Slimdelight
Member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2012
- Messages
- 30
- Reaction score
- 2
What's the big deal? I've shot a couple, and yeah they seem nice, but what makes it such a big deal? What makes a 1911 any different than any other semi auto pistol?
Ignorant beginner with a question about 1911's...
- Thread starter Slimdelight
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
The big deal? Well... try to find another semi-automatic pistol currently being produced that was designed at the turn of the last century... that still sets the standard against which all other combat pistols of major caliber are compared... that is now produced by more manufacturers today than at any point in history... that is offered in so many multiple calibers... that is as well supported with after-market parts/service... that is the preeminent pistol for just about every pistol competition currently conducted... and there's probably more that can be said. But this is a start.
Bruce51
Member
If imitation is the highest form of flattery then John Moses Browning nailed this design over one hundred years ago.
A whole bunch of manufacturers make copies of the 1911 including Smith & Wesson.
The amount of aftermarket parts and accessories available for the 1911 is incredible.
Until we get laser beams the 1911 will continue to be number one.
brucev nailed this one right down.
Bruce
A whole bunch of manufacturers make copies of the 1911 including Smith & Wesson.
The amount of aftermarket parts and accessories available for the 1911 is incredible.
Until we get laser beams the 1911 will continue to be number one.
brucev nailed this one right down.
Bruce
A 1911 is true classic, one that combines elegance and battle-proven functionality. It is a pistol than can be as simple and basic, or as customized and dressed up, as the owner desires. A properly tuned 1911 is the sweetest shooting pistol around, and no other pistol can be adjusted to the individual owner as can a 1911. It has served America for 100 years, and is as uniquely American as is apple pie. If God carried a gun, it would be a 1911 (in .45 ACP of course.)
Other than that....nothing much.
Other than that....nothing much.
Martimus
US Veteran
There are lots of choices in semi-auto pistols out there... but few have been around nearly as long as the 1911. And most modern pistols are based, in some way, on the concepts originated by John Moses Browning.
As an example, the Glock is a mere child in comparison (the Glock that started that firearm revolution was manufactured, if I recall correctly, in the early 1980's).
While it may not be the ultimate pistol (to some), it has been around a whole lot longer than most other pistols... and will likely continue to be around long after many other pistols become footnotes in firearms history.
As an example, the Glock is a mere child in comparison (the Glock that started that firearm revolution was manufactured, if I recall correctly, in the early 1980's).
While it may not be the ultimate pistol (to some), it has been around a whole lot longer than most other pistols... and will likely continue to be around long after many other pistols become footnotes in firearms history.
Frank46
US Veteran
Brucev, well said sir in spades. This topic has popped up in two other boards that I frequent. I believe that the dividing line is when a younger shooter hits about 45. Prior to that glocks and other pistols of that ilk are what they live by. By the time they hit 45 they come to realize that there is something different out there. And it ain't sex. Its the 1911 platform that has been around for over 100 years. Its almost when a person has found religion. I knew a good dentist who only shot the 92fs at steel plate matches, he did this for years. Then one day he shows up with two 45's. I said to him "found a new religion have we" big smile on his face. Frank
Last edited:
It comes when you learn to shoot it accurately.
NFrameFred
Member
The "special" aspects are finally appreciated when one gets to the point where he learns what works more often than not, what doesn't, and what design features are the result of clear common sense instead of fads or experimental theoretical ideas.
The same reasons pre-lock S&W revolvers continue to hang on after the Tupperware crowd has deemed them anachronisms . . . .
The same reasons pre-lock S&W revolvers continue to hang on after the Tupperware crowd has deemed them anachronisms . . . .
jaykellogg
Absent Comrade
The 1911 was the service pistol of the US armed forces for about 80 years untill replaced by the Beretta M9 about 20 years ago. Immediately the debate began as to whether the M9 was an improvement. Special forces still use the 1911 to this day and the Marine Corps recently ordered 22,000 1911's from Colt. I have three of them, and when I look at them in the gun store I get the feeling that I need another one.
