1911 $1000 plus. What are you using?

[Hoss Shoer]

I’ve been using a Springfield Armory loaded target 1911 for Wild Bunch. Recently I’ve been looking around at what could possibly be the next level 1911.  I know that there are plenty to choose from in the $3000 plus range. I’m curious what you are using in the $1500-2500 range and why. 
thanks in advance. 
Hoss Shoer 

[Garrison Joe]

What's your most important requirements that a new gun would have to meet?   In other words, what fails to give you full confidence with that Springer you have? 

My experience is that if the gun runs reliably, I can tune the rest quite easily to satisfy my operation of it.

good luck, GJ

[Jorge]

Agree with GJ.

I have used STI, Colt, Ruger, and Rock Island 1911's with success, and I see many others using 1911's costing less than $1200.

It is your money, and it is nice to have a nice 1911, but you might be overspending for Wild Bunch.

Just as important may be producing good quality ammunition that always functions in the 1911.

[Jorge]

And, I forgot to mention that GOOD magazines are a necessity!  Spend extra on them.

[Burt the Undertaker]

Other than personal preference, there isn't a need to run an expensive 1911. I agree with Joe and Jorge, tuning the pistol, quality ammo and reliable mags are the important parts.

[Dantankerous]

Hoss Shoer,

I have been out of WB for a few years but when I shot more often than not I used a Springfield Armory GI. Not the current Mil-Spec model, but the older GI model. It worked great and I think I paid $400ish for it probably 2015 or so, maybe earlier. I sold it. Wish I hadn't. I have only one 1911 currently and it is the Colt WW1 1918 reproduction. Super nice gun and it wasn't cheap. It indeed falls into your price range. I have used it in several matches and it has been 100%. I'd prefer to not use it in competition however. Do you need an expensive 1911 for this game? No, but it should be reliable and sometimes, sometimes it might be expensive to get to the reliability we want. I am currently looking for another 1911 and will most likely spend over $1000. Why? Because that is just the price range anymore, if you don't count Tisas, etc... which may very well be an excellent choice but I have never personally seen one. Do we have a want for an expensive 1911? Well maybe so! If you want it, buy it. It won't instantly  make you a better shooter of course, but it will be satisfying. 

[El Chapo]

In that price range, my choice would be a Dan Wesson.  To answer your question, I'm not using a $1500-2500 1911 in WB.  I do shoot a Nighthawk in USPSA.  Before last year, I was shooting a $600 STI Spartan for USPSA for a long time.  My WB gun is a Kimber that is 25 years old.

Edited September 22 by El Chapo

[Griff]

Quite frankly, if I were to get another 1911, whether for WB or just plain to own... it would be Colt's 1911 Classic.  MSRP of $1,069.  6 of my 7 current 1911s can be used for WB as is... 2 in modern, 4 in Traditional, only 2 of which are Colts (a GI issue & a Gold Cup).  However the ones I use for WB are a pair of Taylor Tacticals.  One that I won in at a match (finished in the right placement)😉... and another that I bought as a backup.  The model I have is no longer available.  The frame is patterned like a 1911, not a 1911-A1, so it doesn't have the chamfered area by the trigger, which for folks with shorter fingers is an issue, me, not so much.  IME, any 1911 in anything other than a full race gun needs a couple of things to make it reliable... 1 - a slight alteration to the ramp to feed a wider variety of bullets, and a trigger job, crisper is how I describe it.   Magazines should not be an after-thought.  I have gotten by for the past 15 or so years with CMC "Shooting Stars".  Others prefer Tripp Research, (now CobraMag).  You cannot go wrong with em.  I have one very similar to them, an 8 rounder, marked as a KimPro TacMag.  It's been a reliable mag, but I don't have it as my 1st string of mags.     

[Lonestar Hoss]

At the risk of making someone a little peeved, I can recommend Desert Eagle 1911's. When I could still do WB, I didn't want to tear up my Colt's or WC's, so I thought I would try one of them. All I did was change the grips and main spring to accommodate a lighter load, and with WC or McCormick magazines, I've never had a FTF or ejection problem. I liked it so well I bought a commander, and used it for years as an EDC. The only thing I didn't like about that was with Kydex, it wore some of the blueing off. I have since had that resolved with a custom Cerakote job, and she is sure pretty now. If I can dig through the safe, I will try to get some pictures, if anyone is curious.

While I lack the knowledge of a lot you on here, I have enjoyed figuring out how to make them run. No one explained to me that a 1911 doesn't just dig a rabbit hole to go down, but it turns into a network of tunnels, with many twist and turns, and goes deeper than you could have guessed.  

[Lonestar Hoss]

These are my 3 main 1911's.

Full size DE. It was an early one, and has the billboard on the side, but it's probably my best .45.

Full size Colt, and it's my back up WB 1911. Works great, but I don't want to beat it up too bad.....

My commander DE, not WB legal, but was carried a lot, also an earlier model, but 'smith filled in the billboard, and then Cerakoted the slide. It has a set of Crimson Trace green laser grips, which is almost unfair, but I've never had a problem with it. 

 

[El Chapo]

This is mine that I use for USPSA.

[Dantankerous]

My only 1911 currently. Colt 1918 reproduction. Factory stock, shoots WB and gets carried. 

 

[Lonestar Hoss]

Those are sweet! I've always wanted an early production Colt, but haven't found the "Right" one yet. My brother, and my best friend are both FFL's, and every so often they see Tisas under $200. We have been thinking about getting a couple, and seeing if we can drop in a Nighthawk ignition system, just to see if it would work. On paper, it should, but you never know......

If we do, I will report on how it goes.

On a different note, how many have gone down the 2011 hole? I have a couple of Staccato's, one a double stack 45, and it shoots like a 9. Actually I think it's an STI. Then I had to get a couple of WC's, just for grins. Then I found a DWX, and it's a completely different animal. The good news is that it fits 1911 holsters just fine. and the factory magazines hold a couple of more rounds than the others do. You either love the grip, or you don't. Personally, it works for me. Which led to me rescuing an Italian police issued Browning Hi Power, and doing a complete rebuild and Cerakote as it had been rode hard and put up wet. Literally. It was rusted pretty bad, but looks brand new now. I would get  pictures, but I will have to wait until tomorrow, if anyone is interested?

I felt bad posting pictures, but if we can see some other cool guns, and hear their story, that would be awesome. We are kind of the keepers of history, and my brother is a striker kind of guy, but he will shoot anything I bring to the range. Especially if I bring the ammo. 

Let's keep this one going, and if you're just perusing the post, but have something cool, please chime in, and if you have pictures, let's see them.