I have never bought a 1911 because...

I have a different reason. My goofy BIL turned down the money I offered him even though it was $200 more than the pistol was worth and even though he sold it for $200 less than it was worth a month after I tried to buy it from him. I was trying to help the guy out by giving him extra cash for his 1911 and he spit in my face for my trouble. I just never got around to buying one after that but I had the money in my hand trying to hand it to my goof BIL one day. I took that money and bought a Sig P220 about an hour later and I discovered that there were other great .45's in the world. I couldn't ask for a better pistol than that Sig. Yes I've shot 1911's and some of them shoot very, very well. But so does my Sig and it's rock solid as far as taking abuse too. I guess the real reason I didn't buy a 1911 after that day was that Sig spoiled me. I know I could buy a 1911 and probably make it shoot better than my Sig but that requires tighter tolerances which means less reliability in the old way of looking at things anyway. I don't have a thing against those 1911's though. I'd still like to have one. But I generally buy guns to serve a purpose besides target shooting and I find the Sig I have to be just about unbeatable in the combat gun category. I have bought very few firearms just because they shoot really well actually. I don't think I can think of a single one now that I think about it. I started to once or twice but it always fell through. Yes I know 1911's are great combat pistols too but better than my Sig? I don't know about that and besides, I already own a Sig. Again I buy guns to do specific jobs and I usually don't buy morethan one for a particular job. I did buy a more modern .45 as a CCW gun but it was smaller than the Sig and held more rounds. Things like that appeal to me more than buying a gun because it may shoot slightly better than one I already own.

I like the way the 1911 shoots and they're great guns, but I use my handguns primarily for CC. I can carry more rounds with a gun that's lighter and more comfortable to carry.

What puts me off about the 1911 isn't the pistol, but the tremendous fanboyism that exists.

I cannot tell you how many times I hear people extoll the 1911 as the "ultimate" firearm and everything else is junk.

Another good one is that if you don't own a 1911, you aren't a real gun owner, blah, blah, blah.

I equate 1911 owners to be the Apple people of the firearms world.

Not to mention that a 1911 has a grip safety and grip safeties are just plain dumb.

I equate 1911 owners to be the Apple people of the firearms world.

Not to mention that a 1911 has a grip safety and grip safeties are just plain dumb.

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That's an awfully wide brush you're paintin' with.

And the grip safety is a drop safety...pretty much a necessity on a pistol with a straight-line trigger...which is why it's there...moreso when the trigger was made of steel, but still a drop safety today even with low-mass triggers.

Every pistol style/brand has its obnoxious fanbois.

For every 1911 elitist there is a Glock perfectionist. Then you get into the whole SIG 226 vs M9 thing. Then there is a peeing match between Strikers and Hammers and safeties. Then it devolves into a 9 vs 40 vs 45 debate before someone disdains mouse guns.


Or you could just ask a random bar of patrons who makes a better truck, Ford or Chevy?

Same thing.

Never Buy a 1911?

I'm disqualified since have owned three 1911, currently have two.

One of two, I now have, I guess I do qualify, since it was a gift from my wife.
It is a beautiful 1980 Series Colt, 200th Anniversary of the Springfield Amory Edition, gorgeous polished blue finish with gold inlay, and Rosewood checkered grips.

I've always favored the 1911.

Shot my 1911 (semi-clone) Star Model P yesterday, and it performed well, except I should have lubed the trigger more since it was stiff.

All of the above and more, to include a manual external safety

I'd like a 1911: love the grip angle, trigger, history, ability to modify, and recoil but the cost is always just a little out of reach, probably because I want an American made gun. Then, I weigh the potential for reliability issues and I keep browsing down the gun counter.

It's funny, I have worked for Les Bear for 21 years, now retired, and I have owned only two 1911s, neither one of which I bought!! Twenty years ago I fished a pile of 1911 parts out of the scrap pile at work, was given other parts from a friend, and I built a 1911 that I still use today, for nothing.

When I retired Les gave me an Engraved Presentation P-ll with Ivory grips which I will never fire.

Funny, isn't it? I worked for twenty one years building 1911s and never bought one, yet I own two today.

I equate 1911 owners to be the Apple people of the firearms world.

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I guess I would be the person running emulators.


The most vilified guns online... I like them all..Eat your hearts out haters.

1911Tuner said:

That's an awfully wide brush you're paintin' with.

And the grip safety is a drop safety...pretty much a necessity on a pistol with a straight-line trigger...which is why it's there...moreso when the trigger was made of steel, but still a drop safety today even with low-mass triggers.

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Then why don't ALL SAO firearms have a grip safety?

tarosean said:

I guess I would be the person running emulators.


The most vilified guns online... I like them all..Eat your hearts out haters.

