Which SHTF Pistol: Glock or 1911?

[TexAg]

Ditto Glock.
Man if my frame is melting good chance my skin is too! <- me on fire, ticked that my Glock melted.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Well...


Honestly, if it came down to it, 1911s require maintenance. They serve great as a house gun, shoot beautifully at the range. But, the 1911 is the Prom queen you want while the Glock is the reliable date you'll settle for.

I would hate to carry a 1911 in SHTF situations in the rain, when I'd almost be sure my 1911 would start to rust. Hey face it, that tennifer finish is as tough as it gets for gun finishes. The polymer, while uncomfortable as opposed to real ivory or checked aluminum, it'll not MELT, scratch, rust, nick, or rust like the 1911s would.

Yes, clearly the 1911 is not a reliable gun, which is why the US army carried it through 2 world wars, Korea and Vietnam and continues to use it in special op's. Can you think of a more harsh environment for a gun than the jungles of Southern Asia or the salt water of the South Pacific?

All of my 1911's, except for my Colt Mk IV, have been exemplory. I am not suggesting that a Glock is not a reliable gun. Of course, how many 1911's have Ka-Boomed using correct factory ammo in a gun from a decent manufacturer?

Now that I'm done arguing this point, I would take my S&W 1006 over all the rest of my autos in a do-or-die situation. Reliable, Durable, Accurate, Powerful. 'Nuff said

For SHTF or TEOTWAWKI, my AR-10 .

 

[jlh26oo]

I love it when people 'tailor' their SHTF scenarios to their preferred weapons.

If you do not "tailor" your preparations for every, and I mean every possible scenario, you are NOT prepared.

Well, ya know, TimboKhan, throw your Glock on the grill and I'll throw my 1911 up there next to it ... and we'll see which gun is easier to salvage and restore to operability.

 

[glockamolee]

One Choice?

My SFS Hi power. I can conceal it as well as use it in the role of an offensive handgun similiar to the H&K developed for our Special Op units.

Caliber is adequete and, with a barrel/magazine swap, can shoot 9mm out of it.

I would prefer a 10mm but ammo might be a tad difficult to find.

 

[torpid]

Laugh if y'all want, but when the nuclear blast hits you, that melted glock on your charcoal-skeletal hip will be useless junk, and your final thought as the remorseful tear evaporates on your bony cheek will be of the 1911 you should've brought...

 

[boots]

guns being melted is a plausible scenario

if someone dropped bombs on the usa, there would be fire. maybe lots of it. it could be possible that your house would catch fire, from the fires caused by the bombs. it could be possible that your guns are in a place in your house that happened to catch on fire. and if your guns were plastic, they would melt faster than if your guns were made of steel.

all those barbequeing answers are very funny, but when you think about it, plastics guns could melt in a SHTF scenario, and it wouldn't be from putting them on a grill.

 

[nrmcolt]

Laugh if y'all want, but when the nuclear blast hits you, that melted glock on your charcoal-skeletal hip will be useless junk, and your final thought as the remorseful tear evaporates on your bony cheek will be of the 1911 you should've brought...

 

[Gary H]

I'd grab my shotgun, or AR.

I presently own two Glocks, but I don't trust myself to suddenly awaken and avoid a ND when reaching for the gun.

The only gun that I keep loaded, outside of my safe, is a 4" S&W .357 magnum revolver. It never fails to go bang. My wife and I can accurately shoot it. That said, my shotgun is only ten feet from where I sleep. It is always ready. A 1911 is loaded in the safe... I'm not sure what that is about, but there you go. Many SHTF police and military sorts rely upon the 1911. So, unlike this thread's posts, some choose the 1911 over Glock.

 

[The-Fly]

based on my experiences, a glock. Which is why i use a glock 26 for my carry gun. Yes the triggers on a glock take a bit of getting used to, but thats why 3.5 # connectors were made for

 

[Rob1035]

If you do not "tailor" your preparations for every, and I mean every possible scenario, you are NOT prepared.

is that even practically possible? save for living in a highly stocked and armed former missile silo?

