Is the 1911 Still Relevant?

I think the 1911 is still very relevant. Since invention of the metallic cartridge American handguns evolved from SA revolver to DA revolver to the 1911 to DA/SA modern polymers. Even SA revolvers are still effective in the right hands therefore the 1911 design is not that antiquated. I prefer the 45 ACP over 9 mm or the 40 S&W and feel very confident with a 1911 Gov.

For my purposes and preferences it’s definitely still relevant. I frequently carry this cross draw in the woods.

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It holds plenty of ammo in an effective cartridge and I shoot it well.

I also conceal this Sig P938 which is a 1911 based design just crunched way down to smaller size. I mean it isn’t a 1911, but it’s the obvious basis for a modern carry gun.
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It may not be as popular as it once was for plenty of good reasons, but if you do a big of reading you’ll see there a fair number of folks who still carry 1911 variants and in my mind, even mild usage denotes continued relevance.

It’s kind of like asking if revolvers are still relevant. Heck yeah they are.

I would say this question is about like asking whether a Fender Telecaster is still "relevant." It's a technology and object that has been around for many, many years. Many people make music without one (or without a guitar at all). It spawned a lot of successive improvements. Some people use those related instruments. A lot of people now think that basically all mechanical musical instruments are obsolete, and just make their "music" with microphones and computers.

But a Tele' is still quite useful for certain kinds of music, and even the best option for certain situations and musicians. So, yes, it's undeniably "relevant" to some. And totally irrelevant to others.

I sure wish people would let go of the notion that things are either "perfection" or "trash."

rpenmanparker said:

It would be interesting to see whether most folks would care that these would be mechanically more complex than Glocks,

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Is it really that more complex? I do own both and don't see either as complex compared many other designs.
Both are pretty darn basic mechanical designs.
With the exception of 1911's needing fitment of aftermarket parts instead of "drop in" parts. However, that is the by-product of dozens and dozens of manufacturers of the base gun, instead of a singular one.

ATLDave said:

I sure wish people would let go of the notion that things are either "perfection" or "trash."

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Exactamundo. Also the concept of "best". Unless there is an incredibly limited market and number of manufacturers, almost every product made is a spectrum of different options. Some are junk, some are great, but relevance, best, worst are all qualifiers defined by the individual end users.

tarosean said:

Is it really that more complex? I do own both and don't see either as complex compared many other designs.
Both are pretty darn basic mechanical designs.
With the exception of 1911's needing fitment of aftermarket parts instead of "drop in" parts. However, that is the by-product of dozens and dozens of manufacturers of the base gun, instead of a singular one.

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Well that is the story you read so often here. Gaston Glock simplified the design to make manufacturing cheaper and reduce maintenance. Fewer parts. But what fraction of gun owners ever even see that?

rpenmanparker said:

Fewer parts. But what fraction of gun owners ever even see that?

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Its marketing hype though..

Take off all the parts from a 1911's grip and it will be close to the same number as Glocks.
Take a Glocks trigger pack apart and most wouldn't know how to get it back together. Heck a lot fail at getting the slide stop spring back in the correct orientation.

Trunk Monkey said:

Then why are you carrying an LCR or an LC9?

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Because a full size steel 1911 won't fit in my pocket duh.

94045 said:

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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In 20 years when all those guns are nothing more than a distant memory for most, the 1911 will still be trucking along.

I can't understand how people question whether 1911s, or even revolvers for that matter, are adequate for concealed carry. I know I'm a rather boring, mid 30s guy but if you feel under armed carrying either of these (off duty, as a civilian) then you may need to look at ways to reduce your overall exposure to risk and/or increasing your confidence defending yourself without 15 to 20 rounds.

The Sheriff of my county carries a 1911, about half the Constables I see in the rural counties carry a 1911.

Beware the old man carrying a 1911.

460Shooter said:

It may not be as popular as it once was for plenty of good reasons

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What would those be? As it seems we have more companies producing 1911's, of some sort, than ever before.

Trey Veston said:

Today's polymer guns are so vastly superior in nearly every way to the 1911 that it shouldn't even be a question.

Not sure what drives people to refuse to accept reality or facts.



LOL. Our military also used to carry M1 Garands. Why don't they still carry them? Or the 1911? Hmmm... Maybe a clue there...

