1911 guys

[Nausea]

I agree with Arthur, should the need arise it would be ideal if you could both shoot each others guns blindfolded (magazine compatibility is good too).

 

[solitaryshell]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I've pretty much decided I'll be getting a Kimber, just not entirely sure which one yet. Last questions I have are what holster are you using & gun belt & mag carriers, and most importantly, where is the best place to get Kimbers, either online or in the Dallas/FortWorth area? I see JetGuns has the Pro Carry II Stainless for $783, anyone see em for less than that? And I do understand cheaper does NOT mean they're a better dealer, either

 

[TXHORNS]

A gun show is probably going to be your best bet for price locally. There will be lots of dealers to pick and choose from plus you can also see the gun before you buy which is especially nice when buying a 1911. Cabela's often has a large Kimber selection as well plus if you have any problems they will send the gun in for you which saves on shipping. From what I've read Kimber may or may not pay to ship your gun back to them should you need to. You can always find good deals online or on GB but there is something to be said for handpicking your 1911, especially if you research the little things to look for. Nothing really difficult to point out but its nice to see the gun in person before you buy.

As far as holsters Milt Sparks if you can wait, if not don hume, galco, bianchi work fine for me. I like owb, no strap with 2 belt loops, (combat master I think) but have a few iwb "summer special" knockoffs that work well too. You might buy 3-4 before you find one you like. Winchester Gallery and Cabelas have a decent supply to try out but I usually have to order what I want online because I'm picky.

 

[tmoore912]

Good leather holsters I have had good luck with are Milt Sparks SS II and the VM II. Both are IWB, and I prefer to carry that way for CC.....you may not. You can get a Summer Special II from Brownell's here: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=25824/pid=9922/Product/1911_AUTO_SUMMER_SPECIAL_2_HOLSTER They are out of stock on the Commander size, but you could order the Government size and the gun will fit fine. A VM II you can get from Top Gun Supply when they are in stock, but they are not right now. You can sign up for email notification when they are in stock. http://www.topgunsupply.com/vm2-black-r-hand-1-1-2-belt-loops-4-1911.html
I like a good quality leather belt specifically built to be a gun belt. I wear one that is 1.25" wide, because I often wear dress pants/ suit pants and a 1.50" belt will not work well with most dress pants. I have 3 quality leather belts made by Al at A&G Custom Gun Leather. You can order on his website here: http://www.agcustomgunleather.com/ His customer service skills are top notch.

Milt Sparks SS II with Springfield LW Bobtailed Champion and Black A&G 1.25" belt



Milt Sparks VM II





MTAC from Comp-Tac. It is a hybrid holster. Very slim.



If you're fit (physically), you could consider carrying appendix. This is my preferred carry style and I would recommend a Archangel Kydex holster from Dale Fricke. He also makes a Horizontal Mag Pouch that conceals well.

Archangel with LW Champion



Good luck. There are so many quality holster and belt makers out there, and these are just a few that I have had good luck with.

PS. This is just my opinion, but if I was going to be buying a Kimber Pro series 1911 I would only get one with the aluminum frame because of the weight savings and ease of all day carry. If I was getting an all stainless 1911, you might as well get the full size. The weight savings from 4" to 5" is nothing, but it is substantual when you go to the aluminum frame. Like I said, JMO.

 

[skt239]

I be perfectly honest, there is no amount of ammo that would make me feel comfortable if it's getting shot out of a Kimber, but that's just my experience.

I think the the capacity of most 1911 is perfectly adequate. I have been carrying a P239 (Single stack 9mm) for a couple months now and don't even bother with the second mag. However, with my regular edc (j-frame currently being replaced by S&W) I carry a speed strip in the summer and both a speed loader and speed strip in cooler / cold months.

I would would be perfectly fine carrying the j-frame with no reload and have done it in the past.

 

[Skylerbone]

Greetings skt, this is an older thread which would normally remain dormant but as you've brought up spare magazines I'd contribute my .02 and say carry one with any pistol. They aren't merely for added capacity but in case of failure of the primary magazine, one of the most common points of failure in many pistols.

 

[Mitlov]

Biggest problem I have with the 1911 is capacity. 7+1 compared to the USP’s 12+1 and XD’s 13+1. I just have gotten used to my current XD40sc’s 12+1 with the extended mag in and aren’t too wild about cutting back to 7 round magazines. I’m thinking about a situation I had a while back where 5 or 6 gangsta-wanna-be’s were following myself and my family around and harassing us while shopping. It was comforting to know I had plenty of ammo already in the gun for all of them if they’d continued following us outside, and the USP & XD & XDM all have 12 or 13. If I carried a 1911 I’d feel I had to carry at least 2 mags whereas I usually just carry my XD with one reload and have 22 rounds that way, more than enough for the majority of the situations I could find myself. What say you guys about the capacity of the 1911?

If six of them are carrying guns and they keep fighting after one or two of them drops, you're most likely a goner anyway. Winning a six-on-one gunfight against committed opponents? Not likely regardless of whether your handgun is 7+1 or 13+1. So I don't make that unlikely scenario the deciding factor for me. Just my opinion; your mileage may vary.

From a self-defense perspective, I worry more about whether it's comfortable to carry and accurate and powerful enough to handle one or two attackers, and for me, the ergonomics of a 1911 are far better than a double-stack pistol and it's far easier to conceal, and the accuracy and stopping power are unimpeachable.

 

[Backpacker33]

In my opinion you should always have a spare magazine. In training I have seen one fail - the bottom popped off, and I personally ejected a full magazine I had just inserted in a training drill - while the instructor cackled. There are many modern 8-round magazines for the 1911s. I've had several and seen many others used. Not one has given a problem. Two magazines, with a round in the chamber of a 1911 means 17 rounds.
They are a distant second in my self-defense thinking to A: running and B: cell phone. Call the police and file a complaint and complain to the shop owner.
I do agree with a comment above that carrying a gun that uses the same magazines as your wife's is a good idea.
ALL of that said, avoidance is 99.9% of winning a gunfight.