Keep my 1911 or get an HK45?

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jerryrigger

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So I have a S&W 1911 that I like alot, but in order to make it really work for me, I'm going to have to do some add-ons/part replacements etc. Nothing big, I mean the gun is pretty reliable, so I don't really think I'm going to do too much to it, but I want to change the safety, MSH, get the grip safety adjusted a little and another thing or 2 maybe. Anyways, I got thinking that maybe instead of doing this, I would just trade the gun for an HK45 and save myself the money, and possibly get an even more reliable gun that would be a little lower maintenance (and if I'm lucky maybe an extra buck or two). What do you guys think? Would I be making a mistake in moving to the HK? I'm sure the trigger won't be as nice as my 1911, but how bad is it on the HK? Any input is appreciated!
 
In terms of having a reliable, high quality weapon, I think this would be a case of "six of one, and a half dozen of the other." I would certainly try to shoot, or at the very least handle the HK45 before turning loose of the S&W though. You might find that you don't like the HK45 for one reason or another.

Jason
 
The trigger on my HKP30 was TERRIBLE. Lots of pretravel and a long reset, and overall mushy. HK pistols are not known for their triggers. YOu can have trigger jobs done on them but they will be nothing like a 1911. I no longer will buy polymers after the guns I have now.
 
I got an HK USP TAC I've had for years. And It's pretty mediocre for a $1000+ handgun. It outlived my Springfield 1911A1 MILL SPEC. Buuttt...................I think I should have kept the 1911. Reliability was poor on both pieces. Primarily due to the mags. The HK had thoes Kalifonia 10 round mags. They don't work!!! The 1911 had a hodgepodge including mecgar 8r and old GI 7r. They don't work aether!!! I eventually got some factory 12r mags for the HK but I gave up on the 1911 and phased it out a long time ago for a Glock 22 .40cal. One of my HK mags is bad and always stovepipe feeds and, until I get around to finding and removing it from my inventory it will continue to play musicale chairs with me. So I never know when a failure may happen with that thing. So it's not my front line service weapon anymore!!
 
I got an HK USP TAC I've had for years. And It's pretty mediocre for a $1000+ handgun. It outlived my Springfield 1911A1 MILL SPEC. Buuttt...................I think I should have kept the 1911. Reliability was poor on both pieces. Primarily due to the mags. The HK had thoes Kalifonia 10 round mags. They don't work!!! The 1911 had a hodgepodge including mecgar 8r and old GI 7r. They don't work aether!!! I eventually got some factory 12r mags for the HK but I gave up on the 1911 and phased it out a long time ago for a Glock 22 .40cal. One of my HK mags is bad and always stovepipe feeds and, until I get around to finding and removing it from my inventory it will continue to play musicale chairs with me. So I never know when a failure may happen with that thing. So it's not my front line service weapon anymore!!
Click to expand...

You need to number your mags with a magic marker.


Jason
 
If you like the S&W 1911, and they are good guns by the way, upgrade parts to suit your taste and be happy. Start saving for the HK. You may find by the time you save up, you may not want it anymore.
 
Keep the 1911 and save up to have both. I personally don't like 1911s at all, and am looking to buy a P30. But you obviously do like the 1911, and that is reason enough IMO to keep it. Why choose when you can save up and have both?
 
Ya I certainly would love to have both! The only reason I'm asking this as a "one or the other" type question is that I am trying to save up for a rifle build at the moment as well. Oh well, I really think it's pretty hard to go wrong here, so I'll handle the HK and dry fire a few times probably and see what it's all about before I commit to it, but also before I start doing stuff to my 1911.
 
Don't get an overhyped HK and do get a better cut of 1911. with the changes to the design put on by S&W, you do not really have a 1911A1, but more of a Government Model shaped object.
 
What changes are you talking about, specifically? Personally I think S&W's external extractor is an improvement over internals-not the prettiest to look at but I've never had a case fail to extract and it is one big extractor too. Other than that, I'm not really sure what makes it less of a 1911, but I would love to hear.


PS-There is certainly not money here for a Baer or Wilson or Nighthawk type gun, so if that is what a better cut of 1911 really is, I don't think I'll be moving that way for a long long time.
 
