Colt 1911 Advice

Hi All,
I’m looking at purchasing my first 1911. I’m strongly considering the Colt Series 1970a1cs. My first question is if I should buy new or used. It looks like the new ones cost around $800 - $900 and the used do not seem to be much less. Is there a difference in quality between new and old? I’m also wondering about the sights. It appears the rear sight can be pretty easily replaced but the front sight I’m not so sure. If anyone has any information, advice, etc it would be appreciated. There are a lot of models out there and it’s hard to wrap my head around. Thank you!

Ummm....ummmm....

If you can afford one buy a rock river arms 1911...

If you can’t go with a rock river, then I suggest a Springfield Armory Range Officer Elite Target.

In that price range you could get a 1911 that already has most of what you want for Bullseye. I think adjustable sights is a biggy. Probably for less then it would cost to have sights added/changed on the 1970 you could upgrade to the new series 70 Gold Cup. I think some of the new ones are as pretty as the old ones. The hard part of the decision would be do you want "pretty" or functional? I think the SA Range Officer is butt ugly but they beat the Gold Cup in every other way that is important. Quality, accuracy and cost. After spending 400.00 on my Gold Cup to tune it back up it is now as accurate as my RO (700.00) was out of the box. I also like Kimbers.

Len

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/778344332

There's an RO on Gunbroker now, resisting temptation...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/783581211

Ugly? Ever see a Hi-Point? now that's ugly.

Pick out the ugly 1911's  

As someone who started out with a new series 70 Colt Gold Cup and still owns two accurized Colt 1911's, my recommendation would be something other than a Colt. Colts aren't accurate enough out-of-the box for bullseye pistol competition. They are far too pricey for what they are. There are better options. Besides a good used accurized bullseye pistol, there are Rock River accurized 1911 pistols. Many bullseye shooters report 10 ring accuracy from Springfield Armory Range Officers, out-of-the box. You can also get something along the lines of a Springfield Armory Mil Spec and have it accurized by one of the recommended bullseye pistolsmiths on this site. Of course, if you go by emotion, you still might want that pistol with that pretty little rampant colt stamped onto it, but if you do, you'll eventually have quite a bundle of money in pistolsmithing by the time it is ready for good scores.

LenV wrote:Pick out the ugly 1911's  

They all look terrible.  I’ll give you a dollar each.

I don't compete, but I do own 3 of the new current model Colt Gold Cups in 45acp.
They are great guns, but I've always felt they were not quite up to competition accuracy standards.

Threads like this make me want to take a second look at the Springfield Range Officer.
I got a bad one when they first came out and after Springfield dicked me around for 6 months, 
I swore I'd never buy another Springfield 1911.

Maybe I should reconsider?  I hear a lot of good things about them today.

I have recently built both a new GC and a new RO. The internal machining on the RO is better and the frame to slide fit is tremendously better on RO. External finish on GC is much nicer but you don’t shoot more 10’s because it’s prettier. I like the RO platform for the foundation of a semi-custom pistol. If you’re strapped for cash a RO with fitted bushing, 0.200” slidestop pin and a trigger job will do wonders.
Jon

Jon Eulette wrote:If you’re strapped for cash a RO with fitted bushing, 0.200” slidestop pin and a trigger job will do wonders.
Jon

Could not agree more. I have a Range Officer, with now a fitted Kart barrell, oversize slide stop pin and a drop in KC trigger. Shoots great for not a ton of money.

KB2MBC wrote:There's an RO on Gunbroker now, resisting temptation...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/783581211

Couldn't resist!  

Jon,

In your opinion would any of the Springfield models offer the same quality as the RO for a semi-custom build? ( Loaded, A1, etc)

KB2MBC wrote:

KB2MBC wrote:There's an RO on Gunbroker now, resisting temptation...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/783581211

Couldn't resist!  

Great price. Congrats. I have been outbid for the last time on the PC1911 I was bidding on. I give up easy. It would have been nice to add to safe.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/785360138

Any SA pistol can be used. Typically the only touchy spot is frame to slide fit. Some guys are anal  and it better have no play. Others are ok with some play. Mil-Spec usually has worst frame to slide play. Some RO are better than others. So if you require tight fitting than they can be welded or accu-railed. Barrel fit can take up majority of the vertical play and some of the horizontal. I’ve shot 880’s with loose frame to slide fit pistols with match fit barrels. Unfortunately they come without front strap checkering. So skateboard tape or get it checkered.
Jon

Jon Eulette wrote:... Unfortunately they come without front strap checkering. So skateboard tape or get it checkered.
Jon

Or, my favorite... Tiger Tooth Stippling!

