Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Question on Charles Daley Pistols...

NOTPARS
If this question has been asked recently, you folks can direct me to that thread.
I was looking at a Charles Daley .45 and it seemed like a nice pistol, especially for the price. I was wondering where this pistol is made, does anyone have any experience with it, and is it worth buying or should I save my money and go with something like a Kimber, Colt, Springfield and so forth. I just picked up the latest issue of Auto-Pistol and the above pistols start around $700+ and go up...rapidly...from there.
0

Comments

15 comments

Date Votes
  • CountryGunsmith
    The Charles Daly single-action 1911 style guns are made in the Phillipines. Not too bad for an entry-level gun, most require some tinkering but end up perfectly adequate.

    Might save up just a bit more and go for the Springfield Armory base 'loaded' model, or look at the Dan Wesson Pointman series.

    FFL Dealer, Class 07/02 Mfg
    0
  • NOTPARS
    For CountryGunSmith,

    Thanks for the reply. Your advice makes good sense and I'm going to look into those pistols. I do like the Dan Wessons!
    0
  • Snuff
    A used, "fully loaded" Spld can be had for about $450, and you dont have to look that far, either. The Spld's are WELL PROVEN by IDPA and IPSC shottists, many of whom fire many tens of thousands of rds of full charge ammo per year thru their 1911's. Spld gave Robbie a MILLION $ to represent them for 10 years, at the matches. That is a helluva lot of money in the handgun biz, and that is a big committment by Spld, to a game that REALLY tests guns' durability and reliability.
    0
  • NOTPARS
    For Snuff,

    Thanks for the post. I really like the way the Springfields look and handle. In my latest issue of AutoPistols, the price for all 1911's keeps creeping up and up...

    I have an old Colt 1911 Mark IV series 70 .45. My dad bought it back around 70. We were living in Germantown Philadelphia in 1970. If you're familiar with Philly, you know why he bought it...in 1970. Anyway, this pistol shoots great but I don't really want to modify it in any way. Instead, I'm looking for a new .45.

    Last year I had a chance to shoot a friend's brand new Kimber. It was a $1000 gun. I couldn't believe the accuracy of this pistol! But the price is too steep for me.
    0
  • Snuff
    If your Series 70 is in nice shape, you can easily sell it for enough to buy the used, fully loaded Spld. The collet bushings of the 70 models makes them at WORST 5" at 50 yds, and many are well under 4". So it is probably the lack of a trigger job and decent sights that makes your experience with the Colt less enjoyable than the Kimber. You can find Collet bushings and barrels that smiths have replaced with a solid bushing-barrel (in the mistaken belief that collet types are too prone to breakage) used, for $75, or a bit less. Installing such a barrel and bushing, and a $30 Dwyer Group Gripper, will render ANY 1911 4" at 50 yds, with MATCH swc ammo, and probably 3" with a Spld that's in good shape.
    0
  • drobs
    I had a bad experience with a Charles Daley shotgun. I thought $300 semi-auto 12GA why not. Turned out to be a pc of crud. All the rounds liked to try to ejected out of the magazine tube in mid cycle. I wouldn't buy another one of their products.

    We did have a member here test one of their 1911's test for us.
    Here is a link to that thread:
    http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20190&SearchTerms=Charles,Daley

    Concerning the Springfield 1911, you may want to check out this thread:
    http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=57319&SearchTerms=Springfield

    I'm kinda busy here so I'm gonna cut & paste in my view from the above previous thread.

    quote:Originally posted by drobs
    Cwatson,

    A few of my thoughts on Springfield:

    All I've ever heard of newer Brazilian guns is that they are crap. If I wanted a gun that was made in Brazil I would buy a Braztech/Rossi or a Taurus which I refuse to do. I've stayed away from Brazilian guns & have stayed away from Springfield for this reason. When I plan on buying a nice 1911, I want to know I'm buying an American product. I don't feel Springfield fulfills this requirement of mine.

    I work part time at a gun shop that sells only top of the line handguns to a large highend gun buying customer base. We don't sell Taurus, Braztech, Rossi, or any of the other low-end guns from Brazil. We do however carry Kimber, Springfield, & Colt. I once thought Springfield's were ok guns till I learned they were made in Brazil. I now have to question what country makes Springfield's top of the line 1911's. With Springfield's questionable quality & your experience of poor customer service, I have, & will continue to steer my customers towards Kimber.

    This won't allways make for a quick sale, but if I hear a company has poor service or makes an unreliable gun, I pass that knowledge on to my customers.


    PS. I might ad our shop carries the following manufacturers of handguns: Walther, Glock, Sig, Beretta, HK, Ruger, & Smith & Wesson.

