Your opinion of WWI era 1911s?
- Thread starter LAR-15
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XavierBreath
Member
My opinion. I want one. I want one badly. I gotta find a deal though.........
JonP
Member
I have a 1911 that was made in 1917. It's a tackdriver to this day.
Richard
Member
The early 1911s are beautifully made; if you find a blued version the finish is to die for. My friend owned a 1911 and I drooled every time I held it. Regards, Richard
tinygnat219
Member
Well,
Let's look at the guns of that era that were in use at the time:
USA: 1911, Colt 1917, S&W 1917. 2 of these are still in production. The 1911 is under manufacture by at least 10 companies off the top of my head, and S&W brought back the 1917 as a performance shop model.
Britain: Webley MK VI in .455, great revolver, production stopped in 1918, hasn't been seen since WWII.
Russia: 1895 Nagant Revolver. Still in use by some railway and rural police forces in Russia.
Germany: 1908 Luger. Still made, but serious use stopped after WWII.
Italy: Some 10.5 MM Revolver, or something like that.
Austria-Hungary. The Rast...
Of all the WWI pistols, the 1911 is still the only one in production and has been considered the best design of all time.
Yeah, I want one, want one bad...
Let's look at the guns of that era that were in use at the time:
USA: 1911, Colt 1917, S&W 1917. 2 of these are still in production. The 1911 is under manufacture by at least 10 companies off the top of my head, and S&W brought back the 1917 as a performance shop model.
Britain: Webley MK VI in .455, great revolver, production stopped in 1918, hasn't been seen since WWII.
Russia: 1895 Nagant Revolver. Still in use by some railway and rural police forces in Russia.
Germany: 1908 Luger. Still made, but serious use stopped after WWII.
Italy: Some 10.5 MM Revolver, or something like that.
Austria-Hungary. The Rast...
Of all the WWI pistols, the 1911 is still the only one in production and has been considered the best design of all time.
Yeah, I want one, want one bad...
Cosmoline
Member
I prefer the SIG 1911's from WWI
CountGlockula
Member
A treasure to own.
gggman
Member
I had a Colt made in 1917 that had been reblued, so I was able to get it cheap. I had it for a few years, and ended up selling it because I had an opportunity to make a pretty good profit, and because it didn't really fill any niche in my collection that wasn't already covered by another gun.
With hardball, it was absolutely reliable 100% of the time, but accuracy was less than stellar. For self defense purposes it would be fine, but at 50 ft., groups were 8-10". The grip safety was small, so it would sometimes bite, and the sights were very small and hard to see except in very good light.
I would offer the opinion that if you want one as a collector's piece, great. If you want a shooter, there are better 1911's to be had for less money.
With hardball, it was absolutely reliable 100% of the time, but accuracy was less than stellar. For self defense purposes it would be fine, but at 50 ft., groups were 8-10". The grip safety was small, so it would sometimes bite, and the sights were very small and hard to see except in very good light.
I would offer the opinion that if you want one as a collector's piece, great. If you want a shooter, there are better 1911's to be had for less money.
My early one is a 1913 shooter, stock. Trigger pull is 9 pounds, it has the patented invisible knife-blade front sight and shallow rounded notch rear, and shoots 6" high at normal ranges.
As Buffalo Bill (allegedly) said, "It never failed me".
I have a few "better" 1911s, but I would take this one to war without any reservations...
As Buffalo Bill (allegedly) said, "It never failed me".
I have a few "better" 1911s, but I would take this one to war without any reservations...
BC Mike
Member
Quote "The early 1911s are beautifully made; if you find a blued version the finish is to die for. My friend owned a 1911 and I drooled every time I held it. Regards, Richard"
I understand it's the drool that actually helps these pistols to keep that superb bluing over so many years.
Seriously tho, how do you properly use the quote function? I'm new here and don't know. On my other forums there is a "quote" button.
Thanks,
Mike
I understand it's the drool that actually helps these pistols to keep that superb bluing over so many years.