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The question wasn't whether or not 1911s were superior, it was whether or not they are still relevant for CCW. Do you believe that someone carrying a 1911 for CCW is not well armed?

I tell you what, I think some guys get more irritated if the 1911 is insulted than they would if someone said something derogatory about their wife!

I think some good reasons the 1911 is no longer as ubiquitous as it once was include: it's relatively expensive to make (and, correspondingly, pricier to buy), a lot of replacement parts require fitting, a bunch of people have been convinced that manual safeties are a bad idea for a carry gun, they are heavy (which is great for actual shooting and less-great for carry), they are generally capacity-constrained until you get to the really big double-stack variants that aren't carryable for most, most of them do need to be lubed to work well, the "controlled feed" design means there's less slop in the feeding process and more sensitivity to things being not-quite-right, etc.

None of those make them "irrelevant." None of those things have much, if anything, to do with actual performance, where a properly set-up 1911 really excels. There's a reason 1911s still get made and bought and used, and a reason other things get made and bought and used.

sabbfan said:

I tell you what, I think some guys get more irritated if the 1911 is insulted than they would if someone said something derogatory about their wife!

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And vice-versa. The level of emotional response on topics about which gun is better is just off the charts.

Relevance is subjective.

The 1911 is still relevant to those that feel it is still relevant and its not relevant to those who dont think its relevant.

SCMikeyP said:

The question wasn't whether or not 1911s were superior, it was whether or not they are still relevant for CCW. Do you believe that someone carrying a 1911 for CCW is not well armed?

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And I think that a weapon that is inferior in the main areas of concern for self-defense means it is irrelevant.

You have a choice between a Hi-Point and a Walther P99. Both are pistols and both go bang. But the Walther has several advantages over the Hi-Point in terms of capacity, weight, reliability, etc.

Yes, you can carry the Hi-Point and still be considered armed. Yes, it can be used for CCW and self-defense. But there are more practical and efficient options out there.

Same as the 1911.

I carried one in the Navy. I liked it and shot it well. Then I was issued the M9. Hated it. I can understand why some folks carry the 1911. My dad carries one.

It's just the intentional ignorance of the facts that are annoying.

The market dictates this, and based on the number of 1911's sold especially in commander or officer size, the answer is a definative yes.

Trunk Monkey said:

Gives Glock owners something to hate?

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Nonsense. Glocks make me appreciate my 1911. My 1911 makes me appreciate Glocks.

Good news though. Now that 2011's are starting to have ss grip frames made that don't completely suck like a 1911 frame, maybe someone will connect the dots and make a nice 1911 frame........

Trey Veston said:

t's just the intentional ignorance of the facts that are annoying

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You have still yet to mention facts?



BTW I think you'll agree that this isn't your dad's 1911.

Yet undoubtedly is still one. That is just one fact your ignoring.

Trey Veston said:

But the Walther has several advantages over the Hi-Point in terms of capacity, weight, reliability, etc.

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Agreed. Are there other dimensions of performance that might also be at issue in handgun selection?

ATLDave said:

And vice-versa. The level of emotional response on topics about which gun is better is just off the charts.

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People often identify with their things as if a negative judgment of what they buy is the same as a negative appraisal of themselves. Someone once said, man is not a rational animal but a rationalizing one.

That is something that makes me wary of going into a gun shop, tool shop, or hardware store. I can always start rationalizing why I need something and gosh darn it those manufacturers, advertisers, THR posters, and gun mags make it worse.

The problem with threads like this is that too many people can't differentiate between what's right or wrong for them versus what's right or wrong. By way of example I just sold a FNS9C. It was reliable and on paper a great CC gun. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't shoot it well. The same goes with me and a number of Glocks. It doesn't mean the 9C or Glocks are bad guns, just that they're not right for me. The same goes for 1911's for CC. For some, it's the right gun based on them being comfortable with the capacity, how well they shoot it and whether they can carry it comfortably. For others it's not. Neither are right or wrong.

Well, we haven't had a spirited 1911 vs. anything else debate in forever … at least a few months, maybe.

I'd feel entirely comfortable if these two were the only pistols I owned (I do have some in pretty blued or black finish for tactical use I'd be happy with as well):