Looking to purchase a new .45 and was interested in some input. Currently, I am gravitating towards the Springfield match model.
Purpose - target shooting and personal defense
Size - Full Size - single stack

I have heard a lot about some Kimbers but I have never handled one. The Springfield seems to have all the normal customized features included in the base price ($1,000 - 1,200). I want a 1911 that feels and looks like a 1911. I had a compact model a number of years ago and it kicked harder than my S&W 500. Light is great but I don't want to fight it, I want to enjoy it.

Any input?

Arthur,
I have owned a number of 1911's over the years. Handled one Kimber, but not shot one.
My last and best 1911 was a Springfield 1911a1 Mil Spec. Ugly, matt finished, but it had good well regulated sights, a good trigger, a slightly beveled mag well, and most of all it had reliability.
I didn't have to do anything to it to make it feed. Right out of the box it fed everything from 230gr FMC to the short Lyman 200 SWC's.
Very good and consistant accuracy.
The only thing I replaced was the the trigger, (I prefer a long smooth trigger), and the recoil spring plug. It was serrated and the rest of the gun was checkered, (or was it the other way around), at any rate, I only replaced it for looks.

When my finances come back around I will be looking again at Springfields 1911a1 Mil Spec.

J

I had to sell a bunch of guns to pay bills. That's why I don't have this one any more. Dummy me.

I had a wonderful Colt that was manufactured under the careful eyes of some former friends who worked at the Colt factory for the Army Corps. They watched my gun carefully done to exact tolerances that were very tight. As a result when they finished my gun I received essentially a match gun. It was wonderful until it left to pay for the departure of a wife. She wasn't made to quite the same tolerances.
It is nice to know that some of the finest firearms remain liquid in the market but it is distressing to have to depart with one. It is the loss of a wife that is just as liquid but not as distressing to depart with one.

I hope you can get another soon.


Arthur,
I have owned a number of 1911's over the years. Handled one Kimber, but not shot one.
My last and best 1911 was a Springfield 1911a1 Mil Spec. Ugly, matt finished, but it had good well regulated sights, a good trigger, a slightly beveled mag well, and most of all it had reliability.
I didn't have to do anything to it to make it feed. Right out of the box it fed everything from 230gr FMC to the short Lyman 200 SWC's.
Very good and consistant accuracy.
The only thing I replaced was the the trigger, (I prefer a long smooth trigger), and the recoil spring plug. It was serrated and the rest of the gun was checkered, (or was it the other way around), at any rate, I only replaced it for looks.

When my finances come back around I will be looking again at Springfields 1911a1 Mil Spec.

J

I had to sell a bunch of guns to pay bills. That's why I don't have this one any more. Dummy me.

I have a Springfield Armory XD-9 and am amazed at what you get for the money. I am impressed with Springfield and would not hesitate to buy one of their 1911 offerings. I like their selection too.

I've got a Kimber Custom Eclipse II and a more basic SA Loaded model. I would say that you can't go wrong with either one. If I had to make a choice I'd go with my Kimber, the adjustable, match grade, night sights are pretty sweet. You get the best of both worlds with them, but they are not snagproof like the Novak-type sights that come on the basic SA model I have.

My biggest offering of advice on whatever kind of .45 you want would be to pay your money up front instead of customizing down the line. It will cost you at least 4 times as much to add features down the line, and God forbid you need to sell one again, your resale will be less than the top of the line pistol you should have bought in the first place if you wanted all the goodies. I can't say enough about the Kimber, it's a sweet shooter but you're nearing the $1K mark for the one I'm talking about where the more basic SA is in the $5-600 range. As would be expected the Kimber is more accurate being a custom shop gun and the trigger is better, not to say the SA doesn't shoot well and have a decent trigger. Buy some Wilson mags if you like 100% reliability with any reasonable bullet.