Custom 1911

[Ruzo]

Nighthawk Custom. A friend has one that fits all of your needs I'm pretty sure. They make some fantastic 1911s. Good to hear your going big, gotta splurge in life my friend!

++1!! Just purchased a Nighthawk "Falcon" from Engage. First time I took it out I had to change my undies. They had like 3 or 4 different Nighthawks up there last time I was in the shop. And the prices are decent for a top notch 1911.

 

[inkd]

Maybe you could hit up a gun show or a shop that has a good selection of 1911's that way you can at least get an idea of what feels good to your hands.

I love an arched mainspring and a friend of mine thinks they are terrible. Handle as many as you can and see what works for you.

As far as a Baer, Wilson or Nighthawk, I don't think you would be dissapointed by any of them.

 

[Magnumite]

Wilson will warranty much more readily than Baer. And that applies to a used Wilson as long as it wasn't modified or tampered with.

The rail guns give a little more weight up front, but not too far forward,if you like that. Not bad with a laser either but I haven't tried mine with a good light yet. So it is a subjective characteristic. For the record Wilson Armor Tuff finish is durable though I don't know how much so compared to Ceracote.

 

[bangbangbye]

I have the monolith HEAVYWEIGHT. you must really hate that one. I love it! best shooter i have ever touched, which granted, aren't many.

From the op description, sounds more like a glock would fit his description. Sounds more like he wants a home defense gun. These are more safe queens and target pistols. But if you want a pretty 1911, i can def recommend baer. The wilson seems to be about 50% more than the comparable baers, so i don't know if they are really in the same "league". I put baer more with wesson and brown. just my personal opinion.

Looks like those stupid Baer monolith atrocities. I swear one day at the factory the mill broke and someone was like "well, this is the best we can do, give it a name and charge for the extra metal on the slide"

 

[Ar1b3nz]

 

[Vjornaxx]

The research I did led me to the S&W E-series. I bought the SKU 108409 and then threw on a Nighthawk one piece mag well and a few 10-8 parts (brass front, .140 U rear, flat trigger), and swapped the screws and guide rod for GI standard.

One of the big reasons I went for the E-series was due to the external extractor. It works consistently, does not need to be tuned, and will eject a casing even without a mag in the gun. The rail and lowered and flared ejection port was just topping on the cake.

 

[nomo613]

The research I did led me to the S&W E-series. I bought the SKU 108409 and then threw on a Nighthawk one piece mag well and a few 10-8 parts (brass front, .140 U rear, flat trigger), and swapped the screws and guide rod for GI standard.

One of the big reasons I went for the E-series was due to the external extractor. It works consistently, does not need to be tuned, and will eject a casing even without a mag in the gun. The rail and lowered and flared ejection port was just topping on the cake.

can you explain the bolded part for me? i never got into the whole extractor debate but the internal should work just as consistantly as external. and who made up the thing about the casing not ejecting without a mag with an internal? and as far as im concerned most 1911s come with lowered and flared ejection ports. the companies realized it doesnt cost them anything and its just another thing to advertise. i have a kimber. after having it two years already ive realized that a s&w or dan wesson would have been a better choice. i love my gun, and im not knocking yours, just asking about those claims

 

[Deep Creek Rock]

Firing a 1911 with no mag (dropping the mag with a round in the chamber)- is not a good idea! The slide will slam shut on an empty chamber, instead of locking back- and not good for a 1911. You never let a 1911 slam shut on an empty chamber. If there is no round in the chamber -you assist the slide by hand to bring it into battery.

That being said - and internal extractor 1911 most certainly will fire & eject the spent case with the mag dropped, and a round in chamber.

 

[capman98]

Hay Mopar, I have a real nice Kimber custom II that you can try out if you like. I can meet you at Hap one day. let me know.

 

[Vjornaxx]

I'm no smith, but this is how I understand it:

The extractor on a traditional 1911 is basically a bent piece of metal. In order for consistent extraction, it should grab the rim of the casing at 3:00 with enough tension to pull it out every time.

There are things that can go wrong with this process: the extractor can torque slightly over time. This affects where the claw makes contact with the rim and/or the tension with which the casing is grabbed. This in turn can cause the shell to eject anywhere from 6:00 to 1:00. It can also cause the extractor to miss the case completely, casing a double feed/failure to extract.

The angle of the bend of the extractor can change over time. This can affect the tension again with all of the previously mentioned problems.

I think that the geometry of the claw can change as it wears down, but I'm not sure about that one.

