Why a 1911....

[Marshwheeling]

Two words: Ceska Zbrojovka

 

[LimaCharlie]

I currently own eight 5" 1911s, five Colts, two Kimbers, and a Dan Wesson. All of them have fed any ammo I have tried in them. I normally carry Winchester PDX1 Defender 230 grain JHP in them. One Colt and one Kimber are 10mm. I carry Winchester Silvertip 175 grain JHP in them. I have yet to have a single issue with any of them after many hundreds or rounds through each of them. I clean them often and keep them well lubed with a little gun grease on the slide rails. I carry one from the time I get dressed until I go to bed and it goes on the nightstand.

 

[Engine 21]

The 1911 can be difficult to get right. Sometimes you can take it new out of the box, clean it, lube it and bingo - no problem.

The next guy will not have the same expierence and need to take it to a 1911 gunsmith who can fine tune it.

My father had a 1911 in Europe during WWII and at some point ordinance wanted his in exchange for a new one. He said no, no, if it doesn't rattle I don't want a new one and kept his. He said "I knew this one would not freeze up on me."

The guys in the rear all had brand new 1911's. The combat troops all had "rattlers".

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

The 1911 was designed around military ball ammo and with USGI magazines there is controlled feed in any position. Now, many eons ago, as a tank company First Sergeant I insisted that the troops bring their magazines to the range and test them. The troops were instructed that any magazines that did not feed properly, hold the slide back when the last round was expended, or drop free when the release was hit, were to be taken to the "magazine maintenance point." When they did, a burly PFC from the maintenance section would take the offending magazine and smash it against the blade of the VTR (tank retriever) with a two pound ball pein hammer. The horrified trooper would be told that had he merely turned the magazine back to supply claiming it was defective, the Supply Sergeant would look and see nothing wrong with it. Thus he would reissue it to some hapless soldier who wouldn't test it and it would get him killed.

Glad to hear that someone was doing it right.

Believe it or not, in the Navy I ran into an organizational-level weapons maintenance guy who had a similar attitude, for a slightly different reason. He always fixed magazines with a hammer and an anvil, would never work on them any other way, because, he said, the magazine was cheaper than the ammo it took to test it properly. I never learned different.

 

[Rick_A]

The officers sized guns can be picky.

Often it's the owners that induce issues with parts swaps, not lubing properly or not properly breaking the gun in. Dropping the slide on a chambered round is a no no many people do. The extractor gets beat up. Cheap mags are another thing. I personally would use +p only if it's sprung for it and would avoid lightweight ammo.

I've never had one give me trouble, regardless of the manufacturer or model. My own has been a trusted slide arm since I got it at age 21.

To each their own. I can shoot it better and faster than any handgun I own. Mine will feed empty cases loaded between live rounds. Many consider that an irrelevant stunt but it sure gives me confidence in the gun. Replace recoil springs and mag springs when needed and they tend to run endlessly.

 

[Laketime]

I've shot 1911's that were literally made on the side of the road in a Philippine village,crude yet functional.The 1911 is a professionals,or a proficient shooters side arm.The 1911 is not recommended for the weekend shooter to use as a primary carry weapon.This platform takes time to master just on muscle memory alone...Condition one..cocked and locked.Being proficient to clear a jam and fire a next round comes with experience that most shooters do not want to bother with.But in the hands of a seasoned professional,the weapon is an ally sweeper.Prior to the era of the wonder nines,and the current tacticool.which ushered in the spray and pray mentality.The three greatest fighting guns were the Colt SAA..the 1911.. And a Finley tuned double action revolver from either Colt or Smith &Wesson.I have noticed a trend with today's shooters of not wanting to put in a lot of effort to get the desired results...why learn to aim when a laser can do it for you.Nothing wrong with that since these are the times we live in.Personally I would rather face two assailants armed with Glocks,then one old Texas Ranger who has a Hog left strapped to his side.

 

[Donn]

I've got two Series 70 1911's, a 38 Super and 45acp. Had them since the early 70's, put thousands of rounds down range thru each. Both are as dependable as the sun rising in the East. Didn't start out that way, especially the 45. Took some work to get it right. Having said that, I've found two things about 1911's and those who love them. I can't speak to the uber expensive customs, but most 1911's, even Kimbers need 200-500 rounds thru them minimum before they're anywhere near reliable. Second, (and remember before you flame me, I'm a big 1911 fan), 1911 guys have a peculiar idea about what's a failure and what isn't. A friend of mine got a Kimber Ultra Carry. When he takes it to the range, there's at least one FTE, FTF for every mag. But if you ask, he says it ran clean. I've heard similar from other 1911 guys. What can I say?

 

[F75gunslinger]

I've got a Sig Sauer 1911 that has been totally reliable with whatever I feed it since the day it was new.

 

[JH1951]

Ditto on the Sig 1911. Mine is the Ultra Compact and I have only once had a FTF and that was with junk Russian steel cased ammo. I have put several thousand rounds through with no issues and it is my daily carry and home defense piece. I have three other 1911's, and I am comfortable with trusting my life to any of them. The little Sig is the most accurate (for me). When I need something smaller I rely on my Smith Mod 49.

