Gun magazines frequently have articles praising 1911s which cost more than $3000. describing how great they are for self defense. It's hard to see how those pistols would in any way be more functional and effective than M&Ps or Glocks in the same caliber but with higher capacity at a fraction of a cost.

Has anyone here bought one or know someone who has ?

I don't.

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I like Ike.

many, if not 100% of those custom gun makers buy very expensive ads in those magazines that tout them to the American shooting crowd........Those magazines make a large percentage of their income off selling ad space.........and dern few of them will do pieces on weapons or accessories if those companies don't buy ad space.

The American Rifleman & American Hunter are exceptions....but even they do pieces on/for companies that advertise with them... but my wife says I'm cynical as hell too........

There are some folks that just have to have the flavor of the month on handguns, rifles, cars etc.... & if one or more of the so called "knowledgeable experts" writers are proclaiming the merits of a firearm or modification, those shooters will buy them...........a good case in point is the piston set up for AR-15's/M16's/M-4's... for months you were a half wit if you didn't have at least 1 or 2 of your rifles set up with them... then...something else became the must have gun/ or modification...

I suspect that a very nice used Colt 1911A1, or a good used Kimber, Les Bauer, Springfield Inc 1911A1 would all do great & if any issues are found.. that they would be easily/cheaply remedied........ for far less money than that $3000 NiteTwitch Goober Booger Buster special that is touted on TV shows & magazines that the maker advertises in......

I guess I was very lucky & our friends were too, in that all of our commercial Colt 1911A1's worked correctly straight out of the box with round nose ammo & HP ammo... all of us either polished our own feed ramps or had someone else do it for us, with that one modification, we could all feed everything from empty cases/wad cutter .45ACPs ammo to roundnosed FMJ's or lead bullets of every type in our pistols.........


It's just my opinion that you'd be better served by buying a good used handgun & saving the extra money to buy a bunch of reloading components or ammo to practice your shooting with.

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be safe,enjoylife,journey well

This is going to turn into a 1911 vs Glock or steel vs polymer argument for the next 35 pages.

Having gotten that out of the way. Those 1911s are not better or worse. It comes down to what you want to do with them. High end 1911s are often used for competition. Companies like Wilson Combat will guarantee specific accuracy at a certain distance with good ammo. M&P or Glock can't do that. The price comes from the quality of steel used, how it's produced and the fact that it's hand fitted. Those guns use tool steel and are milled or forged depending on the part. A cheaper 1911, say Taurus or RIA would have mold injected metal and the metal itself would be of lower quality. And not much on them is hand fitted. Hand fitting by a pro insures tight consistent tolerance. Those 1911s are not really considered combat handguns although they can fill that role.
So if you have money and are serious about bullseye shooting then this gun would make sense.

The other thing is better materials make for a better more reliable gun as well as a higher price

In the shooting "sports", whether its bullseye, IPSC or IHMS, it is seldom the gun that makes the difference, its the shooter. High dollar noise makers will only go so far, the rest is up to the individual behind the trigger. In a lot of competition you have gamers, guys that have to have every edge. The short stroke mod, the too light trigger, or the latest comp. For the most part after a certain level its mostly BS.

I have read the very same thing and don't get it.
Had some buddies go thru that phase years ago.
Buy a stock.. in our case..Colts...then spend a load
tweekin it.
I picked up this...all the doo-dads I need or want.
I run classic hardball 230 gr and once in a while
some hollowpoints.
Nary a hic-up.
1986 vintage Colt Government Enhanced in Bright SS.

and I think most of their products are true works of the gun maker art. Have owned one example from one of the companies and shot examples of the other company. Excellent products both, and if my budget allowed would own other examples.

Do I think the more you pay for a gun the better it is for self defense? Absolutely not!

It is the man.........not the gun!

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LEX ET ORDO

it all depends on what you want that 1911A1 for........... there are some 1911's that are built to such tight tolerances that they have reliability problems when they warm up, ..there were some smiths/shops who had the NM type barrel bushing & barrel fit together so very tightly .........along with also using the old tricks of using a custom fitted, adjustable barrel link to insure a precise barrel/slide lock up, with a receiver & slide that were precisely mated...all made for a pistol that had reliability problems except when it was fired cold & clean........not something you want as a duty gun, or a pistol/firearm used for CCW to protect your life.........There was a reason Mr. John Moses Browning had tolerances built into the finest semi-automatic handgun that has ever been devised.