Seriously tho, how do you properly use the quote function? I'm new here and don't know. On my other forums there is a "quote" button.
Thanks,
Mike
BC Mike
Member
Quote: "My early one is a 1913 shooter, stock. Trigger pull is 9 pounds, it has the patented invisible knife-blade front sight and shallow rounded notch rear, and shoots 6" high at normal ranges".
The enemy was taller back then
The enemy was taller back then
Joe Demko
Member
Where are Lugers still made? I'd like to have a new one.
Golddog
Member
The older Colts had sights that were virtually useless. Nostalgia hardly compensates for that. Get an updated 1911 - there a good reasons why people make those instead of the old style guns.
yhtomit
Member
BCMike:
Select the text you want to quote (after pasting it in, or tapping it in), then click the "quote balloon" in the row of icons above the text-entry area where you write a reply.
One day I'll illustrate with screenshots, because this is a frequently asked and answered question, but as the saying goes (or at least is paraphrased), "Past the nipple, nothing's intuitive."
timothy
Select the text you want to quote (after pasting it in, or tapping it in), then click the "quote balloon" in the row of icons above the text-entry area where you write a reply.
One day I'll illustrate with screenshots, because this is a frequently asked and answered question, but as the saying goes (or at least is paraphrased), "Past the nipple, nothing's intuitive."
timothy
Kimber1911_06238
Member
I'd love to have one
jaydubya
Member
When my father-in-law, first sgt of his company in France, was mustered out in 1919, he bought his 1911 for $25. He soon became a federal agent (postal inspector), and carried it as his personal weapon. His daughter still describes how her father could keep a can in the air for an entire magazine load. He later was bodyguard for a supreme court justice, and then went as high up in the Postal Department as a civil servant could at the time -- GS 16. When he retired in 1958, he was Director of Finance. Thereafter, having lived a long and lively life, he died at almost 101. He (and his wife) now reside in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery up on Point Loma, overlooking San Diego. The pistol then came into our possession. My wife elected to sell it about ten years ago to a local gun store for $200. I tried to talk her out of it, but could not. Sad story, right?
Cordially, Jack
Cordially, Jack
Peter M. Eick
Member
While I recognize that the older steel is not as good as today's, if I could afford a nice one, I would buy it. I don't shoot any one gun enough to really wear it out anymore so no harm in shooting one.
The fit/finish/polish/blueing of a really nice commercial grade pre-ww1 colt is amazing. I have seen a few over the years down at collector's here in houston and know what I would do if I won the lottery!
The fit/finish/polish/blueing of a really nice commercial grade pre-ww1 colt is amazing. I have seen a few over the years down at collector's here in houston and know what I would do if I won the lottery!
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Soft steel, so limit the shooting and only those that either have a known history or that have been thoroughly checked out and given a clean bill of health...by somebody who knows what they're lookin' at.
Here's an original/correct 1919 Colt that'll stay inside of 4 inches at 50 yards from the bags with PMC or Winchester Q45 ball. It'll also feed and function with H&G #68 200-grain LSWCs and any good hollowpoint ammo...from the original "Hardball Only" magazines. I replaced all springs, and fitted a small-radius firing pin stop to reduce the slide to frame impact...and kept the original parts, of course. In the background is an original 1945 production Remington Rand that'll handle the same ammo as slick as green grease thru a loose goose.
And,no....neither pistol is rattletrap loose.
Here's an original/correct 1919 Colt that'll stay inside of 4 inches at 50 yards from the bags with PMC or Winchester Q45 ball. It'll also feed and function with H&G #68 200-grain LSWCs and any good hollowpoint ammo...from the original "Hardball Only" magazines. I replaced all springs, and fitted a small-radius firing pin stop to reduce the slide to frame impact...and kept the original parts, of course. In the background is an original 1945 production Remington Rand that'll handle the same ammo as slick as green grease thru a loose goose.
And,no....neither pistol is rattletrap loose.
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