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Best choice for a rookie right out of the box?

First 1911 for Rookie Competitor?

6K views 51 replies 15 participants last post by  DonTejano 
#1 · (Edited)
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As stated in my 'New Member Introductions' post on 6/14/2020, I've decided to make my next purchase (pistol no. seven) a 1911, which will be the first of my collection. I'm an aspiring USPSA competitor and have narrowed my choices down to the two options listed in the poll (both chambered in .45 ACP). Criteria for landing on these two options include availability, price point, and ready to go for a rookie right out of the box. I wish I could include a Dan Wesson Pointman 45 on the list of current options but no luck finding one at this time.

Current retail in my neck of the woods is ~$950 for the Colt and ~$1,200 for the Sig.

Your vote (and any additional guidance) would be much appreciated!
 
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#2 ·
I owned a Colt Competition. It was one of the very scarce few 1911’s that was set up right out of the box like I like them for matches (IDPA). I like front strap checkering (which it doesn’t have) but I just add Dawson’s skateboad grip tape in any color you like. I also personally dislike target sights like the Sig for "action shooting” because they can bum up your hand if you have a mis feed, or failure to go into battery and want to give the back of the slide a firm bump with the heel of your hand.

Just add a Smith and Alexander magwell.
 
#5 ·
Colt competition. It's a lot of gun for the money, plus it's a COLT. Nuff said. The gun I see the most of honestly is the Les Baer Premier II...although not in the same price bracket. It's a proven winner right out of the box as well.
 
#6 ·
I owned a Colt Competition. It was one of the very scarce few 1911’s that was set up right out of the box like I like them for matches (IDPA). I like front strap checkering (which it doesn’t have) but I just add Dawson’s skateboad grip tape in any color you like. I also personally dislike target sights like the Sig for "action shooting” because they can bum up your hand if you have a mis feed, or failure to go into battery and want to give the back of the slide a firm bump with the heel of your hand.

Just add a Smith and Alexander magwell.

I've never competed in anything.....but I really like your suggestions here for carry, too.

I've been very pleased with the S & A magwells. The fit is perfect and the full length checkering is welcome.



@fieldgrade, thanks for the input! The consideration re: the rear sight on the Sig would've been lost on me.

Just like @fieldgrade said...sharp profile adjustable will get your attention at some point. I had the adjustable rear on my SA RO slice my hand.....more than once.
 
#14 ·
$1200 for a Sig 1911 is a bit much, I don’t think they are worth it from the quality and fit standpoint. I would personally buy a DW online at that price point.

Or a Springfield Range Officer and put some grip tape on the front strap.

I also think S&W E-Series guns are equivalent to Sig and can be had for $850-900 online. Downside to these is a limited replacement sights selection.

No opinion on a Colt, never owned a current production one.

Keep us updated and have fun shopping around
 
#15 ·
$1200 for a Sig 1911 is a bit much, I don’t think they are worth it from the quality and fit standpoint. I would personally buy a DW online at that price point.

Or a Springfield Range Officer and put some grip tape on the front strap.

I also think S&W E-Series guns are equivalent to Sig and can be had for $850-900 online. Downside to these is a limited replacement sights selection.

No opinion on a Colt, never owned a current production one.

Keep us updated and have fun shopping around
@gun_fan111, thank you for the input. It's tempting to increase my budget to ~$1,500 based on what a few hundred additional dollars will buy. On the flip side, being my first 1911 it feels more prudent to go with an entry-level model, get familiar with the platform, and learn to appreciate the finer qualities.

Update to follow!
 
#23 ·
SIG is truly ready to go out of the box, thus why I voted for it.

Pluses
Tool steel ignition set with Koenig hammer
Adjustable rear sight great for fine tuning sight in for competition (round edges if needed)
Flat face trigger is nice for comp.
Great set of grips , high traction
Dawson FO frt sight no need to change it
Dawson ice magwell (most used in comp and a great comp magwell)
Ext extractor (total fopaw in the 1911 world) But it works great with no adjustment usually needed.

Negatives
SIG classic slide shape BUT will fit most competition holsters and specific holsters are avail.
80 series ( filler plate is cheap and you can replace that while you're adjusting the trigger for your preferred weight of pull)
Some have a flat wire recoil spring. Will require a new GI guide rod for regular music wire springs if changed out

As much as I prefer classic 1911's ie internal extractor , trad. slide shape, 70 series.
I bought one of these 4-5 years ago and honestly the thing has never failed to work. It feeds and ejects every time. Honestly have never had a failure with it.
In competition that is what is 1st and foremost, a pistol that works.

If you buy the Colt I'm sure you'll be pleased. You'll have to spend more money on frt sights, magwells, and ignition sets. Colt is now full mim on their ignition set..

FWIW
 
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#26 ·
For someone who wants a 1911-based gun...if you are going to jump into competition (FUN!), you might want to do a little research on classes. If you're going to go the single stack route, look at the Springfield RO Elite. Its a very, very competent gun and has most of the bells & whistles you'd want. ANY gun you get you'll want to have some trigger work done and perhaps adjust springs for your intended use and ammo. Also, if you're going to shoot major, consider a 40 S&W...and if you can find a Para Ordnance Competition Pro P-16...they are excellent production guns...just needs a little fine tuning.
Finally, I recommend an adjustable rear sight, unless you're going to find one ammo and stick with it. I reload and tinker with my loads all the time...I really want an adjustable rear.
 