I had the same dilemma and I went with a Kimber Custom. There's a lot of things I liked about the HK45, but the 1911 just shoots better in my hands. If the 1911 gets too unreliable or too problematic, I might just have to settle for the inferior trigger feel of the HK and get a HK45.
 
Pizzagunner:
Don't get an overhyped HK and do get a better cut of 1911. with the changes to the design put on by S&W, you do not really have a 1911A1, but more of a Government Model shaped object.
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jerryrigger
What changes are you talking about, specifically? Personally I think S&W's external extractor is an improvement over internals-not the prettiest to look at but I've never had a case fail to extract and it is one big extractor too. Other than that, I'm not really sure what makes it less of a 1911, but I would love to hear.


PS-There is certainly not money here for a Baer or Wilson or Nighthawk type gun, so if that is what a better cut of 1911 really is, I don't think I'll be moving that way for a long long time.
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I don't know if I'd call the external extractor an improvement, but it certainly is not any worse than an internal extractor in the case of the S&W. Lots of folks don't like the EE, but S&W has certainly made it work. I don't know what pizzagunner is talking about, but there is nothing wrong with S&W's 1911's. They are solid pistols. I'd take one over... a few other brands that shall remain nameless to keep the thread from going off track.

Jason
 
Keep the 1911 and buy the HK, I know this can be hard to do with wanting to save or start building your rifle, but man I have regretted selling everyone of my guns that I've sold (always thought at the time that I wouldn't miss it, but I was just lying to myself :cuss:). Good luck with your decision.
 
S&W 1911's use a lot of parts that are proprietary, and preclude the use of aftermarket accessories.

Have you had a conversation with the person that's going to do this work for you and made sure he's willing and able to do the work you want? The gunsmith I use will do some changes on S&W 1911's, but from what you mentioned the grip safety is going to be the hardest of those parts to change. Change properly anyway.
 
Keep the 1911, fix the small problems.

Or get a new gun and a new batch of issues.

BUT---if you're going to sell the 1911, at least offer it to people on THR first.
 
Bullfrog Ken has already covered what I was getting at. The EE is an answer to others manufacturers having cheaped out on the proper steel for an internal extractor. The grip safety activated Schwartz FP safety was invented by a Colt's employee and Colt's never adopted it, going so far as to invent the Series 80 solution instead.

The 1911A1 design, if materially executed as intended, wasn't broke, but S&W "fixed" it anyway. The proprietary parts makes world class parts upgrades more difficult or even impossible.
 
I have an H&K USP Tactical .45 that I love. It feels great in my hands, the controls are where I want them and easy to use, the trigger is light and crisp.
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+1 on that only I have two of these puppies. Match grade trigger, adjustable sights, adjustable trigger, threaded barrel, 12+1 of 45acp, unsurpassed reliablity and accuracy. Safety AND decocker, SA/DA. What else is there?
 
Don't know anything about HK's, but I do know I like the trigger and handling characteristics of the 1911 better than any other pistol I've handled. After extensive conversation with the 'smithy at Gunsite, I bought 2 S&W 1911's, a PC and a PD Commander. It was their observation that the S&W and Colt 1911's were the most reliable of the bunch through the many shooters and many rounds fired in their courses. Good enough for me.
 
I'd have to ask you if you've shot the hk45 already and know that it'll be fine as it is. If you're going to tweak a 1911, it tells me that you have some well-defined tastes towards how you want your pistol to shoot.

I went with a hk45c > springfield mil-spec b/c I decided that I would pay the extra in hopes that the hk45c will have a lot less problems and parts that need replacing.
 
I'm meeting the gunsmith tomorrow in all likelihood, and I'm definitely checking out the HK45 tomorrow and seeing what the store will offer me for my 1911-it's a performance center model with about 4-500 through it that has been cared for as if it were my child. If they can offer me something decent for it I may very well pick up the HK and a cheaper 1911 used to build upon, but who knows at this point. The gunsmith I've talked to seems to think (without seeing the pistol yet, of course) that we're not talking about expensive and difficult work. If I decide to sell, and that store doesn't seem to be doing me any favors as far as what they'll give me for it, THR may very well see it, but I'm not quite to the point of selling it outright...at least yet...thanks for all your help guys!
 
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