Why are people so passionate about 1911's?

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The Goose

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I have been shooting handguns for a couple of years now and recently it seems like I am being deluged by 1911 fervor. No criticism here, just curiosity. At my recent birthday party the husband of my wife's friend gave me some .45 ACP ammo as a gift. Said he heard I liked to shoot and assumed I had a .45. I do have an S&W 625. I asked what he shot and he rattled off about a half dozen 1911 style pistols and spoke eagerly of his next 1911 purchase.

The next day I stopped at a local gun shop. The guy behind the counter happened to ask if I shot a 1911. When I said no he countered that he guessed I just was not serious about shooting. I did not appreciate the comment and he won't get my business, but again with that fervor.

So this weekend I started reading a book by Jeff Cooper and guess what? I think he likes 1911's also. (LOL)

So what inspires such devotion? Every gun magazine that I pick up has at least one and often many articles about 1911 style pistols. As I ponder my next handgun purchase I have to inquire. Why are you guys so passionate?

I know that I will have to experience it for myself to know, but what inspires you? Also if I wanted to get my first 1911 what is a good choice. Of course it is a bit limited here in MA. I see a lot of the S&W's, is that a decent gun? Thanks in advance for your responses.
 
Mumblemuble...John Moses Browning...mumblemuble...Iwo Jima...mumblemuble...barrel link...mumblemuble...45'll knock a man on his ass if you hit'em in the finger...mumblemuble...legendary reputation...mumblemublemumblemuble...pancakes, I like pancakes, pancakes taste salty... :D

Now you 1911 guys can tell me how close I got. :)
 
I'm not being an a**, but shoot one and you'll know. :) They shoot very accurate, the SA is short and smooth and grip angle is very natural...to me that is. I know many guns out there other than 1911's have the same grip angle and they are fine pistols. But a 1911 is a 1911. Joy to shoot and to me just has a nice classic look much like my S&W 686 357/38 revolver. I'm sure someone with have a more technical reason why the 1911 has so much following. S&W makes some nice 1911's for the money. I own two, a full sized billboard and a commander sized Sc. 1911's can be finicky about ammo and magazines, maybe the tinkering aspect of the pistol is what drawls shooters to it. My bottom line is I like the 1911 platform and most pistols made these days are compared to it. That's one reason I like my XD45 so much, it feels like a polymer version of my 1911's.
 
Tinkering - nice word. Ergonomics aside, I like the 1911 because it comes in a decent caliber and I can fix it and/or customise it with parts bought from just about any source.
 
Many people are passionate about the purity of John Moses Browning's original design. There's a reason it's so duplicated. The 1911's definitely shoot differently than other pistol designs-- whether you consider that good or bad. And has been pointed out, there's a lot of history behind the 1911.

I waited a while before I added a 1911 to my collection. I finally decided to take the plunge and bought a Rock Island Armory full-size. One of the reasons was so I could try my hand at some gunsmithing. One of the things about the simplicity and universality of the 1911 design is that it's easy to work on. So I was able to do some tinkering and "build" my custom gun. It's nothing fancy, but it was fun.

I'm certainly not a 1911 fanatic, but I am a fan. If you get a chance, give it a try. It might turn you into a raving lunatic, a rabid opponent or a guy who likes the 1911. Either way, it would be a good step in your shooting education.

Jim
 
They are quite simply the best " black barbie's for big boys" out there , you get a base pistol and have the pride of setting it up just for you , then some dammed fool trades you out of it and you do it again lol
 
Simple is elegant and in this case, also functional...as JMB apparently knew. The customizing that is possible stems not only from its long history but also from the fact that a 1911 is dirt simple to completely disassemble...designed for an illiterate farm-boy draftee (no offense intended!) to field service without the aid of tools.

In contrast, I tried a full strip of my CZ75 - not a chance w/o detailed guidance...way to many little springs and apparently force fit pins trying to explode out. Quite intimidating! With a 1911, you literally can't put anything back in wrong and still complete the assembly. Elegant simplicity ...

It's also a natural gun to point, most people consider it stylish and models are available over the counter from $295 to $3500 to suit a range of tastes.

/Bryan
 
It boils down to feel for me. The trigger, the ergonomics, the serious heft. Being twice as accurate as the next best design (in my experience) doesn't hurt either. The 1911 strikes me like a beautiful blonde strikes a lot of men, they just do something for me.

