1911's Vs. Other .45's

[USMCDK]

Hey I own an H&K USP .45 ACP and I have been wondering for a long time now... Why do people prefer the 1911 over all other .45 ACP. So here's the thread to talk about it. Please remember that this isn't a P!$$ing contest just an informative thread. Mostly for my benefit, but none the less.

Oh by the way I have yet to shot a 1911 but I have held some and they do, in most cases, have a nice feel to them. Slender and yet with some weight you know???

Let see what you got..

 

[possum]

well i love 1911's, and i own a very nice one. i also love ploymer guns, i own a ruger p345. alot of folks like striker fired guns i own 2. the xd for example gives you 14rds capacity in the similar sized frame as the 9mm/.40 models.

i love the 1911 for many reasons, they are sexy as can be, they are classic, single action triggers which can be very very nice, and there are just so much that can be done to the platform that the combinations and uses are endless. customizable i guesss that i am trying to say. plus they work. and that what means the most to me, though they have been around so long they still work and work great. and they can be made very accurate, if not already out of the box.

 

[USMCDK]

I see those are very good and valid points you make and I thank you for letting me know. Let see what others have to say about it.

By the way I am thinking that my next handgun is going to be a 1911 series but I still would like more imput from other to consider, before doing something hasty. And yes I know if I want it I should just get it no matter what others say, but still every little bit helps in making a good decision.

Please feel free to say the bad things about 1911 as well, good things are great and all but I want a full outlook on it you know???

 

[possum]

Please feel free to say the bad things about 1911 as well, good things are great and all but I want a full outlook on it you know???

i wish i had something bad to say about them but i can come up with none!

 

[USMCDK]

that's okay someone will

 

[Baba Louie]

Why do people prefer the 1911 over all other .45 ACP.

For me, it's the trigger. Short, simple, same each time, crisp, concise.

One could wax eloquently (I'll let others) on the 1911's history and background, the inherent ability to tinker or tune to suit your whim, etc. but for me it boils down to reliability and that simple trigger action.

I do own other .45's and I do enjoy shooting them. Some are quite good. But... due to my age and all, I always compare them to that 97 year old design as the gauge for "How Good" they are. I will say that most of the newer ones are lighter on the hip (and that's nice as you get older) and the weight of the 1911 as originally designed might be considered a flaw nowadays what with polymer and alum alloy frames being available. Or maybe the limited number of rounds in the magazine (but then I don't mind carrying a J-Frame knowing it's imposed round limitations).

So put me down for the simple trigger pull... and maybe the aesthetic quality of clean lines with a few simple curves where needed. Add in the mechanical design simplicity if you want to (which is really quite complex if you want to break it down). Then there's that history thing...

Other than that, I can't think of any good reasons.

 

[eldon519]

I really like metal-framed .45s with single-stack grips. The trigger, in terms of crispness, pull weight, and reset, is peerless among autoloaders. To be more subjective, I also really like the feeling of the long, thin slide and the balance it delivers.

 

[1911 guy]

Why I like 'em.

First and foremost, it's the way they fit my hands. If a handgun doesn't fit you, it's more difficult to shoot well. For some, it's Glocks. More power to them, they should buy a lot of Glocks. For me, it's the 1911. In addition to fitting my paws well, I get a spectacular trigger, slim profile, some weight that makes recoil easy to control, longer sight radius than most polymer guns and a veritable cornicopia (hey, two big words in a row!) of add-ons should I want them (I mostly don't, but, hey). As a bonus, I can get mags for twenty bucks instead of fifty.

Incidentaly, if the takedown lever of a Springfield XD wasn't right where my left thumb belongs when shooting, I'd still have one. The .45acp tactical model shot pretty well for me, too.

 

[Eric F]

1911 its not just a pistol its a life style

There is a cult following for the 1911

the trigger is great the "controls" are simple and in a "natural position"

 

[moooose102]

well, i have not shot a 1911, i did buy a taurus 24/7 ploy frame in 45acp. i did like the "back strap safty" along with the flip lever. but it was a little larger than the taurus. it also did not fit my hand as well as the taurus did. it definitly weighs way more, however, when there are 13 (12+1)rounds (double stack) in my taurus, i am not sure how much weight savings there are (as opposed to 9 (8+1) in a 1911). the 1911 IS a better looking gun. but the fact that it is a single action is not really a great point to me it is kind of cool to have a hammer to cock, but IF i get a misfire (hasn't happened yet) i can just pull the trigger again and have another go at firing the shell instad of having to manually clear it from a 1911. i think a 1911 is probably a little more accurate (or could definitly made that way) than my taurus, there are some mechanical points about how the gun is made that i am not to keen with, but the taurus does ok. (i bought it for self defense) i just wouldn't go and enter it into competition. those are just a few things i noticed making the decision purchasing my autoloader.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

Because its the gun I shoot best.

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

There are .45s other then the 1911?

 

[ElrodCod]

Becasuse it's an American icon. Tell someone that you have a "forty five" & that's what they think of.

 

[foghornl]

I have 2 Springfield 1911-A1's and a Ruger P-90. The Ruger is 8+1 capacity, while the 1911's are 7+1.

I like the 1911's just a bit more, because they are a bit less ahhhhhhh "blocky" than the Ruger.

 

[schmeky]

What Phil DeGraves said.

I have owned a lot of 45's (and 9mm's) and I always find I can shoot the 1911 better, with greater ease. I can shoot a lot different types of pistols well, but it takes less effort for me with a good 1911.

As others have mentioned, the trigger of a good 1911, even after 97 years, still has no equal (when tuned properly of course).