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be safe,enjoylife,journey well

The "custom" build 1911 is a thing of beauty, and often the beauty is inside the gun. Hand fitting a 1911 for the ultimate accuracy, and trigger pull is expensive. Minimum gunsmith time is worth $60-$70 p/hr, and it isn't just the run of the mill gunsmith that creates these masterpieces. Many of you may have never heard of Richard Heinie, but he is regarded as one of the finest pistol-smiths in country. People are willing to pay $3000 to $5000 and wait up to 5 to 7 years for a Heinie 1911. You can get Nighthawk approved by Heinie, as he is trying to retire. If you ever handled and shot one of his creations you would understand. You will seldom ever see one for sale, as those that order them keep them and pass them on to their children. There are quite a number of these "Artists" that reach this level of mastery of the craft, but you will pay large sums of money for the honor of having one of the finest.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

It all depends on what you want to use it for. 50 yd bullseye? A stock 1911 probably won't do it. It costs $$$ to make a gun that can shoot less than 3" groups at 50 yds.

For concealed carry/defensive use? Bullseye accuracy isn't necessary, but reliability is. Most are reliable out of the box, but due to looser tolerances the occasional one that won't run slips through. Again, some think it is worth $$$ to guarantee they get one that runs 100%.

Myself, I will pay $$$ for a target gun, but won't for a defensive gun. For defensive use, I want an easily replaced tool, not a work of art.

Go the right guy, you can get a gun that can do both. If built correctly, you can have both bullseye accuracy and 100% reliability. Mine has had several 1000 rounds fired through it, the only malfunction I had was caused by me trying to reload target ammo too light.

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Common sense isn't so common.

This is one case where it is all pretty much relative. One man may only be able to afford a used Taurus. As long as it functions reliably, he may scoff when another man spends $1,000 on an excellent M1911. Keep going on up the ladder and you will get to the man who considers $3,000 to be "walking around money".

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You're shy a few manners.

A young man from another board enlisted in the Army and did a tour in Iraq. He saved his money up as he wanted a Nightguard and nothing else would do. He got one when he got home and did shoot it quite a bit. He'd had other 1911s before so knew the platform pretty well for a young guy. In the end he decided it really wasn't worth what it cost him and sold it. It was extremely accurate but not so much better than his other 1911s.
I'd wanted a high end 1911 myself but could never justify that price to myself Looks like now I'll never be able to afford one anyhow.

For quite a while I kept a newspaper clipping about an 80 year old crippled Kentucky widow who killed a 3 time loser home invader who was intent on killing her.

Her defensive too?

An .32 S&W caliber Iver Johnson revolver that she'd paid $20 for 60 years earlier.

"Will and Skill" win gunfights, the gun is merely the tool.

Reliability is the number one criteria I use when picking said tool. Caliber and brand are further down the list.

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NULLI SECUNDUS

In the late 70's I went to Gunsite with a Pachmeyer 1911. It was soft shooting and accurate. I was proud of the gun and was deflated when Mr. Cooper made the remark that 6" at 50 yards is adequate for Pedestrians. I still have the 1911, but I carry a stock combat commander.

In 2011 - partly for the hundredth anniversary of the U.S. military adoption of the 1911 - I bought a gently used, basic Les Baer .45ACP. Nice gun, shoots great, nice to look at, but it doesn't provide me any more protection than any other .45 I've owned. Bought both IWB and OWB holsters for it, but have never carried it.

For most of the year here in the southeast, my typical carry is a lightweight concealed hammer J frame with a pocket holster.

To paraphrase the old adage, "the handgun that is sufficiently concealable, comfortable, and powerful to allow you to carry it everyday, is better protection than the $3000 custom 1911 that resides in your safe at home".

What's the difference between a $450,000 Ferrari and a $25,000 Subaru? (other than the obvious $425,000 price difference). They both will get you where you want to go. One will be faster (maybe, but you may be delayed by your discussion with the Highway Patrol). The difference is that the Ferrari will get you chicks, the Subaru, not so much. Same thing with the high dollar pistols, it's all about the chicks. (not so much of an issue at the stage of life I'm in )

Dead is dead regardless of the price of the tool that made the hole.

Guys, I've read through this thread with interest. Please be patient while I put in my 2 cents worth.

