What is a 1911?

This is a 1911

I just got my first one about a week ago. To answer your question, a 1911 is something that everyone should at least try once. Mine was a very pleasant surprise. Also almost all other models seem to look the same mostly, but the 1911's all become very personal asthetically.

You guys are all wrong...

This is a 1911

This is a 1911!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42691060@N00/3082803254/sizes/o/

"What is a 1911?"

A gift from God, delivered unto us through the hands of John Moses Browning.

SO is the fun in buying a new one, or getting an old one and restoring it?

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Yes.

jpatterson, actually Solid Snake's main weapon is a silenced HK SOCOM pistol otherwise known as the Mk 23 on the civilian market.

On the subject of 1911's, Springfield Armory makes a great one

1911 is one of many genius creations of John Browning. If you want a really nice 1911 you should buy a Ed Brown 1911.

Maybe to some people but honestly to me if it isn't a .45 then it isn't a 1911.

I second what Schofield said

What about .38 super?

Maybe to some people but honestly to me if it isn't a .45 then it isn't a 1911.

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That's a tough call, personally I think its the characteristics of the gun that determines whether it's a 1911 or not. I see a lot of so called 1911's in .45 that I wouldn't consider a true 1911. In my opinion there are 1911's and then there are the many 1911 variants. In my opinion there is only one or two true versions and that would be the original Browning M1911 or M1911A1. You could technically go even further by saying the M1911A1 is a variant of the original M1911 but that might be going too far even though there are some differences.

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to be snobbish about the issue. I'll refer to almost any gun that looks like a 1911 as a 1911. However if you really want to know what a 1911 is then you should really look at the original first and know where the story starts.

Desert Gator, the grip safety tang is present on all 1911s. It can be the original skinny style, as in post 29, or a beavertail as in post 28. As a minimum it stops the web of your hand sliding up behind the slide, where it will cut with two parallel tracks when fired. The beavertail goes one step better and prevents the hammer from biting the web of your hand if you have a high grip.

.38 ACP was the original round for the 1911s predecessors, .38 super is the hot loaded version of the .38ACP, so .38 super is a proper round for the 1911.

9mm is not a round I like to fire in single stack 1911s, it requires a spacer in the magazine and does not stack well due to the tapered case. Many people are happy with the 1911 in 9mm, but it's not my style. 9mm works fine in double stack 2011 guns ( www.stiguns.com ) used in competition shooting.

The original short barreled 1911 was the Colt Commander. The shortened slide and grip variant was the Colt Officers Model. These are all variants of the 1911, but reliability becomes less certain with the very short barrel variants.

This is THE 1911:

Bondmid - depends on which one you look at. In Snake Eater he had a suppressed 1911, no rails because of the era, and in the 4th he has a Springfield Operator, which can be fitted with a laser and a suppressor. Sorry about all the video game references!

What is a 1911? Well, let's think? Ok, It's like a swimming pool or boat in pistols. You buy one, keep spending money on it to get it right, no end in sight and when you do get it right, in some cases you sell it, buy another one and start over again. Or, when you do get it right you put it in a safe and just let it sit. lol

PS. I shoot mine.

Desert gator, Alot of people CCw .45's. I carry a full-size when i carry alot of money. The Compacts are just fine. Also, your choice is a great pick. Get it and enjoy!

jpatterson, I was going with the first two Metal Gear Solid's. You are correct about his third venture though. Nothing wrong with movie or video game references!

maybe to some people but honestly to me if it isn't a .45 then it isn't a 1911.

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qfmft

This is no good, I have not even bought my first gun and I am already getting excited to get a 1911 as my second gun.

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In my case it was the first centerfire pistol I had extensive training in the operation thereof. As a result, I have a very strong bias to arched mainspring housings. Of late, almost no one arches mainsprings, and i do not know why.

Original design had a long trigger, no relief cuts on the frame just aft of the trigger opening, and a flat mainspring housing. At the request of the War Department, the model 1911A1 had a shorter trigger, milling and an arched mainspring--and that was "the 45" for about a half-century.

Let's see, my Series 70 has an arch (pachmyr, no less) the Officer's does too; as does the Norinco and the Hartford-built Argie--so a person can often find these things compulsive after a while.

My old "win the lottery' wish list (all straight-out "Please, Colt Custom Shop build me:") was 1, a set of electroless nickel with blue controls in Government, Commander, and Officers in .45acp; then 2, Same in Royal Blue but in .38super; and 3, a semi-tactical collection of Commanders and LtCdrs in .40corbon or .45super--definitely three wishes territory.

What gets carried varies. One of the best reasons for variety in one's safe, really.