Kimber or Springfield 1911?

[thecatsfan]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=212506415

Here is a Parkerized Loaded brand new with night sights for $715.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=213346893

Here is another for $700. And the shipping and FFL fees cost about the same or sometimes even less than sales tax. Jensen in Loveland sells them for as low as $695. Don't get me wrong, you got a great deal. But other dealers do sell them for that price. And I only know this because I have been shopping 1911s like crazy this week.

For me, night sights are a requirement. Yes I know I can send the gun in to the manufacturer, or an aftermarket company, and have them installed after I buy the gun - but for much more than the cost of pre-installed night sights. I simply would rather not go down that road. I started down that road recently and I ended up selling the gun rather than spend the outrageous cost to change the sights. I think you are so much better off stepping up and buying the gun you want with the options you need than paying even more in the long run to change the gun you bought into the gun you wanted. Just my $.02.

Just this weekend, I sold a Springfield 1911 because of the crappy factory sights and the outrageous price I was quoted by multiple sources to have the sights replaced. Nights sights are far cheaper if they are a factory option.

The 1911 I just sold was a stainless GI model. I called Springfield and talked to the custom shop. Because of the proprietary tenon front sight on that model (and some other SA 1911s), you cannot put dovetail sights on them without extensive professional millwork and refinishing. A staked on front night sight is not recomended and SA won't even do it. Neither will Novak. SA quoted me $260 to mill the slide and install night sights. Novak quoted me exactly the same. That price did not include any refinishing work or shipping costs either way. And if I didn't send them the entire gun, they would not guarantee bore and sight alignment. And to send the whole gun, shipping has to be overnight both ways. So, I was looking at a minimum of $300 to put night sights on a $600 gun. Not worth it! So I sold it. I realize the GI model is an extreme example for SA because those GI sights are the worst, and that is the most expensive model to convert, but even on other models it is at least $150 plus shipping both ways. I am not about to spend $200 to $300 for an $80 factory option if I can avoid it.

And just FYI in case anybody is interested. Today I called both Springfield and Kimber and talked to them about these Blackened Stainless models like the one pictured above because I really like the look of that gun and I thought stainless with the black slide would be a good combination between corrosion resistance and low visibility for carrying in a black holster. This particular model in this thread is the Loaded Full Size Blackened Stainles Combat model# PX9154LP. MSRP is $1,000 and it has standard 3 dot sights. The blackened model from Kimber is the Eclipse Custom II with an MSRP of $1,250 - tritium sights included.

Anyway, both Kimber and SA told me before I even asked, if you plan to carry that gun at all, you do NOT want the Blackened Stainless Steel finish. Before I even got to my questions. I just told them what model I was looking at and both companies told me straight up that this is their worst finish for wear. The black comes off easily and they do not recommend it to any customer who will be holstering the gun on a regular basis. Both companies told me this without being prompted, which makes me think they have had complaints. Either way, both companies convinced me not to buy that gun. When I mentioned that I was planning to carry the gun, they both suggested I would be happier with either full stainless or full black, such as an anodized or ArmoryKote finish. They even recommended a full black slide on a stainless body over the blackened model. And one of the sales reps actually referred to the Blackened SA as a "range" gun. And they both warned me that the blackened model was susceptible to surface rust.

I take all of this with a grain of salt. I am not knocking either gun and I would encourage anyone who likes these models to do their own research. I am simply passing on what they told me, and I probably wouldn't have paid as much attention if it wasn't that both sales reps' statements were so eerily similar. They both literally talked me out of these models.

As for SA, I have been researching every single model they have and am really pretty disappointed with the current offerings. I guess what I am looking for is just not what they are selling. I simply want a full-size frame with a 5" barrel, fixed night sights, a decent quality finish, and a decent looking weapon that has features that match its price. I have found 1 or 2 SA models I feel are worth considering.

I sincerely doubt I will find the gun I want here on the boards and will probably be at Jensen later this week to buy from them. I just posted for the heck of it. Never hurts to try.

It's weird. I spent far less time researching my first AR build and all the parts I bought than I have trying to find a decent 1911. And of course, up north in this area, the selection at most dealers is a joke, so I can't see most of them in person.