There are a few companies that do external extractors on a 1911, but as far as I know the E series is the only one that passes the 10 unsupported rounds test. The extractor is extra wide and consistently grabs the case at 3:00. Since the tension isn't based on the angle of the claw, it doesn't need to be tuned and can be replaced in much the same manor as a Glock or M&P extractor.

The test of the extractor using one round and no mag is not a precision diagnostic, but rather a pass/fail and it is not specific to the 1911. If your gun cannot fire 10 unsupported rounds and cycle correctly with consistent ejection, then there is a problem with the extractor.

 

[Magnumite]

That is true and an excellent way to test the extractor function. A pistol which extracts cases which dribble over the side or through the magwell is not extracting properly. Shooting a pistol which does that will eventually ruin mags by forcing the case into the mag feedlips. This happens because the case slides off the breechface and extractor without a round in the mag to hold it up.

 

[Silverlode]

Clearly, Wilson, Baer, Nighthawk and Brown are top quality products. However, if you decide the prices are a bit daunting consider a SA TRP Operator. I personally prefer the bull barrel and the only negative in my opinion is that it comes with an adjustable sight that is a bit sharp, but easily replaced with a Harrison or 10-8 designed specifically for the TRP. I have spoken to a guy who shoots competitions a lot, has quite a few top end 1911s and swears the TRP is the best value after putting over 30K rounds through one before a part broke.

I hear a lot of complaints about external extractors. Just my $0.02. I don't think you will be sorry you bought any of the above. Sounds like you have a while before your next birthday. Maybe you should consider a custom shop build and get something set up just the way you want it. Price would likely be similar to the Wilsons and Nighthawks. SA custom shop gets high praise.

 

[RG99]

Check out ones made by Karl Lippard. They're advertised as being the most accurate 191- ever produced and after seeing him hit a target 600 yards away I tend to have to agree. They're expensive though; just my 2 cents

 

[nomo613]

Check out ones made by Karl Lippard. They're advertised as being the most accurate 191- ever produced and after seeing him hit a target 600 yards away I tend to have to agree. They're expensive though; just my 2 cents

sounds like exagerated claims to me.
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=383372

 

[RG99]

sounds like exagerated claims to me.
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=383372

No he did it. Now is that useful to know that you could if you tried? Probably not. But the fact that he did it impressed me.

 

[Sirex]

Mopar, did you shoot my brother's 1911 last time we were up? 1911's are nice pistols, I hope to aquire one one day. CZ first though, since 9 is cheaper, LOL.

 

[mopar92]

Hay Mopar, I have a real nice Kimber custom II that you can try out if you like. I can meet you at Hap one day. let me know.

You busy Saturday?

 

[mopar92]

Mopar, did you shoot my brother's 1911 last time we were up? 1911's are nice pistols, I hope to aquire one one day. CZ first though, since 9 is cheaper, LOL.

Didn't shoot his. But at the Guns n Grub I fired a 1911 at 100 yards and actually hit the target.


But when I first squeezed the trigger the heavens parted angels sang and I was overcome with joy.

 

[krashmania]

Mopar, did you shoot my brother's 1911 last time we were up? 1911's are nice pistols, I hope to aquire one one day. CZ first though, since 9 is cheaper, LOL.

Mmmmm... Two tone custom cz....

 

[trikshot]

I think that all of your objectives are reasonable. External extractors are easier to replace, if necessary. Be prepared to spend a lot and wait. Shipping in the white is a special order. I recommend getting this done at the factory.

Okay so I'm gunna get a 1911 next year for mah berfday. And have concluded on Wilson Combat, Les Baer or Ed Brown. So that's where my research stops me. I don't know jack about the upgrades to the 1911 platform. So here's what I want.
Rail besides the tacticool factor this will be a working gun. I'll throw a light on it for low-life situations.
Profile I want it to look like a normal 1911 so no rounded butts or angled butts on this pistol.
Sights I'm thinking Novaks but also want tritium do they make those and is there a way to get a red tritium front sight like I have set up on my shotgun?
Reliability I want this thing to run flawlessly after I bury it in the dirt for 5 years. Obviously thats an exaggeration but you get the idea. It also must feed hollow points and full metal jackets so I don't have to worry about what type of ammo I pick up.
Accurate I want it to shoot where I aim and be more accurate then me. I should be the weak link not the tool.
Finish I'd like it shipped bare metal so it can be Cerakoted.
Frame must be steel.
I have no idea on internal or external extractors so someone school me please.