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What is your favorite $3000 to $6000 1911 and why?

15K views 219 replies 82 participants last post by  Greenleader  
#1 ·
Who has a favorite 1911 that cost between $3000 and $6000 thousand dollars new and why is it your favorite?
 
#4 ·
Comparing my, WC’s, EB’s, NH’s, GI’s, and LB; Guncrafter wins out.

They all shoot great and have greater potential than I do.

But the Guncrafter just speaks to me. The fit, feel, and looks.

That’s my answer today. Tomorrow may get a different answer.
 
#8 ·
It's a close toss-up between my Wilson Combat Protector and my Nighthawk TRCS, but since I don't shoot iron sights as well as I used to (my close-up vision is getting bad), I'd have to go with the Nighthawk Thunder Ranch Combat Special.
Once it was broken-in (about 300 rounds) it feeds reliably and has a softer recoil impulse than the WC. Both are as accurate as I allow them to be, but the red dot on the Nighthawk allows me to shoot it better at all distances.

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#27 ·
Agreed. I could spend that on a pistol if I chose to, but I choose not to. The most I ever spent on a pistol was $2,500 for my last purchase, a Staccato CS. I only did so because I take my concealed carry piece very seriously and the CS was about 90% of the pistol I'd design for myself to carry if I had that ability. Primarily, it is an excellent compromise between size, weight, capacity and reliability. I can't see much topping it in regard to my needs.
 
#11 ·
Nighthawk because their styling appeals to me, their fit and finish is amazing . They share my ideals and values and I prefer to give my hard earned money to a company like that. They have the best CS in the business . I have quite a few examples and they have never disappointed me . Their custom shop has worked over 3 of my pistols and all came back fantastic . I am carrying the Warhawk today but I think my Treasurer might be my favorite pistol in the safe 🤔
 
#18 ·
There you go making me choose. Its like who is the favorite child in the family. I have a favorite Nighthawk, Wilson, Ed Brown, and Les Baer. Now on any given day I focus in and spend a little more time with one over the other. I've taken it as far as giving them nicknames. i talked wtih the Fam and they all agree another adoption needs to occur....Guncrafter. So a favorite? ALL OF THEM.
 
#20 · (Edited)
$3K + 1911/2011 guns I have owned include the following:

• Wilson - EDC
• Wilson - Experior
• Nighthawk - Fire Hawk
• Nighthawk - Silent Hawk
• Staccato - P
• Staccato - XC

Fire Hawk has the tightest fit and overall fine tuning.
EDC is easiest to conceal.
But for me the XC is the winner, as it is the flattest shooting and most suited for timed shooting games.

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#21 ·
In my experience, they all make a good gun. There are reasons to love or abandon certain brands and those things are very personal. If it were stated that one or more of the "semi-customs" makes an inferior product, I would personally need to see evidence of that. I think it's an amazing time to buy off the secondary market. If I were putting an order in, I'd look very hard at the new King's River guns. I haven't even seen one in the flesh, but their bonafides and reports from actual owners are impressive. For me, it would probably have to be Guncrafter or Rock River. I would look hard at having a RRA built exactly as I would have it. I would look very hard at a NHC Classic. I would look hard at a GI BC-17 Hellcat or H.O.S.S. and the problem isn't picking "the wrong one", it's that no matter what you do you're leaving several "right ones" on the table. That's a good problem to have.

DW's shoot very, very well. My A2 will go up against any gun I've seen and it set me back $1249 over 5 years ago. Any maker from Dan Wesson and up will give you a great gun and as you spend more, the returns indeed diminish. If I were buying accuracy, I'd just spend $2,500 or so on a Baer PII. If I were buying the "custom touches", I'd look at guns like the NHC Classic, WC Supergrade and since the WC Supergrade team are all at King's River, I'd look at them. If I were looking for something "tactical", for lack of a better term, I'd look at guns like the NHC Firehawk or Sandhawk.

I have a very personal attachment to my RRA .45 and my GI BC-17 9mm. The list of sentimental reasons is long, but those sentimental attachments never could have been applied if they weren't rock solid tack drivers that approach or have reached something like "perfection" from the bench they were built on. RRA's use of Kart barrels and the ability to have virtually a full custom built for a relatively attractive price is a good reason to go with them. I looked into a King's River gun and their willingness to add custom touches that matter to me was awesome.
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#28 ·
My Wilsons (2 cqbs), NH, Ed B were all purchased used for 2000-2500. Baer was purchased new for under 3k as well. Baer and Ed might be my favorite because the old school classic style whereas the Wilsons and NH are more tactical type pistols but they are amazing guns.

My vintage colts (3) that I had customized were in the 3k-6k range and those are my favorites by far but thats because old ponys are so freakn cool and the process of finding a base gun then selecting the work that gets done really tickles my fancy.
 
#29 ·
I don’t have the experience or disposable income a lot of the others have so my top ones i bought used except a Dw vigil I bought new. The vigil I sent to NH for a tune up and it runs flawlessly. I have an EB Evo kc9 nice little gun going into carry rotation. Then I saw a Lb monolith used at my lgs and had to have it is a shooter although not as refined as the others but my latest and my current favorite is my ACW prime commander in 9mm the ACW just screams to me I love the look and the feel I love shooting it.
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#30 ·
Well, not technically "new", but my favorite 1911 in that price range is my RIA GI Standard MS 45 ACP. When I got it, it was a single shot b/c the second round always jammed. With. Out. Fail. So right off the start it taught me a lot about patience and anger management. Later, when I decided to fix it myself I learned a lot about budgeting, recognizing when to look at other options, and even more about patience. In the end, it taught me how to install a new hammer and sear, how to properly fit a thumb safety, and how to do de-horning without taking off too much. It runs good now with a nice trigger pull.

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More seriously, my favorite in that price range is a tossup between my SA professional ("previously owned" but unfired) and my NHC Colthawk (?) Colt Competition Model.

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#38 ·
3-6 range is a sweet spot to be in. You can get any excellent pick.

I'd look at a Volkmann for that range.

Of course already have NH, Wilson, Brown, Alchemy and GI. So I would add a Volkmann.

Also depends on the style you're looking for.
I don't know anything about Volkmann. I will take a look.
 
#42 ·
Beautiful gun. How long have you had it?
A month and 1500 rounds later. Carried daily.

it arrived at Rob’s today for some fun

$3000 to $6000 well that’s leaves most of us out
I said this for years.

Sold a couple spare G19’s, threw the cash in a jar and just kept adding to it.

took a bit but had the patience to do it and bought my ACW. Kept the habit up afterwards and was able to snag the Baer.
 
#52 ·
I only have one gun that breaches that price range. A Gunctafter No Name. It’s amazing, shoots exactly where my aging eyes and unsteady hands point it. I can’t imagine better craftsmanship and GIs customer service is stellar. I know there are other similar well made firearms in that price range. I plan to embezzle money from myself to explore some other fine firearms companies.


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