A brief history lesson, please...

[dufous]

2 cents worth without stoking the fires of old debates...

to me it's significant that so many professionals (Special forces, SEALS, SWAT) whose life is on the line choose either 1911s or guns like Sigs. I've owned H&K, Glock, and many others, but my favorite carry guns are a Belgian Hi-Power and a S&W 1911sc, and the age of the designs doesn't bother me at all. I've had problems with several 645s and other Gen-3 autos, so I don't lament their passing. I love my Sig 220 but it's too damn heavy to carry all day.

If you believe in the free market, companies will build what we buy, and we'll buy what we want...not what somebody says we "ought to" buy.

 

[nocents]

Good grief...

Oh...Glocks are Austrian not German.

.......well now I'm confused...does this mean I have to sell my Sigs??

 

[Taj]

I was with S&W when they came out with the 1911 and at that time they had just come out with the TSW series. Many law enforcement agencies were still buying the metal guns, including CA Highway Patrol. What many folks don't realize is that S&W has a large forging operation and forges parts for other manufacturers and industries outside the gun industry. At that time they were forging all of the frames and slides for Kimber 1911's and it was my understanding we made and owned the forging dies. Kimber would send a truck to the plant every week , take the raw forgings back to New York and finish machine them. It was a simple matter for S&W to finish machining them themselves into a finished product. They saw the benefit and profit in a 1911 due to the success of the single action , Performance Center built 945. They couldn't make them fast enough. They discontinued the steel frame guns after my retirement so I can't comment on the reasoning behind it.

Taj

 

[jmcghee]

I wonder if Glock will ever make a 1911?

I see I drifted, didn't I?[/QUOTE] GaryS FYI Glock does make a 1911 .I see I drifted,didnt I

 

[Bamer127]

Listen here gramps. I may be 28 yrs old, but I love my S&W 3rd gens as well as the wheel guns. Don't go farting around blaming my whole generation for the 90% that have not grown up and gotten rid of their toys yet.

That "snot nosed little twerp" comment was not directed at a whole generation. It was directed at TTSH who had the audacity to call men who prefer real steel sidearms "dinosaurs". My own son is just a few years younger than yourself, serving in the US Army and when it came time to PCS to his current duty station after his return from the middle east, he had his choice of any sidearm he wanted as a present from me. His choice? My S&W Combat Masterpiece and an American made Springfield 1911. Had he wanted a plastic gun, I would have bought him one. He chose all American made which made me proud. So, my comment was directed at anybody who thinks that just because we prefer steel weapons to plastic, we are dinosaurs.
Show a little respect. We've earned it! As a Marine, I am sure you understand.

 

[1775usmarine]

That "snot nosed little twerp" comment was not directed at a whole generation. It was directed at TTSH who had the audacity to call men who prefer real steel sidearms "dinosaurs". My own son is just a few years younger than yourself, serving in the US Army and when it came time to PCS to his current duty station after his return from the middle east, he had his choice of any sidearm he wanted as a present from me. His choice? My S&W Combat Masterpiece and an American made Springfield 1911. Had he wanted a plastic gun, I would have bought him one. He chose all American made which made me proud. So, my comment was directed at anybody who thinks that just because we prefer steel weapons to plastic, we are dinosaurs.
Show a little respect. We've earned it!

I was being sarcastic

 

[Bamer127]

I was being sarcastic

Semper Fi!

 

[NEURON]

I'll offer an opinion using one word......money

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[NEURON]

What a waste for S&W in the first place and then having an external ejection system,HUH!

 

[4506517]

Wow.......

Well that went downhill in a hurry.

 

[TTSH]

Wow.......

Well that went downhill in a hurry.

Yep. As many folks have said, "In almost any forum discussion, when the name Adolf Hitler is finally tossed out, that's when you know the thread is done."

 

[zelda]

Plastic is for toys. Steel for tools. l choose tools, NOT toys.

 

[k22fan]

Wow.......

Well that went downhill in a hurry.

If you stopped reading the tread where it got argumentative you missed out on Taj’s insight from Idaho.

 

[BrianE]

If S&W wants to compete in a niche market, then at least bring back the Performance Center 3rd Gens. I really think that since Sig seems to have no trouble selling all-metal pistols, S&W would have no difficulty either. How about a 4th Gen.?

Absolutely agree with bringing back the "PC 4th gens". The only thing I see here though, is the cost to manufacture these guns would put a huge ticket price and I'm not sure they'd sell the way S&W would want. BUT a PC semi-auto in each flavor would be extremely nice... bring back the 952 with no grip safety and I'd be on that for sure!

 

[TTSH]

If you stopped reading the tread where it got argumentative you missed out on Taj’s insight from Idaho.

Correct. I very much appreciate the insider's responses to my original question. Thank you Gentlemen.

Thread drift and a little craziness aside, I should thank everyone again for educating me about why S&W got into the 1911 business when they did. I get it now.

And again, just for the record, I am not a young, naive, plastic gun-loving whippersnapper. I am well over 60 with a collection that is over 80% all-metal guns, mostly S&W's, but also including two Colt 1911's.

 

[Qmark]

I'll offer an opinion using one word......money

Totally agree. The hottest sellers in today's firearms market are the 1911 and AR-15. S&W wanted their piece of the pie and introduced both. Didn't take Ruger long to follow S&W.

 

[Smoke]

I wonder if someone, who was around and paying a whole lot more attention than I was at the time, can please explain to me in 25 words or less what motivated S&W to get into producing all-metal 1911 pistols at a time (2004-2005) when everything else they were making had gone or was going to plastic? There has got to be more to the story than just the sudden desire to copy other handgun manufacturers or the sudden realization that in the new age of plastic handguns, the 1911 could be a big profit maker catering to those dinosaur folks who still wanted all-metal handguns.

Anybody want to take that question?

25 words or less?

They saw a chance to increase market share and revenues so they went for it.

 

[Ofc.JL]

Possibly another reason for the uptick in 1911 sales over the last decade was the high cap pistol magazine ban. If your limited to only 10 small bullets per mag, then carry a pistol that has bigger bullets and no mag restrictions. Hence the 1911 renewed popularity. For awhile, anyhow. And being an owner of a 1911 carries a certain amount of prestige, insomuch as you are carrying a Big Bad .45! A real American man's gun! I have both and like both. Metal and plastic. each to his own.