]

I like this one a lot;

]

[Love Life]

I like this one a lot;

]

Very nice!

[DougGuy]

I like this one a lot;

]

I read a lot about these, made in USA, forged frame and slide, 416SS barrel, only made 1,000 pistols in the first run, discontinued them citing non availability of repair parts. I thought c'mon yer kidding me right? The USA is swimming in 1911 parts!

[The Governor]

Thanks for noticing my CZ!
I think, if you can fund one, it's a great value. Mine was < $800. I find it's not as easy to shoot as accurately as a 2 K
custom, but it has fired and cycled every time.

[birch]

I feel the 1911 is the hardest pistol to shoot more than "ordinary" accurate. I have found that I am not a good enough shot to realize the accuracy potential of a high end 1500+ price tag. My suggestion is if you are a casual shooter who sometimes makes a nice 15 yard group, a new model colt gold cup or Dan Wesson will get you happy.

However, if I had the extra cash, I would by a Les Baer or Wilson Combat in a heart beat!


There is a big difference between a 600 dollar 1911 and a 1000 dollar example. I did get my hands on a Ruger R1 1911 and was impressed.

For me, the best indicator of an accurate 1911 is a fine trigger. I would take a fine trigger over bank vault lock up every time. I also like buying oversized barrel bushings and fitting those to the gun. I can do one in a long evening, and there is a sense of satisfaction in improving accuracy through work.

[Char-Gar]

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.

Any good 1911 should be 100% reliable after a short break end period. Any good 1911 should be well under your standards for accuracy.

I can recommend to you that without question the Ruger R1911 will do what you want and far more. For the money it the best buy, made in American and by a company that will stand by their products.

I have a pair of Colts and a Ruger and all three will do what you ask and better. Of the two, the Ruger costs less, and performs as well as the Colts. You should be able to get a Ruger for $600.00 plus or minus 50 bucks. A Colt will cost hundreds more and not shoot any better.

Glen Fryxell bought a new Ruger a few months back and thinks it is great. He did have one bad mag, that he sent back to Ruger and they replaced it ASAP for free. My Ruger mags are all great.

I just am not into high dollar 1911s. Hell, I have had Norincos that will do what you ask. I suspect that most of the imports will do what you ask. The closer to the original Browning design and specs the more reliable the pistol become. Lots of folks and manufactures all all sorts if stuff to the original design. Most of it is marketing without any real benefit and sometimes induces problems. John Browning was a mechanical genius and just leave it at that.

I don't know what the source of your 1911 problems have been, but my gut tells me that you or somebody else thought they could improve on the Browning design and ooops. That is where most of these problems come from. Take all this internet stuff about change this, replace this, modify that stuff with a very large grain of salt.

[ole 5 hole group]

Haaa, but Char-Gar, unless you spend a few bucks and possess a semi-custom pistol that possesses the ability to put 10 rounds in a very tight group at 50 yards; you'll never have that "feeling" of what the hell was that all about when a coyote comes within 40 yards of your hide and your 1st shot is a complete miss while your second shot seals the deal. I've even missed blackbirds at 30 feet - broadside to me. Now, I can handle and shoot that Baer fairly well but sometimes these creatures must be dead but just don't know they're suppose to be dead.

I never felt embarrassed about missing with a less expensive 1911.

[Char-Gar]

Haaa, but Char-Gar, unless you spend a few bucks and possess a semi-custom pistol that possesses the ability to put 10 rounds in a very tight group at 50 yards; you'll never have that "feeling" of what the hell was that all about when a coyote comes within 40 yards of your hide and your 1st shot is a complete miss while your second shot seals the deal. I've even missed blackbirds at 30 feet - broadside to me. Now, I can handle and shoot that Baer fairly well but sometimes these creatures must be dead but just don't know they're suppose to be dead.

I never felt embarrassed about missing with a less expensive 1911.

I am 55 years deep into 1911 pistols and was a serious Bullseye competitor in the early 60's. I owned high end custom pistols by Bob Chow and Clark. They would chew out the X ring at 50 yards if you did your part.

I have owned about 40 1911 pistols over the years, all up and down the price curve. I have put at least 3/4 million rounds through these pistols. I am creeping up on 75 and don't shoot as well as I did many years ago, but I can still give most folks a run for their money. At 30 feet a blackbird would be grave yard dead with my common Colt GM and Ruger.

Don't assume things about people you don't know.

[ole 5 hole group]

Sorry that you took my last post as meaning anything but an attempt at humor. I was trying to poke fun at myself - again, I apologize for any offense you may have taken to my post.

[Char-Gar]

Sorry that you took my last post as meaning anything but an attempt at humor. I was trying to poke fun at myself - again, I apologize for any offense you may have taken to my post.

I got the self depreciating humor, but it was predicated on the notion that I did not spend the bucks for a high end pistol and that unless I did, I wouldn't the feeling of missing easy targets with an expensive pistol. I have spent the bucks and I do know what it means to hit and miss with high end and basic 1911 pistols. I have done my share of both.

I was not offended, I just didn't want to leave the impression that my experience with the 1911 pistol was on the low basic end. My opinions are based on real experience and not theory. I have screwed up my share of 1911 pistols by trying to improve on the Browning design. That is how I know.

There are very few 1911 shooters that can really tell the difference between a $600.00 pistol and a $1,500.00 pistol, much less a $2,000.00 plus pistol. Folks are free to spend their money any way they wish, I was trying to give the OP a steer in the right directions.

[gray wolf]

There are very few 1911 shooters that can really tell the difference between a $600.00 pistol and a $1,500.00 pistol, much less a $2,000.00 plus pistol.

I couldn't agree more, like someone said,

some people make things happen
some people watch things happen
and some people have no idea what happened