Why choose a 1911?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Why a 1911?

It's historic design has been proven over the past 100 + years.
It shoots a great big 45 caliber bullet. (compared to wimpy-sized little 380s or 9mm - not that I'd wanna get shot with a 380 or 9 - jus' sayin')

And to me it just looks cool! :D
I can pick mine up tomorrow
 
OP, forget the myths and history and all that jazz. To really know, you need to shoot one and then find out for yourself. I've owned many other different brands and configurations of handguns over the years and I always prefer the 1911 for every defensive need.
 
Many say the 1911 is great because of the caliber which is moot today given all the other options for the round. The slim profile a 1911 is negated by its height and length for CC in my opinion. Modern 1911s are far more reliable than in the past but still aren't in the same class as other newer designs in .45 such as Glock or HK. Their nice triggers will go totally unnoticed if pulled while pumped up on the adrenaline of a gun fight. To me though the biggest drawback of a 1911 is low capacity. There are tons of potential scenarios for which higher capacity is a benefit. There may also be scenarios for which 12-15 rounds is no better than 7 but there are none for which higher capacity is worse.
 
This is my OPINION. I have several Govt size 1911s that I carry daily.

Pros- weight reduces recoil
barrel length adds to accuracy
caliber is excellent
very easy to customize
proven design through many years of combat

Cons- low capacity (most gun fights end before 7rds are fired)
weight and size make it harder to conceal
 
Well, there have been a bunch of posts as to the reasons for a 1911.

IMHO, the MAIN reason is a 1911 just feels right in your hand. It also looks right, shoots right, acts right, carries right, and is a thing of beauty and worthy of my/our admiration.

That said, I'm saving my pennies for one of the new Ruger Stainless Steel 1911's. I have yet to see one in person, but the time is a commin!
 
JustinJ said:
The slim profile a 1911 is negated by its height and length for CC in my opinion.
Click to expand...

The height isn't that tall compared to many other popular pistols. While the length is pretty long, that is the least critical dimension for CCW.

I am surprised that the "CCO" style pistols aren't more popular right now. Officers frame (~0.5" less height but -1 round) and a Commanders slide (4.25" barrel or 0.75" less length).
Instead, we see pistols made with stubby barrels but a full length grip. Not only does it look awkward to me, but keeping the full length grip means it doesn't hide any better than the Government model...
 
True.

But the Glocks lower weight helps holsters keep it tight, as long as you don't carry it at 3oclock it's not a big deal.

Only the tail of the frame, the part that gets bobbed on custom 1911's, is noticeably worse to conceal on a Glock. The overall thickness is about the same. But only if you drop down to a .40 caliber, not .45.

My point is that CCO's would be out of stock everywhere if it wasn't for Kahr, Glock, etc. Even though a CCO will outshoot most plasic pistols around it's size. I really want a DW Vbob or Guardian, but my Glock 23 is about the same size and lighter. When I carry fulsize, I only carry 1911's.
 
Last edited:
A 1911 is an elegant machine. As a whole it is quite possible the most ergonomic, best fitting gun I've ever held. The trigger is another plus, as is the abundance of aftermarket parts available to customize it to fit ones needs even more closely.

Personally, it just fits me. A 1911 just seems to "fall" into the right place in my hand without even trying. That, and they're just sexy.
 
Zerodefect said:
...But the Glocks lower weight helps holsters keep it tight, as long as you don't carry it at 3oclock it's not a big deal.

Only the tail of the frame, the part that gets bobbed on custom 1911's, is noticeably worse to conceal on a Glock....
Click to expand...
Never been an issue for me. I carry conceal whenever I legally can (trips to Arizona or Nevada, mostly), and I most often carry a commander or CCO size, steel, 1911 in an IWB holster (a Milt Sparks Versa Max 2). I find it comfortable to carry and satisfactory to conceal.

I basically find the fat grip of the Glock unsatisfactory, both for carry and shooting.
 
Is the trigger feel universal regardless of manufacture? I know it's different in its design being a straight pull back, but it wwould seem strange that no matter what, they all feel alike with so many variants. Never really looked that closely at the 1911 types to notice that.
 
steelbird said:
Is the trigger feel universal regardless of manufacture? I know it's different in its design being a straight pull back, but it wwould seem strange that no matter what, they all feel alike with so many variants. Never really looked that closely at the 1911 types to notice that.
Click to expand...

No. Trigger feel can vary wildly. But replacing the trigger parts is quite easy if you have an Ed Brown Sear Jig. Wilsons highest grade sear is my favorite.

But, the 1911's SA trigger is so far ahead of everything else out there, even the mediocre triggers feel awesome next to a Glock or Kahr.
 
Fair enough. No one has been at the feed ramp on my gun.

Which magazines do I need in order to feed semi wadcutters reliably? I have two stock Para mags; 8 rounders with shaped plastic followers, and 3 Chip McCormick Shooting Stars; 8 rounders with dual flat steel followers. Neither of them will feed semi wadcutters.

