Allure of the 1911

10mm and 38Super are the only two center fire cartridges besides .45acp that I'd consider for the 1911.
 
Last edited:
Quite by accident, I discovered something about 1911s. I'm one of the old guys, I shot my first .45 1911 more than 67 years ago. Didn't like it. Several months ago the owner of my LGS suggested a Springfield RangeOfficer 1911 9mm. I liked it. But, had several SIGs with better triggers.

Then decided to shoot .45, bought two SIG 1911s. Great guns! Had my local gunsmith work on the RangeOfficer trigger. It's better than a SIG X-6 L1. Well, m/b as good. Introduced to H&K .45s. Great triggers, soft shooters.

Being an old, old guy I can't stand, or walk too well, so I do a lot of shooting sitting. I can shoot standing for short stretches. Began to try shooting one handed, off hand, standing; the old bulls eye style. Found with the 1911s, my accuracy is better than with my other guns. Sometimes, it's better than shooting two handed, off hand, standing with the other guns.

1911s forever!
 
Would you consider a 1911 in anything other than 45?
Click to expand...
Sure, why not? The 1911 is a great gun in any caliber. I've got a number of .45s, a 9mm, a .22, and a custom Colt .38 Super that is also fitted with 9mm and 9x23 Winchester barrels. Each one has it's place.
 
The Allure of the 1911 ...

I think the allure is, ... beautiful and sexy and hot.

All of them, all of the time.

Colt Delta Elite.


WW1 Colt 1911


Colt M45A1 (Marine Rail gun).


1932 Colt Commercial.


Colt New Agent


:cool:
 
Well, I took a trip to the LGS this morning to check out the stock. I'll be dipped if a Sig Nightmare didn't jump in my truck. Had to replace the Sig I gave my daughter. . .
 
You can't beat a great 1911 trigger. Once you get used to it, nearly everything else feels like junk.
 
You can't beat a great 1911 trigger. Once you get used to it, nearly everything else feels like junk.
Click to expand...

Well not everything ...... SA revovlers (or good DA's in SA mode) are close enough not to be "junk"! :D
 
^^^^^ill give you that. I have a s&w 19 that SA mode from the factory is every bit as good as my best 1911 trigger, but it is very close!
 
pylonguy said:
To all the 1911 aficionados out there:

Would you consider a 1911 in anything other than 45?
10mm? 9mm?

And why, or why not?
Click to expand...

Adding onto that....Would you consider a 1911 in any barrel length other than 5"? Do you prefer Commander or Officer's type pistols over the original design?
 
Adding onto that....Would you consider a 1911 in any barrel length other than 5"? Do you prefer Commander or Officer's type pistols over the original design?
Click to expand...

For shooting, I prefer a 5" (never shot a Longslide, maybe they are even nicer?) ..... for Carry, the EMP is a 3" and is wonderfull to carry ...... ideally, I think an EMP with a 4" barrel would be perfect (if the barrel was threaded).
 
PylonGuy said:
Would you consider a 1911 in anything other than 45?
10mm? 9mm?
Click to expand...

The only 1911 I've got, or will probably ever have (and the only semi-auto I've got) is a 10mm Kimber Eclipse Custom II. It's my EDC (pajamas-off to pajamas-on), except when the bears are awake, and then it's a S&W69 4-1/4" 5-shot .44mag.
 
My uncle gave a 1911 in 38 super, and it is by far the best shooting pistol I own. Recoil is a breeze, and 38 super is a nice performing cartridge. COM shooting at 30 yards is as fast as you can pull the trigger.

Really a lovely gun.
 
Shooting is something I do for enjoyment so all of my handguns except two of them I use in a defense role are very specifically for enjoyment exclusively. To that end, I much prefer full-sized handguns or larger.

So in a 1911, I might bring home a 4" if it was a fine deal but I would never choose it over a full 5" and I simply wouldn't have a use for or a reason to ever buy one shorter.

Love shooting a 1911 and love to own them and chase them, but have zero desire to carry one. Only one slight exception, and that is for BBQ-type carry. For that I will carry my Coonan in a Zlogonje shark skin OWB holster. It's not exactly flashy for a BBQ rig but then, I really don't do "flashy" in anything. So in that role, it works.
http://www.zlogonje.com/blog1.php
 
Jmstr said:
And I even hear revolver guys describe the single action pull of a da/sa revolver in comparison to a 1911.
Click to expand...

