1911 advice?

[lilvega]

Looking for a 1911 for cc and tons of shooting. Not a safe queen.
I have been looking real hard at the Springfield Lightweight Champion Operator but also at the much cheaper Taurus.
Any advice on either?
The Taurus is the full 5" while the Springfield is 4". Both have rails - which I want. The shorter Springfield seems easier to conceal but I am not sure how much accuracy will be lost.

[ThreeFingerPete]

In the sea of 1911s, those are the only two that tweak your nipples? Springfield all the way.

[03trubluGT]

Looking for a 1911 for cc and tons of shooting. Not a safe queen.
I have been looking real hard at the Springfield Lightweight Champion Operator but also at the much cheaper Taurus.
Any advice on either?
The Taurus is the full 5" while the Springfield is 4". Both have rails - which I want. The shorter Springfield seems easier to conceal but I am not sure how much accuracy will be lost.

I would go with the Springfield. They are good, reliable guns. Rails are unnecessary for CC. They add width which is a detriment to concealment. The 4" is advantageous for CC, and most gunfights will occur in such a close proximity that a one inch barrel difference is moot. You can shoot 40 yards with a 4" barrel as well as a 5" barrel.

In the sea of 1911s, those are the only two that tweak your nipples? Springfield all the way.

STI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KBScobravert]

Another vote for the Springfield if those are your choices.
Another vote for no rail on the CCW unless you WILL daily carry with a light attached.

[Jose]

Another vote for Springfield although I'd go with the rail. I just find it a lot easier for a home defense gun to have a light mounted on the rail for those times that you might only have one hand available (a good example would be your other hand is on the cell phone calling 911). I wouldn't conceal carry with a light mounted on the rail but I would have my night stand gun with a light on there.

[lilvega]

Thanks for the votes. To explain the rail - I live out in the country on acerage. We hunt on site and it is archery only. Walking the half mile from the stand to the house while pitch black dark you need a side arm and having a light mounted on it really helps since your bow is in the other hand. I have walked up on 400-500 lb pigs on many occasions both early in the morning and late at night. Even a 40 lb bobcat twice.
The springfield is what I want but at twice the price of the taurus I am just not sure it is worth it unless it has quality or reliability issues.
Of coarse, holding 2 springfields side by side, one with and one without the rail, I may change my mind if the width is substantially more.

I have looked at a few other brands, Rock Island, Smith and Wesson, a Philipino made "American Classic" and a Kimber Ultra Carry II. Honestly, the Kimber didn't impress me anymore than the Rock Island. The Taurus felt better but I have yet to find a Springfield to hold in person.

[David]

I use a springfield for my ccw. I like it plenty enough.

[Pokulski-Blatz]

Springer.

[KBScobravert]

Thanks for the votes. To explain the rail - I live out in the country on acerage. We hunt on site and it is archery only. Walking the half mile from the stand to the house while pitch black dark you need a side arm and having a light mounted on it really helps since your bow is in the other hand. I have walked up on 400-500 lb pigs on many occasions both early in the morning and late at night. Even a 40 lb bobcat twice.
The springfield is what I want but at twice the price of the taurus I am just not sure it is worth it unless it has quality or reliability issues.
Of coarse, holding 2 springfields side by side, one with and one without the rail, I may change my mind if the width is substantially more.

I have looked at a few other brands, Rock Island, Smith and Wesson, a Philipino made "American Classic" and a Kimber Ultra Carry II. Honestly, the Kimber didn't impress me anymore than the Rock Island. The Taurus felt better but I have yet to find a Springfield to hold in person.

Thought you were talking about a CCW.

Looking for a 1911 for cc and tons of shooting. Not a safe queen.
I have been looking real hard at the Springfield Lightweight Champion Operator but also at the much cheaper Taurus.
Any advice on either?
The Taurus is the full 5" while the Springfield is 4". Both have rails - which I want. The shorter Springfield seems easier to conceal but I am not sure how much accuracy will be lost.

I have a rail on one of my CCW (XD Subcompact). My nightstand gun is a XD also but a 5" and it has a TLR1 light on it full time.


I would opt for a Para before a Taurus. Taurus semi autos are slopp guns from my experience. Cheaper than Dirt has plenty of Springfields in stock.

[lilvega]

Thought you were talking about a CCW.



I have a rail on one of my CCW (XD Subcompact). My nightstand gun is a XD also but a 5" and it has a TLR1 light on it full time.


