There are some excellent responses here. Once again, I am impressed with the quality of the members here.
I have selected some quotes from previous posts that I'd like to address:
...a 1911 is likely not the best choice for their first personal defense gun, he is just doing his job. Because for a beginner it isn't.
No, I don't agree at all. I will explain more in a bit...
Because they don't want to see people using inappropriate or poor equipment?
Absolutely, but this is different than bashing a brand. I recently had a student bring a Llama .380AUTO to class. She had never fired a gun before. I did a quick function check of the gun and it worked. However, after about 5 shots at the range, it quit working. Close inspection showed that it had a lot of rust under the grips and in the action. If the gun had been in better physical condition I would have told her to keep it. Because it was going to cost more than the value of the gun to fix, I told her to get rid of it. But, with proper instruction, she had no issue operating the gun and even shot better than many other students I've seen. Absolutely no reason to bash that brand or style of gun.
Because they commonly get asked why they do or don't carry a particular firearm or piece of gear?
Good point, but while I will be glad to tell someone why I carry what I do, I won't attack or belittle their choice.
As an instructor do you agree that there are better brands and worse brands?
Instructor or not, there will always be brands that are better than others. I do have a good comparison though. I own both a Rock Island Armory M1911-A1 Tactical and an Ed Brown Special forces:
I think most will agree that this is about as broad a spectrum as you can expect in handguns. Both guns have a little over 2K rounds through them. Both have functioned flawlessly. Further, I have seen many of the RIAs at the range and in classes. So, I have a good idea of how reliable the gun is; it's reasonably reliable. Therefore, I disagree with the idea that a 1911 "needs" over $1K worth of work just to operate correctly. Some may, but most seem to work just fine.
So, based on my experience, I'm not going to tell a person not to carry the RIA. Is it inferior to the Ed Brown? Of course, in every way. That doesn't mean it's useless. Now, in a test of longevity I would expect the Ed Brown to out last the RIA simply due to quality of build.
Essentially, I will not stop giving students input on guns and support gear. My motivation is to best serve that students needs and make them successful.
I would expect nothing less. It is indeed our job to help students find the right equipment for them. The right tool might be a 1911 or an M&P or a Glock. The point is, we don't know until we work with a particular student. I will not bash a 1911 because it has an external safety. Neither will I bash a Glock because it does not. Each has its own strong points.
A really good instructor will be able to evaluate a student's ability. Then they can lead them toward the right equipment. For example: I don't care for AIWB carry. That doesn't mean I will tell a student he's dumb for doing that. I will point out the potential hazards of such actions and let them make their own decisions. If they choose to take that risk, it's up to them.
The majority of people who buy a gun, including those who get CHLs do not "train".
Sad to say, but this is the absolute truth. In CA we have to renew our carry license every two years. I'll bet that 80% don't fire their gun except at the mandatory renewal class.
So, with that in mind, what makes the most sense for a person with minimal training... those with just enough to qualify for their CHL? I would say a Glock, or similar striker fired pistol.
As I said to Absalom, I don't agree with this thought process. I do see your point, but it works both ways. The fact that they are so easy to fire can make them very dangerous if muzzle control is not enforced rigorously.
If one of my students forgot to take the safety off at every new string of fire, or if they forgot to put it back on every time they were done shooting, I might recommend a different gun. I recently had this happen. A friend was looking for a gun. I let him shoot some of mine. Sure enough, he forgot the safety about 20% of the time. After watching him shoot a bunch we went to the gun store. He really liked the Sig, but based on my experience with him and guns with several controls on them, I guided him toward a Glock 19. He is very happy with the decision and shoots the gun well.
In my experience, Glocks have the most shooter induced malfunctions. Springfield XDs have been the most difficult to control for new shooters. 1911s are the most expensive. The Shield is the most difficult to rack or lock open. H&Ks are the most complicated. Sig Sauer the least lefty friendly. M&Ps are the most lefty friendly, easiest to handle, inexpensive and very reliable. Consequently they used to be my first recommendation. Alas, not available in CA anymore.