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I had a fishgill G17, traded it for a Beretta 92FS INOX.

I can't vote because I've owned four. You might have better luck polling people who haven't bought a Glock. There are still a few of those out there.

Then why don't ALL SAO firearms have a grip safety?

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Their triggers don't disconnect the same way.. Some make U shapes, some have bars and small parts at differing levels, etc..

Only the 1911 puts the trigger at a direct disconnect, hence why it has the best trigger in semi autos...

Why don't I have a 1911? - They cost too much.

Grip safety

I would not want a gun that has to be held and gripped "just right" for it to fire. I am one of those people who can't live with the grip safety. Yes, I fired a friend's Colt. I hated it. I like Pistols and revolvers, but I like them to work, even if grabbed in a hurry.
Perhaps if I Were willing to put in the time, the Colt might be fun...but my sole experience was a real turn-off. The gun just didn't shoot for me.

I'm often torn when discussing 1911s: I love the trigger of a competent 1911 but am not a great fan of .45, and just don't shoot it as comfortably as I would like -- I typically shoot 9mm much, much better. (Some will argue that "familiarity" with the .45 round will make that less of a problem. Perhaps. I do have a Glock 38 that I really like and shoot well, and a SIG P220 Super Match that is impressive, so I acknowledge there is hope for the .45 a.c.p round (or the .45 GAP [scrilege!?)

A 1911 in 9mm is an option, but except for a couple of Llamas (older ones that did beautifully), I've never found a 9mm 1911s that coincided with my budget and buying window.

That said, I've got other 9mms that have very, very nice triggers, and are true tack-drivers. Given that, the extra 8-10 round capacity offered by these guns is a hurdle I have difficulty passing. (I must admit, however, I seldom carry any of those higher-capacity guns concealed, and what I do carry it's a smaller, lighter gun that has about the same capacity as a 1911 in 9mm. Capacity really may not be an issue -- just an excuse.)

Guess I'll continue to be perplexed and conflicted until I trade my way into just the right 9mm 1911 one of these days.

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I have had a number of .45 1911s, over the years, ranging from a semi-custom Norinco, to a very nice SIG GSR. I've never really had an issue with a grip safety keeping it from going boom when I wanted.

Equating 1911 enthusiasts with Apple lovers may be closer to the mark than some would like.... but the same is true of Glock adherents, CZ lovers, and SIG fanatics. And then there's the H&K line -- just speaking that firm's name, quietly, seems like a prayer to some H&K owners.


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Proud 1911 owner here I did want to vote but can not lie .. I like the 1911 I like a pistol with some heft am right handed . 8 rounds is fine by me I do have a plastic 45 as well FNP 45 with the 15 round mags .

I own a few single action pistols but I carry double action guns. I prefer hammer down carry DA. When you add the expense of a quality 1911 I'm just not interested. Rather have my Sig p220s.

My reasons:

1. It is too different from what I regularly shoot. This is not a knock on the platform, I just picked something else years ago and have the muscle memory down. I don't see any reason to change or fool around with something else.

2. They can be finicky. This is usually more of an operator issue than an equipment issue. However I don't want to wade into it.

3. .45 is more expensive than 9mm and I shoot a lot. I also don't get free issue ammo.

4. I don't shoot bulls-eye, or some other discipline where I would need a gossamer trigger that breaks like the glass wings of an angel (or however people want to describe them), a gritty striker trigger works for me.

Owned 2, couldn't make either feed hollow points. Gave 'em up 20 years ago and got a Ruger KP90DC for my .45 and never looked back. Besides, in your poll you don't list the number one reason I don't get another 1911, though all your options are valid, is that I carry revolvers a lot and prefer my autos to have the same manual of arms at least for the first shot, draw, long DA pull, bang, just like my revolvers. So, my autos are DA or DAO only, no single actions, no "safe actions", just DA or DAO. Makes practice more consistent.

About the time I get to the 5-600 bucks saved mark, I'll find something I want more.

I did pick up a p220 so I wouldn't be left out of the hammered 45 fun.

I did pick up a p220 so I wouldn't be left out of the hammered 45 fun.

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That's what happened to me about 2 hours after sticking $800 out trying to buy a $600 1911 from my BIL. The Sig has worked so well for me I didn't see a lot of reason to get another pistol that pretty much covers the same ground. I know lots of people collect but I buy to fill a particular need I think I might have. I bought the Sig to be my CCW weapon. I've bought other CCW guns since but they improved on what I was carrying in ways like higher capacity and smaller size. But I won't be selling my Sig any time soon. It's rock solid and I know it will be working when I have broke down for the last time. I know there are plenty of 1911's that will do the same thing but I already have the Sig. Bird in the hand and all that.

Because I have bought enough of them for both of us.

Or more like, 25 of us.