I would opt for a Para before a Taurus. Taurus semi autos are slopp guns from my experience. Cheaper than Dirt has plenty of Springfields in stock.

I want it for both CCW and as a side arm while hunting. I don't want a bunch of guns for every purpose if I can have one do many.
CTD shows out of stock and none on order for the Springfield I am looking at.
At least it did Friday.

[KBScobravert]

I want it for both CCW and as a side arm while hunting. I don't want a bunch of guns for every purpose if I can have one do many.
CTD shows out of stock and none on order for the Springfield I am looking at.
At least it did Friday.

You are gonna have to comprimise somewhere between a hunting pistol and a CCW. Some people can conceal a 454 Casul.

You can not compare their online selection to the store off Mark IV and I-35. They are different companies. I was just there 4-5 days ago when I bought my Kimber. They had a good selection of 1911s in the cases to look at.

[Pokulski-Blatz]

Buy a no rail gun and try looking at the Dawson rail. Surefire makes a adapter for it and it wont stop you from holstering it in most non rail holsters with the mini rail on. If i ever go back to a 1911 this will be my rail choice hands down.

In reality, a railed 1911 is kinda stupid. 100 years ago the 1911 made a fantastic military sidearm, now not really the gun I would choose. The 1911 fills a role for CCW purposes and collectors. In truth, there are many other guns that would better serve you for about the same money or likely much less than a 1911. Any double stack 9mm or .40 cal firearm with a rail will much better serve your purposes. Dont count the 9mm out, it is just as effective WITH THE RIGHT AMMO as the .45.

[Pokulski-Blatz]

Might want to take a look at the Sig p229r, HK P30, HK p2000, Sig p228r, any of the XD guns, even the Ruger SR9 or SR40 would fill your needs quite well.

[ThreeFingerPete]

I would go with the Springfield. They are good, reliable guns. Rails are unnecessary for CC. They add width which is a detriment to concealment. The 4" is advantageous for CC, and most gunfights will occur in such a close proximity that a one inch barrel difference is moot. You can shoot 40 yards with a 4" barrel as well as a 5" barrel.



STI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I disagree about the rail, but it's purely preference. The rail adds no width on a 1911, although it does subjectively detract from the aesthetics.

Matt, I've got 2 Kimber Ultra Carry 1911s and my STI Elektra next to me at the moment. If you can look me in the eye after holding all three and tell me that you believe them to be of equal quality, then I'll be very very surprised.

Walking the half mile from the stand to the house while pitch black dark you need a side arm and having a light mounted on it really helps since your bow is in the other hand. I have walked up on 400-500 lb pigs on many occasions both early in the morning and late at night. Even a 40 lb bobcat twice.
The springfield is what I want but at twice the price of the taurus I am just not sure it is worth it unless it has quality or reliability issues.
Of coarse, holding 2 springfields side by side, one with and one without the rail, I may change my mind if the width is substantially more.

I have looked at a few other brands, Rock Island, Smith and Wesson, a Philipino made "American Classic" and a Kimber Ultra Carry II. Honestly, the Kimber didn't impress me anymore than the Rock Island. The Taurus felt better but I have yet to find a Springfield to hold in person.

The 4" Springfield will be mechanically more accurate than the 5" taurus. Whether or not you can shoot it better is up to you. I'd opt for the 4" gun in a heart beat if you really plan on carrying this thing all of the time. It'd be a lot easier to outline exactly what you want as far as features and then go from there.

Thought you were talking about a CCW.



I have a rail on one of my CCW (XD Subcompact). My nightstand gun is a XD also but a 5" and it has a TLR1 light on it full time.


I would opt for a Para before a Taurus. Taurus semi autos are slopp guns from my experience. Cheaper than Dirt has plenty of Springfields in stock.

I wouldn't touch a para ordnance. I've never known anyone who had one that didn't have problems that required a trip to the gunsmith to fix. That's a pretty bad record. The taurus 1911s are a decent gun, they work and that counts for something. As long as you don't expect world class quality for $500, then you won't be let down. I've never seen a Taurus 1911 that had consistent malfunctions. That's a small vote of confidence.


OP, Mind if I ask why a 1911?

[lilvega]

^^^^
Just wanted a 1911 for the past few years. Buddy of mine has a Colt Gold Cup that I have put a few rounds thru. Most accurate non target pistol I have ever shot. Double stack magazine guns don't work well with me unless they are narrow. Glocks are a no go..
1911 fits me very well.