Can anyone here tell me anything about the Citadel 1911's I'm seeing at Bill's for $599?

Good? Bad? Rotten stinky awful?

-Mark

It looks like they're made by Armscor in the Phillipines and imported through a Las Vegas company called Citadel (thus the Citadel rollmark). Basically the same gun as the Rock Island Armory "tactical": link 1 link 2

If you're going to spend up to $600 on a Phillipino gun, I'd go for the STI Spartan. Frame and slide made by the exact same company as the other two (Armscor), but imported by STI and then fitted with STI internals. Plus, better sights (in my opinion). I have one and really like it - though I did have to replace the extractor with a Wilson. Also added a S&A magwell and it's my dedicated USPSA single-stack gun.

Thanks, that's the type of info I'm looking for.

I've got my non-modified-except-for-grips PT1911 (yeah, I know, I know, but it fires and fires and fires when all those fancy race guns go "clickWHATTHE?%^?%#"), and I'm looking for a nice, low-cost platform to soup up for some fun.

-Mark

What kind of mods are you thinking of? A lot of guys use Springfield Armory GI or mil-spec guns as the base and build from there. If you can find a used one that hasn't had any home gunsmithing done on it, that would be a good option too.

The Armscor products will definitely work, but... may not last as long. Well, what I mean is, at least from my experience, the only stock parts left on my Rock Island are the frame, slide, barrel and mainspring housing. Everything else either broke or was replaced anyway. Broken parts: barrel link, front site, barrel bushing, recoil spring plug. I'm trying to remember if anything else went south on it... Since I got my Spartan, the RIA has pretty much been a back-up gun on match days.

Lastly - most of the custom gunsmiths will readily do work on a Springfield (or above: Colt, Caspian, Wilson Combat, Les Baer, etc), but won't work on anything Armscor.

I'd second the STI option or the Springfield GI.

If you are going to really modify it the Springfield frame might be a little better over the long term.

If however you're just going to add a few drop ins or bolt ons the STI will get you there.

You can look at Brazo's web site for the STI, he can even do some of the mods for a fair price and will tune it which is a huge plus if it is going to be your competition gun.

I agree. For $600, you should be able to find a brand spankin' new SA GI or a good condition Mil-Spec. In fact, I know where there's a NIB stainless GI sitting patiently in a display case silently screaming your name.

He's got a NIB stainless Mil-Spec, but you'd have to kick in another 'C note' for it.

I'd snap up the Mil-Spec, but the wife put the brakes on my firearms purchases for a while after I bought my latest 'toy'. Something about 'What, you haven't spent enough?"