I've shot and like plenty of pistols. Plenty of makers and designs can flat get it done. I just don't like 'em nearly as well. :D
 
There are MANY reasons, but quite simply... its been around a long time and many people are familiar with it. No other firearm has evolved as much as the 1911 has. The 1911 can be tailored to fill many niches. You can customize a 1911 to no end, or just appreciate the simple beauty of a plain jane 1911.

My first gun was a 1911, and I'm very happy it was my first. I became so spoiled by the 1911 trigger in the start of my shooting career that nothing else really pleases me anymore. No other autoloader has as crisp of a trigger as the 100 yr old design 1911. Nothing.

Nothing else for me feels as good, shoots as well, and points as well as a 1911. I also like that its all steel. It feels like a real handgun. Its how a handgun should feel. A 1911 has presence when its resting on a table. Seeing that hammer back cocked and lock has a warm tingling feeling deep down inside. :D

Think about how many people have copied the 1911 platform, and how many companies are still producing new 1911s or jumping on the bandwagon. There are race 1911s, classic looking 1911s, bells and whistles 1911s, custom 1911s, cheap 1911s, semi custom 1911s, 1911s in damascus steel, 1911s dressed with ivory.... the possibilities are endless.

I'm coming on my 4th 1911 with only 3 years of shooting, and the 1911 platform is absolutely addicting. They're all in the same caliber, all are fullsize, all are blued, and all pretty much look alike. But they all shoot differently, and they all have something special about them. Because they all have soul, and each soul is "different".

Thank you JMB. :)
 
The 1911 has such widespread appeal because it's a really good gun. Naturally, not everyone takes the phrase "a good gun" to mean the same thing, so there are quite a few people for whom the 1911 holds no great attraction. For the majority of people, though, the 1911's ergonomics, crisp trigger, and pleasant recoil are just what they need to shoot well. It doesn't hurt that there's something about the pistol's appearance that strikes a very common aesthetic chord.
 
Probably because it's the best semi-automatic handgun ever made. I like the 1911 because John Moses Browning designed it especially to fit me. He made it for the caliber I prefer, put everything where I want it, made it fit my hand, and let me adapt it to my needs.

I do own other kinds of handguns, many of which I like very much, but the 1911 has been my favorite since I first had the opportunity to hold one in 1959 or so.

Candiru identified one additional characteristic that's probably overlooked by many people. It looks the way a pistol should. The Browning P-35 (the Hi-Power) is a close second, and it was designed by the same man, but it doesn't look like a 1911.
 
I've been shooting handguns for about four years now and didn't get a .45 until last Christmas. Broke down and got the Sig 220 Stainless Stock. Love it. Have the 226 Stainless Stock 9mm as well.

Just couldn't avoid the 1911 after getting set up reloading for the Sig. Bought the Springfield Armory Black Stainless. Pretty happy with it despite a broken extractor within the first few hundred rounds. Springfield has great customer service. Turn around was right at four week and they paid for the shipping both ways.

The 1911 has a fine trigger, but the single action on both sigs is better than the Springfield. I'm working on that. I guess that I like to work on the gun. Just took it completely apart and reassembled it today. I'm going to do that to the 220 in the next few days. Had foot surgery and have time on my hands.

If I had to send one of the .45s back right now it would be the 1911. If I were to buy another gun in the next 6 months, and I probably will, it will be another 1911. I'm thinking about the commander with alloy frame. Probably S&W or Sig. Go figure.
 
Name another SLIM, full size, single trigger action, and major caliber'ed gun that I can carry.
 
Why I like 1911's

Slim grips, natural grip angle, controls are in the "right" places, good triggers, good accuracy, serious caliber, easily customized and made of metal, not recycled tupperware.
 
They are an American cultural icon. A war time symbol. They fit, fire and leave big holes. I think to, sadly, in their original configuration the 1911 45 Automatic Colt Pistol is finally at it's sunset. However, Brownings brilliant engineering will endure for many generations to come.
 
For me, the reason is "feel." The trigger is crisp and consistent, the grip is narrow enough to feel right, and I find the thumb and grip safeties work intuitively.

If you look around you'll find that a significant number of "serious" shooters do choose the 1911, and I like to think that's because they're an easy pistol to shoot well. Could be that they're the ones that all the shooting schools have endorsed since whenever though, so they've got the mindshare.

That's not to say that the 1911 is the best pistol on the market, just that it's my favorite. I knew a cop a few years ago who was an amazing shot with a Glock 17 -- it worked well for him, while for me they've always felt wrong (though they always went "bang.")
 
