How many 1911 carriers out there?

[Sportsterguy]

Carried a modified to my specs SA Standard 1911 for 17 years, mostly in a HBE Leatherworks IWB. Great combo and the pistol ran with any ammo!!!

Swapped over to a H&K P7 as it's lighter, more accurate than any semi I've ever shot and ammo is cheaper. The Springer is now my house pistol and still see's a monthly range session to keep me up on it's controls.

Stick with the full size 1911 platform. I'll NEVER own another chopped 1911 after my SA Champ made 5 trips to SA and still didn't run!!! Have seen buttloads of chopped ones suffer from feeding/ejection problems and just don't trust em. JMO

 

[flop-shank]

Good advice on a full size gun Sportsterguy. My understanding is that most .45 ACP ammo is developed around a full length barrel anyway.

 

[torrejon224]

I own 14 1911s so count me in! 8 full size, 4 Commanders and 2 CCOs

 

[deralte]

Count me in with a S&W 1911, SS, rail model. I must admit after using the old .45s in the military many years ago, I was pleasantly surprized at the accuracy. Had it for a year and it has never failed to go bang with any ammo that I have used.

 

[ackf]

I have a few different types of guns but I only carry a 1911. My favorite carry is a commander size frame, ported ofc. slide and barrel. I built it in my hobby shop and trust it daily. 19 other 1911's in the stable.

 

[LuddhaBuddha]

I don't think commanders have any more problems than govt. models atleast it doesn't seem that way when comparing complaints on gun boards, officer and defender size guns seem to have problems a lot though.

 

[RABULL]

I own a number of 1911's from a Colt 1911A1 Government .45 (1941) to a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special 1911 .45 ACP. I carry a 1911 both on and off duty every day. On Duty, I carry a Les Baer Thunder Ranch 1911 or a Kimber Super Match II 1911 .45 ACP that was worked over by Novak Custom (the Les Baer has become my favorite full size 1911) . For off duty I have a Colt Lightweight Commander XSE .45 for IWB carry or a Kimber Ultra CDP II .45 (3 inch barrel) that I carry in an Ankle Holster or IWB.

I agree that the full size 1911's seem to run best but my Kimber Ultra CDP II (3") has been accurate and has run without any problems at all. My 1911's are:

Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special 1911 .45 Blued
Kimber Super Match II 1911 .45 Stainless Frame/Blue Slide
Colt 1911 Gold Cup National Match .45 E-Nickel
2 Colt 1911 Government XSE .45 ACP Blued
Colt 1911 Lightweight Commander XSE .45 ACP Stainless Novak Custom
Colt 1911 Lightweight Commander .45 ACP Armend Swenson Custom Hard Chrome Finish
Colt 1911A1 Military Government Model .45 ACP Parkerized Finish
Kimber Ultra CDP II 1911 .45 ACP Black Frame/Stainless Slide
Sig Sauer GSR Revolution 1911 .45 ACP 5" Nitron Finish

My next 1911 will probably be a railed 1911 and I am looking closely at the Les Bauer Thunder Ranch Special Home Defense Model which has a light rail on it.

 

[ENH]

Here's my Ed Brown KC and one of Lobo Gunleather holsters I use to carry it. I find myself caring the 1911 more these days, but always have one of my much loved S&W's in my pocket.

 

[bubbajoe45]

I have five .45 Autos - 3 of them 1911s. All have alloy frames (one poly XD). Prefer Commander size. Love my Sig 220, but the 1911 is just slimmer, sleeker, and handles better. I almost always carry IWB in a Milt Sparks or Bulman TSAC. I have a few other belt rigs (good ones), but IWB seems to me to provide much better concealment. A .45 Auto is always my first choice for carry in an urban environment - .44 revolvers for the sticks.

 

[OLDFED]

Kimbers...

Heavy jacket time: Shoulder rig with Compact alloy and mags.
Light jacket/sweater time: Stainless 5" with Grip Clip
Summer shorts: Either the above 5", a J frame or a KEL-TEC P3AT

 

[Hendel]

 

[bubbajoe45]

I don't think commanders have any more problems than govt. models atleast it doesn't seem that way when comparing complaints on gun boards, officer and defender size guns seem to have problems a lot though.

This has been my experience as well. I have read lots of references to the fact that a 3" bbl'd 1911 is darned hard to get to run reliably. I had a Colt Officers and it was inaccurate, unreliable, and one day at the range the staked front sight just fell off! I have carried and shot Commander-sized 1911s for decades and they are reliable. Sounds like Sportsterguy just got a lemon, or purchased a SA at a bad time for them (just like my early 90s Officers was from a low point in Colt's history). I've seen several older Colt Commanders (Combat and LW), Kimbers, SAs, and my new Smith all work without a hiccup.

 

[tac803]

Not a S&W, but still able to protect and serve.

 

[Edmo]

My Colt MK IV Series 80 full sized Government Model (circa 1983) alternates with my Glock 23 in .40 S&W for carry.

Edmo

 

[Class III]

Does a Colt Double Eagle Combat Commander count? If so, then yes I sometimes carry a 1911, allbeit a hybrid of the original.

Class III

 

[oddjob]

1911 carry

I carry a lt wt .45 Commander for work (plain clothes assignment). A S.A. TRP as a raid gun. A S&W 640 for off duty.

 

[tom turner]

i carry a colt combat elite, the thing about a 1911 is they are flat and fairly easy to hide

I carried one for several years. Actually, I finally shot the thing loose with tens of thousands of rounds in practice and in competitions. Great gun and also a real beauty.

The 5" steel guns with 7 or 8 round mags carry quite snugly and comfortably in a decent belt holster so I suspect the original poster will be quite pleased with an aluminum-framed one.

Currently I've got the 3" barreled, high dollar Kimber CDP Ultra that I traded in the Combat Elite for back about nine years ago when the original CDP Ultra version first came out. It's an aluminum framed gun and it is super compact and comfortable to carry. It has never had a hickup with full-power ammo.

Sometimes I combine it with my pocket revolver, a 1971 Model 37 Airweight.

On the heavy side, I've got a high cap., 5" Para Ordinance steel framed 1911 now. Maybe I've gotten used to carrying much less weight in a handgun, but I'm not wild about carrying a 5" high cap. with 14 rounds inside it. Frankly, I don't feel I need that much firepower based on my lifestyle and locale. Revolvers are my favorite carry guns now.

I think you'll like the lightweight 5" though. It is a lot of gun in a light, thin package!

 

[oddjob]

As a side note I'm retiring in Dec 2009. Since I'll be "permanently off duty" I'll be carrying a H&K USP Compact in 9mm or a S&W 442 (soon as I buy one). The Commander will be a relief pitcher. I like the smaller size of the H&K. To be honest the 442 will be my carry gun 99% of the time.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

When I feel insecure about the bitty gun I will carry a Kimber Pro Carry .45 ACP (think Colt lightweight Commander) in a Leather Arsenal IWB, behind the hip strong side with a spare mag on the weak side.

 

[feldspar13]

I carry my series 70 colt