Would I like a $3000 1911 as a self-defense gun? You better believe it! But understand I don't get involved in dusty, muddy conditions. I don't roll around in the grass. In other words my guns stay reasonably clean while I carry them and I service them regularly. I do have a high end production 1911 that I carry. I was in a position where I could purchase it at a reasonable cost.

If I didn't have this high end production 1911 I would have an Armscor 1911. They ain't pretty enough to brag on but they ain't ugly. They shoot well but they're no target gun. They're better than minute of trashy and that's all I ask of a defensive gun. The best thing is they retail for about half what my high end 1911 retails for and that was way less than half what your $3000 semi-auto cost. Your semi-custom 1911 has a lot of brag value for what that might be worth in a gun fight.

I know this rambles and probably doesn't make a lot of sense but what I'm trying to say is I certainly don't feel "disadvantaged" without a $3000 gun but I'd sure like to have one.

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Quando omni flunkus moritati.

I've been trying to talk myself into buying a Wilson Combat for years. One of these days....

It all depends on what you want in, or out of, a gun and cost is relative. I've got $3000 custom 1911s and I've had stock S&W revolvers that brought over $3000. People say they'd never spend $XXX on a gun but it's surprising what you'll do when the want arises and if all you have experienced is stock polymer autos or base model 1911s or run of the mill, off the shelf revolvers, then it's hard to imagine what $1000, $2000, $3000 or more might buy you. And, "buying up" is addictive in the sense that, once you've handled/carried/shot guns that are better built, hand fitted, customized, whatever, it's hard to go backwards. Even Performance Center guns are often head and shoulders above their production line counterparts in terms of trigger feel, fit, and finish, for only a few hundred dollars more.

Obviously, whether we like it or not, quality costs money. In the gun world that fact is probably most obvious where 1911s are concerned. As the prices increase so do the quality of the components and finishes and the amount of hand work involved in the fitting and finishing of the gun. To a point, that translates into greater reliability, better accuracy, improved trigger, etc..

Of course, you can't get better than 100% reliability and few shooters will be held back by the accuracy of even a decent quality production 1911 these days. Beyond that is where the high end production 1911s start to come into their own with accuracy and trigger weight guarantees, more hand work, tighter tolerances, all forged components, etc..

Then there's the custom 1911, or any custom gun, really. That is where you start getting into the art of the build - the perfectly fit parts, the slippery smooth movement of the slide, the unblemished polish, the warmth of hand checkering and serrations, and the artistic touches that set each custom gunsmith apart from the other - when the gun has become a collaboration of your vision and the gunsmith's ability to render that vision in metal.

Honestly, there is nothing like having a custom gun built for yourself. The gunsmith that I use has done a lot of custom work for me over nearly a decade now. He has a sense of my "style" and what I like. He knows that he has the freedom to be an artist and not just a mechanic when working on my guns, to make calls on aesthetics as well as what components and tolerances. I have over $3000 into this Colt ORM 1991A1 .38 Super. It was built to be the all around, do everything gun that I wanted. It's has 9mm, .38 Super, and 9x23 Winchester barrels. It was made to fit me, the grip frame and MSH have been recontoured so that they fit my hand perfectly. It is smooth as silk, the trigger is just under 3.5lbs and is perfectly crisp and clean, it will shoot well under 2" with each barrel at 25yds. The gun was built to shoot and carry and it gets used all the time, it is my regular carry gun, I shoot it in Action Pistol and 3 gun, and, come deer season I'm going to see if I can't get a buck with it.


Is that a lot of money? Yeah. But it is exactly what I wanted, I did not settle or compromise on anything. I've got other custom and worked over guns that I've put money into as well, that's just the way things work, you want something, you have to pay for it. The more you want, the more it costs.

I'm having a Commander built for my son to commemorate his accomplishments in the military. It will be his gun, the only one like it, built just for him. And, every time he picks it up, shoots it, carries it, lays it on the nightstand when he goes to bed, he'll remember that.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

I think it is kinda like watches. If all you want to know is what time it is, an inexpensive quartz does a terrific job. If you want a piece of art you will probably want to go with a high end mechanical.

But it is not just "rich" guys who buy these custom or semicustom 1911s. There are folks who -- like with watches, by the way -- admire and appreciate them so much that it is worth sacrificing other things for in order to afford them. Nothing wrong with that.

Like they say, to each his own.

Exactly what I was trying to say, wish you had posted earlier, I could have saved the hour I spent getting my post juuuust right.

