How many 1911s can the market take?

[bigcozy]

I remember back when your 1911 choices were pretty much Colt and whatever surplus gun you could pick up, usually a Remington Rand. Now, it seems that - literally - every manf. makes a 1911. I can't imagine that the market can't be near saturation. A gun that has been around nearly a hundred years, and everyone makes one. As the market moves toward CCW guns, it seems more and more 1911's are on the market. At every price point as well, from $400 up to whatever you want to pay. I have two 1911's, a Delta Elite and a series 70 commander from the mid 1970's. I carry neither, as they are too heavy and bulky for my CCW set up.

Can manf. keep kicking these things our rather than come up with new models?

 

[MAGNUMMAN]

1911s are like women, you can never have enough of them.

 

[Majic]

The reason they are making so many is because so many people are buying them. Why invest, market and try to sell a new model when a proven model has such a large market that is doing very well?

 

[DRMMR02]

I have decided that my next purchase is going to be a Ruger p345 to fulfill my .45ACP needs. It's DA/SA and is easily concealable. I don't plan on getting a 1911. That said, things could change and I might get one just to have one sometime when I have a lot more disposable income.

 

[10-Ring]

As long as people continue to buy them other people will supply them! It doesn't even look like we're even close to maximum density yet

 

[The Good]

competition is good for consumers

 

[Lucky 7]

MAGNUMMAN: Take it from me...there can be a thing as TOO many woman. Just look at my empty pockets!

As far as 1911s, I'm so tired of em...I go with off-beat choices for a reason (e.g. my carry gun....a customized Witness Carry Comp in .45, gives me 2 extra rounds, recoil reduction and burns if I fire from the index ). Or my other carry gun: a pre-2005 9900 Baby Eagle. I don't dig the mainstream and go against the grain (not a 1911 basher as I learned to shoot automatics with one but can't find a spot for one in my collection for one).

-L7

 

[Ala Dan]

Everybody needs a 1911 in their collectopm; regardless how large, or how
small that collection may be~!

 

[jlh26oo]

52?

 

[loki.fish]

Everybody needs a 1911 in their collectopm; regardless how large, or how
small that collection may be~!

Amen, brother My next gun will be a 1911, just not sure which one I want yet.

 

[Chuck R.]

The thing is, 1911s are an addictive habit. Once shooters try them, they’re hooked and, then assimilated into the 1911 collective. From there the “one is not enough” syndrome kicks in.

Whereas, a lot of shooters have one model of X, 1911 folks often have multiple 1911s.

Kind of amazing really for such an old design with limited capacity. But they do really work well for most shooters.

Chuck

 

[phantomak47]

I have often thought about getting a 1911, I have posted many times about different 1911s that I have interested in. BUT I come to here, read posts about problems with Kimbers, how how Colts are spotty these days and I get discouraged.

I fully understand that there are lemmons in the pistol world, but it seems as if (mainly from what I have read here) that 1911s can be hit or miss. Some people love their Kimbers, others have bought 2 or 3 and end up selling them due to reliability.


In the end I do want a 1911, but I guess that will take a lot of indepth research for quality and function.

 

[robctwo]

I was at the range yesterday shooting long guns. The range has a reset steel plate target stand with six plate down at one end. The rifles needed to cool down. I had a couple pistols along. 9mm Sig Stainless Stock and SA 1911 Loaded. Shot the 9mm and the plates went down in slow motion. Shot the .45 and they flopped over good. Both shooting reduced target loads. Found myself shooting around 100 rounds of the .45. Rifles got real cool.

This is my first 1911 and I love it. Bought a SW 1911 Commander as well.

 

[SiG Lady]

Let's hear it for 1911s...!!!

Well, I have two of 'em and this is my latest. I can't say enough about the fit and feel of the 1911 and how much I frankly enjoy shooting 'em.