Nostalgia is probably the number one reason.

For target shooters, the 1911 has been built into a fine shooting machine with the best trigger of any. A lot of the mods were developed at government expense, for the national matches, so the path is well known and public domain.

The cartridge is respectable, and up to the time of the 10mm, the only one that would generate much enthusiasm among shooters of autos.
 
I don't know why people slobber all over them. They seem to go against every grain of self defence handguns. Some aren't very reliable out of the box and need tinkering and fine tuning to be reliable.

Everyone seems to mention how much our military loved them and how well it served them, yet seem to forget our military dropped them from inventory in favor of something else...

I've shot my buddies Springfield GI 1911 and it's accuracy floored me. It was more accurate than my XD. But it's cagey with certain brands of ammo, won't eject some brands, won't feed others. The ejector needs modified as it likes to hit you between the eyes with hot brass or send them down your shirt. But I didn't seem to get sexually aroused like some (Cooper) seem to do.

They are a fun gun if you like to tinker and play, but I prefer accuracy and reliability out of the box. You can get that with most of the $1000+ 1911s out there but I seem to have gotten it with a $500 XD.

And I will continiously argue with people who claim it was Browning's best invention. The M2 was his best invention and still in use today.
 
Because the Colt .45 is a pistol the way a Harley-Davidson is a motorcycle.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've often thought of it that way. Out of the box, crate, you'll have to work on it to get it to run decent. It's antiquated in design. It costs a bazillion dollars to get a decent one. It'll get the job done if you pour enough money in the thing. But, the after market is HUGE for 'em so you can set it up about any old way you want. And both have a fanatical flag waving fan base that won't ride, shoot nuthin' else. Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

One difference, though. The Harley is pretty well dead in all, but flat track racing, unless you call drag racing, racing. Even there, the fast Harley isn't OHV based, it's DOHC water cooled. The rules have kept Harley in the flat track game, but now that's rapidly changing as the rules have laxed for the other makes. Flat track was on the ropes, hardly any money in it anymore. Now, the AMA is finally pulling it out and taking the restrictions off the other machines to compete. The only other place HD is competitive is in spec classes and then, they still fail to do anything, like formula extreme in AMA road racing. The Buell is a POS. Hard to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Even with 1200cc racing 600cc bikes, it gets its rear kicked. ROFL! Give it up, Harley, stick to cruisers and the "lifestyle".

1911s, OTOH, are the fastest guns in the race gun world. The enhanced pistol class at IDPA stuff finishes on top. So, you can't knock their performance once enough money and attention is spent on 'em.

Now, you might say "what's racing got to do with street bikes?" Yep, I agree. The Harley is a fine street bike. I can also say, "What's racing got to do with SD pistols, CCW?" I don't carry a race gun. I carry a DAO or DA, prefer it, personal preference I guess. I like having the hammer down and ready to rock and roll with a DA pull of the trigger, just like my revolvers.
 
Shoot one and you'll know.

First, the history of the gun. The fact that it served the US military in two world wars and beyond is a big part of its appeal.

Second, it's feel. The grip, its pointability and the recoil is not bad for such a large round as the 45ACP.

Third, it is a simple arm and easy to break down and work on.

Fourth, it is easy to modify to whatever task the shooter is after, from a range queen competition gun to a tactical police or military arm or home defense gun...the 1911 can be modded to more extents than any other pistol, period.

Fifth, it is a fairly accurate pistol and has a very crisp trigger. No double action pistol will ever have a let-off like a M1911 trigger...never. The trigger can be set really light for competition or heavier for police work.

Sixth, the 45ACP cartridge. Yeah, you can get the 45ACP in a Sig or other automatic, but only the 1911 allows for infinite adjustments/alterations for the shooter and the great trigger.

Seventh, people will poo-poo this, but I have found that the 1911 can be very reliable in all sorts of environments if it is set up properly. Most people that swear the 1911 is not reliable took one from the box, had a few jams and never sought out HOW to properly set up a M1911 for reliability. My 3 1911s have all been slightly tweaked and are very reliable pieces. Making a 1911 reliable is not complicated or expensive, either.

These are my reasons for having three 1911s and why I will always have a few in the safe and carry one often. Spend any amount of time with the platform and you'll see its attraction.

- Brickboy240
 
In a nutshell (for me): Ergonomics, manual of arms, trigger, accuracy, caliber, ease of maintenance, ability to customize, reliability, and esthetics. YMMV
 
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