#28 ·
UPDATE: I recently came across a mint Dan Wesson Silverback on the Firearms Classified forum and jumped at the opportunity to add it to mine and my wife's growing collection. This pistol will most likely only see the range and not a holster at a competition. Nevertheless, I'm excited to have it be our introduction to the 1911 platform and I'll continue educating myself on the Single Stack division, to include identifying my next purchase.

Huge thanks to fellow Addict member @dds51968 for being an exceptional individual to do business with. Here is what I picked up today at my LGS (pictures recycled from seller).


 
#30 ·
I'm an aspiring USPSA competitor
I am not clear, have you watched or shot in any matches with an existing gun?

Before you buy, you need to see what is being shot; what Divisions, what guns.

Around here, Single Stack is tiny, and after playing near solitaire for a while, I moved on to a 2011 for Limited.

I do not comprehend your remarks about that Dan Wesson. It would be a good sound Single Stack if you really wanted to go that way.
 
#31 ·
You raise a good question, Jim. Out of curiosity I looked back at the last two local USPSA match results. Only one (1) competitor out of 133 shot in the SS division. The results for the local IDPA matches are PW protected so I'll have to wait and see how many competitors on average fall into the CDP division.

Unless the current circumstances down here in Austin disrupt our local match schedule I'll be shooting my first match next weekend, which will also be my first in-person exposure to one. I'll be electing to go with the pistol I have the most experience with at this stage, a CZ 75 D PCR. Priority number one will simply be gaining experience vs. being competitive at my first handful of matches.

Re: my comment about the DW, it's such a beautiful pistol I'm hesitant to scuff it up : )
 
#32 ·
I wouldn't worry about it too much. I shoot SS in USPSA, and it's true that SS is one of the smallest divisions (besides L10 and Revo), but if you're not a top competitor it's not a huge deal either.

I shoot SS minor, so it's actually pretty comparable to production given similar capacity limits and sights. Prod gets a slight weight advantage, and SS gets a slight trigger and magwell advantage, but it's for most purposes the same.

Given that people often debate whether to shoot SS minor or major, especially at local matches I'd consider them about equal. As such you can always compare yourself to production to give yourself a good idea of how you're doing
 
#33 ·
I wouldn't worry about it too much. I shoot SS in USPSA, and it's true that SS is one of the smallest divisions (besides L10 and Revo), but if you're not a top competitor it's not a huge deal either.

I shoot SS minor, so it's actually pretty comparable to production given similar capacity limits and sights. Prod gets a slight weight advantage, and SS gets a slight trigger and magwell advantage, but it's for most purposes the same.

Given that people often debate whether to shoot SS minor or major, especially at local matches I'd consider them about equal. As such you can always compare yourself to production to give yourself a good idea of how you're doing
This is reassuring, @whan. Thanks for sharing your experience. We're still in a holding pattern from a match perspective down here in Austin so I'll continue getting some 1:1 instruction at the range.
 
#34 ·
Ok. Again, is your priority shooting USPSA/IDPA, or getting a 1911 for competition? I think once you shoot several matches, you'll have a much better idea what your priorities are...thinking about it and doing it are 2 different things. I shot for many years when I was younger and always on a 1911 platform in major (45 & 40), but if I shot today, there are some other platforms I'd strongly consider...Glock 34 & 35, CZ, etc. Also, if you're going to shoot factory ammo, you might consider whether you want to shoot major or minor, and that could have an impact upon what caliber and which gun you might consider as best for you. There is much to learn...enjoy the journey! In the meanwhile your Silverback should serve as an excellent introduction to the capabilities of a 1911. Go buy a few more magazines, a holster and shoot SS...a great place to have fun & learn!
 
#35 ·
There is much to learn indeed! And any opportunity to refine my goal statement is a good one, @WNCRob. Thanks for the post.

As a newer gun owner and shooter (~8 months) my current set of goals includes ingraining safe habits, strengthening my pistol manipulation skills, and gaining exposure to multiple platforms in a competitive environment. That said it's more of the former vs. the latter.

Our current gun collection includes several different platforms (CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow, Sig Sauer P320 X5 Legion, and now a beautiful DW Silverback) so between the recommendation of my instructor and the suggestion of the match director I'll be in a position to go a few directions once our local matches are back up and running.
 
#36 ·
CZ or Sig will make great production guns you'll need 5-6 mags as you can only load 10 per mag for prod. division.
Legion with an optic you can live with, 2-3 mags with base pads that will allow 23 rounds in the mag. Thus 2 mags will get you though any legal stage. BUT you'll want a 3rd just because. Buy the best quality optic you can afford, they all have problems at some point. I've done really well with the SIG Romeo 1, 6moa dot FWIW.
Then of course the DW will handle any competition you want to do with it, Maybe a larger magwell, Dawson or Tech-well, Mag release paddle if you feel it's needed and a FO front sight if it doesn't have one.
Grab one of your guns, get some extra mags and go to the match. Ask around if there are any mid week practice matches. Go to those and get an idea of what to expect.
 
