American made 1911?

[Matthew 25]

Does anyone know of a new American-made Mil-Spec type 1911? I know S&W, Kimber, and Ruger are all American-made (and as far as I know the only ones), but none of them offer a blued "stock" 1911. I'm not a big fan of the serrations on the font of the slide that Kimbers and Smiths have. I think the Remington would be perfect, but the frame is Brazilian. Is it too much to ask to find a "normal" 1911 that's made in USA?

Maybe I'll have to find a used Colt, which would be fine if I knew it wasn't beat to death.

[Larry Gibson]

Para Ord was supposed to be setting up manufacturing in SC, don't know if they have yet but they offer excellent M1911s. However, I'm still not selling off my Colt Series 70 or Combat Commander even though the P14 is better made.

Larry Gibson

[williamwaco]

Remington has released a replica of the original military model. It is said to be so accurate that it would not comply with current safety regulations and they were granted a variance.

I have no Idea where it is made.

see:

http://www.1911r1.com/

[Poygan]

I have a Para G I Expert which is a basic 1911 at the low end of the price range. I'm still trying various cast boolit loads with it. Only have several hundred rounds through it so it isn't really broken in yet. Seems to be comparable to my Sig P220 in accuracy but the trigger isn't as smooth (yet).

[9.3X62AL]

Did Colt close up shop? They had a significant presence at the SHOT Show in January.

[kyle623]

rock island is American made if i remember right,

[andremajic]

Para Ord was supposed to be setting up manufacturing in SC, don't know if they have yet but they offer excellent M1911s. However, I'm still not selling off my Colt Series 70 or Combat Commander even though the P14 is better made.

Larry Gibson

Those are some nice pieces of work. I got a chance to talk to the VP at the soldiers technology expo. They even had a double action version!

I might have to get one of those double capacity models one of these days.

Andy.

[shovel80]

Colt is still available aren't they??
Terry

[Larry Gibson]

The new Ruger M1911 is also very well made.

Larry Gibson

[johniv]

I believe Rock Island is made in the Philippines.

[robertbank]

Para is located in SC now. My son has the 1911 Limited in a wide body. It is an earlier gun and well made. I had a SSP that worked OK but the slide stop kept peening the slide and after a three month wait to get it repaired in Toronto I got rid of it when it started to peen the slide again.

Para quality is hit and miss at best.

Take Care

Bob

[hiram1]

springfild has one i think

[dnotarianni]

All the Springfields 1911s are USA I believe. Nice product right out of the box. Bought the stainless loaded model 2 years ago and no problems at all and very accurate out of the box.
Dave

[tacklebury]

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/141/products_id/36291

[Matthew 25]

Thanks tacklebury, that's what I'm talking about. I couldn't find anything suggesting Colt still made 1911's, thanks for the post. What's the difference between a 1911 and a 1991?

The Springfield frames are made in Brazil, as are Remington and Taurus. STI in the Philippines. A Ruger would be great once they become available again...but I want blue.

[MtGun44]

Colt and Remington are offering mil spec versions. 1991 is a cheaper finish and options
for better price point, but not exactly mil spec. Much better sights than mil spec if you want
a plain jane shooter rather than true mil spec.

Bill

[Combat Diver]

STI frames are made in two places. The Spartan line is Brazil, the higher end ones made by Pine Tree Castings (Ruger). Auto Ordance makes a GI spec, so does Ithaca, High Standard, Iver Johnson but don't know if they are outsouced. Colt still makes there 1991. You can look here for more answers. forums.1911forum.com


CD

[StrawHat]

Here is the brag sheet on the Para USA GI Expert.

http://www.para-usa.com/new/product_expert.php

I have handled one for a couple of months but could never find the attraction of the self loader. It was a well made piece and handled fine with hardball rounds and the few boolits I hade for it. I did not try it with either my 454423 loads or any of my 260 SWC or full wadcutter loads. I just never got the warm fuzzy feeling I get when handling and carrying revolvers. I may be the only guy in the country that does not own a 1911 but that's okay with me. It was a good pistol.

It was not an expensive pistol but had a lot of features.

[harvester]

http://www.coltsmfg.com/ Lots of Colt's available and some at very competitive prices. I just picked up a Gold Cup Trophy made in year 1911.