The 1911 doesn't have many faults and if you are aware of them it is a really fine pistol. IMO, it is rather expensive to produce and if you carry one for defense with hollowpoint ammo, it is advisable to shoot a few hundred rounds to verify proper operation.
The 1911 doesn't have many faults and if you are aware of them it is a really fine pistol. IMO, it is rather expensive to produce and if you carry one for defense with hollowpoint ammo, it is advisable to shoot a few hundred rounds to verify proper operation.
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2006
- Messages
- 3,277
- Reaction score
- 2,584
My personal best was when I shot 10 bullets into a bullseye at 50 yards with a 1911 during a national match competition standing one armed postion slow fire. The size of the bullseye was about 3 inches.
I cannot do the same with my Berretta.
I cannot do the same with my Berretta.
JJEH
Member
It's history, look, accuracy, size, variations,... etc.
What's not to like about the 1911? It's just a great pistol!
What's not to like about the 1911? It's just a great pistol!
Not a BIG deal, just a lot of small-to-medium-size issues. First and foremost, IMO, is the size and shape. It probably fits more hands than most guns. It is also slim and easy to carry IWB, and the safety is in the right place. A close second is the ease of detail disassembly - I think that for this, it may be THE easiest pistol around. It's also not too bad on field-stripping. It doesn't hurt that the cartridge it uses is .45 caliber. It has also been pretty well tested for working in a bad environment. IMO, its only problem is that it has to be competently modified if one wants to use funny-shaped bullets. However, starting in the eighties, Colt sold guns competently designed to handle such ammo, and I'm pretty sure that other manufacturers did, too.
Some people (including me) don't like them without a firing pin safety, but Colt makes one that works, and I think some others do, too. A gun that isn't an old beat-to-**** parts gun is probably safe without one.
The main problem with the 1911 is that it has been so popular for so long that there are many drop-in modifications available for it, not all of them beneficial, and not all of them truly drop-in. It can certainly stand improvement in sights, with the possible exception of later Colt and some other products, but anything else calls for a bit of research and thinking, and perhaps a competent gunsmith who knows what the pistol is intended for.
Although there are plenty of 1911s out there that have problems, ones that haven't been improperly modified are still one of the best handguns around.
Some people (including me) don't like them without a firing pin safety, but Colt makes one that works, and I think some others do, too. A gun that isn't an old beat-to-**** parts gun is probably safe without one.
The main problem with the 1911 is that it has been so popular for so long that there are many drop-in modifications available for it, not all of them beneficial, and not all of them truly drop-in. It can certainly stand improvement in sights, with the possible exception of later Colt and some other products, but anything else calls for a bit of research and thinking, and perhaps a competent gunsmith who knows what the pistol is intended for.
Although there are plenty of 1911s out there that have problems, ones that haven't been improperly modified are still one of the best handguns around.
Last edited:
UncleEd
Member
Slimdelight, the 1911 is so special that nearly all the police and armies of the world carry it, including the special commando and special forces of those armies. And you won't find any clandestine agencies that don't carry it almost exclusively.
Oh, wait, is that true?
Must be since most U.S. gun magazines feature at least one article a month on the 1911.
Oh, wait, is that true?
Must be since most U.S. gun magazines feature at least one article a month on the 1911.
M3Stuart
Member
I'm in what I call 'my revolver phase' right now. I've already gone through my '22lr target pistol and rifle phase', my '9mm phase', my '12 gauge shotgun-clays phase', and a couple others.
I guess I'm working up to my 1911 phase.
One thing that has put me off of 1911's, and you see it in this thread and other current 1911 threads (see the ruger one): it appears that buying the gun is just the start - and then you have to dump cash into fixing the design flaws - sights, trigger, barrel, etc. Personally, I don't buy guns that need work, I don't work on them myself, nor do I take guns to a gunsmith to have them modified. Call me a simpleton, but I just buy guns and shoot them. If I don't like them, I sell them and buy something I like better. I'm not sure I've ever read a 1911 thread where somebody said; "...I bought such-n-such 1911 and just shot it and it was great...".
