1911s, what's the big deal?

[Boats]

If done right, the bang comes as a surprise; just as I have been told, does the climax in love making.

Shepsan, welcome to THR, but I do think I'd advise you to drop the keyboard, get out more, and meet somebody.

 

[aerod1]

I have three 1911A1 pistols. None have ever malfunctioned. They have been great guns ever since they came out of the box.

Jim Hall

 

[tac17]

The only big deal that I can see about the 1911 design is the trigger. I have owned a few and my father is a major card carrying member of the 1911 cult. I just don't like them, BHP's on the other hand, now that is a different story altogether.

 

[GSB]

Just a word about feeding reliability: Wilson mags (okay, two words). Really, the mag seems to be the weak spot on many supposedly "unreliable" 1911s. I've got a Kimber Ultra Carry that wouldn't feed properly at all. I was just about to dump it when I thought, what the heck, I'll throw a $30 Wilson at it and see what happens.

I've had no FTFs with it since.

Some 1911s have no problems at all with stock GI mags. Some do.

 

[GSB]

Speed kills. Little bullets moving fast seems to work pretty well for the military. Do hunters use large, slow bullets? I can throw a rock pretty slow but it will bouce off. I see what you're saying and appreciate it, though. How much momentum is being taken up the equal and opposite reaction aspect of recoil?

Hunters used large bullets for a long time. With the advent of high velocity rifle rounds and modern bullet design, you've got hydrostatic shock, bullet expansion and perhaps fragmentation working for you, so there is no reason not to take advantage of the far superiod long-range ballistics of a modern spitzer bullet of smaller caliber and higher velocity. However, you will not get substantial hydrostatic shock effects in pistol calibers, even the hot ones, and you are not generally concerned with long range ballistics characteristics. Speed doesn't kill. Transfer of kinetic energy and tissue destruction kill. Small and fast can only really work if you have a way of dumping all that energy into the target -- hence hollowpoints. It's really not as simple as you make it sound.

 

[dsk]

The reason why rifle rounds are so powerful is indeed a result of their high velocity. However we're talking a world of difference comparing a 230gr .45ACP at 810fps and a 115gr 9mm at 1,100fps, versus say a 55gr .223 at 3100fps. When the velocity threshold gets over ~2,500fps a lot happens when that bullet finally impacts the target. Under that you begin to lose the advantage of velocity. For example, on paper the .30 Carbine looks pretty hot (110gr at 1,900fps). Yet in combat it was regarded as having about the power lever of a .38 Special, albeit a longer-range one. No doubt JHP ammo would have improved on the GI-spec ball, but even then it's still no powerhouse.

 

[GSB]

My point exactly.