The SA trigger on my S&W69 (5-shot DA/SA .44mag), after a trigger job, is even better than the trigger on my 10mm 1911 Kimber Eclipse (also after a trigger job). I had previously set the trigger of my 1911 at 2-1/2lbs, quite a while ago, but recently I got a hammer-follow (down to half-cock) at the range, when I was chambering a first round. That's normally prevented by the fact that I stay off the grip-lever while chambering the first round (and in all other handling, except when actually ready to shoot), but I had tested it right after I set it at 2-1/2lbs for hammer-follow WITH the grip-lever compressed, just in case someone else who might be shooting my gun chambered that way, and it was OK. But recently, I had to increase my recoil spring to 20 lbs,from the stock 18.5 lbs (because I was seeing some excessive wear on my gun), and that apparently causes the slide to slam home enough harder to cause the hammer-follow. And apparently I wasn't completely off the grip-lever after all, or it couldn't have hammer-followed, regardless of how hard the slide slammed home. I think other contributing factors were that all the sear spring legs had weakened just a bit over time (including the leg that pushes the grip-lever aft) ... the trigger had decreased to about 2-1/4 lbs, and the grip-lever didn't resist being compressed as much as before. So I increased the trigger to about 3 lbs, and haven't been able to provoke a hammer-follow since then. It's still a very nice 1911 trigger, though.

My M69's trigger is at 2-1/2 lbs, and it feels better than my 1911 did, even when the 1911 was down at 2-1/4 lbs. I think maybe the reason is that revolver triggers can have zero "take-up" ... the trigger can be touching the sear before you even touch the trigger, and a semi-auto (even a 1911) has to have a least a little take-up, to prevent hammer-follow, and to allow proper trigger resetting. And on a 1911, compared to a revolver, there's just some other stuff involved in addition to the trigger, sear, and hammer (like the disconnector) ... more opportunities for some extra "play" here and there. But I DO think 1911 triggers, especially after a good trigger job to smooth and lighten the trigger, are lots better than any other semi-auto.
 
I just ordered two 1911s a few minutes ago: a RIA 1911 MS Tactical II 2011 in 9mm, and an American Classic 1911 Commander in 45ACP. I'm excited, as I've never 'messed' with a 1911, other than looking at and handling them in gun stores. There was a time where I had ZERO interest in 1911s, so these two are going to be pretty interesting for me. It's threads like this one that have gradually stirred my interest toward 1911s. I was on the fence on which caliber I wanted but figured I could buy one of each and see which I liked better...if I don't like one of them, I can sell it once I'm settled in California (these are not available to CA citizens via retailers).

I can't wait to receive them!
 
PSP said:
The 1911 has lost it's luster with me. I'm just not all that enamored with it these days. There are other newer, more modern guns that do the same task better and easier IMHO. Never a bad gun, the 1911, just showing it's age.
Click to expand...
Much as I hate to, I am inclined to agree. Colt had the perfect historic time to update the 1911 about 3 years ago (2011) and blew it.
I'd love to get another 1911 with the following updates...
  • a True ambidextrous 'lefty friendly' safety, not something cobbled together that has to be held on by a hollowed out grip.
  • an external extractor, every other manufacturer seems to have no problems with these in any and every caliber, but the 1911 needs a 'tuned', machined bit of steel.
  • a barrel that doesn't require a bushing, again 'every other manufacturer..."
 
I love 1911s but until 2011 there was no 1911s that fit my set up. All of my Guns are 45-70, 357 magnum 12ga and 22. I did not need more 22s so I just planned on not having a 1911 until I heard of Coonan. I fell in love originally when I saw it online. Even today 4 years later it is still my favorite handgun to shoot.
 
Barrel length: 5" is easiest and most forgiving. 4.25 seems close. 3.5" will always be somewhat sensitive, in my 1 gun experience.

I'm afraid of 3"....I know some run, but worry mine would not.

45 vs.... I'm sure all can run, but with the big frame, 10mm, 38 super and 45 are best fit.
 
I've owned a large variety of guns from different brands, in different calibers and in different sizes. The 1911 feels and shoots the best. I've owned about a dozen of them in 45acp and they never malfunctioned. I wouldn't own one in any caliber other than 45acp because it's an accurate round. It's been very accurate in Glocks, Rugers, Springfield XDs, S&Ws, 1911s of different brands, etc.

Why do I like 1911s? They shoot well, have a fantastic trigger, feel great in the hand and look great although that's at the bottom of the list. I don't care about the history at all and actually don't like GI 1911s because of the hammer bite I receive from every one of them them due to my high hold and thumbs forward grip. I might buy the new CZ 1911 though because it should be made pretty well.


My favorite 1911? My DW Valor.
SowhvWD.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top