Recommendations for a inexpensive 9mm single stack 1911?

Bam Bam · Mar 23, 2024

I'm going to be in the market in the near future for another pistol. I'm debating another 1911 but in 9mm. As I keep getting told by the 1911 Guru's the 9mm 1911 is a very smooth shooting weapon, very low recoil and it's a 1911. I love the power and recoil of the 45, but looking for something more as a range toy, something to be shot alot and the possibility of adding a red dot to it. So the parameters I'm looking at are:
single stack 1911 9mm
good sights
full size 5 inch barrel
inexpensive <$500 if possible

I like the Rock Island Tactical 1911 and the Tisas B9, I like the Night Stalker too but it's more money than I like. The cheaper the better and I'll probably be changing out trigger and other things out since I love tinkering. Any recommendations??

3fifty7 · Mar 24, 2024

I’ve looked over the Tisas and I keep hoping they will release the model I want, the Duty SS9. They offer the Duty 45 in blue or stainless and the Duty 9 in blue but not stainless. It would be an instant “buy it now” for me.

So TISAS if you’re reading this I’d like Duty Stainless Steel 9mm please, no rail.

lesgeaux · Mar 24, 2024

I still have a full size Citadel 1911 9mm that was my first so I could learn the platform. It is a pleasure to shoot, has not skipped a beat ever. It was inexpensive at the time.
I have been wanting this model for a few years now, but haven't yet.

Tisas 1911 Stingray Carry B9BA

I have seen a few videos of this model that were well liked by the tester.

Martman300 · Mar 24, 2024

I had a Girsan for a short while that I think is inexpensive and ran fine.

it’s not 5” though, I think it was 4.75 or 4.5”. I got it in a trade on here.

Bam Bam · Mar 24, 2024

I'm over at the 1911 forum alot and see alot of good talk on the Tisas and I already have a R/I. I'm still on the fence about it though. The gun store I visit don't ever seem to have any 9mm 1911s hardly to check out. I really want to shoot one first.

SVT Bansheeman · Mar 24, 2024

Tisas/Girsan. I just had mine (45acp) cerakoted (looks like a 80's coke dealer gun) and it still runs.

sksshooter · Mar 24, 2024

I have the rock island tactical 9mm and it has been pretty solid. Ive only put a couple hundred rounds through it since ive owned it but not the first issue so far.

Magdump · Mar 24, 2024

Man, I absolutely love my surplus Star pistols. The Star “B” and “BM” were super cheap and hold up well. Haven’t checked the market lately, but that’s where I’d start if I wanted the most bang for the buck.

hotbiggun · Mar 24, 2024

Magdump said:
Man, I absolutely love my surplus Star pistols. The Star “B” and “BM” were super cheap and hold up well. Haven’t checked the market lately, but that’s where I’d start if I wanted the most bang for the buck.

I think Atlantic has the Star BM in stock at a fairly reasonable price.
I like mine but mags are over $60 now if you can find them.

Magdump · Mar 24, 2024

hotbiggun said:
I think Atlantic has the Star BM in stock at a fairly reasonable price.
I like mine but mags are over $60 now if you can find them.

Scat! I just went looked for about 20 minutes. Found a few sites that have theA, B and BM and super but they’re double and triple what I paid a few years ago. Glad I loaded up on mags too. Although I think they were 25-30 bucks when I bought them. I used to buy a couple 2 or 3 of those pistols at a time from Atlantic and J&G or Classic Firearms for $200 with a couple mags. Who knew they’d rocket in price?

Mitch Dufour · Mar 24, 2024

Magdump said:
.... Who knew they’d rocket in price?

ANY and every quality gun has done that Magdump. $100 pawnshop SKS anyone? $150 870 pump? We could go on with the list, but all quality steel guns seem to rise in value over time.

hotbiggun · Mar 24, 2024

Magdump said:
Scat! I just went looked for about 20 minutes. Found a few sites that have theA, B and BM and super but they’re double and triple what I paid a few years ago. Glad I loaded up on mags too. Although I think they were 25-30 bucks when I bought them. I used to buy a couple 2 or 3 of those pistols at a time from Atlantic and J&G or Classic Firearms for $200 with a couple mags. Who knew they’d rocket in price?

