I have seen your question asked over and over again. If there was a pat answer I am sure it would have been given by now, and we all could direct you to it. Perhaps even make it a sticky.
Truth is there is no correct answer, is there one that is close? yup.
When someone Say's I have a ___________1911 and it shoots great, and yes it eats everything.
Does that mean it's a 1911 that was made correctly ? Not really IMHO. Why? because the original
well made to speck 1911 made by J. M. B. was made to shoot 225-230 gr. hard ball jacketed ammo.
Not LSWC's, and not nose shortened Hollow points.
The gun folks have learned that the shooting folks don't want to shoot only FMJ hardball ammo.
So what do we want to shoot? Eh. Most times the answer is everything.
We expect our 1911's to shoot FMJ 230 grain, 200 grain LSWC's, lead HP, copper HP, short nose bullets, long nose bullets, and in some cases even chamber an empty case, and do it all without a hi-cup.
Can it be done? YES it can, I have the proof of it on my hip as I type.
Can it happen with a low end 1911? yes. is it the norm? no.
If we spend more money are we assured our pistol will be correct from the factory? Not really.
With todays manufacturing standards, parts being made here and there, and the incompetence of the people putting them together,I truly think you take your chances.
But I also think you can narrow down the odds in your favor.
I have to be a little careful of how I say things because all the sharp INTERNET no it alls will shoot me down. I can here it now, ------Hey I have an XYZ pistol that I got for $499.00 and it shoots great,
goes bang every time and I can hit a dime at 50 yards
Well I say to them go buy 5 more and see if they all shoot the same way, because John Smith down the block has the same 1911 and it's a piece of junk, Say's he.
From my trials in the gun buying arena, I would give this advise.
Decide on the type of 1911 you want, full size--compact, steel frame, alloy frame, blued, stainless, how many bells and whistles you want, As to how many you really NEED.and so on. How much money you want to spend? Many folks today want all they can get for as little money as possible, Human nature I guess.
Do a little research and find out what gun people have the best return program in order to fix what is wrong with you gun, What there turn around time is? and do they pay the shipping? (each way)very important, if not it could cost you $60.00 bucks to send a pistol back for fixing.
Because if you don't get lucky you will need them to stand behind the pistol and it's warranty.
If you receive a pistol that functions to your satisfaction out of the box, that's great and what I am
saying could mean nothing to you. But what if a part breaks 6 months down the road? does that mean you got a bad gun? no it means that the part broke. Do you have to pay a smith 50 or 60 $$ to fix a broken 5$$
part or spend perhaps 60$$ to ship it back and play with yourself for 3 months till you get it back, and be told the part is not covered under warranty? Don't think it can't happen, it can and it does.
Every day. Do the research think a little before you by.
Stay with what works and the Co. that will make it work if it don't, put it back in your hand in a short time, and not expect you to pay for it. WOW does that even exist? it sure does.
Let me give an instance. I bought a Springfield 1911-A1 loaded for 800$$, I shot it for about 3 months.
The pistol seemed to be well made and felt good in my hand when I bought it.
It didn't shoot bad and functioned almost all the time. (almost) Would I bet my life on it in a gunfight, NO.
I was cleaning it one day and a grip screw stripped on me. I WIll try to relate what happened next.
My paper work from Springfield said, (In my words here) This pistol will work for you or whoever owns it
for as long as it is on this Earth. HUM?
So I put the pistol down and picked up the phone. what followed was this.
No problem Sir We will issue a call tag and you can take it to the correct UPS place and we will fix it on our dime and pay shipping both ways. UM, excuse me but I am 3 hours from a UPS drop off point and that may not work for me.--no problem we will have UPS pick it up at your door is tomorrow OK? YUP, fine.
This was right before Thanks giving Holiday.
I made a list of what I didn't like and told them what I expected from my 800$$ pistol.
Some of the things were, I didn't like the welded barrel, It FTF at times and it FT eject at times, and naturally the grip screw. There were some other little things--I forget now what they were.
I got the pistol back in 10 days and yes on there dime.
New barrel
new bushing
new guide rod
adjusted the trigger
new hammer
replaced all the grip screws
test fire and returned targets
Refinished the WHOLE pistol ( stainless)
Refaced the breach face
New extractor
tightened the slide
COST to me--------0-------
A Little communication on my part and a nice little letter.
I called them back and got the name of the repair person, and told him I thought I had paid for and got a good pistol when I bought it, He said you did --now you have a little better one.
True story.
I now have a pistol that WILL eat everything I feed it and yes it will chamber an empty case.
Every 1911 can they just have to be made right. In this case Springfield made it right at no cost to me and In a short time. Go and research there customer service for yourself, and no I don't work for them.
Now that I have had your ear for a while , let me just say again. Cheep is not always the best way to go,
all the bells and whistles are not needed on every 1911.
Now I can hold on to my holster for all the flaming about who got what and how great it is and how cheep it was. I didn't say all this for you folks. You already have all the answers--?
Just trying to help someone with an open ear, that may want to save themselves a little grief.
