Anyone fall "out of love" with 1911's?

[osteodoc08]

I was cleaning out my gun safe and saw my lonely Kimber CDP compact. It hasn't seen carry duty since getting my M&P compacts. I have 2 full size steel 1911's for range use and I don't even shoot them as much as I've gravitated to my revolvers mostly over the last several years. I carry my G20SF in the woods now. I've just fallen out of love with the Kimber, perhaps the 1911? I was enamored with them 5-10 years ago. I just find my revolvers to be overall more accurate and I don't have to chase down brass. My other auto loaders are lighter with more capacity and accurate enough for what I need. The Kimber has been a good girl with nary a malfunction, but I have to stay on top of the barrel or it will develop rust spots since it is in the white and not stainless. My full size guns make better range guns and my other carry pieces again are lighter with more firepower (not interested in caliber war here).

So what should I do? Keep it and shoot it to see if that spark returns? Trade it for a new caliber such as a G32. Trade it for another 45 such as a P220 or some fantastic plastic?

Is it sacrilege to fall out of love with a 1911? I plan on keeping my other full sizers. I just don't have a real "purpose" for this Kimber anymore.

Opinions? Suggestions?

 

[Joespapa]

Very common phenomenon in us older shooters.
Sold my last one to buy two cowboy guns for my return to CAS after a six year hiatus.

 

[tomrkba]

Yup. I am not a fan.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

The first pistol I was ever really exposed to was a USGI M1911A1 in an arms room at Peden Barracks West Germany. To me that was what a semiautomatic pistol should be and I bought one the first chance I had.

As I’ve gained more experience with handguns I learned that the 1911 is a good design but (for me) there are better choices. I prefer third generation S&W for carry and because that’s what I’m used to I would never carry any SAO pistol.

I still think that the 1911 is the quintessential American semi automatic pistol and there should be at least one in every gun safe but I no longer think of it as the alpha and omega of handguns.

 

[frankmako]

i fell out of love with my colt combat commander in 1990 when i was issued a glock 17 to carry on the job. at first i did not like the glock. one trip to the range for change over to a new duty gun and i was sold. i never looked back. the colt went to the gun safe and has not been shot since. it is glock for me, but the colt is still at home.

 

[Old Dog]

Ah, the fickleness of gun-owners. To the OP, I'd suggest that it's perfectly natural.

I go through phases. Yet, about every other year, I go on another 1911 kick (and I never let the 1911, usually my LW Commander, get out of the carry rotation). And every month, I find new pieces that stir me ...

I prefer third generation S&W for carry and because that’s what I’m used to I would never carry any SAO pistol.

Interesting you say this, as I recently picked up a nice 5906 and a 4006 which rekindled my crush on the 3rd gen Smiths from the late '80s/early '90s ...

But, every week or so, I take an old Colt out of the safe and at least give it some attention ...

Keep the Kimber ... if, in another few years you're still feeling cold about it, you can probably get a really good price out of it, but I'd suspect at some point, you might feel the love again.

 

[X-Rap]

Yup

 

[bannockburn]

Nope...never have, never will.

 

[tarosean]

. I just don't have a real "purpose" for this Kimber anymore.

Then sell or trade it away... I dont think its sacrilege to get rid of any gun that serves no purpose.

Ive got a Glock RTF2 that is fixing to get the axe, myself.

 

[PRM]

LOL...for me it's been an on and off again affair. In the 70s I bought my first 1911 Government Model. The 80s and 90s saw a couple of Officer Models and a Commander. A few years ago, I bought a first year production Remington R1. My son currently has the R1 and the others were sold. The 1911 has been one of may favorite all time guns, but the size and weight make it an arm that you have to be dedicated to carry. I have learned to keep my extra mags and leather since I do tend to keep buying them.

As far as the large frame single action designs of John M Browning, the High Power is my favorite.

 

[cfullgraf]

I shoot in phases. Auto pistols today, revolvers tomorrow, rifles next week and shotguns next month. There are times that I do not touch a class of firearms for months or even a year or so.

I see no need to unload something that I will get back to at some point.

Besides, with today's crazy climate in the firearm world, it may be impossible to replace something in the future that was sold today.

 

[greyling22]

I eventually got rid of mine. didn't like the recoil of the 45, the ergonomics, or the needlessly complicated and finicky 100yr old design. Nice trigger though. I use a cz pattern 9mm now.

 

[golden]

Count me out

DOC,

I am a former 1911 fan. The gun has not changed for me, but I have moved on. I want a double action trigger and prefer double action only, as that is what I carry on duty. I also like the GLOCK and SPINGFIELD ARMORY style safe action.

