Sir.. If your budget isnt as big as most of our ego's, and your looking for an econmical, practical 1911, that has many of the needed improvements already done and yet can still do all the "high speed race gun, trendy tricky fixer-uppers" then you cant go wrong with a Springfield.
I went through the police academy with a Combat Elite and my instructor (a veteran officer, as well as sport shooter/competitor) laughed at my $700 Elite...at the end of my weapons training, on certification day as a matter of a fact, he handed me his personal arm... a Springfiel .. and told me "... now, do it again..." I improved my score slightly, but cut all my times down by an agragate of almost 25%... because the pistol was smooth, tight, and didnt stovepipe, jam, or hang up in any way! The pistol was stock SS springfield with no aftermarket modifications(out dept would not allow officers to make aftermarket modifications to out arms) I sold my Colt and bought a springfield, and took my girl out to dinner, bought me a Benchmade knife, several practice rounds and still had pocket change with the money i had left over... sure you can spend a grand or two.. but before you do .. ask if you will really need a race gun or a tacticle spec. pistol. Even on the mean streets i never encountered a dozen piseed off bowling pins that i had to "mow down" in a matter of time measured to.001 of a sec
Just my personal input on the 1911 .. for what its worth