Whats the big deal?

[ace]

I have been a drastic plastic guy ever since i have started shooting handguns.The other day i went out with my buddy to our spot to shoot.Its about a 45 minute drive but well worth it.I take about five handguns two rifles and a shotgun and he took three handguns and two rifles.One of his handguns was a Norinco 1911 .45a.c.p. I had never shot a 1911 before and decided to give it a ride.I was not very impressed the accuracy was nice.but the capacity and the grip was nothing to brag about .I know he liked his gun and of course alot of people do have there own choices.I have to ask what is so great about the 1911 design why do shooters enjoy them so much.
I am a big guy 6 feet 2 300 lbs and have big hands.I can not see the big deal with kimber,wilson or any of these guns under the design.I love Glocks,heckler koch, and some sigs.Please tell me as an officer, citizen or private owner what is so great about the 1911?

 

[Carl N. Brown]

what is so great about the 1911?

As one of the characters in Mad Max said, "Blasphemer!
I don't have to work with a blashemer!"

Oh, are you going to get replies.

 

[pax]

It's all about the trigger, ace.

pax

 

[Derek Zeanah]

Well, and the narrow grip.

 

[Lex]

I too fail to see the allure of 1911's. They seem finicky at best. Had a SA that was...uh....not good to go.


Try the XD 45ACP...now that's a shooter with a nice grip....and a trigger job is available.


lex in NC

 

[RNB65]

I have to agree. I don't own a 1911 and never will. I've shot them and found them as boring as dry white bread. The .45 out of a Sig 220 or XD45 is fine, but not the 1911.

 

[MCgunner]

I'm not raving 1911 fan either, but I might buy another one sometime. They're cool to play with, lots of aftermarket. You can really get in to building and accessorizing them. I can and do shoot DA just fine, not a DAaphobic and prefer DA for self defense, but the SA plays games quite well. I used mine for pin shooting and all sorts of action stuff.

I don't consider a 1911 an out of the box shooter, though some might work out of the box. The Norinco always got good reviews, though, but part of the reason is that it was fit like the old GI guns, sloppy. Tighten it up so it shoots decent and it's harder to get the reliablility out of the box. But, it's a good base gun from what I've read.

Custom 1911s are way out of my price range. I don't carry 'em, don't have a lot of use for 'em, so I never replaced mine when it got stolen. I didn't have enough insurance money to get another one, so I got a Ruger P90 and have lived happy since.

 

[Kevinch]

A lot of it has to do with aesthetics - at least for me it does.

I just find plastic ....well.....

I know there are well built, reliable tupperware guns. They just do not hit a chord with me.

I have a reasonable handgun collection; one of those is a KelTec P32 which fills a niche with me that would be tough to do with a metal gun. But I can't really say I enjoy it, if that makes any sense. I may yet look into an XD or even the new Kimber - just to say I have one.

But if I had to reduce the number of handguns I own, the plastic guns would go first. I simply prefer metal. As in all things - YMMV!

 

[Anthony_]

I feel a rant coming on...

 

[farscott]

For me, the big deal is the crisp, consistent trigger, the thin grip, the location and operation of the thumb safety lock, and the way it points. In other words, the 1911's ergonomics work for me. No other centerfire pistol I have tried (and I have tried just about every new pistol that has come down the pike for the past thirty years) works as well for me as the 1911.

 

[Whirlwind06]

A lot of it is personal preference to me. Same reason why some people buy Fords and others buy Chevy. The 1911 works for me, fits my hand well and I can shoot it well. And I guess to some degree when I pick up a 1911 I'm holding a bit of this country's history.

A buddy of mine had a Sig 40 cal. It was a sweet gun. Really nice SA trigger. He couldn't shoot it very well. So he traded it for a Ruger P something in 40 S&W. He shoots better with it then the Sig. And in my opinion he traded down. The Sig didn't work for him the Ruger does.

Chris

 

[Anthony_]

The 1911A1 was created to kill warriors of my race, which gives it a warm spot in my heart. I've only bought the best imo variants of it in different barrell sizes. I love using my 1911's for target shooting. Even killed a Boar with my SA TRP Operator!

With that said... I take Defensive Combat Shooting courses. I had to change from my Ed Brown to my GLOCK and HK USP to finish the course. My polymer guns were more point and shoot guns for me, and as some of you know, combat shooting has very little time for aiming. The higher capacity of my polymer kept me from reloading more often.

I go back and forth on what I carry, my Kimber Ultra CDP II, and HK USP .40

Definately a YMMV type of situation.

