Anybody else intentionally missing a 1911 in their collection?

Doug29,

"it will never fail."

Not to be a nudge, but your comment about the reliability of the 1911 design is FAR from the truth in my experience, both from conversing and shooting with the many people who have owned them and working behind the counter of several gunshops over the years.

The biggest problem? People not doing a detail strip, cleaning, and relubrication on a new gun.

Second biggest? Normal break-in requirements.

Third biggest? The fact that some 1911s will just not feed anything other than standard hardball reliably without some reworking.

I'm lucky, I think. My 1911 Sprinfield MilSpec has been exceptionally reliable. Its only true bobbles were when I shot the thing dry in an extended two day match, and the fact that it just doesn't like hollowpoints all that much. It will bobble at least once a magazine on most HPs.

But, since I don't use it for carry, but mainly for bowling pin shooting with RN ammo, I don't really care much about that.

In my experience it is a VERY uncommon 1911 design that will bobble with roundnose ammo, but it's not uncommon to find a 1911 design that has problems feeding hardball ammo, especially if they are built to military specs.

But, then again, that's just my experience.
 
How much of my handgun collection????? lol... MOST of it. Well.. now that I count... 75%... 5 different 45s, a .38 Super and a very cut down STI 9mm. What percentage of my SHOOTING time do they get? 97% Another 2% goes to the 2 Hi-Powers. The 2 Pythons get the remainder.

I shoot the 1911s almost exclusivly because I shoot them the best. I've tried the tupperware. eh? ok.. they shoot. Just never turned my crank. Was forced to shoot a Glock 21 in a match recently. (surprise stage) Man that thing felt like a brick in my hand. And that trigger.... I thought it was NEVER going to go off. For those of you that love 'um, great. More power to ya. Just doesn't work for me. HK USP is ok. Still not real fond of that trigger. Probably why I sold it. SIG... yeah... again. Nice... but not the same as a fine tuned 1911 trigger.

Bottom line... it ain't the gun, its the shooter. Any gun will do ...if you will do... I just DO better with a 1911 from Baer or Wilson. :)

Bubba
 
I owned a Colt series 80 for seven months and 900 rounds. It felt wonderful in my hands, I enjoyed the mechanical design, I am a "cleaning nut" so I kept it meticulous, and just LOOKING at it. I'd see WW II documentaries and be delighted to see a GI with one ("I've got one of those too!") But................

I tried and tried to be a good shot with it, never was. Those 900 rounds were in the first four months, the last three it just sat while I tried to figure out what to do with it.

I got tired of the heavy recoil, slow target reacquisition,
jams, stovepipes, and feed failures. I have put almost 1500 rounds thru my Makarov with zero problems. The Colt cost $475, the Mak $100. If I needed to grab a gun for protection it sure wouldn't have been the Colt. Seven totally reliable shots in one, who knows with the other.

I too wanted to just keep it for its history but thats alot of money to just sit there. I admire guys that are loyal to 1911's and can make them work, but I never could.

If I were rich I'd like to have one, as a piece of history, but my money has to go with what I can shoot.
 
1911

I'm sorry, but I can't understand the problems with reliability. Must be my luck! My military 1911 (circa 1942) feeds speer's 200 gr. "Flying Ashtray" without a bobble. And shoots into less than 2 inches at 25 yards. Oh, I DID have a problem, when I first started using the pistol. Someone talked me into using shok-buffs and an 18.5 recoil spring. As soon as I tossed the shok-buffs and went back to the stock 16 lb. spring the problems disappeared. My Springfield 1911A1 has always been totally reliable. Both shoot HP's as well as hardball. I would guess that poor magazines are the source of most problems. I had two that gave me problems, so installed Wilson springs and followers and they work perfectly now. Good magazines are a necessity for ALL semi-auto's! But none of this is "Black Magic!" The operation of a 1911 is simple and straight-forward.
 
Ding dong, the Colt is gone, the chunky Colt, the hefty colt... Ding dong, the 9mil Colt is gone.

Hey, I think did pretty well at the gunshow this morning.

I took the Series 80 Commander and brought home not one, not two, but three handguns in it's place!

So... do any of y'all have any info/comments on Jennings, Lorcin and, let's see, oh yeah, Bryco?

The dealer I hornswaggled (he thought he was going to get the better of me, I bet), sure didn't want to let go of those jewels. The pink grips on the Lorcin really set it off too!
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I'm kidding! I sold the Colt outright for a $5 loss, can't win 'em all... :D
 
I intentionally have never bought/owned a 1911. I have shot and rented many, but I just don't like them. I don't like the (more difficult) field stripping, shaky out of the box reliability (in my experience), and I just don't want to have to gunsmith it to get it to function correctly--as most Colts require from my experience. The 1911 might be a good design, but it is not for me......
 
