10mm long slide for hunting

[spaniel]

I have learned through my friend who works at my LGS that my 7-year-old son is telling my wife that they need to get me a new gun for my birthday (apparently I taught him well).  The top of my list would be a 10mm long slide for deer hunting on a heavily wooded property I recently bought. 

I want 10mm with adjustable sights, standard 1911 width (no double stack, no Glock).  The Remington Hunter looks sufficient.  The Springfield Operator looks very nice, but I'm not sure it's worth about double the price for a handgun intended for hunting within bow range.

I have ZERO interest in anything above the price point of the Springfield.  Just inquiring if I'm missing any options.  I always felt I'd build a top tier one myself one day and still may.

[Trapper6L]

I have a Remington R1 Hunter longslide 10mm. Accuracy wise, I've found a max load of 2400 runs out of mine far better than other powders under a 180gr HST bullet. Groups the size of a nickel at 25yds are the result if you're capable of shooting it. I think the biggest endorsement for the gun I've already told here but, I was at the range with family and got to chatting with a young man about guns. He was considering a 10mm so I handed him my gun. He took a one handed military type stance and proceeded to shoot clays at 25 yds almost as fast as the gun would run. Impressed me. He wanted to know if the gun was for sale. Obviously no.

As with any gun, there is a down side. For me, I can't see the fiber optic sight good enough so I use the entire front bead. This makes the gun shoot about 6" high at 25 yds. My plans are to have the front changed out to a taller one and no fiber optic junk. When the gun was new, I had no failures of any kind with it but it took about 300 rounds before there was a major change in accuracy. The gun just settled in and started grouping. The biggest complaint I have with the gun is throws brass into orbit. It WAS common for it to throw full house load brass 50-60 feet. Makes it hard to find if you are a reloader. For out of the box ammo, mine likes PPU 170gr ammo best.

I have done some work to mine. I have changed the recoil spring to the heaviest Wolff has and changed the hammer spring to a 25lb spring. I put a different flat bottom firing pin stop in it. All of this to slow down slide velocity so it would quit putting brass into orbit. It still chunks brass a lot farther away than it should but it seems to be a common problem with the 1911's in 10mm. I'm also running Wilson Combat buffer pad. What is amazing to me is that the violent recoil is now gone. It still chunks brass with full house loads but the gun is an absolute blast to shoot now. Downside to all of the spring changes is that it takes a pretty good man to rack the slide if the hammer is in the down position. Cock the hammer back and it's far easier.

I like mine with all of the improvements. Accuracy wise, nothing I did enhanced accuracy and none of the spring changes effected trigger pull. It has a reasonably firm trigger that when it moves, the bullet is already on the way- it's pretty crisp. I'm guessing but I'd say the trigger is probably 4.5-5lbs. It's now a permanent rider in the truck and goes to the range at every chance. I wouldn't hesitate to take it hunting.

[sqlbullet]

https://armscor.com/firearms/ria/pro-series/pro-match-ultra-6-10mm/

https://www.gunbroker.com/Semi-Auto-Pistols/search?PageSize=24&Sort=13&View=1&mfg=1000311&ca=5000161&bl=200004&cap=100007

My experience with recent RIA products would suggest that this merits consideration.  I would pick it over the Remington without question.

[Bruno747]

not sure why this didnt post. So Ill Post it again.

Id second sqlbullet if you are looking for a cheap 1911, the RIA is where it is at. Just make sure you have it well before season becuase it will likely take some time to get it running right. Even likely sending it in to RIA.

As for the springfield, its price is all over the place so Im not really sure what your limit is. But the high seems to be 1800 for the springfield so Im working with that. At that price look at a dan wesson bruin.

You should also look at fusion's freedom line. They arent nearly as customized as the rest of their lines, but you can get the exact sights you want with some mods for under $1500

https://www.fusionfirearms.com/freedom-series-long-slide-3744      As it sits its sub 1200.

If you are serious about building one yourself check out the parts from fusion. Anything you can't do yourself, they are willing to work with you on.

[Canoe]

I had a Hunter 10mm and it was sufficiently accurate.  Can't go wrong for the price but it is certainly not the last word in refinement.  If you like stainless, take a look at the Kimber.  It should be around the same price.  It won't be more accurate but slightly better finished imo. 

