i own 9 right now and have owned literally hundreds over the years. llama , star, colt, amt ,argintines, kimber,dans, lots of off brands, i have had problems with about 30% of them, minor to major. their like vw beetles or old harleys , if you can't tune and repair them, stay away.
HELP - Are 1911s Really This Bad?
- Thread starter 40SWHero51
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Nicky Santoro
Member
I've yet to meet someone that hasn't taken theirs to a gunsmith.
You have now.
You have now.
zignal_zero
Member
this might sound like buffalo butt mud, but is really isn't -
1911's i've ownded:
Series 70 Colt Gold Cup
Series 80 Colt Gold Cup
Series 80 Colt Delta Elite
Taurus PT1911AR
the ONLY malfunctions EVERY experienced out of ANY of them was the series 80 Gold Cup. it would encounter a few stoppages, here and there, from the time it was brand new until it had 50+ rounds through it. after that, it ran like a crackhead from the popo. keep in mind, i took it out of the box, BRAND NEW, never cleaned or oiled it just loaded it and started blasting
(i'm older and smarter than that now)
1911's i've ownded:
Series 70 Colt Gold Cup
Series 80 Colt Gold Cup
Series 80 Colt Delta Elite
Taurus PT1911AR
the ONLY malfunctions EVERY experienced out of ANY of them was the series 80 Gold Cup. it would encounter a few stoppages, here and there, from the time it was brand new until it had 50+ rounds through it. after that, it ran like a crackhead from the popo. keep in mind, i took it out of the box, BRAND NEW, never cleaned or oiled it just loaded it and started blasting
(i'm older and smarter than that now)
I bought a box of Atlanta Arms and Ammo .45 when I had forgotten ammo for my 1911A1. I have never shot such dirty ammo and I have shot lots of mil-surp and Russian ammo. It was so bad, I was having malfunctions in the last 2 magazines out of the box. The residue was like coal dust.
Chuck R.
Member
Well, this guy seems to think so:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfJj90eNIfE&feature=youtu.be
IF you've got a few minutes it’s an interesting perspective and echoes some of the sentiment I've read here.
Chuck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfJj90eNIfE&feature=youtu.be
IF you've got a few minutes it’s an interesting perspective and echoes some of the sentiment I've read here.
Chuck
I would love to see all you glock guys actually shoot a group, let alone 1 inch. Lots of hard talk on the internet. BTW I love my glock 20...if it only had an aluminum frame instead of that cheap plastic with cartoon like metal slides attached to the plastic. Glock clips are wonderful though. Everyone could take a lesson from those. The magazines are one of the reasons glocks are considered reliable and usually the reason folks have troubles once in a while with 1911's.
eddienfl...
well there he is, theres at least one on every board! someone who doesn't know you from adam calling you out. i have been collecting, shooting, trading, for 36 years, load my own ammo and make my own holsters. i tune and repair my autos and revolvers, and those of friends, if i say something its from personal experience. how many 1911's have YOU owned? how many do you own now?
well there he is, theres at least one on every board! someone who doesn't know you from adam calling you out. i have been collecting, shooting, trading, for 36 years, load my own ammo and make my own holsters. i tune and repair my autos and revolvers, and those of friends, if i say something its from personal experience. how many 1911's have YOU owned? how many do you own now?
LTR shooter
Member
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Sounds like the proverbial "crock of manure" to me. The 1911s I've owned were very reliable without any work. My 1988 Springfield shot my lead semi-wadcutter reloads reliable without work.
Yep , shooter at my range proclaims "You can't beat Glock" , and proceeds to fire what resembles a shotgun pattern on the target. Hmm.. I could beat that with any handgun I own. A lot of Glock boasting but never anything to show is the norm where I shoot.
First of all the reason a Glock is so much less is that it is extremely inexpensive to produce to begin with. A lot of plastic and steel stampings. Very little machining as compared to a 1911 or any other pistol that utilizes metal vs plastic.