I bought mine from a local dealer for right over $200 with 2 mags. Dropped it off at a gunsmith who stripped it and cerikoted it a bronze color. Nice shooter

You ever try the promags for the BM?

scooterj · Mar 25, 2024

Recently picked up this Girsan 9mm. I am more than pleased with reliability and accuracy. The price is a little more than you stated though.

RaleighReloader · Mar 25, 2024

I'd vote for either Tisas or Rock Island Armory. I own both, and for simple reliability I've never had an issue with either.

My general feeling about 1911s right now is that most people are best served with either a Tisas or a RIA. The manufacturing tolerances are only getting better in those guns. I've shot rigs from both of those companies with thousands of rounds through them, that still perform superbly. In terms of dollars-per-smile, they're tough to beat.

If you want to move up from there, I'd recommend moving into the realm of a semi-custom 1911 like a Les Baer, Nighthawk, Ed Brown, or Wilson (or Staccato if you want to play in the double stack space). You'll be solidly in the $2,500 to $3,500 price range to play there, but if you're going to make the leap into a better platform I think that's a better place to put your money.

Here's my rationale: you can certainly drop $1,000 or $1,500 on a mid-tier 1911, but I think most of the benefit there is going to be in cosmetics. That's not going to help you be a better shooter ... and if you start dabbling in parts upgrades and custom machining, you're going to drop hundreds (or even thousands) into a gun that isn't going to appreciate in value.

In other words: don't buy a base model Jeep Wrangler and put $15K worth of accessories into it. Buy a higher end Wrangler to begin with, and you'll have a much easier time recuperating your money when you go to sell it.

Just my two cents, of course, and you'll get a lot of different opinions about this.

Mike

southerncanuck · Mar 25, 2024

RIA ROCK SS 1911 FS 9MM 5 10RD

dahlonegaarmory.com

I've been tinkering with one of these lately and it's been fantastic. Of course, I did the predictable gun bro thing and undid all the benefits of having a "budget" 1911 by spending the purchase price all over again in upgraded parts. (But hey, half the fun of having this hobby is tinkering with stuff.)

scooterj · Mar 25, 2024

Just a little something to think about:
Tisas/Girsan are made in Turkey and are forged frames and slides.
Rock Island and variants are cast and made in the Philippines.

The forged parts will hold tighter tolerances for a longer time.

RaleighReloader · Mar 25, 2024

scooterj said:
Rock Island and variants are cast and made in the Philippines.

Almost. From RIA's website:

"Our 1911 Frames are Cast 4140 Carbon Steel and our Slides are Forged 4140 Steel."

It's also worth noting that Ruger does a lot of casting ... and I'd trust most Rugers with my life.

That said, if one could get a cast 1911 frame or a forged 1911 for the same price (and all other factors were equal), the forged would be the better deal.

Mike

landmancpl · Mar 25, 2024

FEG 9mm 9PR is a GREAT pistol... as it is a CLONE of the Browning Hi Power.... shoots well, accurate and points well.

Magdump · Mar 25, 2024

Mitch Dufour said:
ANY and every quality gun has done that Magdump. $100 pawnshop SKS anyone? $150 870 pump? We could go on with the list, but all quality steel guns seem to rise in value over time.

Yeah, I went crazy back in the late 80’s buying surplus Walther P-38 pistols for dirt cheap. I have some real nice ones that I didn’t pay dick for and they’re worth like 4X what I paid. I guess you just never know.

Magdump · Mar 25, 2024

hotbiggun said:
I bought mine from a local dealer for right over $200 with 2 mags. Dropped it off at a gunsmith who stripped it and cerikoted it a bronze color. Nice shooter

You ever try the promags for the BM?

I didn’t know there was an aftermarket mag for them but now you have me curious. Have you tried them?
One of my BM pistols was polished and re blued. The Star engraving is barely visible now. I figure the gun must have had a bad surface rust and needed a lot of metal removed from the slide.

Recommendations for a inexpensive 9mm single stack 1911?

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