Does anyone still do good stippling?  I've seen some random stippling, but I'm not that fond of it.  I'd have to look, but I think one of my 1911s has random that was done rather harshly and needed high spots removed in the mag well.  If you do stippling, should you use a mag insert to prevent such?

KB2MBC wrote:

KB2MBC wrote:There's an RO on Gunbroker now, resisting temptation...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/783581211

Couldn't resist!  

Congrats!

I couldn't resist bidding on this Kimber Limited Edition. They only made 1000 of them. I have #0188 and love the pistol. However were down to the last day (hour) and have been outbid at a low price but I won't bid against NR bidders. I got burned once bidding against a schill and it won't happen again. However if your looking for a 1911 that would make a nice shooting pistol this one goes off in an hour. And who knows the bidder might be legit. It is just like the one in my picture above. Bid is at 730.00  SOLD FOR 832.00

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/785758428

LenV wrote:......I won't bid against NR bidders.....

What are "NR" bidders?

Mike an NR bidder has "No Rating" . Which means they have never bought anything before on GunBroker. It would be easy to say there is always a first time and how else do you get a rating if you don't bid. I will be watching ColtFord45 the winning bidder and see if he gets a rating in the future. If he/she does then they were legit and got a good price. If the seller re-lists right away and gives the buyer an "F" rating so he does not have to pay GunBroker its share then I know it was a shill. It has been happening more and more on GunBroker with high dollar items. If seller re-lists they are on my bad list forever. It is easy for a real person to get a rating. Just buy some grips, magazines, ammo etc etc and prove you are real.

Len

I have bought from two NR sellers. What a pain. No communication. It took three weeks to receive one purchase. Never again. Gun Broker only guarantees $500 with a $100 deductible. I will not deal with a NR buyer or seller.

Bill

LenV wrote:Mike an NR bidder has "No Rating" . Which means they have never bought anything before on GunBroker.......It is easy for a real person to get a rating. Just buy some grips, magazines, ammo etc etc and prove you are real.........

Len, had you and I been bidding on the same item, you'd have seen my NR rating, and the fact that I kept bidding even after the price reached what I thought was fair, you'd have been certain I wasn't "real".

From my point of view, it looked like just the gun I'd love to own, and the price was secondary, as long as it stayed within reason.  Looking over the bids, most of the guys dropped out when the price reached 800, and one guy kept bidding up to 900, then seemed to lose interest.  For me, I wanted *that* gun, and if it cost a little too much, no big deal.  Maybe the other guy saw my NR rating, and thought what you would have thought.

I didn't know diddly about GB, never bought anything, didn't know about the 15 minute rule thing, didn't know about "max bid".  I had two hours before the auction ended, so I spent a lot of time reading up on those things.

I wish I would have known your suggestions ahead of time - didn't really think much about it.  GB to me is a dangerous place, as I see all sorts of things I'd love to have, which I wouldn't even have known about if I wasn't looking.  Heck, I could even have a Python in my hands, for real........

Mike, I happen to think they are great pistols. I just get cautious when NR are involved. We don't really know how much the NR bid because we never reached the max bid. If you liked that pistol there is an even nicer looking example on GB right now with no NR bidders. This one is real close to my number.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/786358547

Jon Eulette wrote:I have recently built both a new GC and a new RO. The internal machining on the RO is better and the frame to slide fit is tremendously better on RO. External finish on GC is much nicer but you don’t shoot more 10’s because it’s prettier. I like the RO platform for the foundation of a semi-custom pistol. If you’re strapped for cash a RO with fitted bushing, 0.200” slidestop pin and a trigger job will do wonders.
Jon

Jon,
How do I know if a new slide stop will help?  I did get a custom EGW bushing for my RO and it really helped.  Any particular brand of slide stop?
Thanks,
Jeff

100% of the RO I have seen would/will accept a drop in EGW 0.200” slidestop pin. It will remove some of the vertical play on the barrel.
Jon

Jon Eulette wrote:100% of the RO I have seen would/will accept a drop in EGW 0.200” slidestop pin. It will remove some of the vertical play on the barrel.
Jon

I was developing a loose fit on my first RO and my gunsmith gave me the same advice. I was skeptical but followed his direction and darned if it didn't work. Tightened it right up.