buying my 1st 1911

[Snoofer 138]

i've always wanted one and i plan on picking one up next week when i get back from FL (gonna look for one while i'm down there too) at 1st i really liked/wanted the basic springfield GI model, but while i was out looking at some local shops i came across a used colt gold cup trophy stainless model that looks like it's barely been fired if ever. i can get that one for $800 out the door. i was just wondering if anyone here has had any experience with this model or had any advice.

 

also a local shop had this "COLT 1911A1 EJERCITO ARGENTINO Model 1927"

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=138960750

 

i really like this one too but i want a shooter and was wondering if this is a collectors piece. i can get this one for $700.

 

i might end up buying both, lol.

 

any advice would be greatly appreciated

[Reverendfranz 160]

those are all nice guns, i think buyin both is probably your best bet.

 

Id buy the Argentine Colt, but i like a peice with a little bit of history.

[Vultite 57]

for a cheap shooter, i'd recommend a para GI expert. The slide action is smooth as butter. I don't go the cheap route usually on 1911's, but para nailed the cheap market with this gun. Plus it looks good. If I were to buy a pricier gun, it'd be a Les Baer or a STI.

 

link for the para

http://www.onpointsupply.com/cart.php?targ...&news_id=91

[elvis christ 451]

Is the colt a series 70 or 80? I was looking at Colts, and noticed that the series 80's had some extra pieces, so I was leaning towards the 70's.

[Snoofer 138]

Is the colt a series 70 or 80? I was looking at Colts, and noticed that the series 80's had some extra pieces, so I was leaning towards the 70's.

 

i don't know the difference, just about everything i know about 1911's i learned this week reading on the internet...

 

here's a pic from photobucket if that helps.

 

Edited September 5, 2009 by Snoofer

[Snoofer 138]

for a cheap shooter, i'd recommend a para GI expert. The slide action is smooth as butter. I don't go the cheap route usually on 1911's, but para nailed the cheap market with this gun. Plus it looks good. If I were to buy a pricier gun, it'd be a Les Baer or a STI.

 

link for the para

http://www.onpointsupply.com/cart.php?targ...&news_id=91

 

i came across that para while doing research on the other GI models. the reviews i read on it are all positive. haven't been able to get my hands on one in person yet.

[Snoofer 138]

those are all nice guns, i think buyin both is probably your best bet.

 

Id buy the Argentine Colt, but i like a peice with a little bit of history.

 

 

i'm trying to find out if the old colt is worth the price. i know if it was one of the 10,000 made by colt it would be. some old threads from other forums from like 5 years ago i found while searching said they were picking them up for 350 - 400 in good condition.

[Reverendfranz 160]

Judging from the pic, thats a series 80, no big deal, and a nice pistol. They did make (until 1983 Cold Cup Series 70s though, so id look on the other side of the slide, if its a 70, it should say, otherwise, its an 80.

 

The Series 70/80 bit can be a little confusing, but ill see if i can clear it up in a short post. (probably not)

 

Colt was the first to make a 1911, and so most other 1911s are compared to it. These original colts are usually referred to as well, 1911 Government Models's or pre 70 colts, or something along that line. This went along for a while, and then in 1971, Colt redesigned a few features to see if they could get a bit more performance out of a production gun without increasing fitting in the factory. They made a snazzy spring collet bushing to tighten up accuracy, and flared the end of the barrel to fit it. Thats it, but as it was the first design change to the 1911 government in about 50 years, they made a big deal about it, and named it the Series 70 Colt. (later, the bushing was found to be prone to breakage, and in 1988, they phased it back out)

 

In 1983, Colt came out with the Series 80, another set of design changes, most noticeably, a firing pin block safety in the slide. this has a nice stack of internal levers and springs and a plunger positively blocked the firing pin from moving until the trigger was pressed, thus eliminating the possibility of the gun discharging if dropped onto a hard surface or struck hard. This is generally considered a good thing, but it isnt without its downsides, as many users find the trigger feels "mushier" and there are reports of stuck or bent firing pin blocks, levers and springs jamming up a gun in action, and turning it into a paperweight. (more so with copies from other manufacturers, as colt has, still a good reputation in the 1911 world.) As i said, the bushing was restored to its original design in 1988, and if you ask me, its only a matter of time before the rest of it goes back to the way JMB designed it to be. heh.

 

So far Para-Ordinance, SIG, Auto Ordnance, and Taurus have adopted Colt's Series 80 or a similar firing pin block system as well. Kimber's Series II pistols and the new S&W 1911s have a FP safety also, but it is a different system than Colt's and is disabled by depressing the grip safety, but its not rare to hear all of these guns being refered to as series 80, as well, as i said, all 1911's are still compared to colt.

 

Springfield Armory just reduced the mass of the firing pin by making it out of Ti, which also prevents ND's when the firearm is dropped on its nose, which is the uncomplicated solution i favor, not that there was ever an epidemic of 1911's killing people when they were dropped on the muzzle, to begin with, and there was over 50 years of 1911's without either of those FP safeties, and today, there are numerous 1911's still made, just as JMB designed them, without any concern about such things. (they arent, however, AFAIK, availiable for sale in CA)

 

There is as much debate on the internet over GI, vs Series 70, vs Series 80 as there is about AR vs AK, and really, you just have to decide what you like, and go with it. I like the easier to strip down models with no firing pin safety, but im sure if i ever drop my gun nose down on concrete, ill have to rethink it.

 

Clear as mud, right?

[Snoofer 138]

^^this is why i love this forum!

 

thanks for taking the time to explain that to me Rev.

 

on the other side of the slide it just says "colt gold cup trophy model" <---in lettering about that big.

[mollysman420 19]

I shot my buddy's Gold Cup and it is the reason I got my Colt 80 series. I am a big fan of the Colts!!

[TR Young 175]

Rock Island is a VERY solid, entry level 1911. They get very good reviews and you can pick them up for between $450 and $750 for a very good piece.

As a matter of fact, I have my eye on this one. This model is listed on GB quite often, and I WILL have one one of these days.

[Steelin' Ducks 1]

did the paperwork for my first 1911 today.

[unclejake 428]

TR Young is right, you cannot beat a Rock Island Armory!!! Quality on par with Colt and others twice the price, In fact, the parts will interchange! I own the GI model and hope to have a pair of the Tacticals one day. I say I own the G.I., Daddy kinda "borrowed" it a good while back, and I haven't heard any mention of getting it back! LOL Course, as many guns as I have gotten from him, what could I say!!

[thehopping1 105]

I have a RIA tactical and love it. Now I just need to find a double stack.

[mgconnor13 206]

I've also been looking at 1911s for my first handgun purchase. The Rock Island caught my eye and I've heard good things about them from several people I know. There any double stack 1911s out there worth looking at that won't cost me an arm and a leg? or should I just stick to a 1911A1?

[Reverendfranz 160]

I have both Springfield and Para doublestacks. Both function well, but the Springer seems the most sturdy (steel frame) and as ive had it the longest, has proven its reliability. Some people find they dont like the way they sit in their hand, and they dont conceal as well as a single stack 1911 (a very slim and sleek design) but if you have larger hands, and find the doublestack comfortable, I dont think you can go wrong with 12-14+1 .45acp. definitely not worth getting a gun that doesnt fit you over though, as some McCormick mags in a singlestack will get you close, and anything you cant shoot comfortably, you wont shoot well.

[volkov 318]

wow posted in the wrong topic. my bad.. how embarassing

Edited September 29, 2009 by volkov