 

[Risasi]

Hmm, I think you are crazy for asking such a question. Makes me think you are looking to pick a fight. What's even more disturbing is the lack of response. Either way I'll give this a shot.

Let's see, could it be the fact that all of mine leave little 2" ragged holes in the paper at 15 yards?

Perhaps it's the robust yet simplistic design characteristics that let any wannabe armchair gunsmith tinker with his own gun.

Or maybe it's because for as many accessories and modifications that the AR platform has, there must be twice as many for the 1911.

It could also be because this design has been modified to fit any scenario in which you might think to use it. You've got the standard gov model, then you have shortened commanders, double stack polymers that will hold 14 round mags (flush no less). You have racers, you have reduced capacity/shortened barrel hideout models. You can even get drop-in .22 kits. Anything you can think to use a pistol for it's likely been done to varying success by the 1911.

Or perhaps, just perhaps it's the fact that when you put a single stack stock government into your hand, built the way John Moses Browning intended. You suddenly see the genius of the design, the complexity and simplicity. That every little design item is there for a reason, from the dimple on the mag plate, to the grip safety. From the 5" barrel, to the perfect grip angle. And all of this makes you say to yourself, "Seven, with a gun like this why would I need more than seven rounds?"

Or perhaps it's because you realize how many wars this gun has seen. And you feel the spirit of a warrior could descend upon you and with this tool you can defeat whole armies. This gun is built for battle, it feeds off of warfare.
This is a gun I could bring to a gunfight. Maybe they could get me, but I'm taking some with me.


I think the real answer to why this pistol is held in such high esteem is because it has soul.

 

[MCgunner]

Lots of emotion to 1911 ownership. The gun is a tool, has no "soul". I've never anthropomorphized guns or motorcycles. There is no such thing as a "soul" in an inanimate object. JMHO, of course. I never took either of my 1911s to a paranormal psychologist. Who knows? I hear the gun "speaks to people".

 

[Jim Watson]

Why a 1911 pattern pistol?
Because, due to long practice, I can get more, better, and faster hits with one. I see people doing as well with other guns but don't see why I should put in the effort to change.

 

[ball3006]

My 1911 was made in 1918....

and has been there and done that. My 1911A1 is my bullseye gun and will do 2 inch groups at 50 yards..........lets see any plastic gun do that.....chris3

 

[MCgunner]

I see people doing as well with other guns but don't see why I should put in the effort to change.

Well, of course, I started shooting handguns when the revolver was king. 1911s were some gun the army used and were referred to as ".45 Automatics" rather than 1911s, but revolvers were what cops carries and civilians used. If you said "1911" back then referring to a gun, nobody would know what you were talking about. Now, say ".45 Automatic" and it was like saying Luger, one gun came to mind. There were no other .45 automatics of note on the market. I learned DA shooting because that's what everyone did back then.

But, now days, if you don't learn DA, you are severely limiting your choices in handguns. I've never been able to fit a 1911 in a pocket, for instance. Oh, maybe a Mustang Pocket Light. Ditto for ankle holsters for back up purposes. I do a lot of handgun hunting. I don't use 1911s for that. I like to play in the out of doors. I prefer carrying powerful handguns in bear/cat country, more powerful than any .45 ACP. Of course, if you can't shoot anything else, I guess you could find a good used Delta Elite for that. Getting it to shoot 1" 25 yard groups like my Blackhawk does out of the box might be a chore, though. I think you would find the Blackhawks trigger better than most 1911s and if you could get over the plow handle grip (which I like), it's an easy gun to make hits with.

Not arguing the 1911 for YOU here, just saying there ARE good reasons to learn to shoot DA and other types of firearms. Anyone who can shoot DA, can shoot SA, but that's not necessarily the case in reverse. It takes a little effort, but it is a good thing to learn.

JMHO of course.

 

[Old Dog]

Let's see. New member comes along, asks a question that's been framed in a hundred different ways on this forum in the past year alone ... and further prefaces his thread opening by stating he's a plastic pistol guy.

If this isn't trolling, I don't know what is.

 

[Risasi]

Lots of emotion to 1911 ownership. The gun is a tool, has no "soul". I've never anthropomorphized guns or motorcycles. There is no such thing as a "soul" in an inanimate object. JMHO, of course. I never took either of my 1911s to a paranormal psychologist. Who knows? I hear the gun "speaks to people".

:LOL:, oh come on MC. I was being anthropomorphic in my statements. And I'm kidding a bit in my previous post. You are right they are just a piece of hardware, a tool. I just meant as far as bottom feeders go, none have the history and favor that the "45 Automatic" has. See, even you refer to it in a familiar manner. Somehow this gun is different.

