Is the 1911 Still Relevant?

1911 is a good combat pistol. Dated design but it's been around over 100 years so all the kinks have been worked on.

94045 said:

Does anyone still carry a 1911?

What is the consensus on the old 1911?
Still relevant in today's world?

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Sure, if you know how to shoot it and make it work. The capacity is lower than the typical polymer double stack 9mm and most 1911's are heavier than the typical polymer double stack 9mm.

On the other hand, most 1911's will have more capacity than a revolver, and are usually easier to reload than a revolver and many folks carry revolvers.

Current rotation - Ruger LCP Gen 2 .380, Ruger EC9S (Currently on hiatus due to mag release issue), .45 Shield and M&P .40 M2.0 Compact 4".

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On the other hand, "carry rotations" in general seem like a bad idea to me, especially when you're mixing a gun with a manual safety and a bunch of other guns that don't have one.

Pick a gun and get good with it. If you have to carry something special for special concealment purposes, that's fine, but otherwise pick something and stick with it.

My primary carry is a LW Commander sized 1911 in .45 ACP. The only other pistol I carry is a Sig P365. I carry that one rarely.

94045 said:

I have a Kimber Compact CDP II .45 (Aluminum Officers Frame with Kimpro, 4" Stainless Slide, Meprolight Night Sights, Carry Melt)

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Just for clarity, is this a Kimber CDP Pro or a CDP Ultra?

The "Pro" has a 4" barrel, but a full size grip, while the "Ultra" has an Officer size grip with a 3" barrel.


https://www.kimberamerica.com/pistols/1911?layer&cat=367

Yes. Next question.

94045 said:

What is the consensus on the old 1911? Still relevant in today's world?

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I'm scratching my head about what you mean by "relevant". If you're carrying a 1911 pattern handgun and are competent in it's use then you are armed and prepared to defend yourself and others. If you are attacked and put down the assailant the 1911 has done its job. What is not "relevant" about the 1911 in either of those situations?

I carry 45 ACP Glocks because my arthritic hands cannot handle the 1911 frame & thumb safety any more. If not for the disability I would still be carrying one variation or other of the 1911, as I did through out my LEO career and for about 15 years after retiring. If I still carried a 1911 would that make me irrelevant?

Dave

What does carry suitability have to do with relevance... as the only factor. The 1911 is completely relevant. Maybe for carry for you, maybe not. But it is a superb target pistol, competition gun, all around fun shooter. What is more relevant than that?

In a CCW or Duty application I put it only a very small step above a moonclip fed revolver. Certainly capable, but obsolete, the same as the revolver. The only thing the 1911 has is a good trigger and in a CCW or Duty situation that isn't enough to offset its other short comings. It's hard to beat the modern polymer-frame high-capacity 9mm handguns for there utility in a CCW or Duty application. YMMV

It's still relevant to me. I carry a 1911 in the cooler months when I can get away with wearing a light vest. Usually a DW Commander-size Valor, though sometimes a Sig Ultra Compact or Colt Defender. The 1911 was my first "serious" gun, and I've done a lot of rounds through them, so their handling is kind of engraved on my unconscious.

mcb said:

The only thing the 1911 has is a good trigger and...

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The most ergonomic and tactile/positive mechanical safeties ever put on a handgun. Given the number of stupid AD/ND's that afflict CC'ers, particularly around administrative handling, I think these are of a lot of value. You can get an external safety on some polymer pistols, but none of them that I have found have the same level of positive engagement/disengagement of the 1911 and its plunger tube.

Relevant? Wasn't that what Meathead said to Archie when he didn't like something--that it wasn't relevant?

Some of us old timers have no real training in the best modern precepts of self-defense, which near as I can figure out amounts to taking a pistol with a twenty-round capacity and emptying it in the general direction of any real displeasure. Even if nothing is touched, your emotions are expressed, and everyone downrange is cowed and terrorized, problem solved.

The problem is, what if you come up against someone with a 1911, or God help you a revolver, and they've worked with it a bit, enough to achieve six to eight close range hits in the neighborhood of two to two and a half seconds? Better if they're good. For that extra capacity to mean something you have to find a way to live past those first few seconds or so. They're likely to be the most important.

