I got a Taurus 1911 .45 a couple of months ago. It isn’t “brand” name like so many on here like, but I love it. It shoots great, and has a lot of custom gunsmith features that more expensive brands don’t have. Each time I shoot it I am surprised at how smooth it feels.
It gets my vote for value!
I do have a Kimber 1911 .45 with a 3” barrel, but I like the way the Taurus shoots better.
I've got one, too and it's among my favorites. Hard to do better, for the price. Kimbers are wonderful, but pricey. Taurus gives you a well-made gun, competition trigger, ambi safety, and 8-round capacity for under $600. My only suggestion would be to add custom grips to replace the factory plastic (which still feel pretty good), and night sights. I've put over 5000 rounds through mine with various ammo and it has never jammed once.