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My son wants a 2011, I’m torn between growing pains and starting him off right

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August 10, 2026, 05:48 PM
OttoSig
My son wants a 2011, I’m torn between growing pains and starting him off right
He shot the Kimber last time I was in Florida. Now he wants a 2011 style pistol.

Tisas has some for $599. And a part of thinks he should learn to mess with it a bit, if it doesn’t run right out of the box. He's a pretty handy kid and I could teach him what needs to be done.

On the other hand, I think starting him off right, or better, might be a wiser investment. Maybe an alpha foxtrot or even a Platypus.

What do yall think? I can’t be buying the boy a $2k gun.





Eight years to retirement! Just waiting!
August 10, 2026, 06:07 PM
.38supersig
Thinking it would be kinda cool if he had an SVI maybe a parts kit that he could build himself and appreciate fully.

Not sure if you guys could shop around and find some old race gun parts that got swapped out for whatever was next.




August 10, 2026, 06:19 PM
zdog16
Get him a Prodigy. They seem to have worked out most of the kinks. My 4" runs great. Won't break the bank.


For ME:
DA/SA=Sig 9mm or HK P30 LEM 9
Striker fired= Glock 9mm
If it's a .45= 1911
Suppressed= HK in .45
I like anything in 10mm

August 10, 2026, 07:14 PM
Phred
My first (and only) 2011 is a MAC 9DS, same company as Tisas. It’s run perfectly for me. I think any of the Tisas or MAC 2011s would make a great entry point.
August 10, 2026, 08:20 PM
P220 Smudge
The Turk 2011's are the current best value, honestly. How old is he?


______________________________________________
"If the truth shall kill them, let them die.”

Endeavoring to master the subtle art of the grapefruit spoon.
August 10, 2026, 08:21 PM
Greymann
First gun for your son, that he will probably save forever.

Get him a Colt 1911 no optic cut commander or govt.


.
August 10, 2026, 08:28 PM
OttoSig
quote:
Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
The Turk 2011's are the current best value, honestly. How old is he?


He’ll be 18 in September





Eight years to retirement! Just waiting!
August 10, 2026, 08:32 PM
FenderBender
Rock island makes a doublestack 1911, 800ish seems like a good fit.


_____________________________________________
Proverbs 3:31 "Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways."
August 10, 2026, 09:48 PM
limblessbiff
Kimber warrior, not expensive and have heard nothing but good things about them, Kimber has gotten much better these days. I wouldn’t trust a prodigy.
August 10, 2026, 11:53 PM
dry-fly
quote:
Originally posted by limblessbiff:
Kimber warrior, not expensive and have heard nothing but good things about them, Kimber has gotten much better these days. I wouldn’t trust a prodigy.


This ^^


"Attack life, it's going to kill you anyway." Steve McQueen...
August 11, 2026, 12:10 AM
cee_Kamp
Avoid anything & everything except for the very best. SVI / Infinity!
Wait, let me get a link for you. Here: https://store.sviguns.com/
It's only money, you'll get more when your next paycheck arrives.
Big Grin



NRA Benefactor Life Member
NRA Instructor
USPSA Chief Range Officer
August 11, 2026, 12:40 AM
IndianaBoy
Don at Venom Customs built my match pistol.

https://venomcustomguns.com/


On a serious note, I have a Tisas that is way better than it has any business being for what I paid for it. I have not had any reliability issues at all. But I also don't have nearly the round count that I do out of my Venom.


A good friend of mine has a platypus and it is excellent.
August 11, 2026, 06:27 AM
DanH
Tisas and the Kimber DS Warrior will be your best bets for low cost and reliable 2011s. You could go the Rock Island Armory route, but that uses the Para Ordnance mags and weighs about 2-3x more than 2011s.
August 11, 2026, 06:41 AM
bac1023
My mindset has always been that Staccato is the minimum for a solid 2011 and I’ll stick with that. Below that price point, I feel other platforms are far superior. For instance, a CZ Shadow 2 is a far better quality pistol and also a better shooter than something like a Springfield Prodigy.

The Turkish models are pretty bad in general, in my opinion. The Kimber DS Warrior is a decent choice for a low cost 2011 option these days, albeit I’m not a Kimber fan. Kimber has been better of late though.
August 11, 2026, 06:42 AM
bac1023
quote:
Originally posted by DanH:
Tisas and the Kimber DS Warrior will be your best bets for low cost and reliable 2011s. You could go the Rock Island Armory route, but that uses the Para Ordnance mags and weighs about 2-3x more than 2011s.

It’s a little heavier than a 2011 with a polymer grip frame, but it’s lighter than an all steel 2011.
August 12, 2026, 08:26 AM
nukeandpave
Romulus.
August 12, 2026, 08:43 AM
myrottiety
After watching a few reviews and looking. I'd probably go for a https://milarmamentcorp.com/mac-9-ds-d-comp/




Train how you intend to Fight

Remember - Training is not sparring. Sparring is not fighting. Fighting is not combat.
August 13, 2026, 03:35 AM
DanH
quote:
Originally posted by myrottiety:
After watching a few reviews and looking. I'd probably go for a https://milarmamentcorp.com/mac-9-ds-d-comp/


Not sure how much longer that will stay recommended. Tisas built those for MAC, but that relationship has stopped. I'm not sure who will be building them in the future.
August 15, 2026, 01:33 PM
SIGguy229
TBH...I've been eyeballing the SIG P211 GT4...but at $2K, I've also been looking at the MAC 9 DS. I considered Tisas but they appeared to be more problematic.