Really, who wants to buy a new gun that needs work right out of the box? Did any of those armies, special forces, etc just buy such-n-such brand 1911 and deploy them? Or did they have to put $1,600 worth of work into each one of those $800 guns to get something they would use? Compare that to the out-of-the-box S&W 10's, 64's, 686's, 28's etc that were deployed out-of-the-box by the MILLIONS for what, a hundred years or so?
Last edited:
That was more of a problem years ago.Most of the guns being built now are just fine out of the box.
dcxplant
Member
A perfect example of the "big deal" for me is my range session yesterday.
I practiced with an HK with LEM trigger, an FN FNX, and a Colt 1911 XSE stainless.
I am having issues with weak side performance. Namely, I've lately been pushing the muzzle to the right, throwing my shots to the right of my intended impact point.
I played around with grip, a lot of dry firing, etc. and figured out my problem was trigger control. I was not pressing my trigger aft, but I was slightly pushing the trigger to the right as I did my trigger press throwing the shots off to the right. (I'm right-handed, so this is left-handed shooting).
With several hundred rounds of .22, and two boxes of .40's I got my trigger control, er, under control. It took a lot of focus to make sure I was pressing the trigger back without any side pressure. This took about two hours and cost about $90 bucks.
Oh, the 1911? Weak side I shot exactly to point of aim in one ragged hole. No problems.
The difference, and the "big deal" is that the 1911 has the best trigger of any auto-pistol, period. The 1911 trigger presses straight to the rear, as your trigger finger should for accurate shot placement. With other designs, the triggers pivot at the top, and feel heavy and clunky compared to the 1911's trigger.
Also, the ergonomics of the 1911 make it extremely easy to shoot despite the "heavy" .45 auto caliber.
The 1911 is easy to carry as well, as it is very slim.
In a nutshell: Awesome trigger, easy to shoot.
edit:
M3Stuart brought up a good point. However there are plenty of manufacturers that make great shooting 1911's right out of the box. Thanks to increased competition in the industry, more CNC machines being available, and other market forces, this stereotype of 1911's being unreliable out of the box is fast becoming obsolete. There still are some 1911 makers who produce shoddy pistols! This is a high-demand item that attracts a lot of competition. But, an informed shooter should have no problem finding a reliable and fun 1911 at a good price.
Last edited:
I can't see that there's anything wrong with the "out of the box" 1911, since it seems like everyone who makes them is coming out with a "1911A1" G.I. look alike.
venomballistics
Member
first, its an honest piece of hardware made of steel and wood like a proper arms should be. not necessarily uncommon in concept.
second is the world ... no ... universe of after market parts for them. its one of the few guns where you have the ability to upgrade any and all of its less than finer points as you see fit.
parts support also leads into a third point .. barrels. with a little fitting work, one can look at the 1911 as a sort of auto loading TC Contender. It is possible for a 1911 to be a multi caliber gun 22 LR conversion might be a start, follow that up with 400 corbon, 38 super, 10mm, 38 clerk, 40 S&W, 357 sig and probably others I haven't seen yet and add them all along side 45 auto. No other pistol can be expanded so far as this.
fourth ... reliability. Say what they will about the Glock and its legacy, the 1911 did it first and still does.
fifth .. so ya broke it ... see again .. its universe of parts. Odds are, your local shop has a replacement for what you broke in the back room.
sixth ... its an honest steel gun .. when you run it dry before the fight is over, it hurts worse than tupperware as a bludgeoning instrument
They point good, carry well, they are made of metal, and they work. Lots of things have been written about them over the years, but the truth is they are just plain a good gun.
This is about like asking why someone would be interested in a pretty girl, isn't it?
I don't know where to start, and Brucev gave a pretty matter-of-fact answer, so I will just not bother to try.
Similar threads