Accessories: It wouldn't surprise me to find an adaptor that would allow a 1911 to have a kitchen sink as an add on with no modifications to the gun.

Reliability: Still few equals. When Todd Jarrett did his 1,000 round, 21 minute torture test on an out of the box entry level 1911, there were no malfunctions. I have "The Complete Reference Guide for Glock Pistols" where they did the same test on a Glock. The pistol began to malfunction at 950 rounds because the polymer recoil spring guide rod melted.

Asthetics: Still the most classically beautiful gun made.

 

[chrlefxtrt]

I had wanted one ever since hearing my dad's dtories about using one in Vietnam, and my grandfather's in WWII. There is something nostaligic about the 1911 that appeals to me. I also love the way they shoot. I can draw single handed up the side of my body level it and shoot and hit what I am pointing at, not aiming but pointing. The 1911 is perfectly balanced in my opinion. I own many other pistols but my Springfield 1911 will always be my favorite.

 

[32winspl]

For me, most of my experience is with 1911s. That makes many so many other auto's "feel off" ... I'll explain. 1911's all have the same grip angle (11 degrees, I think), so Glocks, Lugers, Ruger 22's, etc, don't point the way I'm used to. Some 1911s have a rounded mainspring housing which I don't like.
The palm of my hand is LARGE, both long and wide; but my fingers aren't very long, so Glocks feel very thick and "round" to me. I like the consistancy of the 1911's trigger; even though I also own a Kahr P-45, I'm not wild about the feel or travel-length of a striker-type trigger. I like having a manual thumb safety-- even though I'm a lefty and have to pay extra for an ambidextrous safety. Some other pistols (Sig P220 for exp) are fine guns, but the location of their decock and slide release levers are decidedly left-hand unfriendly. Just my opinions.

 

[Walkalong]

Why do people prefer the 1911 over all other .45 ACP.

Shoot one and see. If you like it, you will love it. Then you will get more.

 

[AK103K]

Why do people prefer the 1911 over all other .45 ACP.

Not all of us still do.

I used to, but things aint what they used to be. These days, I'll take something German instead. Other than ammo, they come complete, and work the way they come. No excuses.

 

[CWL]

1911s are probably the easiest to customize gun ever. Of course this means that far too many have been "bubba'd", but there are enough people out there that know how to modify them correctly.

It's like a house, wouldn't you want your personal home to be different, so it fits your tastes? -Or do you prefer to live in something that looks like exactly every other one on the block?

 

[mpmarty]

A pistol is a tool. I tend to pick tools that work and work reliably under any and all circumstances. I do woodworking and don't try to frame a building with a sixteen ounce hammer but neither do I assemble cabinetry with my rigging axe.

The 1911 platform fits most of my requirements for an IPSC or similar game gun. It is reliable, weighs enough to dampen major power handloads, is extremely accurate for me and a joy to shoot. No, I don't carry one all day IWB but could if I had to and I'd not feel compromised by it. The 1911 is an absolutely proven design and in its proper execution has no equal for accuracy and dependability.

 

[Black Majik]

I own a few 1911s, the only non-1911 is a USP .45 fullsize, so I try to describe my favor towards the 1911. My USP was the last .45 I purchased, I wanted something different since I only had 1911s, and wandered astray.

Simply put, my USP still has less than 200 rounds put through it. It has replaced a 1911 as a nightstand gun, simply because it offers more capacity, and I can mount a light rail on it. Otherwise, I shoot my 1911s way more.

Things I like about the 1911:
* I'm most familiar with it
* The single stack magazine and overall feel is most comfortable
* Sweetest trigger ever
* Short slack
* Short trigger reset
* Low bore axis
* Feels like a real gun
* I prefer a manual safety. I've gotten so used to it that guns that don't have a safety I fumble for a split second with my thumb trying to find a safety
* Many holsters and accessories available
* Many options available. For myself, most companies offer close to my ideal gun since there are so many variations available today
* 40 oz. (not the beer guys ) of steel really soaks up the recoil

I've shot other non-1911 .45 pistols, and nothing else impresses me or comes close to the 1911 platform in every respect. Polymer .45s have capacity over the 1911s, but the double stack width sacrifices comfort. P220s are nice, but I know I'll never bring it out to the range.

Sorry USP, you're bore axis is too high, your thick grip circumference is to wide, your trigger is like dragging beans on a dirty road, and your trigger reset just plain sucks. You get guard duty while my 1911s go out and play.

 

[Old Dog]

From the OP:

So here's the thread to talk about it.

No disrespect intended, but have you been reading the semi-auto forum for the last few weeks? (was gonna ask years, but note you're a NG)

 

[Snowdog]

I used to hate, hate 1911s before I owned one. They would hog space in gun rags and I'd hear this constant droning of how great the 1911 was.
Then I borrowed a 1911 from a friend and wow....

It's hard to believe at one point in my life, I disliked GSDs too. Then I owned one and wow....

I'll start by saying that I don't claim the 1911 is the best .45acp, however if it set the standard, I'd say it set that bar pretty damn high.
The size of the 1911 fits my paws perfectly. The single action trigger is short and crisp. The controls are all in the right spot. I can go on and on, but I think you know where I stand.
I'm sure you'll get some that hate 1911, you can bet on that. There are also those that hate apple pie, hate beer and hate America... I suppose everyone has their reasons.

Here's a couple of mine: a Kimber Classic Custom with electroless nickel and cocobolo grips and an RIA Twin Pines. Both have proven to be both dependable and accurate.

 

[crankshop1000]

I traded a new H&K USP compact .45 straight up for a Colt Defender. The H&K was a well built tank of a pistol that shot great. It just didn't make the juices flow like 1911's do for me. Plastic has no soul.

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