[Kent Williams]

Well - I know that there are both reliable and not so reliable 1911’s, and those descriptions probably can be found with most make / models, but I would really like to hear what y’all think. Price and accouterments are not to be considered, just plain old reliability.

Thanks - kw

 

[Legion489]

Metro Arms. The one I bought was from Century Arms (now sold by a different company, I want to say Eagle Arms). Philippines made (not Rock Island), it came with a slip that everyone who worked on it had to sign off on. Worked 100% right out of the box, NO "break in" needed, truly excellent trigger pull! As good or better than some of the custom guns I've seen.

Got to say my Taurus .38 Super has been excellent as well. Everyone (who usually hasn't shot one, but knows someone who knows someone who might have seen one...) trashes them, but the ones I've had have been excellent. I've had a slug of Colts go through my hands in the 1970's.

Worst 1911? Kimber hands down. Total junk.

 

[Old Sarge]

My Colt Commander, not fancy, GI plain Jane model...4.25 barrel...20 years old never had an issue with any mag or ammo, doesn't care what you load it with.
I have a Springfield 5 inch that shoots nice but doesn't like the 50 year old surplus mags sometimes, not often but once in a blue moon. Very reliable both of them, with Chip McCormick mags though

 

[Old Sarge]

Metro Arms. The one I bought was from Century Arms (now sold by a different company, I want to say Eagle Arms). Philippines made (not Rock Island), it came with a slip that everyone who worked on it had to sign off on. Worked 100% right out of the box, NO "break in" needed, truly excellent trigger pull! As good or better than some of the custom guns I've seen.

Got to say my Taurus .38 Super has been excellent as well. Everyone (who usually hasn't shot one, but knows someone who knows someone who might have seen one...) trashes them, but the ones I've had have been excellent. I've had a slug of Colts go through my hands in the 1970's.

Worst 1911? Kimber hands down. Total junk.

I had a Rock Island 4.25 in a long time ago, had zero problems, great gun.
Thx for the word on Kimber, I am on fence looking at a 3 inch....

 

[JM44]

Hopefully the one ya tuck between your nuts!

 

[eb07]

I have always had good luck with colts and mid 90s to mid 00s springfields.

 

[july19]

My GI’s, whether 9x19 mm or .45 acp. Thousands of rounds without a failure and only 12 rounds-combined- of factory rounds.

 

[Autonomous]

Springfield Armory has a model that passed some FBI test others couldn't.

 

[Kent Williams]

Thanks gentleman. I remember well another Instructor at F.L.E.T.C. who wanted to sell me a Colt Commander in 9mm. I shot a box of 115 grain FMC through it and it seemed that everywhere I focused on the back stop is where it hit, sorta like RADAR. Amazing.

Alas it was $125.00 which was more than I could spend (1982) and I had to pass it up.

i see now that Colt has done quite a bit of improvement on their 1911’s. - kw

 

[MajMike]

I had a Rock Island 4.25 in a long time ago, had zero problems, great gun.
Thx for the word on Kimber, I am on fence looking at a 3 inch....

My Kimber has been reliable since it came out of the box. I think with most manufacturers you will find someone who has had problems, but Kimber actually has a good rep.

 

[BCD 45]

Day in & day out no doubt about it, NIGHTHAWK!

 

[Mike A]

All of my Colt 1911s. The 1917, & both 1918s are reliable as the day is long.
My Series 80 LW Commander is what I carry most, & will stake my life on.

Well in fact all of my Colt 1911s are. Pic is my 1951 B-Day 1911 just the start.
It's about the rampant Colt it is about brand loyalty, COLT 1911 :happy:

 

[QNman]

I had a Rock Island 4.25 in a long time ago, had zero problems, great gun.
Thx for the word on Kimber, I am on fence looking at a 3 inch....

3-inchers are known to be fickle. Some argue over the shortest generally reliable 1911, but I've always fallen in the 4.25" camp.

As far as brand, I've heard good stories about cheap ones and bad stories about expensive ones. Get one from someone with excellent CS and it'll get worked out.

OTOH, it's almost impossible to go wrong with a Springfield TRP and there's two of them for sale right here on this site.

 

[Babboonbobo]

Never a problem with any of mine except a Rock Island I just sent back for extraction problems.

First off my Kimber (100% since day one and my first 1911) has been great and is a base model custom II
Then there’s Ed Brown, Nighthawk, Guncrafter, Wilson, Les Baer and last but not least a full size ATI that have all been extremely reliable and no malfunctions or issues. So from cheap to pricey maybe I’ve just been lucky?!.o:

but I must reiterate there is nothing wrong with Kimber and they are not junk as some keep insisting. If any other company sold as many 1911s as Kimber does they would have a few get through quality also!

 

[Mike A]

but I must reiterate there is nothing wrong with Kimber and they are not junk as done keep insisting. If any other company sold as many 1911s as Kimber does they would have a few get through quality also!

I agree Kimber makes some really nice Rifles & pistols. I have shot but never owned one Yet!

 

[Smitty316]

1911s are pretty individual. Any manufacturer can produce a problematic gun, causing the owner to curse the company for the rest of his life. Full size, .45 1911s are the most reliable - meaning that they are more forgiving of worn springs and dimensional inconsistencies than a smaller model. That doesn't mean that a small 1911 can't be reliable, it just gets a little easier to screw it up during manufacture and harder to maintain during ownership.

Can you tolerate a commander for carry? Or a CCO? Or a 4" compact? Those would all be more forgiving than a 3" model.

And my Kimber custom II has been very reliable over 3,000 rounds, most of which were fired from the dreaded stock Kimber magazines.

 

[Pilot Rich]

I had a Kimber Micro 9. It took about 500 rounds to break it in. After that it was reliable. If I wanted a hammer fired / 1911 sub-compact I would consider another. Kimber also has a lot of very cool cosmetic offerings that can’t be matched at the price point.. but I would expect a mixed bag of reliability.

My Ed Brown EVO KC9 Stainless has been flawless.

 

[Au Jus in Bello]

Fact is it's a new era in firearms manufacturing and -- even in just the last ten years -- there's been an evolutionary leap in the ability to produce quality, reliable firearms at all price points; precision CNC is largely the reason.

So, current production from an established manufacturer, there's really no one to point to that is a "must buy" or "must avoid". Not the fun answer, but the honest one. It really is just a matter of preferred price-point and style.

 

[jcc7x7]

Out of the box factory guns.
Sig 1911's, SA 1911's and DW
I put DW last only because their chambers can be tight and cause a hiccup with certain ammo.
But I like them the best for factory guns!

 

[Kent Williams]

Thanks gentlemen. Interesting for sure.

jcc 7x7: AMEN!