And I'm going to borrow your analogy about who buys them and why, that's perfect.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

[QUOTE=Xfuzz;138644196]I have read the very same thing and don't get it.
Had some buddies go thru that phase years ago.
Buy a stock.. in our case..Colts...then spend a load
tweekin it.
I picked up this...all the doo-dads I need or want.
I run classic hardball 230 gr and once in a while
some hollowpoints.
Nary a hic-up.
1986 vintage Colt Government Enhanced in Bright SS.
[URL=http://s528.photobucket.com/user/ethanedwards/media/DSC00733_zpssnechreb.jpg.html]i

Those are some ice grips you have there.

I had an uncle who taught me to drive. He was into racing professionally. He designed a car that went over 400 mph at Bonneville, managed a dragstrip, crew-chiefed at Indianapolis, etc. He always said the determining factor was NOT the car but the driver! The car was always better than the man.

The more you mess with something, the more to go wrong. I have a dozen or more 1911's==all are stock except for grips. I would (and have) trust my life to any one of them. My EDC is a stock Glock==it goes bang when I want it to. Ugly, no charm, will never be a BBQ gun but it works. You have all seen my BBQ guns. Pictures of the Glock-no reason!

The watch analogy is right on the money!

People like quality. It's industrial art.

I paid more than I'd care to say for a Sig P210-1. Why? It has horrible ergonomics, only holds 8 rounds.

The way it was made. Totally thought out and of the absolute highest quality of materials and craftsmanship.

Certainly second to any wonder 9 in terms of capacity or ergonomics, but head and shoulders above any current 9mm in terms of accuracy right out of the box. Sphinx might be an exception, but it's based on the 210, so...

We put our hard earned money where it makes up most happy.

I owned a few metric bikes before I bought my first Harley. Those metric bikes were just as reliable (maybe more so), just as stylish, and got me to where I was going on two wheels. But, by golly, they weren't a Harley.

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- Change it back -

Danger, Will Robinson!

Bought a gently used Wilson XTAC Compact a couple months ago. I was and am quite happy with my Sig P220 and P245 for SD, but the Wilson is *so* much better. Comparing them is apples and oranges...but the Wilson begs to be used, and carried, and sneaks into the range bag at the slightest chance. It is also more accurate than the P245 (same barrel length) and on par with the P220.

Whether it's worth the money is an open question. I share the perspective that the shooter is the real variable, not the gun. The fit and finish of the Wilson is clearly at a higher level, and shows in accuracy. I do like the heavier P220, but the Wilson is a better package (and for its price, should be.) I still like revolvers, but I do understand why the premium price 1911s fetch the $$.

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50 Years of DSOTM

If you are one of the better competition shooters around and you spend tens of thousands if not more training and practicing and attending tournaments, making certain you don't loose because of your equipment makes good sense. It is a small price to pay.

For a guy like me it is insanity to pay that kind of money for one pistol. I am not good enough to utilize the small improvement in accuracy that extra money can buy.

In fact the more tightly fitting a semi-auto is the more likely it is to jam at some point, so for self defense I will take one of my third generation S&W’s any day even if the price were equal. For self-defense you need to be able to count on your pistol to be reliable first and foremost, and an extremely highly accurate pistol is secondary.

I shot an informal steel plate match tonight with about 10 other guys at the range. I can tell you with certainty that having an expensive pistol will not make you a better shooter, a faster shooter, or a more accurate shooter. All having an expensive pistol will do is give on the ability to say they own an expensive pistol. What one does beyond that is up to them. I would suggest practice, practice and more practice. Because in a true SD situation, with an adrenalin dump, I would guess at best, most folks would do well putting 2 shots in a 12" plate at close distance. At that point, does having a gun that can shoot 3/4" groups really matter?

True it does not make you a better shooter, but it sure does feel a lot better shooting a custom house gun than a normal piece. I have custom guns that feel like butter they run so smooth. It makes you shoot better from its reliability and movement. Kind of like what is better a Rolex or a Seiko. If you have the means then nothing runs like a Rolex but Seiko's are a good everyday piece as well.

Guess it comes down to preference, I am a Nighthawk man like I am a Ford man. So to me those are the brands which represent me and what I choose to use.

A fine 1911, an Anschutz Match Rifle, or a .22 Match Pistol won’t turn you into Camp Perry Champion or an Olympic Grade shooter. But they won’t hurt either.

Go look at the pistols shot by the top ten at Camp Perry, or those in the finals of the various international competitions, you will not find any HI Points.

