silversport:

 Professor...5-600 is not bad for a shooter if it is safe AND it has provenance...the Gold Cup may have tighter tolerances and I have heard that the Gold Cups of a certain era were not much better than the standard Colt Government Model...

Kimber should get most of the credit for bringing back the 1911 type pistols...and they stole the market that should have been owned by Colt by making  a fine 1911 type pistol with the added extras that people thought they wanted...some worth it some not...I have one and I like mine...

1911s require more work from the manufacturer as they don't seem to be able to just make parts that fit ANY pistol of a particular brand, model, etc...when I attended SiGs armorer class, we learned that within a style and model (barring running changes on some parts) all parts fit in all guns....i.e. P226 parts fit in all P226s (that has changed a bit as I am unsure if all parts fit any P226 between folded steel slides and milled slide models)...with the 1911 it is different and you see more hand fitting to mate the parts together...get a good one with any hiccups worked out and they are magic...surprised we haven't had DeanG on here...he likes 'em and is a fan as well I believe...

Bill

I saw where you could convert to 22 caliber!  I may want to do that for squirrel hunting in Northern Michigan this fall... Lots of bushy tails running around when bow hunting is not prime.  Have you guys tried this? Or maybe a 380 or 9mm?  I can imagine I will want to hunt with a 45.  Unless I shoot the branches under them to knock them out... At this point I will be lucky to hit the tree trunk....LOL!!

Boy, lots of good reading here.

About value, just got done looking at my Blue Book of Gun Values, the values are all over the place, basically depends on condition, rarity.

It has been my opinion and experience that you can spend a lot more money trying to get an old military 45 up to good shooting condition, better off just purchasing a good quality custom gun, been lots of good names mentioned.

Again I like the Les Bare, the frame is slightly thinner and fit my hand better than the rest, and I've had them all.  It feels good and I shoot it well.  Let me qualify that I used to.  As you get older, I have developed Diabetes, lost a lot of feeling in my hands, my vision has also suffered greatly, not to mention the arthritis in my hands, trigger pull has gone to hell.  While still better than most, not nearly what it used to be.

I love single action 45's, don't really care the new modern stuff.  I am very comfortable carrying mine lock and cocked.

The guys have given you a lot of good information, before you buy, shoot the crap out of them before you decide, when the gun feels like it's part of your hand and your comfortable it it, buy it.

And lastly, ALWAYS BE SAFE, AT HOME, AT THE RANGE, AND IN THE FIELD.

CigarBum

Great advice CigarBum!   Thinking I may get in cheap with a 1911 and also like it for carrying is probably not the case the more I learn.  I like my XD9sc and shoot it well with the large grip. 

My eyesight makes it more of a challenge now than it did when I was 20.  But I am smarter now, I hope.  Thank goodness the hands are still there.  Maybe I am making too much out of this at 50 Years.  Do I have enough ammo to last another 20-30 years?  Probably not.  So with 2 kids in college buying a $2-3000 gun is out of the question.  If I shoot it and can't live with it I may still make money.  

 I just read some 1911 forums on conversions.  That is another 3-400 clams to buy that.  I might as well buy a mosquito for that price.

 please tell me you bought that blue'd Colt  (the Nam one, right???) on the first post...

ooops...I see where you borrowed the pic...heart palpitation...beauty...

Bill

 unless you feel the need for something like that...for .22 go Ruger or Browning...even Walther but my first choice would be a Ruger...relatively inexpensive and FUN to shoot...talk about something cheap you and your son could do...all day long and twice on Sunday, right???

Good luck whatever your choice...

Bill

 Sorry Bill but that is a pic I grabbed off the web... Actual ones to follow I hope. 

Here's my latest acquisition.

If you plan on carrying a 1911, then you need to buy something that you know with absolute certainty will fire every time you pull the trigger. Don't even think about carrying it until you have a thousand rounds or more through with the ammo you plan on using. Any FTFs or FTEs need to be addressed by a competent gunsmith.

I'm strictly a 1911 shooter, and have been for 20 years or more. I've shot a bunch of them, and though I enjoy shooting them very much -- I've never shot one in the below $1K range I would trust my life with. Even with the very fine examples I currently own, I would probably opt for a Glock 19 for carry. 

The XDs are good shooters, but I don't like the high bore axis which results in a quite a bit of muzzle flip. I have a heck of a time getting them back on the paper for quick follow up shots.

That is a clean looking weapon!  Dan Wesson Valor?

I am noticing a trend here...You guys use Big Klipsch Speakers and Big Caliber Pistols.   Is that the go big or stay home theory.  :)

I can keep the groups on a pie plate at 10 yds in rapid fire mode with the XD9 (16 shot clip).  I definately need to shoot more models.  "How to do this without buying?"... is an issue.  I am not going to go to Don's Guns in INDY and renting them...It is about a $100 shoot since you have to buy their ammo and rent their indoor range.   I would love to shoot some combat comitition also.  I have found nothing to replace simulated situations when shooting 3D archery.  I am sure that pistols would be the same way.

 http://community.klipsch.com/forums/t/112096.aspx?PageIndex=1

Bill

Don't own a pistol (only a 7mm-08 Ruger rifle), haven't shot many pistols, and tuthfully not sure I will even buy a single pistol.  BUT........

Lord how I love reading these threads.  Not sure what the fascination is for me, but I absolutely love reading these.

Tom

Dean- may have said this before. but OMG what a beauty.

The series 70/80 refers to modern colt type 1911 production pistols

The series 70s were the older and IMHO sweeter colts- I think that all non colt military 1911 were series 70 type examples

the series 80s were introduced - I think with some internal saftey features- which changed the trigger mechanism

I am pretty sure that the Gold cups were made both ways- making some of the earlier ones more desirable- I assume for that reason. The new 1911 high end guns are so worked over that triggers - fit and finish is no longer an issue- just open your wallet and you can pick your own tune. I have been buying selling shooting 45s for 30 years. I have owned well over 100 but have only a few left at this point. I went HK pistol and SxS shotgun crazy a few years back and sold many of the 1911s to finance my addictions. I also own a bunch of pre 64 model 70s.

Spare parts for 1911 may fit off the shelf or may have to be fitted by a gunsmith. I have bought most of mine form a gunsmith over the years. Now I just order whatever I want form the kimber custom shop. I have found some discounted kimbers recently. They can get pretty pricey but a real deal for what you get.

Hey Thumper,

I didn't read everything on this thread but here's a couple of suggestions. A full size 1911 is a big gun and unless you want to wear suspenders the big pig will pull your pants right off!  A real small 45 (officers size) is much more manageable for carry. I think a subcompact 9mm is even better for carry. The big guns start to be a pain if they are too big and you want to wear it all day.

 I have a SS Gold Cup, it's a nice gun but there are many others that are just as good.

A 22 conversion is fun but not a good or economical way to go, nor is a Mosquito. I just bought a Ruger 22/45 4 inch Bull, that makes 7 Ruger 22s for me, they are had to beat, I love them. They are about 300 bucks for a target 22/45, not a bad deal.

Thanks, Russ   

A full size 1911 is a big gun and unless you want to wear suspenders the big pig will pull your pants right off!

It helps if you wear the right size pants and add a belt. :)

The full size 1911 is a big gun but with proper belts and holsters from Galco or a similar brand- the carry just fine particulary under a shirt or a jacket

Some of the double stack polymer guns are no easier to tote.- I have and carry both