And I thought the context was slide action only. Revolvers are not in the equation. That's a whole different animal. For day to day urban life I prefer a revolver (or two, I've been trying to decide whether to go with two SP101's or not or use moonclips). Currently I am very atached to a Security Six I have.
But if it's wartime my sidearm will always be a standard government model.

 

[Risasi]

Let's see. New member comes along, asks a question that's been framed in a hundred different ways on this forum in the past year alone ... and further prefaces his thread opening by stating he's a plastic pistol guy.

If this isn't trolling, I don't know what is.

Yeah, I think it is too, but it's okay. We aren't getting out of hand. In fact it's funny how many arguments you could make against the 1911 in favor of another weapon. It is obsolete. You know what? It doesn't matter. The 1911 is my slide action of choice. I know how to hit with it.

As for those who "don't get it", who don't understand what the big deal is, they don't matter either. You get it or you don't. To each his own. If you are more comfortable with a certain handgun over another then bully for you.

 

[Jim Watson]

Mcgunner,

I possibly overstated my attachment to 1911 pattern guns. I use them for IDPA competition and holster carry.

I definitely prefer a DA something or another for pocket carry or bureau drawer readiness and I used to shoot PPC and was somewhat adequate with a Python.

I don't travel in carnivore country and don't need or want anything more powerful than .45 ACP. Haven't shot my M29 in years, only keep it as a memento of the deceased previous owner. The only Blackhawk I ever owned had a fair trigger, no better. The Harrington and Richardson design Rugers are worse, out of the box, the ones I have seen.

But hey, needs and wants differ, and we have ad agencies and newsstands full of magazines to tell us so.

 

[MCgunner]

:LOL:, oh come on MC. I was being anthropomorphic in my statements. And I'm kidding a bit in my previous post. You are right they are just a piece of hardware, a tool. I just meant as far as bottom feeders go, none have the history and favor that the "45 Automatic" has. See, even you refer to it in a familiar manner. Somehow this gun is different.

Okay then, I'll lose the stiff lip.... 1911s are great game guns, but I always shot IDPA with my carry just for practice. Some guys that shoot it are real serious about the game, though. I, of course, shot service pistol, not enhanced, with my P90 and held my own against the sea of Glocks. When I shot the Kel Tec, I was at a speed disadvantage of course with the tiny sight radius, but did impress myself with it a few times, if nobody else, LOL! My old 1911 was a great pin gun, but nobody shoots pins anymore... I always thought pin shooting was GREAT FUN! I'm going to have to get back into the competition a little more often out at our club range, maybe build a pin table. I still have a lot of pins left over from a trip I made to the bowling alley once.

Back in "the day", if you just thought of an auto pistol, what do you think came to mind? There weren't a whole lot of center fire pistols on the market in the 60s. The .45 Auto was THE gun followed by maybe the Luger. Everyone being revolver oriented, heck, the only auto you'd fire maybe would be a Ruger or Colt .22 pistol or something. Even my .22 was a single action revolver. When I bought my first auto pistol, not coincidently, it was a .45 Auto of pattern 1911. I've shot 'em, don't like the fact that the cheaper ones tend to be very ammo picky, but I don't have any other thing against the gun. It has its place even in the modern world and some like it so much they even put up with 40 ounces on the hip to carry one. Well, if you are that attached to it, fine. I much prefer something less of a burden, though, especially in south Texas where even a T shirt is oppressive outdoors much of the year. Sometimes I wonder how I ever did without air conditioning when I was a kid. I guess I didn't know any better.

 

[GunNut]

If the XD or Glock don't fit a person, your only choice is to get a different gun. With a 1911 there are different grips, mags and all other parts available.

It is the most duplicated gun with the most aftermarket parts of any handgun on the market.

For me, I like the single action trigger pull and the positive safety will the gun cocked and locked.

It's not for everybody, but most people end up owning/carrying 1911's at some point in their gun owning days.

Steve

 

[Ala Dan]

With the "box-stock" run of the mill 1911's, reliability can be an issue.
But, when you move up into the semi-custom class of Baers, Browns, Wilsons,
STI's, and Nighthawk's; its a whole different ball game, as these things just
a'bout shoot by themselves~!

 

[paul45]

You know....I like a good arguement and I can appreciate a good troll post, shoot....I even throw a troll line out myself once in a while. But this is boring....how many times can this horse be beat? (Yes, I know....I dont have to read it if I dont like it...)