Inexpensive 1911

[Combat Controller]

This could be the ticket for a new 1911 owner. Being from the Philippines usually means it is not totally milspec (I am looking at you Rock Island), but they all pretty much run. the suggested MSRP from the website are $431 and $481, not bad at all, and what the Taurus used to cost, and still should. They have an interesting selection on the site, I like the .22 and .357 revolvers, I would like to see and shoot one.

[Whirlibird]

Um, no.

The fancy hammer insert practically screams MIM part.
The entire weapon needs a dehorn.
Extended slide release?

The beavertail was fit by a blind man.

For the money, I'll save my pennies and get a GI or Mil-Spec Springer.

[martini]

I have a couple of questions, first, why all the complaints of mim parts? Do they really fail more often than forged parts?
Second, this gun will probably retail around 400 to 425 for the top end model, if is accurate and goes bang, why not as a starter 1911?
Third, has anyone ever seen a non positive/glowing review from the guys at gunblast? I can't remember one. If no one else can the question becomes, do they ever publish reviews of products that they Don't like?

[Spells]

The price looks great but I don't think I've ever read Gunblast pan anything. Every review they write seems universally positive.

They're also often testing weapons shipped to them specifically for the purpose AFAICT, as opposed to getting a random sample at the store.

Velocities were checked using a Chrony Master Beta

An unfortunately named chronograph.

[Mud_Dog]

Um, no.

The fancy hammer insert practically screams MIM part.
The entire weapon needs a dehorn.
Extended slide release?

The beavertail was fit by a blind man.

For the money, I'll save my pennies and get a GI or Mil-Spec Springer.

I dunno, it looks like a decent pistol to me. Now, keep in mind that I have never handled this particular handgun before but at that price it would be a decent starter 1911 as CC pointed out. By "starter" it's meant that some, if not most of the parts, will be changed out over time to compensate for the user's needs.

Now, as for the questions about MIM parts, here is a good explanation of what MIM is. These parts are never going to be as strong or as reliable as milled or even cast parts, but they are produced very cheaply to help turn more of a profit. Avoid them like the plague if you have the choice.

[Whirlibird]

I have a couple of questions, first, why all the complaints of mim parts? Do they really fail more often than forged parts?
Second, this gun will probably retail around 400 to 425 for the top end model, if is accurate and goes bang, why not as a starter 1911?
Third, has anyone ever seen a non positive/glowing review from the guys at gunblast? I can't remember one. If no one else can the question becomes, do they ever publish reviews of products that they Don't like?

I've broken several MIM parts and replaced quite a number of others for other people while working in a shop. More often, yes. Is there any rhyme or reason? No. It just seems to happen.

A starter gun. That's what I consider the starting place for a great gun. A Springer GI gun is serviceable from the box but can become a great gun with a little work and a handful of parts.

I guess I must mention that Denver PD doesn't allow the use of Kimber's, however Colts are perfectly fine. The reason, Speer Gold Dots. The hot Speers that DPD are carrying tend to work a firearm quite a bit and the MIM parts do not stand up to them well. In simplest terms Kimber wouldn't stand behind their firearms and warrant against breakage with the Gold Dots.
So they were removed from the 'approved' list.

I find that the Quinn's tend not to "review" those items they don't like. Some of the other gun rags do the same thing, giving the maker an opportunity to "Fix" what's broken before their name and product is smeared.

As for price being a reason for the choice, (IIRC) it was Kings Gun Works put it into an article some years back when explaining why the company only worked on Colts, Springers and Norinco's. The price difference between the low end Auto-Ordnances and the good guns such as the Colts was quickly eaten up by the cost of labor fitting parts and the cost of making replacement parts fit non-standard weapons.

If I buy a Colt or Springer, and drop-in parts from Brownell's I can reasonably expect the drop-in parts to do just that. I've worked on too many off-brand handguns to expect these parts to work every time. A "Charles Daly" 1911 that a friend picked up was nearly the end of my sanity. It was so far out of spec, I couldn't get a standard barrel to even work in it. I literally destroyed a match barrel fitting it to the weapon, it was that far out of spec. The grip safety was below the frame sides creating cutting edges situated right in the palm of the hand.
The reason for the rebarrel? It'd tumble every round at 5Y with a perfect crown. Didn't matter what brand, it tumbled them all.

[chrisb]

I will never buy another Filipino 1911. I got one via CAI and it is a total piece of shit that broke. No thanks.

[Kommander]

I will never buy another Filipino 1911. I got one via CAI and it is a total piece of shit that broke. No thanks.

The problem was not that it was Filipino, but that it was a CAI. Rock Island and the budget STI 1911 are built in the Philippines, or at least of Philippine frames, and are both reputed to be excellent for the price. I still think that a Springfield Mil-Spec or GI is the way to go for a starter 1911.

[rightisright]

They have an interesting selection on the site, I like the .22 and .357 revolvers,

A nine-shot .22 revo for ~$200??? Gotta be too good to be true.

If it isn't, I want one (or two).

[clyde621]

Is there a way to look at a part and tell if it's a MIM part? Would like to know when looking at parts at a gun show.