The best chance to shoot the 1" would most likely be to spend the $300 on a used Ruger MKII pistol.
Maybe 25 or 30 over the years. Probably a dozen on hand.
Been shootin' since 1966, tradin' and loading ammo since the early '70s. I've taken 1911s to smiths; with the exception of one particular Kimber all were high mileage...
So, we're back to you said, I said.
How 'bout you don't post anything you don't want questioned?
allaroundhunter
Member
Glock = a little better than "combat accurate"
1911 = Bullseye competition accurate
1911 = Bullseye competition accurate
exavid
Member
I really can't compare the two guns and have shot only two 1911s. One was in the Army and the other was a Colt Government I bought in 1964 for $60. Both shot reliably and were reasonably accurate, neither were target pistols just Uncle Sugar's standard issue. As far as I know the .45 I was issued didn't get any service by our company armorer. The one I owned was pretty well used but as far as I know neither the guy I bought it from or I had to repair or take it to a gunsmith. They were reliable pistols. I didn't keep mine very long, I was living in NW Alaska and usually carried a S&W model 29. So at least these two workaday guns, the Army's and mine were reliable shooters and not often needing tinkering. I assume the Glocks are also a reliable pistol or they wouldn't be so popular. Interestingly enough Glocks were deliberately over priced when they were introduced in the US so that people wouldn't think they were 'cheap' guns.
Two different animals, I prefer to fire a 1911, it is a precisiong instrument if you spend the money and go for a good 1,500 dollar Springfield or Colt. There is nothing like a trigger on a high end 1911, and we sure would not have kept them around all these years if they didn't work. If you buy a cheap "anything" it's going to malfunction. Glocks, MP's, Fn's are great i have been carrying Glocks since they came to this country, I carry one now, but it's because of weight and capacity, and reliability out of the box. They are not a 5,000 dollar wilson supergrade.They will shoot the pants off any glock or poly gun.
A 400 dollar 1911 is asking for problems, it's the kelteck of 1911's. You get what you pay for.
You learn that after the first 20 years.If you carry a bug, a Glock, nano, ruger, are great as a backup gun, but a TRP, or a Commander is what you reach for when there is real trouble. Your pocket gun should give you time to get to your main carry if something is immediate, you can have a hand on it, if you pocket carry. And nothing is faster than a gun in hand.
Your views will change a hundred times before you get there if you stick with this hobby as a lifestyle. There are just too many similar plastic guns made now. They are all similar at their price point, that's how they sell guns, like cars, keep you wanting the new model.
A 400 dollar 1911 is asking for problems, it's the kelteck of 1911's. You get what you pay for.
You learn that after the first 20 years.If you carry a bug, a Glock, nano, ruger, are great as a backup gun, but a TRP, or a Commander is what you reach for when there is real trouble. Your pocket gun should give you time to get to your main carry if something is immediate, you can have a hand on it, if you pocket carry. And nothing is faster than a gun in hand.
Your views will change a hundred times before you get there if you stick with this hobby as a lifestyle. There are just too many similar plastic guns made now. They are all similar at their price point, that's how they sell guns, like cars, keep you wanting the new model.
As a 1911 newbie that owns just one 1911 i love the design and feel of an american legend but was concerned it would give me problems(listening to many horror stories) and decided not to get another one at this time.And yes,its due to the gamble the next one i might buy could give me a host of issues that a CZ or Glock or S&W most likely wouldn't.
You shouldn't be afraid of the problems.
Part of the experience of owning a 1911 is learning how it functions and how to keep it functioning. IIRC it was Larry Vickers who said that anyone considering using a 1911 in combat/duty should have the knowledge/skill of a 1911 armorer. At the very least, you should learn to detail strip your 1911
There are a lot of quirks about the 1911 that aren't shared with other platforms. There are also a number of drills that originated with the 1911 which has transitioned to other platforms unquestioned until fairly recently. Learning and sorting through these is also part of the ownership experience.