[terdog]

Recently I found myself in the same boat as you.
my considerations were similar to yours. RIA, Kimber Target, Remington Hunter, SA Operator and my favorite, the DW Bruin..

I prefer DW's overall. I have several and think that they are stunning. But, $1800 (GB best price) set me back.

I ended up choosing the SA Operator because I found a NIB 1 for $1250. The bottom rail is helpful for adding a scope mount. I currently have about 250 rnds down range. The only issue seems to be its tightness. When it gets dirty, she slows returning to battery.

[AlinMi]

This would be my pick bud.

https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore.com/products2.cfm

[Squints08]

I have a Kimber longslide in 10mm and a Glock 40 MOS with a 7" KKM barrel and DeltaPoint Pro dot. Both are super accurate and capable of killing game. Out to 30 yards they are both about equal but beyond that the dot truly helps. I killed a 4 horned ram at 54 yards with the Glock MOS and would never have taken that shot with my Kimber. Since you state no Glocks, find a longslide that can accept a red dot.

[Ramjet]

I have the Springfield long slide and the Remington R1 Hunter. Both love the 180 grain loaded over Power Pistol the Springfield is slightly more accurate with that load. now move up to the 200 grainWFN cast and the R1 shines. I think either gun are a good choice for what you described. I carry mine in a chest rig. Like the poster above though my MOS with the 7" KKM and Trijicon red dot is more accurate at longer distance than either of my long slide 1911.

[Trapper6L]

My experience with recent RIA products would suggest that this merits consideration.

I looked and tried to find a RIA Pro 10mm Longslide for several months. This was after my buying the R1. I finally found one at a gunshop in Beeville Texas, about 100 miles from here. I took the R1 for trading fodder and a pocket full of money as I expected to be leaving Beeville with the RIA and headed to the ranch. I looked at the RIA a lot, fondled it, played with it, held it, all but made love to it and it's nothing like the pics on the website. While I would agree that I've never shot a bad RIA in any chambering, the Pro was disappointing in fit and finish. Frankly, the R1 is FAR better in fit and finish....at least mine is better. The blue was crude at best, looked more like spray paint, and the gun rattled. And it's supposed to be one of their "custom shop" target guns. Trigger wasn't any better than the R1 but it did have a little creep in it. Needless to say I went to the ranch with a long face. I had in my mind a better pistol in all regards over the R1 but the Pro was a huge disappointment. Maybe it's the one I looked at wasn't their best example, I don't really know. Maybe my R1 is one of the better fit and finish guns, but I wouldn't trade my R1 for a Pro even if you threw in another 500 bucks. It was really that disappointing.

[sep]

I've got an STI Perfect 10, Glock G40 neither of which meet your stated criteria and a Dan Wesson Bruin. The Bruin has excellent build quality and accuracy. My only complaint with the Bruin is the angled recoil plug arrangement. Would rather it be flat for removal and reinstallation. The Bruin has an excellent Duty Finish, excellent fiber optic/tritium front sight visible in all conditions and is obviously built really well. It has the best trigger of my three 10mm pistols.     

[spaniel]

Thank you for all the helpful comments.  Sounds like I should at least look at a Remington.  I had overlooked the Kimber; I have an Eclipse Custom II in 10mm (5") and love it.  I also have a RIA 10mm Commander.  I like the gun but it took a lot of work....and some replacement parts...to get it running right.  The mag catch wouldn't hold a mag out of the box, for example.  I had planned on using it as a base gun to modify so it was acceptable, but I really don't feel like rolling the dice on a RIA for this purpose.

[RJM52]

I bought one of the PARA-USA Elite LS Hunters shortly after the company was bought by Freedom Group and moved to the Remington 1911 factory after being told by the company they had NO PLANS ON OFFERING A 10mm 1911...then of course 10 months later they bring out the same gun with REMINGTON on the slide...

The gun is very accurate and easy to shoot.  Have no problem keeping shots on a 10" gong at 100 yards from the seated backrest position...

That said, if the Kimber LS Target had been available I would have probably gone that route because I already had a Kimber Stainless Target II in .38 Super that has been one of the best 1911s I own....  They are both about the same price but I do like the blacked out stainless of the Remington Hunter....

Whatever you buy, probably the only thing you'll need is a good trigger job to really get the most out of it...

Bob

ps...I also have one of the RIA Combat Commander size guns and it is just as accurate and reliable as the other 1911s I own...and for less than $500 the least expensive.