If the question is, would you be well advised to carry one in harm’s way, the answer is an emphatic no.

If I had a full coverage factory engraved S&W .44 magnum, I surely would not carry it in the woods hunting bears either.

I suppose that if I was a man of means, and if I carried a 1911 for SD, I would not worry if it was a Les Baer because it could be replaced. Any firearm you carry for SD should be one that you can afford to lose.

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Ipsis Rebus Dictantitbus

Buy expensive Custom 1911's for matches.Basic GI spec for Self defense.At least that is how I have always done it.

This is the most expensive 1911 I have,The price of the grips puts it over the $500.00 mark. It's a Rock Island 1911.

My first 1911 was a Kimber Custom Classic. First generation before they put the Schwartz safety in them. Had a trigger job done on it. I loved the gun.

The gun never hiccuped. Was accurate enough and carried well. I really thought I had something. That was until a friend let me shoot his Wilson. I fell in love all over again.

Like everything else, it's not about need. It's about want and what you can afford. Someday I too will own a custom 1911.

Because like a finely tuned highly polished blued revolver, a finely tuned 1911 makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over.

A work of art is not supposed to be cheap.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Beautiful gun. I'm jealous. Is it wrong to covet another mans gun?

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I find it funny that someone on this forum would dare make fun of someone spending 3000+ on a 1911. Look at all the extra we spend on a S&W revolver just because it has stocks that sell for $500 by themselves. They only made xxx of this model so it commands a premium or $400.
Does a rare model or proper stocks make you shoot better?

I would love a Wilson 1911, the look, the design of the small features, you can't get that from a stock $500 gun. Some people don't understand why anyone would own 10 guns. To them if is just a waste of money. I always weigh the price to performance issue, but sometimes owning something extra nice is a treat. If you have the money why not, I can't imagine that holding $3000 stack of bills in your hand is as fun as holding and shooting a $3000 fine pistol.

There are some people that just want high end 1911s, I have a friend who has nine of them (Wilsons, Kimbers, Colts and fancier customs whose names I forget because I will never have one) and the S&W E series is the "cheapo" although that would be high end for me. I have a Sheriff's trade in S&W Model 4506 and that is my 1911 for now.

This a good example of how a product is used. I drive a 2011 Subaru Outback. I would not try to keep up with a Ferrari on a paved highway. The Ferrari should not try to keep up with me on a dirt or gravel road or follow me into the mud.

It is not price, it is what you want to use it for.

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Corripe Cervisiam

I've been "culling the herd " as they say.

Gosh, I have owned some beautiful, beautiful guns, S&W Registered Magnums, Colt Officer Models from three decades. Bowen custom gun, etc. Wilson Combat Supergrade. And more. W&K 44 HEs.

Recently, last coupla years, I have been unloading them. Passing them on. It's time.

I am down to — handguns — about a half dozen or so now. I have kept the ones that I have had worked on, tuned up, by a great revolversmith.

But I enjoyed all those high-end handguns that I owned. Even the few, the very few, that I did not shoot.

Holding them in my hand, considering their pasts, with a glass of a well heeled bourbon at my side, was a pleasure I will not forget.

So, just saying and all, there is a pleasure to be had through researching the history of various guns, tracking them down, acquiring them, enjoying them for a few -- or more -- years and then, if it feels right, letting them go.

We ain't all great pistoleros. But, we can all appreciate the great pistols.

----

Catch and release. (To use Michael Stern's very apt phrase.)

I like 1911's - I own one, a Smith & Wesson sku# 108284. To tell you the truth, I would rather have the 108282 but since I am a lefty I need the ambi safety. In spite of what the Col says, if I could shoot 6" groups at 50 yards consistently with this gun, I'd be thrilled. The gun was originally meant and built to be a close quarters totally reliable center mass defensive firearm. Period. Tolerances were loose for that reason. It's the ONLY gun that I can think of that can be completely and I mean completely stripped down with the only tool needed being the little bitty screw driver tip on the can opener on your swiss army knife to turn the little screw in the magazine ejector button to release the catch. The gun as is from the factory is stone cold reliable (at least mine is ) until one begins to screw with it .
The only thing wrong with mine is that I wish I has the Novak rear sight the 108282 has and I wish I had a shorter GI trigger. (If anyone has one and wants to send it to me-I'll send you back the factory trigger )
Oh and I wish it has the two piece recoil spring rod cause I just think that looks way cooler than having that rod sticking out on recoil and because that was the way JMB originally dedigned it.
And before someone says anything, I also like the swartz (or whatever they call their Series 80 safety) thingy in it. Now I'm going for my walk and would hope to return to a bunch of lively responses to my post telling me that I'm full of it and preferably one that is willing to swap me(or sell cheep) for that GI trigger

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Forum consigliere

You're full of it!!!!

