CCW opinion Glock 26 vs RIA 1911

Interesting pair of picks. If I were forced to chose between the two, it would be the Glock.

Glad I have other choices.

I live in CA, and have to list firearms on my CCW permit. The local limit is ten firearms listed, and three of mine are 1911s. Four are Glocks, and one of those is listed as .40SW/.357Sig/9mm.

I carried 1911s for three decades, but I now most often carry a G26. Weight matters.

The Glock, it's more reliable period.

Glock 26

I own RIA 1911's and Glocks. The RIA's are good 1911's and with a little tuning from a competent gun smith, they will run fine. I have used both in IDPA for years with no issues from either brand. But, for and EDC, I would go with the Glock. Either one you go with, practice, practice and then practice some more. Look for a trainer in your area too.

Carry the Glock. I am not a 1911 fanboy, and am only a fan of Glocks because form follows function, and Glocks work on a more regular basis than most any other pistol. Also, I carry concealed, I don't care what it looks like, it is concealed.

As with any CCW, it needs to be thoroughly put through its paces before you carry it regularly. I rotate through several pistols, all 1911 types, for CCW. One of them is a Charles Daly, which was made by RIA. I honestly have lost count of how many thousands of rounds have gone through it, about half the rifling is shot out and it's still baseball bat reliable. On the other hand, I owned an identical pistol about 15-20 years ago that absolutely would not feed any brand of JHP known to man. That's why I USED to own it.

Just a question, but you got your CCL before you chose a gun? Is the process in St. Louis different where you don't need to qualify with your chosen gun(s), or have them listed in the license?

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In Oregon you don't need to own a gun to get a CHL and there's no range component of the test; it's purely a pen-and-paper class and test. Obviously a responsible person would become proficient at the range before carrying, but in Oregon that's not part of the licensing process. I got my license before I bought my first handgun, and many people taking the class with me did not yet own a handgun.

Original poster: have you considered a Springfield XDS? Compared to the G26, I personally like the ergonomics more (subjective), and it's thinner (single stack). Compared to a 1911, it's much lighter and on average probably more reliable. My 1911 is running smoothly now, but I had a half-dozen malfunctions in the first 200 rounds. But regardless of what you get, put several hundred rounds through it before you carry it, to make sure that particular example is reliable.

Doesn't the XDS 9mm have a capacity of 7+1, just like the 4" 1911?

Mitlov said:

Doesn't the XDS 9mm have a capacity of 7+1, just like the 4" 1911?

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Yep, that's correct. You can also buy an extended mag for a 9+1 capacity.

G26. I own both a G26 and a G19. Between the two, I'd go with the G19. It's every bit as easy to conceal as a G26.

It comes down to "pick one", then you will know if it works. Everyone likes something else, it doesn't mean it will work for you. I like the 26 because I can use the mag from the 19 or 17 in it and have 15+1 or 17+1 rounds, while still carrying a ten or 12 rounder.