 

[mattw]

As far as reliability and quality control goes... the only company that I trust and will buy a handgun sight unseen from would be Springfield. I love Colts and I just put down some money for a WWI repro. But even the WWI repro, a custom shop gun, had cosmetic issues.

I plan on buying a Colt Series 70 reissue and then nothing but Springfield Armory for the rest of my shooting days.

I think every company under the sun should make a 1911. That competition turns our better products for less money. (Unless you can ride your name and still turn out stuff with cosmetic belmishes, like Colt.)

I don't have a picture of my WWI repro yet, but here is my serious business pistol:

 

[Bergeron]

I think that the 1911 has a few significant legs up on its competition. First off, you can get one in any style that you want. Barrels from 6" to 3". Carbon steel, stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, and polymer frames in either double or single stack, in full size, compact, or very compact. Single action or double action only. Calibers from .22 LR to .50 GI. Bull or bushing barrels. Fixed or adjustable sights. Single sided or ambi safties that range from tiny to humongus. Slim grips, standard grips, wide grips. Long triggers, medium triggers, short triggers, flat or curved triggers. Flat or arched, serrated, checkered or smooth mainspring housings to match your frontstrap. Light rail. No light rail.

Then you come to the fact that these guns have been around for almost 100 years. There's a huge aftermarket industry, and there are certainly more pistolsmiths working on 1911s than any other pistol design. If you do get one that won't work, you will be able to find someone who can fix it.

The big draw for me is that if I'm starting out with a 1911, I can have whatever I want.

 

[SiG Lady]

I gave Springfield a try, too...

Though on the lower end of the affordability scale, Springfield-wise, I placed a Springer in my 1911 'collection' as well... and liked it!

 

[jungle]

The 1911 is a very popular pistol and it seems to be getting more popular as more people learn of it's virtues. The design is adaptable to a range of cartridges, has an easy to use and tune trigger, short reset, enough weight to make shooting all day easy on you, and a degree of modularity and aftermarket parts that make it fit many needs and desires. It is a mechanical masterpiece of ergonomics and function. Almost a hundred years old and still going strong, it really has no peer.
From a manufacturer's point of view, since the patents have long run out, they can produce a pistol of excellent design for which there is a heavy demand without development cost or royalties. This competition has created the very best 1911 style pistols every built-it has also created some of the worst. There are plenty of excellent 1911s to choose from, they aren't cheap but then they never were when quality was demanded.

 

[the pistolero]

+1 on the 1911 in every collection, Ala Dan. I am already thinking about my next one, and really like the one I got this week too. I recall someone saying recently on THR that 1911s were like "gun crack," and, well, from my perspective that's pretty accurate!

 

[possum]

The makers are finally comming around, you can now get a loaded 1911, for a great, affordable price. Competition between gun makers is a great thing especially, for us consumers!

 

[paul45]

Evidently...SA has a couple issues also floating around.....

..."As far as reliability and quality control goes... the only company that I trust and will buy a handgun sight unseen from would be Springfield."

 

[larry starling]

As far as reliability and quality control goes... the only company that I trust and will buy a handgun sight unseen from would be Springfield. I love Colts and I just put down some money for a WWI repro. But even the WWI repro, a custom shop gun, had cosmetic issues.

Funny for someone who loves Colts you sure seem to bash them a lot. And FWIW I have owned a few Springfield's over the years and they were far from perfect. I do appreciate the fact that through the use of cast and mim parts they are cheaper.

I plan on buying a Colt Series 70 reissue and then nothing but Springfield Armory for the rest of my shooting days.

Why? So you can complain about it also? Just skip to the chase and stick with Springfield as there on a pseudo series 70 frame.

I think every company under the sun should make a 1911. That competition turns our better products for less money. (Unless you can ride your name and still turn out stuff with cosmetic blemishes, like Colt.)

Well in the end that Colt that's riding on its name will hold its value and with blemishes and all will always be worth more than your Springfield...