 

[jlh26oo]

is that even practically possible? save for living in a highly stocked and armed former missile silo?

Lol, even then I would say no, not possible. I forgot to drop an emoticon.

 

[pinetree64]

I'd take whatever you shoot best. IMHO, a pistol is last resort in a shtf. I'd opt for a high cap rifle or shotgun in an urban environment and have a pistol as backup.

For those of you in the NRA there is an article in the latest American Rifleman regarding New Orleans. I guy who works at the D-Day Museum, which is awesome, went through some real life shtf stuff. If I had to chase away a group of thugs I want a hi-cap rifle or shotgun and a 1911 on my waist.

One last note, I'd carry a Kimber Compact. Eventhough it may be crazy out there you still might want to conceal it in some circumstances, e.g. NG troops going by... I wouldn't risk having it confiscated.

tjg

 

[albanian]

The big things to consider in a SHTF type situation are the following:
1. Reliability
2. Capacity
3. Ease of use
4. Ease of maint.
5. Ammo available?
6. Power
7. Reliabilty.

The Glock 17 has the edge in ALL these factors period. Some may try to argue that a .45acp is more powerful than a 9mm and that may be true but a .45acp is not more powerful than TWO 9mms and that is what you get with the Glock 17.

Reliabilty, everyone knows that an average Glock is far more reliable than the average 1911. That is fact.

Capacity, Glock of course.

Ease of use, Glock has a trigger that you pull to make it go bang. 1911 has a SA trigger that you need to cock or a safety that you need to make sure is on/off. Unless you are some die hard 1911 fan, ease of use goes with the design of the Glock.

ease of maint. Glocks don't need much maint and most things can be fixed by the average shooter. 1911s shouldn't need much maint unless people start messing with them. This one is a draw.

Ammo available? I am pretty sure that 9mm is more popular than .45acp but if a place sells 9mm they will also probably sell .45acp so I will call that a draw as well.

I am not a fan of the Glocks but I think this debate as been settled. The only debate is from Glock heads and 1911 cult members now. What you like is not the issue, the issue is, what is a better platform for the SHTF situation.

 

[hank327]

I have two 5" Colts, a 45 & a 38 Super. I have a Colt Lightweight Commander in .45. During my service in the US Army, the 1911 was my issued personal weapon for two years. I often carry one of my Colts as my CCW. I love my 1911s. I also have a Glock G19 & G23. I like them well enough. They go "BANG" just about every time I pull the trigger and they are tough as a hammer. I like the Glock trigger much better than any DA/SA or DAO trigger, and less than SA of my Colts and High Power.

All that said, if I were going to be dropped into Iraq or Somalia and had my choice of a handgun, I would unhesitatenly choose a Glock 17. For me, when you add up all the pluses and minus' of both designs, the Glock comes out as the better platform.

 

[Biker]

My G23 has never failed to go bang (and I rarely clean it) and holds 13 rounds.
My Colt LWC is reliable with *most* ammo and holds slightly more than half as much.
If either gets hot enough to melt, I will too.
I'll go with my Glock.
Biker

 

[Marshall]

I'll take a BHP first.

Second a Glock or Springfield XD, always go bang.

If it's going to get so hot your plastic gun is going to melt you're going to have more to worry about than your gun melting.

 

[bearmgc]

1911. My Colt Commander.

 

[TomN]

if someone dropped bombs on the usa, there would be fire. maybe lots of it. it could be possible that your house would catch fire, from the fires caused by the bombs. it could be possible that your guns are in a place in your house that happened to catch on fire. and if your guns were plastic, they would melt faster than if your guns were made of steel.

all those barbequeing answers are very funny, but when you think about it, plastics guns could melt in a SHTF scenario, and it wouldn't be from putting them on a grill.

 

[Hot brass]

My Para P14 Limited/45acp. A no bull gun.

 

[jkswiss]

If it's going to get so hot your plastic gun is going to melt you're going to have more to worry about than your gun melting.

Thank you. I was hoping that someone would point that out.