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#37 ·
My guess is that once you get a few shoots under your belt, you'll really have fun. Your CZ is a great pistol for this, just find some ammo that is appropriate for this...not too hot. Personally, I'd hold off getting a new gun for competition until you see where all of this takes you. You are certainly not going to outgrow the CZ, so learn to shoot it well!
 
#39 ·
The CZ is an absolute BLAST to shoot. My wife and I took a trip the range on last week with our two recent purchases from this forum: the mint Dan Wesson Silverback and the CZ. My wife just needed two shots to hit a dime-sized target from 7 yards with the CZ to win a friendly game we had going with another buddy. Needless to say she approves of the purchase, which helps my cause for continuing to build out our collection.
 
#38 ·
CZ or Sig will make great production guns you'll need 5-6 mags as you can only load 10 per mag for prod. division.
Legion with an optic you can live with, 2-3 mags with base pads that will allow 23 rounds in the mag. Thus 2 mags will get you though any legal stage. BUT you'll want a 3rd just because. Buy the best quality optic you can afford, they all have problems at some point. I've done really well with the SIG Romeo 1, 6moa dot FWIW.
Then of course the DW will handle any competition you want to do with it, Maybe a larger magwell, Dawson or Tech-well, Mag release paddle if you feel it's needed and a FO front sight if it doesn't have one.
Grab one of your guns, get some extra mags and go to the match. Ask around if there are any mid week practice matches. Go to those and get an idea of what to expect.
I appreciate you walking me down the path for each one of these three guns. You helped clarify some initial confusion re: the 10-round limitation for the production division.

My attempt to go down the optic rabbit hole lasted all of four hours. I unboxed my DPP, turned it on, and discovered I have an astigmatism when I saw nothing but a starburst. Instead of bringing my X5 Legion slide with the optic mounted to my optometrist and ask him to fix me I returned it. In the long run this should save me a boatload of cash.

I see the DW PM-45 are starting to become available again so I'll see about adding one of the magwells you mentioned after I purchase one.

Practice matches here I come!
 
#40 · (Edited)
...If you like the Shadow 2 in DA/SA, wait until you shoot one that is SAO! NOW, that is fun! I have a SP-01 that I've converted...1911-like trigger. I believe there is a SAO that comes directly from the factory, about $1200 or so? Or, if you really want to step out, look at the Tactical Sport Orange in SAO. Probably no more accurate competition pistol out there. There are some youtube videos on this gun. Check it out.
 
#42 ·
Guns that are DA/SA require more trigger travel so that it can reset after firing. This is due to a part called a disconnector. Shadow has a "short reset" disconnector, but the SAO does away with the disconnector entirely, so total trigger travel can be quite short and reset is very quick. Shoot one if you ever get the chance. Also, keep an eye out for an original Tactical Sport...extremely accurate. Unfortunately, the SAO varieties may not be legal in as many USPSA/IDPA classes as the DA/SA versions, but they should be fine for steel games.
 
#49 · (Edited)
Congrats on the purchase of your Guardian @clickbang52. Will this Dan Wesson be your introduction to the 1911 platform?

Smooth is definitely one way I’d describe how this Silverback ran at last weekend’s match. I lucked out with this one!
No, I recently picked up a Kimber Black Ice Rapide and a Sig 1911 Ultra Compact. I like both for different reasons, and am amazed at the accuracy and how well (for me anyway) I can shoot the Sig. I'm sure both are more accurate than I can shoot them. The 28oz Sig with a 3.3" bull barrel is a very smooth shooter and groups extremely well. The Rapid has other merits but is a bit big for civilian CC. I have not shot the Guardian yet, hope to this weekend if it's not snowing.

Oh and I have a couple of Micros....Micro 9 and P938....but since they are not "true" 1911s with grip safety I forgot about them. But they are very accurate too and fit in the front pocket of Dockers or not-baggy jeans if you wanted; just sayin' small size matters! ...amazing little pistols.
 
#50 ·
No, I recently picked up a Kimber Black Ice Rapide and a Sig 1911 Ultra Compact. I like both for different reasons, and am amazed at the accuracy and how well (for me anyway) I can shoot the Sig. I'm sure both are more accurate than I can shoot them. The 28oz Sig with a 3.3" bull barrel is a very smooth shooter and groups extremely well. The Rapid has other merits but is a bit big for civilian CC. I have not shot the Guardian yet, hope to this weekend if it's not snowing.

Oh and I have a couple of Micros....Micro 9 and P938....but since they are not "true" 1911s with grip safety I forgot about them. But they are very accurate too and fit in the front pocket of Dockers or not-baggy jeans if you wanted; just sayin' small size matters! ...amazing little pistols.
You're amassing a nice stable of pistols. I commend you for having a clear idea on each one’s application. The one and only non-government size 1911 we own is getting a complete makeover by Nighthawk Custom so we haven’t shot the smaller varieties much.

I hope the weather allowed you to put some rounds down range with the newly acquired Guardian!
 
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