Hey Billy,
Sure and we went to the moon also.
Yeah. We did, as a matter of fact.
I don't use Law Enforcement as a yard stick for excellence. Also, they all use extensively customized 1911's and what about the Navy Seals, 1911's, I think
not. SIG, BOY.
So what? Nobody ever claimed that the use of the 1911 was
universal among elite units, and it doesn't have to be. It merely remains fact that the 1911 is the predominant choice among shooters who have need of a gun that is both very reliable, and very accurate, and which also has ergonomics that will reward shooters of very high skill level with an ability to achieve fast, accurate shots, including follow up shots, better than any other service handgun available. The 1911 does this. Competition shooters overwhelmingly choose it for much the same reason. If there were another handgun out there that filled these needs better, they'd be using that instead, especially the competition shooters who are looking for even the most miniscule advantage in a sport where fractions of seconds and fractions of inches are the difference between winning and losing.
Possibly perfectly functional? Sounds like a 1911 owner.
But all the elite forces you mentioned use expensive 1911. Wonder why? Cause that what it takes to make that gun accurate and reliable.
Ahhh... no. That turns out not to be the case.
I have, apart from a beavertail grip safety (which is to improve ergonomics, not either accuracy or reliability), and better sights, a box stock Series 70 Colt that will shoot just under 2 inch groups from a machine rest at 25 yards (and please note that both of these features now come standard on
numerous reasonably priced 1911s). That may not be Olympic level accuracy, but it is more than sufficient for any self-defense gun, and I would put it up against any Glock, Sig, or other service-type pistol you'd care to name for accuracy. I've never had a malfunction with it in the ten years I've owned it either, and I've shot a few thousand rounds, both FMJ and various JHPs, through it during that time.
Even a rack grade military 1911, that rattles when you shake it, will almost always put its full magazine into an eight inch circle at 25 yards (and many will do better than this, it depends which one you get), and again, that's perfectly acceptable combat accuracy.
Brand new 1911s from reputable manufacturers will almost always do better than this. There's nothing in this that
requires you to spend a lot of money for high accuracy. Many shooters do it for the same reason hot rodders soup up their cars, even though they really can't make any real use of all that extra power (especially given speed limits) -- they simply want to have more. More power. More accuracy. More "cool points."
Top shooters and top operators spend the money because they've got the budget, and they, unlike most civilian shooters, do have the skill to make use of that tiny extra edge in performance.
I guess I speak for you too cause I do agree with your last statement.
By the way; It must be nice to work for and agency that allows you to always have an AR or your MP-5 with you at all times.
What makes you think I work for such an agency? The fact that I said I'd get a long gun if I were
expecting a fight? Please note that the word "expecting" implies advance warning, which also implies time to prepare. Who
wouldn't get a better weapon than a handgun if he has that luxury? If trouble should come without affording me this luxury, on the other hand, I'd feel as well prepared with a good 1911 as I could be with any handgun.