Hmmmm. I opened up the vault and checked. Of the 9 45s in there, only 5 are of the 1911 format. The others: two S&Ws, one Glock, and one Sig. Does this seem disproportional? Maybe if my grandpa hadn't have carried one around on a daily basis...or if I hadn't learned from an early age to take one apart and put it back together, or....huh. In fact, I'm carrying one RIGHT NOW! 'nuff said....stay safe
 
There's no question that the 1911 is not for everyone. Yeah, it sometimes takes some tinkering to get it reliable. The field stripping can be difficult at first, with plugs and springs flying everywhere. But, it's a great gun for tinkerers. If a gun is ONLY a tool for you, then get a Glock or Sig. For me, part of the fun of the 1911 is tinkering with it -- getting it to shoot 100% reliably with everything. Lightening and cleaning up the trigger so that it breaks like glass. Learning how to work on the 1911 made me a better shot. That's why there are a range of guns to buy. Not everyone has the same needs or wants. But, when you get the 1911 reliable, it is 100%.
 
I have 2 Colt 1991A1's, one with the Colt
.22 conversion..
I don't shoot them much anymore.
I prefer the HK's but my wife won't let me
sell the 1911's...can you believe that..she loves the
way they feel in her hand..
Oh well I guess they will stay..
 
Doug 29 said:
It does take a little time and dedication to learn to shoot, but then you'll fall in love with the gun! I learned using handloads with little recoil. After a while, full power loads felt the same and were fun to shoot... See the different recoil of the sharp snap of most calibers versus the push of the .45!
Click to expand...

Funny how some folks get "1911" and ".45" so inextricably entwined. "You don't have a 1911?!?! Come on, the big ole .45 doesn't kick that hard, little lady!" :) Actually, I've got nothing against the caliber: 25%, 1/4th, 2 out of 8 handguns I own are .45's. It's just that they're a G30 and a 625-4... ;) Neither of which has as much recoil as my 10mm or .44 Magnum... :D

I don't currently own a 1911, though. I've owned a bunch and sure do miss my last one; that ParaOrdnance P-12.45 was a sweet, sweet pistol. I'll probably get another one sooner or later...
 
I have a Colt Officer's model (Elite). Have contemplated the purchase of a full-size gun in the 1911 format; heavily thinking about Kimber, perhaps Wilson Combat.

I think any well-rounded personal battery would have such a gun represented in it. From a logistics/familiarity stand-point, ammo, gunsmiths, repair parts, etc., one cannot go wrong.


























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0%, I had a SA Milspec that I bought used. The previous owner had done a little work on it, grips, polished ramp, better sights and extended safety. Gun was 100% reliable with everything I fed it. But just could not get turned on. Traded it on a Glock. Now if you want a Browning design, give me Hi-Power. My only 45 is a S&W M1917.
 
Sorry to hear about all the lonely guns out there with no 1911 to talk to.

Every collection should have at least one, IMHO, just to make all the fancy "Yuppie pistols" have something to measure themselves against.

I even like the new composite 1911s. They're welcome in my collection too.
 
To borrow (and change) a movie quote, "The 1911; an elegant weapon from a more civilized time" In looking at the original question, my collection is 100% John Browning autos, although one of them is a Hi-Power (Yes, I know about the Frenchman at FN who finished the design after JMB passed on. **moment of silence** ) I've been completely seduced by the 1911 design, even though I'm a youngster under 25. They fit my hand, they point naturally, they shoot well, and recoil on the 5" guns is, dare I say, pleasant. A full size Springfield will replace my BHP as my carry gun as soon as the holster gets here. The design suits me, but to each his/her own.
 
At least 50% are 1911's. They now get 90% of range time (with Glocks and BHP getting the rest). When I started shooting I didn't like some of the eliteist vibes that some of the 1911 shooters gave.

As I progressed, I centered in on Glocks as I found that I could shoot them pretty fast. I continued in competition (IDPA) and discovered why 1911's are shot by some of the best.

For me, they're just easier to shoot fast and accurately. The trigger has a really short reset, and the consistency is great.

I am fortunate enough to afford good 1911's. The good ones shoot well out of the box (after a few hundred rounds).

So for this shooter I've just evolved to the 1911. I shoot it best and it fits.

With that said, I know some guys who shoot pretty well with DA/SA guns, and kick my butt at the IDPA matches.

But don't let the eliteists turn you off. The 1911 really has something to offer if you are willing to practice with it.
 
I guess about 1/3 ofmy collection is the old 1911. And yes, I own several Sigs,Berettas,Glocks, etc, just like most of you. I guess my favorite is still the 1911. Though I will readily admit I have owned several in the past that wouldn't feed,hold a 3" group,or was just plain finicky. But I've bought more then one car that wasn't too hot either. Reckon experimenting is half the fun sometime.
 
1911 missing??????

Why? Now I may be biased here. The 1911 is a fine weapon. If it were not it would not still be here today. Now some like them some don't. I love em.
All the 1911's I've seen that didn't run right were because they were...
A: Using mags marked "Made in Tiawan".
B: Trying to get the biggest Hollowpoint they could to feed out of the crappy mag. SEE A.
C: A freind of a freind who "knew what he was doing" made some "modifications" to their gun.
The 1911 is not for everyone but it works for me.
I hate to say this but I really like my Beretta 92....:(
I always feel somehow guilty when I type that;0
45automan
 
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