On my own time, I shot a COLT National Match last week. I was suprised by just how accurate it was. I started out by shooting a single 5 shot group that was one vertical hole. It was impressive.
This gun has great sights and is tightly fitted and really is a target grade gun that can shoot better than I can.

The downside is that I do not like the recoil or how it feels in my hand anymore. The grip is larger than I want and it does not come close to fitting my hand as well as my SIG 225.
The SIG 225 is close to perfect for my hand, much lighter, nearly as accurate, double action with a good set of safeties and operating drill (I like the SIG de-cocker more than any other type of de-cocking mechanism) and kicks less.

I started out shooting a 1911 design, a COLT Lightweight Commander and both my second and fifth handguns were COLT LC models.

If I ever buy another one, it will be a 9m.m. model, but only for the range.

Jim

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Interesting you say this, as I recently picked up a nice 5906 and a 4006 which rekindled my crush on the 3rd gen Smiths from the late '80s/early '90s ...

I have a S&W 6906 and a 4006.

As someone mentioned up thread though I still have my RIA 1911. My gunsafe isn’t that crowded that one pistol is going to make a difference. And even if she doesn’t get shot very often I know that if sol the RIA I’d start missing it before the new owner got out of the driveway

 

[Capt. Ct.]

I have been a gun guy all my life. I'm retired now. A few years ago I realized that I have never owned a 1911. I bought a Colt Officers model just because.
I don't plan on getting rid of it. It is a nice reliable gun that is fun to shoot. I don't plan on buying anymore. It is a pistol. I have many pistols. Like it. Not in love with it. For me a little plastic 9mm is much easier for carry.

 

[boricua9mm]

The 1911 feels great in the hand. When it's doing its job of delivering big holes in the target exactly where you intend them to, then life is good. The rest of the time, you're worrying about replacing recoil springs at relatively low intervals, whether or not your extractor is holding the proper tension, whether or not it's time to upgrade your mag springs or throw them in the trash. The list goes on.

It is an extremely maintenance intensive firearm. For that very reason the 1911 doesn't make much sense anymore as a general issue or duty issue sidearm. While folks were recently praising the USMC's choice in Colt rail guns, the reality is that it will probably be the last time our Military adopts a 1911 for any sizable use. Way too much emphasis on iconography and tradition and not enough objectivity.

I've owned several 1911s, but they are all gone and I have no desire for another. They are fun to shoot. When tuned accordingly, they lend themselves to great accuracy, but then they are less forgiving of dirt, carbon, etc. By the same token I can get a reliable, accurate pistol that is much more forgiving of dirt/sand/carbon, one that doesn't require short-interval spring & parts replacements, one that doesn't need full detail strips for cleaning and evaluation, and throws in a couple extra rounds in a flush-fitting mag to boot.

My 1911s are gone; the H&K USP45f has earned its keep as a nightstand gun. For everything else, Glock 9mms and S&W .357 pre-lock wheel guns do the trick.

 

[LeonCarr]

I switched from 1911s to Glocks in 2000 and have never looked back. Better designs that are cheaper to produce, cheaper to purchase, and have fewer maintenance issues than the 1911 are available today.

IMO/IME most people buy a 1911 out of nostalgia, due to using one in military service, Jeff Cooper saying it was the best handgun ever produced, or John Wayne or Gary Sinise using one in the movies. There are better handguns out there.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Brin]

No.

 

[sauer1911]

1911's are always welcome here. I have trove of Sigs, 1911's, p226, sp2022. 9mm, .40, .45acp.

I load my own for the .45 1911's and have a lighter, very accurate load with 200gn pfn, 4.9 wst, 1.215" col.

I like my works of art.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I keep a 10mm Kimber (since I love the 10mm rd) and a Springfield 1911 since I think a collection should have a 1911 in it.

Not a fan of the 1911 so much these days though. Great design but there are better these days.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

I still love my 1911's, but find myself using them less and less. I have replaced them as my EDC. I now find myself carrying one of my Sigs just for the SA/DA feature. Don't get me wrong, I still love the design and would trust my life with them if need be.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

I still think the 1911 has a place. The only thing that rivals the 1911's accuracy in my collection are my 2, 38spl revolvers.
I don't shoot the 1911s anywhere near as much as I use to,{probably been 6 months} but I don't see myself selling them anytime soon.

 

[Spats McGee]

No, I must admit to having a bit of a soft spot for 1911s. Maybe they're not for everyone, but I don't seem to tire of them.

 

[chaser_2332]

<-------- life long 1911 fan


they always have their place with me

 

[Dframe]

Nope NEVER!