8 of the Best 10mm 1911 Handguns on the Market

These are the best 10mm 1911 pistols currently on the market.

If you're looking for pure power for a bear or personal defense handgun, it's hard to go wrong with 10mm Auto. Depending on the type of bullet, it's a round capable of muzzle velocities of 1,110 to 1,600 feet per second.

When it comes to handguns, arguably the best design ever for semi-automatic is John Browning's classic M1911. Originally chambered for .45 ACP, the design has been adopted to many other ammo calibers over the years including 10mm.

Today we're looking at the best 10mm pistols in the 1911 style currently on the market. No polymer frame Glock 20s or revolvers here. These guns may be a little large and heavy for concealed carry, but they also pack a lot of stopping power, durability and reliability that other handguns simply cannot compete with.

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Springfield Armory 1911 TRP Operator

We'll start things off with a gun that gets awesome online reviews from users. The Springfield Armory Tactical Response Pistol has a match-grade five-inch barrel, G10 grips, an ambidextrous thumb safety, and a black matte armory kote finish. This firearm has a capacity of 8+1 rounds and comes in at about 40 ounces unloaded. The slides and frames of these handguns are forged, which Springfield says helps improve the durability and strength of these guns. These guns are fitted with three-dot tritium night sights that will make it easy to acquire your target in low light.

Colt Delta Elite

It's hard to go wrong with the company that built the original 1911s. The Government Model has a beautiful brushed stainless steel finish that's sure to turn heads at the gun range. Colt offers a few different variants with either black wraparound or composite grips. They also make a two-toned finish version and there's a variant that has a small rail perfect for a light or other accessory. These guns are fitted with Novak front and rear sights and have a five-inch barrel length. These guns come in at about 35 ounces. User reviews praise these guns for their accuracy and handling.

Remington 1911 R1 Hunter Long Slide

The Remington is meant to be a hunting handgun and it has a longer 6-inch barrel to help with accuracy. This gun has a sharp look with the black on black color on the frame and G10 grips. It has a PVD finish that will help the gun stand up to the elements. This gun has an 8+1 capacity and adjustable rear sights. There are two sets of serrations to make it easier to handle. There's an extended beavertail grip safety for extra peace of mind. Remington also includes two magazines with the gun, which is a nice little touch. The gun is a little heavy at 41 ounces, but the $1,000 price tag is hard to beat for a quality 1911.

Ruger SR1911 Target

This 1911 has a beautiful, classic look for a target pistol. This firearm sports a CNC-machined aluminum frame and a stainless steel slide. This firearm has a six-inch barrel wit ha 1:16 rate of twist that helps make it extremely accurate. Ruger made the hammer and firing pin skeletonized which they say makes for faster lock time. The grip panels offer excellent ergonomics with the black rubberized handles. This handgun has a flat mainspring housing, oversized beavertail grip safety and an extended thumb safety. Ruger includes two steel magazines standard, offering more value to this package. The MSRP is $1,019, but most retailers are offering it in the $800 range, making it possible for more shooters to own the 1911 of their dreams.

Kimber Stainless II

It's hard to go wrong with an American-made gun like Kimber, especially when it's a looker with a satin silver finish and rosewood grips like this. This full-size gun comes in at 38 ounces and has a five-inch barrel. The Kimber has an aluminum trigger and a fiber optic front sight that will make target acquisition in low light conditions. Kimbers almost always get great reviews, but this one is especially popular because of the affordable $850 price point. It's hard to beat a price like that for a quality 1911.

Rock Island Armory Tac Ultra

Rock Island 1911s are some of the most affordable on the market. However, that doesn't mean they skimp on quality. This pistol has G10 tactical grips, the trigger and hammer are skeletonized, it has a tactical rail, a fiber optic front sight and an adjustable rear. These pistols have a five-inch barrel, and a black parkerized finish. Front and rear serrations help make the slide easier to operate. For the $659 price tag, you're going to be hard-pressed to find a quality 1911 in 10mm for a lower price anywhere else.

Sig Sauer 1911 TACOPS

It's safe to say that Sig Sauer knows what shooters want out of a handgun and this 1911 is proving to be one of their most popular offerings yet. This is their "Tactical Operations" 1911, a full-size offering for shooters looking for serious performance. It has a five-inch carbon steel barrel, with options for a threaded variant, a stainless steel frame and slide and a skeletonized single action only trigger that gets praised consistently by most users. The frame and slide have a nitron finish and the gun comes standard with an accessory rail and ambidextrous safety. Night siglite sights help get you on target fast and stay there. Another huge bonus for this gun is the fact that Sig includes four eight-round magazines standard. Major props to them for doing that and saving us from extra purchases. For around $900, this may very well be the best 10mm 1911 on this list.

Dan Wesson Kodiak

This gun is a little more expensive than the others on this list. However, Dan Wesson is a high-end manufacturer part of the greater CZ-USA family, more specifically, Dan Wesson was the great grandson of D.B. Wesson of Smith & Wesson fame. These guns aren't just rolled off an assembly line in mass quantities. The single-action Kodiak has a six-inch bushing-less barrel, a forged stainless steel frame and bronzed controls. The grips are G10s and it has a fiber optic front and adjustable rear. It has two safeties, a grip and a manual thumb. They build this gun with either a plain stainless or black color. These beauties go for over $2,000, but it's a gun that's going to last a lifetime.

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