Actually the way you describe the 1911 is exectly the way I want mine. Don't need it to guarantee any kind of bullseye at 50 yards. All I want is center mass reliable gun. That's all it was ever ment to be. The sniper crowd took it and ran with it and now if it can't land one bullet inside the next it's no good. All I wish for it to be is today's superior metallurgy with the reliability of the originals.

BTW I own a Springfield TRP

These <SPRINGFIELD> are probably the best target guns for the money. I haven't shot one yet but I did see a friend bench a 3 inch 5 shot group at 50 yards with a Range Officer.

There's the folks who are happy with an $11 TIMEX and those who strive to be able to afford a ROLEX.

Those of you here who can't ascertain the differences between a low tier 1911 and a WILSON or Ed Brown...I truly feel sorry for you.

These thread make me think that many of you type out your disdain for the finer firearms to subconsciously feel better as you cant appreciate or afford them.

FN in MT

One of the things I enjoy most about the 1911 pistol is that it can be customized to be practically anything you want. You can have incredible accuracy with sacrificing reliability. All of my 1911s are reliable, accurate pistols first, any cosmetics are secondary to function. The beauty of it is that reliability, accuracy, and good looks are not mutually exclusive.



I sold a lot of very nice vintage customs built by Behlert, Clark, and others, and many other desirable guns several years ago. Wanted to cut back on numbers, change my focus a bit, and put some money into other things. I kept the important ones, the stuff I really loved and wanted to pass on to my son. I've since gotten into some other builds, bought a couple of long guns I always wanted, rekindled my love of old cars and hot rodding with a '66 Thunderbird. Clearing out the safe was one of the smartest moves I've made, tough to do at the time, but the pay off has been big for me.

I've still got plenty of pictures of all of them and sometimes it's amazing to think about some of the guns that have passed through my hands. But they're being enjoyed by other folks now that are probably getting more out of them than I did.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

Well, I know and can ascertain the difference between a a low tier 1911 and a WILSON or Ed Brown. Just feel that a low tier fully reliable 1911 is what the gun was originally made to be. Want to gussie it up and go hi-brow that's cool with me. Seems that lots of people do. I CAN appreciate them and I CAN afford them-I just see no real use for me. As long as I have my S&W that is dead reliable and can put bullits in center mass at 7 yards all day long,it is doing what it was originally built to do and for which I purchased it. I would like to be able to shoot 50 yard one shot groups with a WIlson or an Ed Brown but I just plain don't have the time or inlination to practice that much. Ergo no need for anything more fancy than my S&W.
Now on the other hand I DO own a Rolex cause even though it can't tell time better than a timex it does say that I am a man of wealth and taste-and for that I need no practice

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Forum consigliere

There you go, same kind of thing. Except my Rolex wears hand carved giraffe bone grips.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

Well said! Handguns at that price point reflect the "craftsmanship" required to built them. They are NOT to be compared to mass produced 1911's that are available for a fraction of the price.

It's not a question of whether a less expensive model can suffice for defensive purposes - of course they can, but if you ever pick up and press the trigger, work the slide, examine the machining and fit....let alone SHOOT one of those works of art, THEN you will understand!

I am saving for a Ed Brown Executive Carry model. Though it is designed for carry mine will never be used for that purpose. I am confident that were it ever used in a defensive shooting I would never see it again, and that would sicken me.

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Stay protected my friends.

A Toyota Prius will get you there reliably. Some guys prefer a Ferrari. It's all in what a fella wants and can afford.

Fixed that for ya

Quoting the philosopher Jagger is OK by me... Pleased to meet you.

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50 Years of DSOTM

If I want to shoot 2" groups at 50 yds, I use my 8 3/8" 27-2. If I want to shoot 1/2" groups at 50 yds, I use my 30-30 contender. Each is a better tool for that than a 1911.

In my youth, I hit 105mm ammo boxes at 100 yds with a Ballester-Molina that someone had put a match barrel in. I wish that I still had that it.

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Corripe Cervisiam

If I want to do any of that, I'll grab a rifle.