 

[420Stainless]

The worry about heat is not nearly as irrational as some make it out to be. The Glock website shows the operating range for the weapon to be up to 158 degrees F. While it may be possible to expose it to higher temperatures and still function fine when it cools down, the trunk of a car can get to 170 degrees on a hot summer day. Also, one doesn't actually need to be on fire to acheive destructive temperatures. If you keep your guns in a fire-proof safe and your house catches fire in an earthquake or bombing or etc., the temperature inside the safe may get high enough to destroy the polymer but not the steel. You come back after the fire to get your survival tools (New Orleans without the water) and even though the safe may be intact, the polymers inside it probably won't be. Now you not only need to find ammo, but a reliable weapon to boot.

I admit it is all pretty silly, but I can't see jumping all over someone for pointing out the potential weakness in a survival tool.

 

[Old Dog]

About par for the course from the Glock defenders. As I pointed out earlier, I've seen firearms recovered from both vehicle and house fires. As a matter of fact, a buddy (who regrettably lost his home) retrieved his Wal-Mart special (non-fireproof) gun cabinet from the remains of his home. His Series 70 Colt and a Para-Ordnance are still shooting great these days (he did have the Colt refinished); he's now got a nice collection of Glock barrels and a new fireproof gunsafe ...

One has to admit, some of the statements get kinda amusing:

The Glock 17 has the edge in ALL these factors period. Some may try to argue that a .45acp is more powerful than a 9mm and that may be true but a .45acp is not more powerful than TWO 9mms and that is what you get with the Glock 17.

While I'd prefer not to get shot by one .45 or TWO 9mms, some would give the edge in stopping power to the .45 ...

Reliabilty, everyone knows that an average Glock is far more reliable than the average 1911. That is fact.

Huh? All righty, then ...

1911 has a SA trigger that you need to cock or a safety that you need to make sure is on/off. Unless you are some die hard 1911 fan, ease of use goes with the design of the Glock.

And here I thought one cocked a Glock the same way one cocked a 1911 - by racking the slide and chambering a round ... Ease of use? I suppose there are those who can't master flicking a 1911's safety on or off ... Hmm; I'll concede the "ease of use" factor to Glocks, as I have met a few people who are too lazy to train with their chosen handguns ...

Capacity, Glock of course.

Aside from the fact that there are some wonderful hi-cap 1911s produced (even in -- gasp -- 9mm), real experts understand that magazine capacity is not the issue. Training, mindset and shot placement render the question of mag capacity pretty much moot ... Of course, having seen the Glockmeisters at my local IDPA matches fumble tactical reloads, I can understand why some prefer to have a few more rounds in their magazines...

I am not a fan of the Glocks but I think this debate as been settled.

Gee, it was a debate? I thought it was just one guy asking what we'd all prefer, and why ...

What you like is not the issue, the issue is, what is a better platform for the SHTF situation.

The best platform is the one that one is most familiar with and uses most effectively. For me, with a large stockpile of 1911 parts in my kit and being somewhat proficient with the platform, my SHTF gun is a 1911. For someone else, perhaps someone who's never learned the art of the reload and who is capable of fashioning a new extractor for his Glock 17 with some tinsnips and an old pie pan, the Glock might just be the ticket ...

 

[The_Shootist]

SHTF Pistol?

Well, as a recent real world example I carried 2 guns with me in last summer's Rita evacuation from Galveston. One was my SP 101....the other was my Glock 19.

I could have chosen my 1911, which I consider reliable and easy to shoot. Just that in my mind the G19 was MORE reliable, having experienced virtually NO FTE/FTF etc over almost 2000 rounds.

This was no Internet academic exercise and when the chips were down, I grabbed my Glock. The fact all three mags were "standard" cap 15 rounders also probably influenced my decision.

 

[gulogulo1970]

I'd have to go with the Glock, just because I have yet to own a 1911 I'd trust my life with.

 

[Nail Shooter]

by nero45acp:

".... it would definitely be the Glock. I've owned seven 1911s (four chambered in .45acp and three in 9mm), and they all had varying degrees of reliability problems."

I'm w/ nero on this one. Also hard to argue w/ the capacity advantage of the Glocks.

NS