If you could change one thing about the 1911 design...

[BluesBear]

Yes I have tried the Para Ordnance LDA series.
I really don't like it. I don't want one.
I see no need for it. It ain't my cup of tea.

I am completely happy with the original 1911/1911A1 trigger setup.

With all of the different types of handguns available today I just don't understand why people keep trying to make one version into something it's not.

Perhaps if people took 25% of the effort they spend in trying to "fix" a gun that ain't broke and put that effore into learning to use one that already exists everyone would be happier.

I know for sure that if many people took 10% of the time they waste whining about this gun or that gun and used it to find a gun that was more suitable for them there would be a lot less wasted bandwidth in Internet forums.

 

[dwestfall]

Plunger tube integral to the frame

A more robust slide stop design that won't pop up from recoil or or pop up/out because some big bullet brushes it.

A robust ambi safety

Round off the butt a little

Give the whole gun a Tenifer surface treatment

Better 8rd magazines.

Trim the weight without compromising frame longevity (you figure out how. )

 

[BluesBear]

What the heck. It's been an extra meds needed day...

Plunger tube integral to the frame

That's what adhesives are for. Just for a moment consider the cost increase to cast/forge the plunger tube on the frame side. Not much you say. Perhaps but then factor in the cost to precision machine it so the springer and both plungers will fit. The bean counters will never allow it and the consimers will whine even more about the cost.

A more robust slide stop design that won't pop up from recoil or or pop up/out because some big bullet brushes it.

Any bullet that fits within the ammunition geometry the gun was designed for will not activate an in spec slide lock. Provided the plunger tube and its cmponents are properly installed and working.

A robust ambi safety

I've never had a single problem with the original Colt Ambidexterious safeties I have been using since 1978. And I have even had two of my guns so equiped so dropped by careless gunshow monkeys.

Round off the butt a little

Ever heard of the Bobtail conversion developed by Ed brown?

Give the whole gun a Tenifer surface treatment

Actually I believe that NP3 or Robar works as well or better.

Better 8rd magazines.

Hmmm I have at least 30 that work flawlessly. And not just in my guns. Several other THR mambers have experienced no problems with them. Check out my posting about how to increase 8rd magazine reliability if your gun has a problem with them.


More things that were not broken were broken beyond repair by trying to fix them than have been broken and fixed because they were actually broken.

 

[dwestfall]

Those are all workarounds for shortcomings in the design. The question was what would I change about the DESIGN.

 

[1911Tuner]

eh?

Those are all workarounds for shortcomings in the design. The question was what would I change about the DESIGN.

Shortcomings?

He's kiddin'...Right guys?

 

[BluesBear]

Well it sounded like kidding to me.

 

[acpoulos]

It seems that all the variants coming on the market just offer gingerbread tweaks. If some major design improvement came along, wouldn't all the mfrs react?

I like my Norinco just the way it came.

Tony

 

[John Caradimas]

History of the M1911 Pistol

... things deleted ....


John Caradimas, M1911 Web Site, http://www.m1911.org

.... more things deleted ....

Thanks for the credit Sir, appreciated.

 

[albanian]

Why change it when there are so many other guns that already out there? I would change so many things that it would not really be a 1911 anymore so why bother? A 1911 for CCW is like a SAA Colt for CCW. Both will work perfectly fine but time has passed them by and there are much better guns out there for the tasks at hand.

Beretta 92G is way better than a 1911 and a Ruger SS Speed Six .357 mag is way better than a SAA Colt .45 LC. Life is better than it used to be in the bad old days when .45s ruled the world. Now a 9mm can pack as much punch as any .45acp and you can have twice as many of them. Whats not to like?

 

[swingset]

Life is better than it used to be in the bad old days when .45s ruled the world. Now a 9mm can pack as much punch as any .45acp and you can have twice as many of them. Whats not to like?

A 9mm can pack as much punch as any .45acp?

Care to prove that?

 

[1911Tuner]

SAA?

Why change it when there are so many other guns that already out there? I would change so many things that it would not really be a 1911 anymore so why bother? A 1911 for CCW is like a SAA Colt for CCW. Both will work perfectly fine but time has passed them by and there are much better guns out there for the tasks at hand.

Beretta 92G is way better than a 1911 and a Ruger SS Speed Six .357 mag is way better than a SAA Colt .45 LC. Life is better than it used to be in the bad old days when .45s ruled the world. Now a 9mm can pack as much punch as any .45acp and you can have twice as many of them. Whats not to like?

I think this was the best response to that statement...

Quote:

"Of course the 1911 is an outdated design. It came from an era when weapons were designed to win fights, not to avoid product liability lawsuits. It came from an era where it was the norm to learn how your weapon operated and to practice that operation until it became second nature, not to design the piece to the lowest common denominator. It came from an era in which our country tried to supply its fighting men with the best tools possible, unlike today, when our fighting men and women are issued hardware that was adopted because of international deal-making or the fact that the factory is in some well-connected congressman's district. Yes, beyond any shadow of a doubt, the 1911 IS an outdated design....and that's exactly what I love about it."

-Rosco S. Benson on rec.guns “Is the 1911 an Outdated Design?”

You tell'em Rosco! Wish I had said that.

 

[NineseveN]

How would I improve the design? Make it one of these:

In all seriousness, I like the 1911's, I don't own one because I can't find anything that it does better than my USP .45 Compact. I guess if I listed all the changes I'd want in one, well, it'd be an HK USP in te end anyway. The ONLY complaint I have about the HK us the trigger could be a little better on it. Other that than, it's as I would like to have any handgun designed.

 

[MachIVshooter]

How would I improve the design? Make it one of these:

In all seriousness, I like the 1911's, I don't own one because I can't find anything that it does better than my USP .45 Compact. I guess if I listed all the changes I'd want in one, well, it'd be an HK USP in te end anyway. The ONLY complaint I have about the HK us the trigger could be a little better on it. Other that than, it's as I would like to have any handgun designed.

You do realize that the USP series was designed exclusively for the US consumer with the 1911-bias in mind? I had a USP .45 stainless. It was reliable and accurate, but the grip was blocky and the trigger gaurd rubbed my finger raw after 300 or 400 rounds in one session. It got sold to buy a S&W 1006. I have 4 1911's. None will be sold.

 

[jlh26oo]

Smooth kahr like DA trigger.

 

[NineseveN]

You do realize that the USP series was designed exclusively for the US consumer with the 1911-bias in mind? I had a USP .45 stainless. It was reliable and accurate, but the grip was blocky and the trigger gaurd rubbed my finger raw after 300 or 400 rounds in one session. It got sold to buy a S&W 1006. I have 4 1911's. None will be sold.

Of course I do, and I like the 1911, but I love my USP. I got the compact because of the grip size reduction. It's not for everyone mind you, a 1911 is a fine firearm as well.