If you do, of course, live, there's nothing wrong with that extra capacity, but it's a secondary advantage far down the list.

My oldest 1911 is a Colt made in 1918. I don't carry it much because of its collectability, but if I do I don't exactly feel naked. Better men than I'll ever be have fought with it.

JTQ said:

Pick a gun and get good with it. If you have to carry something special for special concealment purposes, that's fine, but otherwise pick something and stick with it.

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I'm only allowed to get good with one gun? You are quite a stern taskmaster.

mcb said:

In a CCW or Duty application I put in only a very small step above a moonclip fed revolver. Certainly capable but obsolete, the same as the revolver. The only thing the 1911 has is a good trigger and in a CCW or Duty situation that isn't enough to offset its other short comings. Its hard to beat the modern polymer-frame high-capacity 9mm handguns for there utility in a CCW or Duty application. YMMV

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Wrong. Trigger is everything. Also 1911 includes 9 mm.

Some of us still carry revolvers.

So, yes, I'd say the 1911 definitely still has its place.

I have a Remington R1 stainless "Enhanced" Commander I fully intend to bring into carry rotation once I've thoroughly tested myself with it.

94045 said:

Is the 1911 Still Relevant?

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Gives Glock owners something to hate?

No, the 1911 hasn't been top of the line since 1935 when JMB's real masterpiece, the BHP, came out. And it hasn't be relevant technology since 1986 when it was replaced in our armed forces. The progression of combat and defensive handguns has been towards lighter materials and higher capacities, and we've actually gone through several phases beyond the 1911, from steel to alloy framed DA/SA, and then to polymer striker fired pistols. While it can still kill, the 1911 today is about as relevant as the M1903 Springfield. Very few PD and no military branches currently issue the design, it has been all but completely replaced in front line service, and even die-hard fans of the design like Larry Vickers have moved on and consider the 1911 a safe queen. Labeling something obsolete is difficult when it is obviously still lethal, but in all areas of performance, there is nothing the 1911 can do that another design can't do better, cheaper, and usually with more bullets.

I hope so. I just bought a Dan Wesson Eco.

94045 said:

Does anyone still carry a 1911?

I have a Kimber Compact CDP II .45 (Aluminum Officers Frame with Kimpro, 4" Stainless Slide, Meprolight Night Sights, Carry Melt) that I picked up new at Cabela's for $611 which may have been a mismark ($1331 MSRP and $1,110 at S.O.S) but it's just set in the box since.

I've thought about getting it out, and carrying it as the first pistol I ever carried was a Colt LW Commander with a reliability package by a local Smith (Gil Terry).

What is the consensus on the old 1911?
Still relevant in today's world?

Current rotation - Ruger LCP Gen 2 .380, Ruger EC9S (Currently on hiatus due to mag release issue), .45 Shield and M&P .40 M2.0 Compact 4".

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"Relevant?"

If you get shot with one, you'd probably think so.

of course it's still relevant. well, at least IMO. I know a grizzled old combat hardened Marine that still carries one as his duty weapon in his LE role too.
Just because the masses preferences may change, and because the market is flooded with "the latest and greatest" doesnt mean the old master no longer matters

ATLDave said:

The most ergonomic and tactile/positive mechanical safeties ever put on a handgun. Given the number of stupid AD/ND's that afflict CC'ers, particularly around administrative handling, I think these are of a lot of value. You can get an external safety on some polymer pistols, but none of them that I have found have the same level of positive engagement/disengagement of the 1911 and its plunger tube.

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I don't disagree the 1911 has an excellent fire control including its manual safety and yet I have been competing in USPSA/IDPA since 2005 and got my CCW permit in 2006. It was not until 2018 before I owned a center fire pistol of any type that had a manual safety, and it is currently a competition only gun. Its going to take alot more running that double stack 1911 in competition and training before I would ever think of strapping a manual safety handgun on my belt for CCW. That may be the best manual safety going but after years of running handgun without a manual safety its going to be quite the mental project to retrain my brain to the manual safety sufficiently for the high pucker factor situation.