I think it is ridiculous that stock mags wouldn't be reliable with all types of ammo. No other gun I've had is sensitive to that with quality factory mags. (Hi-Power, Ruger P90, Bersa 83, Glock 34, Taurus PT92, CZ 97B ...)
Click to expand...

I have 4 Wilson Combat 500 Elite Tactical Magazines and they have no trouble feeding lead semi wad cutters in my Springfield Armory Loaded model.
 
I recently (within the last few months) started carrying my 1911 over my revolvers and sig.
Some of the advantages:
-Much easier to conceal because of width.
-Much easier to carry extra mags.
-Muzzle means business, absolutely no BS.

Some of the disadvantages:
-You'll feel bad having to keep it holstered all the time.
-Ammo isn't cheap.

All kidding aside, they're complete no nonsense weapons. And the safety issue is BS as far as I'm concerned. You can have the safety off before you clear leather or by the time you're on target.
 
Do you feel like lighting rod yet?

Few subjects invite enthusiasm like anything resembling the M1911A1!

I remember in the mid 1980's when the subject of a new service pistol was brought up. The 1911's in our arms room were trash. I think we had every WWII maker except Singer represented. They had been cleaned and handled to death. But God forbid talk of replacing them!

Having grown up with the 1911 so to speak I was among the saved. Years later I have two comments:

If you you elect to shoot a single action/manual safety, squeeze cocker or something other than point and pull: then confine yourself to that species.

The .45 ACP/Auto Rim, .45 Colt, .44 Special class of cartridge is a fine thing and worthy of one's trust.

Mine for the last few years has been a Kahr P-45. In the jacket season perhaps one of choice of N-frames.

You are what you train and I am a convert to draw-aim-pull, no additional steps for this seasoned citizen.
 
Zerodefect said:
I am so not useing my Thumb Safety to pound out my Mainspring Housing Pin.""
Click to expand...

I use my thumb safety to get my mainspring housing pin out about 75% of the time. I don't hammer on it with my slide, though. I don't hammer on it with anything. I just put upward pressure on the MSH by pushing on the bottom edge of the MSH (the butt of the pistol) on the edge of a table, while using the thumb safety to push out the MSH pin at the same time. It takes far less force if you relieve some of that tension. The thumb safety doesn't have any finish left on the pin part, but I've never been worried that it will snap. I suppose it could, but I'm careful to do things right and not resort to brute force.

To the OP, 1911's are a design that can be best appreciated by shooting them. Try one out. Preferably a decent one, with a proper magazine (some rentals can be finicky). I don't know if you have shot any .45acp and if you havent, shoot some gun in 45 beside a 1911, then shoot a 1911. You'll notice how well the 1911 handles the round. When I first shot one, I was amazed at the accuracy, as well as how quickly the pistol got back on target.
 
Last edited:
I have carried a lot of different guns, and I came back to the 1911. To be perfectly blunt, it's the only design I really bother with anymore. I have some friends that carry other models, and I do shoot them to familiarize myself with them, but I have no desire to run buy them. There are a few lingering guns I like well enough to own them, A G-17, a K-frame, a Python, A USP, etc, but it would just be to have them.

I shoot a 1911 better than anything else. A lot of it is the trigger, but I love the rest of how it handles as well. If there is another gun/cartridge with a longer or more proven track record, I can't think of what it is.

As for capacity......meh. We don't live in MelGibsonLand where you crank of fifteen straight without a chance to reload. I carry spare mags, but they are more to clear a malfunction than to have more bullets. If I am fighting for my life with a handgun, I will wish I had a rifle. If I am trying to do something with a handgun that requires more than 8+1......that's just another reason I should have brought a rifle.

I do have a Para that holds 15. I don't see it as enough of an advantage to need to switch it out.
 
I'll offer a different perspective. I'm not interested in blowing people away but enjoy punching paper. There simply is not another gun in .45 that is as accurate as the 1911 platform when its been tuned right, with the possible exception of the Pardini GT45. When you need tight groupings at 50 yards for competition, an XD or a glock won't get there, neither will the majority of off-the-shelf 1911's. I think the 1911 is a winner because its a PLATFORM that can be developed on, just like the AR-15. That freedom of development gives one the ability to find exactly what they want in a pistol. In my case, it was accuracy and my Les Baer has it guaranteed.
 
couple of reasons come to mind:

I can count on it

I can shoot it reasonably well

You know, confidence grounded in experience can be a game changer.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

K
  • Locked
Why SAO
Replies
11
Views
697
k9870
K
J
  • Locked
1911 build options?
2 3
Replies
63
Views
3K
justin22885
J
T
  • Locked
Concealed Carry Question
Replies
24
Views
2K
Terence
T
C
  • Locked
Why a grip safety on a 1911?
2
Replies
47
Views
4K
Sam
S
C
  • Locked
Can It be Done???
Replies
9
Views
433
Kramer Krazy
K
Back
Top