 

[Frank46]

Remember the old Speer "flying ashtray" load they had years back. fed just fine in both my 1911's. 1943 Ithaca 1911A1 and a tricked out Springfield armory 1911A1. Frank

 

[bigl1911]

Thanks for your input.

It seems like you need to want a "project gun" when going 1911.

For those who don't though, I guess it's not the best option.

Not exactly correct..

I have several 1911 pistols. The best one out of the box "Tuned" so to speak is a Springfield MC Operator. It eats anything always shoots never fails and it is a complete tack driver dead accurate. There is no other trigger or feel quite like it other than another 1911 like say a National Match.

Carry gun I can give you several that are in general better but not because the 1911 as a gun is not reliable. IF and I don't but IF I carried it would be a Smith 642 or a Glock 19/17 or a Glock 27/43 or my favorite tactical full size pistol a Sig 226. Why a 1911? It is about taste and what some consider their reliable close trusted friend..

Some people really like Colt Commanders even over what we know of as polymer Tactical handguns -some very serious shooters. It is light they say reliable and nice to look at beyond the fact it is a Colt...

Again my first choice is a Smith 642...

 

[StrawHat]

I really like the 45 ACP cartridge. Only recently have I tried the 1911 pistol. for nearly 4 decades, this has been my 45 ACP of choice.

And a second shot of it with a M22-4.

Kevin

 

[JJEH]

I love the 1911 pistol, its form, function and fit. Yes, it carries only 7-8 rounds but that's what they make mag pouches for. My Colt Commander (modern production) never had a single issue, no matter the ammo (no steel case though).

The M&P is a great pistol too and way less expensive. You can't go wrong with either one in my opinion. Go with what suits you better.

 

[getoff]

i got a Springfield TRP not long ago. it feeds, fires, and ejects (quite vigoriousy) anything. i did remove the full length guide rod in favor of a GI style one. i just don't like/think the 5" 1911 needs a full length one. other than a quickie grip change, it is as it came out of the box. i carry it daily and have no fear or worries about doing so. that said, my house handgun is a G41 in .45. i did quite a bit of work on it thoygh... a bunch of ZEV internals, Arredondo extensions on the mags, and a set of Ameriglo night sights. through 5,000 rounds, iv'e had 2 malfunctions. one ammo, one stove pipe (me). with the Insight X3 light and 17 rounds of 230 gr. Remington bonded Golden Saber, i feel that is enought to get to my Mini-14 if i need to. i carry the TRP 'cause its just, belive it or not, smaller...

 

[getoff]

The 1911 can be difficult to get right. Sometimes you can take it new out of the box, clean it, lube it and bingo - no problem.

The next guy will not have the same expierence and need to take it to a 1911 gunsmith who can fine tune it.

My father had a 1911 in Europe during WWII and at some point ordinance wanted his in exchange for a new one. He said no, no, if it doesn't rattle I don't want a new one and kept his. He said "I knew this one would not freeze up on me."

The guys in the rear all had brand new 1911's. The combat troops all had "rattlers".

a good 1911 SHOULD rattle... it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to hear it!

 

[Mister X]

Trigger pull, accuracy and thin grips are the most common functional reasons, but I think nostalgia and familiarity are probably the most likely reasons people stick with them. Some people think they must have a .45 for defense purposes and can't wrap their head around the idea that advances in bullet/ammunition technology has virtually elimated any advantages the .45 ACP once had over some the smaller rounds.

My friend(he's in his 50's) grew up with the 1911 and that's all he knows. He has relatively small hands and knows how to keep his 1911's maintained to be reliable, but he works on them a lot and has to be very particular. He says he can't get the accuracy at 25 yards that he insists on from any other pistol than a 1911. I point out that such pinpoint accuracy at those distances is simply not needed in civilian self-defense, but the idea never sticks. He has bought and tried to conform to Glocks, M&P's and the like and at first acknowledges their advantages, but always eventually ends up selling them and going back to his 1911's. I don't why some can switch and some can't. You would think Chuck Taylor would be a die hard .45 ACP 1911 guy, but he told me he carries a Glock 17 loaded with corbon 95 gr. DPX more than anything else nowadays, so even the old Jeff Cooper/Gunsite guys can change. Me, I'll take the out of the box reliability, the lightweight and greater capacity of more modern designs.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Trigger pull, accuracy and thin grips are the most common functional reasons, but I think nostalgia and familiarity are probably the most likely reasons people stick with them. Some people think they must have a .45 for defense purposes and can't wrap their head around the idea that advances in bullet/ammunition technology has virtually elimated any advantages the .45 ACP once had over some the smaller rounds.