If you aren't interested enough to be this involved with your 1911, it might not be the optimal choice in a handgun for you
Part of the experience of owning a 1911 is learning how it functions and how to keep it functioning. IIRC it was Larry Vickers who said that anyone considering using a 1911 in combat/duty should have the knowledge/skill of a 1911 armorer. At the very least, you should learn to detail strip your 1911
There are a lot of quirks about the 1911 that aren't shared with other platforms. There are also a number of drills that originated with the 1911 which has transitioned to other platforms unquestioned until fairly recently. Learning and sorting through these is also part of the ownership experience.
If you aren't interested enough to be this involved with your 1911, it might not be the optimal choice in a handgun for you
larryh1108
Member
Too bad you read the internet hype instead of listening to the millions of happy 1911 owners. If you consider how many 1911s are sold annually (Kimber alone sells over 75,000 per year) and then consider they've been making them for 100 years and you come to realize they are no worse than any other mainstream gun out there. You're missing out on a wonderful experience. Also, it helps to understand the principles of the 1911 which also helps you understand your other pistols as well.
Skylerbone
Member
That is as clear a summary as I can recall reading. The endless arguments about reliability don't very often sway people and never changes the facts. The true downfall of the Glock in terms of reliability is that it teaches many users absolutely nothing about the mechanics of their pistol. Some truly believe it will run forever without failure because it has not failed yet.
Define "interested"?
Ive shot plenty of 1911's that were great.And have seen several that have FTF or FTE issues.So its not just internet hype.The amount of 1911 clones seems to make a gamble when buying one unless your a certified armorer or pay alot of money for a high priced 1911.IMO
Skylerbone,Honestly tell me that reliability of a handguns isnt one of your top concerns when buying a handgun?.Im sure there's plenty of people that buy ANY handgun and expect with proper care for it to work for a long time.Im not that naive.
Skylerbone
Member
Reliability is my primary concern and it is addressed in every firearm I own. For clarity, my point is that many a post states "I bought a $300 XYZ 1911 and it has been flawless!" Likewise with Glock owners. "It runs like Glockwork. Never a failure and it likes to run without lubrication or cleaning." Horrendous statements that others take to mean no verification or maintenance necessary. No training, no understanding, easier than a point and shoot camera. IMO the Glock has a better shot at functioning out of the box than a similarly priced 1911 but it isn't a certainty.
Personally, I consider the purchase price of a 1911 as a starting point. I wouldn't holster an $800 1911, let alone a $400 one without verifying critical dimensions and monitoring parts wear over the first several thousand rounds. Things get corrected, reliability testing begins again at zero and when all is as it should be it can join the rotation. Same protocol whether for range blaster or SD. Same for a $4,000 1911 or a $400 1911, never know which may be closest when needed. Always know that a human being subject to error along with multiple machines subject to error created a very dangerous item.
As I read it interest = dedication. If you own it, learn it.
Personally, I consider the purchase price of a 1911 as a starting point. I wouldn't holster an $800 1911, let alone a $400 one without verifying critical dimensions and monitoring parts wear over the first several thousand rounds. Things get corrected, reliability testing begins again at zero and when all is as it should be it can join the rotation. Same protocol whether for range blaster or SD. Same for a $4,000 1911 or a $400 1911, never know which may be closest when needed. Always know that a human being subject to error along with multiple machines subject to error created a very dangerous item.
As I read it interest = dedication. If you own it, learn it.
In the context in which I used, "aren't interested enough", it meant Don't Want...but dedicated would be a good alternative
orionengnr
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I've owned about 25 1911s through the years.
Several had minor to not-so-minor issues. None of the problems were terminal, and all were solved.
The majority worked just fine.
I carry a 1911 every day--if it were not an accurate, trustworthy pistol I would carry something else.
Several had minor to not-so-minor issues. None of the problems were terminal, and all were solved.
The majority worked just fine.
I carry a 1911 every day--if it were not an accurate, trustworthy pistol I would carry something else.
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