Please help me narrow down my short list...

[NoTx]

Hey all,

I am new here, but came here with a reason:)

I have decided on a new pistol, and since I live in California and they want to put in some more safety requirements for handguns, I figured I should buy my 1911. So I went through all my requirements for a handgun and made up a shortlist. Now before I get to that, please note I straight up plan this for a concealed carry handgun. I went through the Shooting Illustrated’s M1911 Handguns guide. I picked out my top list. Here it is, in no real order:

Wilson Combat KZ-45 Compact
Springfield Loaded
Smith and Wesson SW1911PD
Para-Ordinance PXT LTC
Kimber Pro Carry II
Thompson Custom 1911 Aluminum

Yes these cover a range of price, but they all fall at least barely into my acceptable price category. So, thoughts, comments and suggestions?

[SirThoreth]

Hey, I have a Firestorm Mini-Compact available. ^_^

j/k, NoTx.

If I might add another pistol or two to my friend's list (NoTx is a buddy/coworker of mine), my own Firestorm is starting to see wear issues in a few areas, such as barrel & barrel bushings, especially, with some possible wear on the slide where it comes in contact with the top part of the chamber.

So, while weighing many of the same pistols that he is, my available funding isn't quite as good, putting me in the sub-$700 range. So, along with the pistols he's interested in, what does everyone think of the:

Springfield GI
Kimber Custom II
Just replacing the slide and barrel assemblies in my Firestorm

CCW is a secondary concern for me. My main concern is with reliability for home defense.

[NoTx]

Hmmm... I am thinking our lists are too long...

[Hawkmoon]

Here it is, in no real order:

Wilson Combat KZ-45 Compact
Springfield Loaded
Smith and Wesson SW1911PD
Para-Ordinance PXT LTC
Kimber Pro Carry II
Thompson Custom 1911 Aluminum
Personally, I would immediately strike off the Kimber and the S&W because I don't like/trust the Swartz firing pin safety system. Next I would eliminate the Thompson just because I haven't heard that much good about Auto Ordnance since Kahr took over. (I would take a chance on their GI model, but I wouldn't risk them on a higher priced model ... yet.)

That reduces the list to:

Wilson KZ-45 Compact
Springfield Loaded
Para PXT LTC

Then, unless it's out of your price range, I would add the Colt Gunsite CCO to the list, throw them into a hat, and pick one.

[John]

I would also eliminate the KZ-45. If I am not mistaken this is build on a plastic frame. No thanks.

[NoTx]

Thanks for the input (but of course hopeing to hear some more).

Ran into an issue. Does the Springfield require the darn release to be held down to insert a mag? If so, it is off to.

[ceos55]

Thanks for the input (but of course hopeing to hear some more).

Ran into an issue. Does the Springfield require the darn release to be held down to insert a mag? If so, it is off to.

Not on mine. I have a new Loaded parkerized. I have 250 rounds through it to date, not one problem. I researched when I was looking, shot what I could at the range and decided to go with Springfield. The Loaded had some additional features and I liked the idea of having the life time warranty as I am not real confident working on the gun other than cleaning.
I paid about $650 for it.

[John]

Does the Springfield require the darn release to be held down to insert a mag?

I've never met a 1911 that you had to press the magazine release in order to insert the magazine. If one does that, it needs to be fixed. This is not normal.

[NoTx]

The new Springfield GI model a friend tried out here in California did. It is a new thing the state is pushing for... but not currently required.

[NoTx]

Don't you hate when you drop a gun from the list and you add another? Added Commander, dropped Springfield Loaded. Shot 8 different 1911's tonight... and the Pro Carry II has some issues (I hated the Eclipse oddly enough).

[david1911]

I have been 100% pleased with my S&W 1911PD commander. Would recommend completely. If I were buying again, Les Baer would top the list. My premier II is one solid, well made, smooth operating gun.
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[OkieChuck]

My short list came down to S&W and Kimber. I bought a S&W 1911Sc 4.25 in. SS slide with the scadium alloy frame in January and I'm very pleased with it. This is basically the same gun and the 1911PD. I've put 4 different brands of hard ball and 3 different JHP in different weights and have had zero failures of any kind. S&W also has a lifetime warranty. I'm not familiar with the other brands on your list, I didn't research those much but if you read the forums on those brands you can get a pretty good idea about reliability, quality etc. For instance the Kimber forum seems to be all about how long to break in before the failures stop or how many rounds to shot before you send it in to be fixed or does it have an internal extractor or external. I feel sorry for those guys. It seems to be a crap shoot whether you get one that works or not. You'll find very few of these issues in the S&W forum.

O