Time for a change?

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Coinneach

Staff Alumnus
Disclaimer: First off, let me say that I think JM Browning was a genius.

However, when I have problems with every 1911 I get, well, I have to consider alternatives. After spending over $1200 on my truck in the last month, the last thing I need is another unreliable machine, like my Daly 1911A1 that failed to go into battery 75 times yesterday, and failed to extract the spent brass 16 times. (Contrast that with my Jennings 48, 0 malfunctions in 150 shots.)

So, I'm kind of maybe possibly considering...

(pregnant pause)

A Glock 36 (Foley artists, insert scary violin music here).

Or a 26 (please, no 9 vs .45 debates; I like both).

My honor, my principles... all vanishing like the BoR. I'm actually considering Tactical Tupperware! Egads, what next?!

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"America needs additional gun laws like a giraffe needs snow tires."
--Rabbi Mermelstein, JPFO


[This message has been edited by Coinneach (edited September 27, 1999).]
 
My experience with Glocks has been that they work and hit accurately enough for combat. .45 has advantage of being a "10-shot natural" with magazines at $25 vs. $80-100 for 9mm high-caps. OTOH, 9mm ball is cheaper for practice. Last, slower+heavier bullets will produce less noise if slightly heavier recoil than 9x19. For ammo, locally 230gr Winchester white box 50 rounds is $10 vs. 8.50 for 9x19, not much difference.
 
Since size seems to be a consideration in the candidates you mention, you can't go wrong with the Model 26. You know all the reasons and very low recoil to boot. In case I've misinterpreted, a great full size 45 is the CZ 97B. Extremely accurate, reliable, little recoil(it's so damn heavy). Anyway I'm very fond of both Glocks and CZ's.
 
Coinneach, don't give up on a 1911. go to your local gunshop and plunk down $470 for a Springfield MILSPEC M1911A1. Do not let a gunsmith touch it. Stick with Wilson 7 round magazines. Stick with 230 grain hardball and 230 grain hollowpoints with a hardball profile (Federal Hydrashok or Remington Golden Saber). You will be pleased. Mine goes bang EVERY time. Well, I did sort of "customize" mine a little bit -- I put some orange paint on the front sight post...
 
Leapfrog, that's exactly why I'm looking at the 26 and 36; my (short but wide) hands can't deal with a 29 or 30. The 36, being a single-stack, fits my hands much better than any other Glock; but 9mm is so cheap that I've included the 26 in my options. Besides, I can interchange ammo between the 26 and my Uzi.

Dogger, I haven't entirely given up on the 1911; I'm just frustrated with their (perceived, by me) quirks and pickiness.

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"America needs additional gun laws like a giraffe needs snow tires."
--Rabbi Mermelstein, JPFO
 
The 1911 is a sound design, but remember it is suppose to be a combat gun. Loose fitting parts = reliability under combat conditions. Also consider who fits the parts onto the gun has a lot to do with it.

Then when we add all match features (tightened slide, match barrel bushing, extended slide stops or safetys, extended mag release, etc.), we compromise on the reliability with regards to a combat weapon.

My own taste is to keep it very simple. I'll do a trigger job, install an ambidextreous safety (Colt type), polish the ramp, and if accuracy is wanting, install a tighter bushing. With specific magazines, test, test and test again with various loads for reliability.

You don't need to pour a fortune into a 1911 to make it work but many folks will buy stuff not because they need it but because they want it (and there's nothing wrong with that).

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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
 
Coinneach , get a Glock 30 or a Kimber!!!

compact_beauty.jpg
 
Shortfuse,

I keep the latest Kimber catalog on the back of the toilet (an old 3.5 gallon model! Take THAT, bunnyhuggers!). The Ultra Carry is one sweet looker.

The G30 is just too freakin' big for my hands. Glock's double-stackers are, FTMP, out of the picture entirely.

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"America needs additional gun laws like a giraffe needs snow tires."
--Rabbi Mermelstein, JPFO
 
Coinneach,
Get a grip on yourself man! Trade a 1911 for a piece of plastic? Blasphemy! Blasphemy, I say! :)

Seriously, I understand the Daly pistols are built to real tight tolerances and this may be your problem. If you like the 1911 design, take it to a good gunsmith and have him do a reliability job on it. You may lose a little accuracy, but on a defense gun reliability is more important. 4V50 Gary is right. The 1911 was designed to function with loose tolorances under battlefield conditions. Its a trade off, if you want total reliability, you may have to give a bit in accuracy. However, most can be very reliable and still maintain excellent combat accuracy.
 
Hi Coinneach,
I too have had real reliability issues with 1911's and in fact have sworn them off forever. I loved them dearly and spared little expense when it came to their care and feeding, but the relationship just didn't work.
Looked around the gun cabinet one day and noticed that the two semi-auto's that I owned that had never so much as hiccupped were a Browning Hi-Power 9mm and a Beretta .25acp. The Browning is now my semi of choice and our relationship couldn't be better.

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TJS
 
Grayfox,

The Daly is scary accurate, so I can afford to lose a bit. 1" groups at 20' give one a good margin for error. I'm changing out the PITA one-piece rod for an Ed Brown two-piece; hopefully this will loosen things up a bit (and make takedown easier).

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"America needs additional gun laws like a giraffe needs snow tires."
--Rabbi Mermelstein, JPFO
 
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