 

[1911Tuner]

1911 Market

The problem with the vast market for the 1911 pistol is that everyone wants one that is dead reliable...durable enough to go 50,000 rounds without an issue...Accurate enough to take a trophy at Camp Perry...well-fitted and finely finished...and sells for under 500 dollars. Then, when they don't get it, they complain.

The vast market has resulted in a dumbing-down of the pistol...sometimes to the point that it won't make it through a case of ammo without either breaking, or proving so unreliable and/or innacurate that Bunky is soured on the whole 1911 concept, loudly proclaiming: "They're all junk, obsolete POS
clunkers that shouldn't be made or sold any more!"

But, I digress. Why DO the manufacturers continue to churn out so many sub-par relics of a bygone era?

Mainly because they sell like the proverbial hotcake, and because they know that the biggest percentage of buyers just want a pistol "Like the ol' man carried in WW2" and may not fire more than a box or two through it in their lifetimes...and never had any intention of actually depending on it...so what if it chokes once every 20 or 30 rounds. "It's a 1911! It's just like the one that Grandpa used to capture an entire German battalion! It's history, man!"
Or...The grizzled old veteran who buys one and never shoots it...because there was one that looked just like it that saved his life once upon a time in a faraway place.

In short...they know that they're building a toy...assembling actually...and that the serious, knowledgeable shooters and the gunmen who really have a need for a reliable pistol will opt for the higher-end guns...or pay to have them rebuilt by a pro...or both.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Colt

I wish Colt would get back into making handguns seriously. They produce far less than most other manufacturers, have abandoned their revolver line, etc.

That said, my NRM Series 80 has been rock solid, and hasn't malfunctioned once in several thousand rounds.

Anyway...personally, I think enough is enough. If one more company cranks out a 1911 clone (naturally with the front slide serrations!) I'm going to...well, I'm going to roll my eyes.

I like variety in most aspects of my life. I think it's silly that anyone expects, insists, demands, or wishes that everyone had an example of this one type of pistol.

That's why I've got to hand it to Ruger, Springfield Armory, and Smith & Wesson. Yes, two of them make 1911 clones, but at least they're willing to design, test, and produce NEW designs as well. (The P345, the XD, and the M&P, respectively....though the Croatians need to be credited with the XD design, obviously.)

Just my opinion. I'd like to see less copycatting and more innovation. But, there's even less innovation in the long guns world. It's prettymuch pump shotguns and clones of AR-15s, and a bunch of bolt guns that are essentially Mauser copies.

There's a lot to be said for going with what works, and not fixing what isn't broke. But I think there's alos a lot to be said for innovation and trying new things.

 

[mattw]

Quote:
As far as reliability and quality control goes... the only company that I trust and will buy a handgun sight unseen from would be Springfield. I love Colts and I just put down some money for a WWI repro. But even the WWI repro, a custom shop gun, had cosmetic issues.
Funny for someone who loves Colts you sure seem to bash them a lot. And FWIW I have owned a few Springfield's over the years and they were far from perfect. I do appreciate the fact that through the use of cast and mim parts they are cheaper.
Quote:
I plan on buying a Colt Series 70 reissue and then nothing but Springfield Armory for the rest of my shooting days.
Why? So you can complain about it also? Just skip to the chase and stick with Springfield as there on a pseudo series 70 frame.

Quote:
I think every company under the sun should make a 1911. That competition turns our better products for less money. (Unless you can ride your name and still turn out stuff with cosmetic blemishes, like Colt.)
Well in the end that Colt that's riding on its name will hold its value and with blemishes and all will always be worth more than your Springfield...

Larry, quit being childish and bringing an argument from another forum into every where you can find me.

I like Colt pistols. I don't like their Quality control. That is a simple thing to understand, right?

Don't tell me what to buy with my own money or how I should think about my purchases. I never asked for your opinion on these matters.

Paul45, think of just about any modern production pistol and you can find a picture of it blown up or and issue that it had. In my experience Springfield pistols have less issues than Colt pistols. End of story.