[Geraldo]

Does anyone know of a new American-made Mil-Spec type 1911? I know S&W, Kimber, and Ruger are all American-made (and as far as I know the only ones), but none of them offer a blued "stock" 1911. I'm not a big fan of the serrations on the font of the slide that Kimbers and Smiths have. I think the Remington would be perfect, but the frame is Brazilian. Is it too much to ask to find a "normal" 1911 that's made in USA?

Maybe I'll have to find a used Colt, which would be fine if I knew it wasn't beat to death.

How about a new Colt? Product number- O1911ANVIII

[35remington]

Colt makes a more exact reproduction of a "mil-spec" 1911 than any of the others.

It is called a "Series 70 Reproduction" and is a 1911A1 variant (arched mainspring housing, etc.) but with better, yet not "wedge inspired" sights. The sights are the only difference as the pistol lacks the "Series 80" safety parts, so everything else is the same, including the continuous frame rail on the left side of the frame that does not make the slide stop notch cut anything other than the hole it originally was. Other manufacturers have a slot here, rather than a hole. Another example of a deviance most manufacturers apply to their "mil-spec" pistols that is not applied here.

Build quality is better than many, if not all, of the competitors. For example, fewer MIM parts, forged frame, barrel, slide, and slide stop. The breechface is properly slightly angled, not vertical, which was the original spec. The competition has much more MIM parts and castings. Cheap as the competition? Not at all. You'll pay 950 to 1000 for a new one.

Closest to original spec as you'll get. No annoying, slanty slide serrations on front and rear. Original vertical serrations, rear only. Original short trigger of steel, not a plastic-y holey long one.

Most "mil-spec" 1911 manufacturers have a "mil-spec" that ain't much at all "mil-spec." It's just what they could make, using their current manufacturing methods, that was reasonably close.

Hold a real as issued 1911A1 versus the others and you'll see the differences, with further differences visible on disassembly. In practical effect, some of those differences do not matter. Others do. Up to you to decide what you'll tolerate in deviations from authenticity.

Colt's 1991 variant is somewhat cheaper, combining "mil-spec" A1 features with others that are not "mil-spec." Not as close to what you desire.

[FN in MT]

OP...The front cocking serrations ARE annoying aren't they?

WHY so many of the makers have picked up on those and add them to ALL their guns is beside me.

Another vote for Springfield...good guns. All forged.

FN in MT

[Char-Gar]

Colt... They are still making the Goverment Model. I bought one in 2005, installed a short steel trigger and steel arched mainspring housing and the result is a pretty basic 1911A1 or as close as you will find in an American made pistol. It is very well made and darn accurate to boot.

[Combat Diver]

Two inconvient issues with a true mil spec gun. Sights are too small and have a high ejection port cover that dings brass. All most all companies add larger sights and lower the ejection port. I have carried a issued M1911 and M1911A1s in Iraq over the last decade.

CD

[robertbank]

STI frames are made in two places. The Spartan line is Brazil, the higher end ones made by Pine Tree Castings (Ruger). Auto Ordance makes a GI spec, so does Ithaca, High Standard, Iver Johnson but don't know if they are outsouced. Colt still makes there 1991. You can look here for more answers. forums.1911forum.com


CD

I believe the Spartans come out of the Philippines. The last Springfield Mil Spec photo I saw clearly had "Made in Brazil" stamped on the frame.

Take Care

Bob

[Matthew 25]

Nice, you guys are a lot of help.
I'll look into the Para Ordnance, although it looks like the Colt may be the one...not sure between 1991 and 1911. It is a bummer that a bone-stock Colt more expensive than a low-end, but nice, Kimber. If Kimber didn't have the front slide serrations it would be a harder argument for me.
I don't need a true Mil-Spec, I just didn't know what to call a 1911 that didn't have all the bells and whistles.

[Ickisrulz]

All the Springfields 1911s are USA I believe. Nice product right out of the box. Bought the stainless loaded model 2 years ago and no problems at all and very accurate out of the box.
Dave

Springfield 1911s come from Brazil.

[ColColt]

I assume the SW1911 is American made? Hope so as I just bought one and it should be here the end of the week.

[Combat Diver]

Did some checking and the Iver Johnsons are made in the Phillipines and assembled here.

CD

[August]

I have Colt's and I have Springfields. The Colt's are very well made and finished. The customer service that Springfield offers is absolutely top notch.

I like 'em both and they're the only 1911s that interest me.

Both are "mil spec", with the Colt's being dead nuts John Browning configuration. Springfield takes a little liberty by lowering the port and beveling the frame at the magazine entry point.

