quote:

Originally posted by Editor:

quote:

Originally posted by Pat@Nexus:
. . . 2) Smith & Wesson Performance Center (blue handle and ported)

Correction: The S&W PC1911 has cuts to lighten the slide, but it is not ported. I own one so know whereof I speak.

Someone in this thread (rightly) criticizes S&W 1911s for the design "feature" of having the firing pin safety plunger retained by the rear sight. The current PC1911, however, does not have a FP safety plunger so it's a moot point.

quote:

Originally posted by caneau:
Alright everyone, it's unpopular, unfiltered opinion time with Caneau. I've shot all but one of these models and taken apart quite a few of them, so I'm not completely conversing out of my hindquarters.

Pat, let's go through your list:

1) Dan Wesson Silverback stainless - It's a two-tone Valor. Everything great you've heard about the Valor is true. They're awesome, amazing, out of the box pistols that for $1600 shoot better than guns for $1000 more, and blow away (pun of course intended) anything at their price point or below. It's so rare to hear a bad thing about a Valor or one of its siblings that I can recommend it wholeheartedly. Yes, I've shot nicer guns, but they were way, way more money.

2) Smith & Wesson Performance Center (blue handle and ported) - This is the only gun I haven't shot. The closest I've come is the not-quite-Performance Center Doug Koenig edition. I'll be frank here -- I've never been a huge fan of S&W 1911s. There are a few design quirks that annoy me, like plungers retained by the sights. I've also never been hugely impressed with the quality of their internals. They throw on a cheap magwell, ill-fitting grips, and while they used to do Wilson Combat rear sights they've since cheapened out and use their house brand with a proprietary dovetail cut.

3) Springfield TRP stainless - I don't get why this gun is popular unless you really like 20 LPI checkering and a load of MIM parts. A decade ago when you could get this gun used for $1000, it was a good deal -- especially when the alternative was a Kimber that would spend more time at UPS on its way back to New York than in your holster. Now I've seen the prices climb to $1500. I have a hard time seeing what's so special about this over a Range Officer model for half the price. And if you want a better trigger, spend $150 on an EGW kit and $100 for a gunsmith to install it all (or just watch a YouTube video and do it yourself).

4) Colt Gold Cup (new one with blue handle - why is it suddenly $330+ more expensive??) - Ahh, the Gold Cup. Probably the gun in the Colt lineup that makes me scratch my head the most. It has more variations than anything else they've made and I'm still not sure who is the target audience. Waaay back in the day, the Gold Cup was hot stuff. Now? I'm not sure what makes it so much better than a Colt Competition Pistol (formerly XSE). National Match barrel, blah, blah, look, Colt barrels are actually pretty solid even in the M1991. If you want a Colt, get the Competition pistol. It's an awesome value these days. And then get the EGW kit I mentioned above.

And yeah, they're getting expensive. Because if it's not a Colt, it's a copy. Even if it's a better copy. For less money.

5) Dan Wesson Specialist Stainless - It's a Valor with a rail. Same thing I mentioned above regarding the Silverback. Except now with 100% more 1913 goodness for you to blind your opponent before you blow them away.


So if you are going to blow $1500 or so on a 1911, get a Valor derivative from Dan Wesson. Take pictures. Upload to SigForum. We'll all say how nice of a gun it is and admire your small group size.

quote:

Originally posted by caneau:

quote:

Originally posted by Editor:

quote:

Originally posted by Pat@Nexus:
. . . 2) Smith & Wesson Performance Center (blue handle and ported)

Correction: The S&W PC1911 has cuts to lighten the slide, but it is not ported. I own one so know whereof I speak.

Someone in this thread (rightly) criticizes S&W 1911s for the design "feature" of having the firing pin safety plunger retained by the rear sight. The current PC1911, however, does not have a FP safety plunger so it's a moot point.

Learn something new every day. One annoying "feature" down, about 25 more to go.

Back to the original question. Pat -- if you search pretty hard, you can find a used Ed Brown for about $1600-1800. They are awesome and everything you dreamed of, heard of, and magical faeries fly around guiding even your fliers towards the bullseye. And if I had about that much money to spend on a 1911, yeah, I'd probably get a used Ed Brown. But I don't because I blew it all on buying a new roof for my house. So I get to live vicariously through you.