Get the SRO for 570 ish...........

 

The Colt is a solid no frills piece, I had one, but with those rollmarks I would not use that model for expensive custom work.

 

How much do you guys think one is worth?
I have a Remington Enhanced R1 so I'm not opposed to a more basic 1911.

 

If you can get it between 550-600 you are doing awesome. If you go above that say 600-700, you are doing alright. Especially if your friend takes care of his guns. I saw a used one with orm with box and original stuff go for way more in my neck of the woods but it was pristine. No holster wear, no idiot marks, only a box full of ammo shot through her..

 

Without seeing it I would say in the 500-600 dollar area.

 

I paid just under $600 for a used one with minor finish wear and no box. Great shooter too.

However I must admit $570 for a Springfield Range officer would be mighty tempting as well.....

 

I have watched these and a year or two ago, you could occasionally find a really nice one for $500. But now it's more $600 or $650 it seems.

Indeed the $570 RO is a a good deal, so why not get both? You'll have a no-frills model and a range gun. A man needs both - and preferably with several back-ups for each. _

 

I talked to him again today and he said it has Houge rubber grips with the Colt logo on them. He said IF he does decide to sell it, he was thinking $600. He's going to bring it to work to show me on Wednesday.

 

Last fall I bought a 1991A1 with only hogue grip upgrade on it at a pawn shop for $550 out the door. This has been a very straight shooting weapon. With some up grades: full length guide rod, Wilson combat grip safety with high rise beaver tail and 25lpi mainspring housing, and some extra Wilson Combat magazines I have about $750 in it. I have seen these going for up to $1100 on gunbroker lately, but most around $800 - $900 even without the upgrades. good luck with your purchase. Once you shoot your colt and get it modified the way you like it, you will enjoy shooting that much more.

 

$600 is a good price. The ORM has the same heart as the shiny ones. I know you want a blued one, but I will attach a picture of a project-gun "in the rough" in which I am using and ORM stainless top-end. They will clean up with a little Mothers Mag Polish. I know the blued ones may look a little rougher and if you polish the flats.....requires a re-bluing job. The thing is....the rough blued ones actually look better than most of the stainless ORM's. IMO....the matte finish looks much better out-of-the-box on the blued ORM.

 

To the guys that would get the Springfield, why would you get one over the Colt?

 

springfield builds them better in all areas, Colt was just the first

 

Replace the MSH IL with a stock MSH and you basically have a series 70 firing system. No FPB to remove if that bugs anybody. The finish on the SS SA's is as good as and in some cases better. The cost (feature-to-feature comparison) is usually much less. Springfield Armory has been around a lot longer than Colt and their warranty service is second to none (so I hear).

Negatives, they use one firing pin for all calibers, but I am not so sure that is a negative. All other parts in/on the gun remain true to the original design as far as I can tell. The early models (NM serial number) are made in Brazil, but the quality of the Brazilian made guns is very comparative and as good as the ones fitted in the USA. Any comparison made between the guns made in Brazil to a Taurus......is just not comparable, so I don't consider that. Taurus is more of a marketing company than a firearms company.

OK....I've been honest and I own both (mostly Colt). If anybody doesn't think they're buying a Colt just because it has Colt on the slide, their fooling themselves. I know...that's why I have a hand full of Colts.

There are some names that I won't own either because of their arrogance and exploded price, or their drifting from the original JMB design. A Springfield is not one of those. I don't mind saying I proudly own a mil-spec Springer.

The main reason I would choose one over a Colt (if I were choosing) is for the price, equal or better quality, service reputation and the lack of the Series 80 FPB.

 

Springfield Armory has been around a lot longer than Colt and their warranty service is second to none (so I hear).

Not a big factor in a purchase decision, but just to be clear, 1836 vs. 1974, point to Colt. I don't think they introduced their first 1911 until the late 1980s.

There are some names that I won't own either because of their arrogance and exploded price, or their drifting from the original JMB design. A Springfield is not one of those.

I agree with this very much. Also, the RO model has a one-piece barrel from what I understand. I still get leery about some of the two-piece models.

 

Point conceded. I meant the company name. SA has had a colorful history with troubled times, like other major firearms manufacturers. The parent company was founded in 1777 and lasted until 1968, then brought back to life in 1974. I don't want to drift the thread and maybe this vaguely has something to do with the subject.

I will end by saying one more time.....if you can purchase a SS Colt for $600 OTD.....I would do that anytime as opposed to a decent and lightly used SA for $525-$550. That's about what they go for around here.

 

Today's commercial enterprise has NOTHING to do with the original government-owned Springfield Armory aside from the fact that they purchased the name in 1974. When Springfield says they are "The oldest name in American firearms" they're not lying, but they're not exactly telling the truth either.

 

I picked up a pretty nice ORM 1991 at a gun show yesterday for $700. It came with the manual and brown plastic box. It is in good shape with very little finish wear. Most importantly, it had not been altered or messed with at all. I shot it today and it did fine. This one is matte blue as are most of them however the others that I've owned were parkerized.

 

I love my Colt...but the Springfield has a lifetime warranty with EXCELLENT customer service.

 

$570 is a killer price for an RO and SA's customer service is top notch. My favorite 1911 is a full custom GI from their Custom Shop. My advice would be to buy both, however if funds are an issue, I think I would buy the Colt. You could always pick up an RO down the road since you get the discount.

 

I have to say, the Springers that I have personally looked at recently have been some very well made pistols. The build quality has been excellent. I won't say they are better than new Colts but they seemed to be their equal. That being said, for some, that pony means something. There is a connection to history, a piece of the past that transcends a mere machine. An intangible quality that makes it more than just a modern rendition of a 100 year old design. I can hang my grandson's finger painting on the wall but that won't make it a Picasso. (Maybe one day)

 

Since the OP has created a duplicate of this thread in General Discussion I'm closing this one.

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=404692