My friend(he's in his 50's) grew up with the 1911 and that's all he knows. He has relatively small hands and knows how to keep his 1911's maintained to be reliable, but he works on them a lot and has to be very particular. He says he can't get the accuracy at 25 yards that he insists on from any other pistol than a 1911. I point out that such pinpoint accuracy at those distances is simply not needed in civilian self-defense, but the idea never sticks. He has bought and tried to conform to Glocks, M&P's and the like and at first acknowledges their advantages, but always eventually ends up selling them and going back to his 1911's. I don't why some can switch and some can't. You would think Chuck Taylor would be a die hard .45 ACP 1911 guy, but he told me he carries a Glock 17 loaded with corbon 95 gr. DPX more than anything else nowadays, so even the old Jeff Cooper/Gunsite guys can change. Me, I'll take the out of the box reliability, the lightweight and greater capacity of more modern designs.

Reliability can be had with ball-shaped bullet designs, like many of the Winchester bullets, with proper throating, and with testing. My LW Commander has never screwed up. I used to have a blue Gov't Model that never screwed up. I have a stainless Gov't Model that now never screws up.

Light weight? It's usually not free, but can be had in a LW Cdr if one wants it. I've not seen a flatter pistol for comfort in carry, nor one that fits my hand anywhere near as well (except the BHP), let alone better. Also, the safety is in the right place, and is about automatic for me. And it didn't take much practice to get it that way, either.

If greater capacity is important, the Para Ord may fit your hand well. It does mine. It is a better fit than a Beretta 92FS, which is probably better than most of the new "hi-caps."

There are still plenty of good reasons for a 1911, and for many people it is logically the best pistol available. Others may have perfectly good reasons for coming to a different conclusion, but the 1911 diehards are often not in the least bit wrong in their choice.

 

[FortyFiveAuto]

I have my grandfather's 1943 issued 1911 that be brought home from the war. It's a wonderful family heirloom. But not what I use for home defense.

But having that one. . . I've never felt the need to have another 1911. It's just guaranteed not to be as awesome.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I also have a Colt and Kimber. Never a hiccup. Shoot RN, HP and SWC. Done nothing to them other than change the grips. Oh.. that's not true. I recently installed a Wilson Combat flatware kit in the Kimber.

Why a 1911? The number one reason as far as I'm concerned is trigger. Best of any handgun IMO. I think a lot of folks like them because they can be customized with an endless array of parts from a zillion different makers, but mine work fine as the the manufacturer shipped them.

 

[Marine Corps Air]

There have been some excellent responses here to the OP. I agree with almost all of them including Big Cholla. The 1911 was designed to fire Ball ammunition. Fundamentally, and based on my experience, all firearms including the 1911 always need to be clean (free of dirt, spent bullet powder, any foreign matter), have the correct ammunition, and be well-lubricated.

Cleaning should be done after every use or trip to the range. Some members will not agree, but this is based on my actual experiences since 1965.

Having the correct ammunition implies several factors, including the brands that are recommended by the manufacturers. For example, I have a Les Baer 1911 and he recommends American Eagle. This does not mean that other brands will not also function properly. A respondent on the HandGunForum website mentioned that some ammo may be out of spec, or not be useable:

"Finally, I'd recommend removing and visually inspecting every round of ammo that fails to feed. Sometimes they can give hints as to the nature of the problem. Examples include deformed areas of the case (nick/burr on the edge of the case rim might indicate a too-sharp-edge on the interior of the extractor hook); a small circular nick on the outer-rear edge of the case rim (might be a sharp edge on the firing pin hole in the breechface that is "catching"/slowing the round as it slides up the breechface); a chip (material missing) out of the bullet nose (catching on the bottom edge of the feed ramp, or the top edge of the barrel hood), etc. If it can be done safely, taking a good digital photo of the jammed round can also be helpful when trying to diagnose, or explain the problem to other folks (like a gunsmith). "

I'd also look to ensure that the extractor and magazines are clean, that the magazines are also clean, and that the magazine follower spring is functioning correctly. Although not specifically stated, I have found that 1911 manufacturers do not always use the best magazines for their firearms. "Cost" becomes the deciding factor. That's one reason that magazines from Wilson Combat and Chip McCormick are so highly recommended.

From previous S&W Forum posts that I have read and personally use, I always clean and polish the feed ramp as one of my cleaning steps. Some members recommend using jeweler's rouge, but just cleaning it really well has always worked for me.

Insofar as form, fit, and function are concerned I'm not convinced that most of the 1911s on the market today are always machined to the correct tolerances. Other 1911 owners, especially S&W 1991s, have reminded me that "Smiths" do need to be always be lubed. I always use oil for moving parts and lithium (white) grease for metal-to-metal contact, especially for the slide and frame. Two years ago I had a Springfield Armory 1911 slide seize on me while at the range even though it was cleaned and lubed. I was informed later that this is a known problem with stainless steel 1911s based on some of the alloy material that is used.

I am not sure what the best answer is for the magazine capacity. Double-stack mags do support the "spray-and-pray" method for PD, but I wonder if someone will be firing more than eight or nine rounds inside their home in that PD situation? Old magazines can be dropped and a new one loaded in a matter of seconds, if needed.