Colt's is making a wonderful Series 70 pistol right now. If you can find one, that's your huckleberry.

[ilcop22]

Springfield 1911s come from Brazil.

They're forged in the Imbel manufacturing plant (one of the premier gun manufacturing entities) and assembled (generally) in the United States. I consider Springfield American Firearms. Robots do the basic machining regardless of where you buy them; it's really only important who assembled them IMHO. And besides, Springfield is an American company and purchasing any of their firearms supports American workers.

[Ickisrulz]

They're forged in the Imbel manufacturing plant (one of the premier gun manufacturing entities) and assembled (generally) in the United States. I consider Springfield American Firearms. Robots do the basic machining regardless of where you buy them; it's really only important who assembled them IMHO. And besides, Springfield is an American company and purchasing any of their firearms supports American workers.

Some are fully assembled in Brazil using parts from Brazil (American made?--not), some are assembled in the United States using parts from Brazil (American made?--I guess it depends on how you want to look at this).

From what I understand, guns with "WW" or "N" prefix SN are made and assembled in Brazil. Guns with an "NM" prefix SN are assembled in the United States from parts made in Brazil. The latter are not marked Made IN Brazil like the 100% Brazilian models.

I supposed purchasing any foreign made product from an American-owned company supports American workers (like T-shirts from Wal-Mart).

Even assuming Springfield 1911s are the best made, highest quaility, most accurate pistols on the planet, I'm not sure how one can look at them and say they are American made. To me, anyway, American Made means they are made from start to finish here in the US by American workers. I know the government has its own interpretation of what American Made means...

[35remington]

No need to put an arched mainspring housing or short trigger on a Colt Series 70 Reproduction. Already has them. It's identical to a military 1911A1 save that the sights are much better than A1 military sights.

Having a standard rather than lowered ejection port is no great cross to bear. The dents in the mouths of the brass iron out very easily in the sizing die as they are not very severe, and this has no influence on reloadability or case life. For those that handload it is a non issue.

After owning a 1911 of this sort, you'll be amazed at how many of the "extra" features like lowered and flared ejection ports, beavertails, skeletonized hammers, ambidextrous safeties and what not are not all that essential......even if you plan to use it to defend your person.

The military thought it did just fine without all the "widgets." And it does.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Didn't you get the memo???? We don't make anything in this country any more!:veryconfu

[Buddy]

Anything other than a Colt is a clone. The firing pin block in the Series 80 pistols can be removed if you wish to. Unless you are a seasoned 1911 shooter you may not even feel the difference.

[Matthew 25]

Well you guys pretty much decided for me. I won the bid this morning on gunbroker. It's a Colt 1911 Reproduction. It's about the same thing as the new Tier III, a reproduction of the 1918 service gun (I believe).
Well, there goes the Ruger SR1911, the funds have been depleted.
I appreciate the input.
M25

[Lloyd Smale]

usfa makes a copy of the old gun. There expensive though

[Geraldo]

Well you guys pretty much decided for me. I won the bid this morning on gunbroker. It's a Colt 1911 Reproduction. It's about the same thing as the new Tier III, a reproduction of the 1918 service gun (I believe).
Well, there goes the Ruger SR1911, the funds have been depleted.
I appreciate the input.
M25

Matthew, I had a Colt WWI, and it was a really nice pistol. As Combat Diver says, it had small sights, high ejection port, etc, but it was stome reliable and I wouldn't have felt bad about carrying it.

[Geraldo]

Some are fully assembled in Brazil using parts from Brazil (American made?--not), some are assembled in the United States using parts from Brazil (American made?--I guess it depends on how you want to look at this).

From what I understand, guns with "WW" or "N" prefix SN are made and assembled in Brazil. Guns with an "NM" prefix SN are assembled in the United States from parts made in Brazil. The latter are not marked Made IN Brazil like the 100% Brazilian models.

I supposed purchasing any foreign made product from an American-owned company supports American workers (like T-shirts from Wal-Mart).

Even assuming Springfield 1911s are the best made, highest quaility, most accurate pistols on the planet, I'm not sure how one can look at them and say they are American made. To me, anyway, American Made means they are made from start to finish here in the US by American workers. I know the government has its own interpretation of what American Made means...

To complicate that issue even more, there are differences between the production models and the custom shop Professionals models.

I've had a few SAs and they were fine, but the two-piece barrels bother me.