    Regards,

    FREE IRAQ
    usa.gif
    bigun2.gif2gunsfiring_v1.gif



    Regards,

    FREE IRAQ
    0
  • Mr.PissyPants
    I don't know a lot about CD but I have also been interested in picking one up shortly and have done a fair bit of research. While not as fine a pistol as some of the name brands (Kimber, Colt, Springfield, etc.) it is a well made .45 and many people enjoy owning and shooting them. The price tag is also very attractive. Brand new at $350 - $400 depending on the model. However a Springfield Mil-Spec is also a fine choice and is made with higher quality parts that can be easily upgraded. They run around $500 also new.

    -Clinton
    0
  • Snuff
    Do NOT get a plain vanilla 1911, unless its for $200 or less. you will spend $400+ adding the mods that you can get on the $450, used "fully loaded" Spld, and you wont get a DIME extra for those mods, should you later sell or trade the gun. I wouldnt pay more than $400 for a plain vanilla Colt Series 70, but then, I do my own smithing. It would probably bring $500, from a private party, without much searching. Brazil is certainly no worse than the Phillipines, and with a used gun, you can FORGET warranties or customer service. Spld's parts are over priced, anyway, so why go to them? Once you get the gun, it's best to go to Numrich for generic parts, McCormick for "race" parts.
    0
  • NOTPARS
    For Drobs,

    Hey thanks. I am sorry to hear about your experience but glad you shared it. I will definitely have to steer away from them and check out the information you posted. Thanks for taking the time to help me out. As handguns become more and more expensive, most of us can't afford to take a big gamble.

    P.S. I am not a high end buyer but can save up like anyone else. What do you think of the Dan Wesson .45's? I have read nothing but good things about the Ruger in .45 as well. Is that your experience?
    0
  • NOTPARS
    For Mr. PissyPants,

    Thanks for the post. Yeah, I have seen the prices of these pistols just climb and climb. I even considered an Auto Ordnance. I have been leaning toward the Kimber. My youngest brother picked one up new for $700. Thats a little out of my range for now.
    0
  • NOTPARS
    FOR SNUFF:

    Thank you for the advice. My brother says the same thing. My idea was to buy a $400 to $500 dollar .45 and build it up piece by piece like a street rod (or like my old Plymouth). He said, in the long run the parts and work and frustration just won't be worth it. So you like the Kimbers and Springfields both? What do you think of the Dan Wesson's?
    0
  • NOTPARS
    HOW WOULD YOU RANK THEM?

    If you all were to rank the order of preference, how would you place the following pistols in the 1911 frame:

    Colt
    Kimber
    Springfield
    New Smith And Wesson
    Dan Wesson
    Auto Ordnance
    Para Ordnance
    Charles Daley
    Others?[?]
    0
  • Snuff
    I have no experience with Kimber, Dan, or Charles Daley. HOwever, they'd be NUTS to try to sell a 1911 that wouldnt stand up to many thousands of rds. Any decent smith can readily fix some REAL problems in 1911's. They are very simple to work with. In fact, many guys build them out of "80% finished" lower receivers (no serial numbers, mail ordered, $100 for such receivers) with nothing but hand tools. The slide rails have to be cut in these frames, along with LOTS of other work. Oftentimes, the mag catch holes are misplaced, the pin holes are not straight, and they STILL get nice trigger pulls and reliable guns.
    0
  • Mr.PissyPants
    1.Kimber
    2.Colt
    3.Para Ordnance
    4.Springfield
    5.Dan Wesson
    6.Charles Daly
    7.Auto Ordnance
    New S&W (I have no experience with yet)

    -Clinton
    0
  • drobs
    I've heard good things about the new Dan Wesson guns. I like their marketing stategy, basically custom pistols that you & I can afford. I also believe they are made in the USA. Here's a link to their website: http://www.danwessonfirearms.com/

    Rugers, while ugly looking [:o)], are nice reliable guns. I'm not a big fan of their semi-auto trigger pulls but they will do the job depending on your needs. I hear they very reliable though. I personally own a Ruger GP100 which I enjoy shooting.

    If you shoot competition at all the Para Ordinance guns are nice with their 13rd capacity. They were to 1st to work that out. Para is pretty pricey though.

    I myself have a Colt series 70 gvt 45 which I tricked out to make more reliable and user friendly to me. I wouldn't reccomend this anymore, value of the gun went down with each mod added. But at the time Kimber didn't make custom 1911's.

    I really like the Kimbers, but have trouble coughing out $700 for most handguns.


    Regards,

    FREE IRAQ
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity

Didn’t find what you’re looking for?