Why do people swear by 1911's?

Easiest semi-auto pistol for me to shoot. Easiest pistol with which to train my kids. Still the pistol I reach for when I want to show off by shooting stuff at 100yds.
I don't care about it's history, nor do I care about some old WWII-era clunker. My first 1911 was a 1997 Clackamas Oregon Kimber classic and I fell in love with it. I was coming from SA/DA revolvers and Glock 19. In around 2000 I bought a Kimber Pro Carry - which to this day I think is the best shooting concealed weapon I've ever used.

I would start kids with a 22lr pistol. When safe and proficient , I would give them a choice between the G19 or the full-size Kimber. They would always choose the Glock because they saw them on TV. Not one kid could shoot the Glock worth beans. Once they were frustrated I would switch them to the 1911 and they were hooked! Really put my Dillon SDB to use..

That old Kimber went to my oldest daughter. The Pro-Carry went to the middle daughter. The Glock went to my son. And I'm into M&P40 compact right now - but it is nowhere near as accurate as the Kimber.

I thought about a 1911 in 10mm - who knows..
 
jmr40 said:
But the legend of the 1911 is more mythology than fact. Much of what Cooper wrote about both the 1911 and 45 ACP was fiction, but at least 2 generations of shooters were heavily influenced by what he wrote.
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Care to elaborate?
 
Because some guy named Jeff Cooper spilled barrels of ink extolling the virtues of the 1911 while denigrating the Crunch Tickers (9 mm's) as worthless junk. Never mind that the 1911 has been modified so many times by so many gunsmiths...kinda like Glock Perfection....they are now on Gen. 5...so much for perfection.
 
For the same reason I love the Colt SAA in revolvers. They always work, great trigger, accurate, I understand how they work and can disassemble and reassemble myself and can improve them with modifications I can do myself. Fired my first one at 18, as an Army Private in MP school. Been a fan ever since.
 
1. Because they work really well for some people.

2. Because they are a solid and established design that has been tinkered with, modified, and perfected over a century of use. It would be more surprising if that kind of attention did NOT result in a handgun that attracted dedicated followers than that it has.

3. Because they have an impressive history. I don't have any interest in owning a 1911, but even I can see the appeal in owning and carrying a handgun invented by Browning himself, that served the U.S. military for many decades through two world wars, and even now, over 100 years later is still commonly used for serious competition and social work.

4. Because dad, uncle, grandfather, my favorite fictional character, my favorite competitive shooter, my favorite gun writer, the guy at the gun store that seems knowledgeable says they are awesome.

I'm not claiming that's a complete list...
 
I own 1 1911, with 2 different barrels so i need to have more than 1 1911, not to say i wouldn't mind having a Coonan 357 and/or a LAR Grizzly.
 
jmr40 said:
I've sworn more at them than by them. I've had more malfunctions from 1911's than everything else combined. But for nostalgic reasons I've had many over the years. I gave both of my kids one when they moved out and still have 2 of my own.

But the legend of the 1911 is more mythology than fact. Much of what Cooper wrote about both the 1911 and 45 ACP was fiction, but at least 2 generations of shooters were heavily influenced by what he wrote.

For many types of competition a 1911 is still as good as it gets. But as a viable gun for LE, HD, and military use it was passed by 70 years ago
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jmr...I agree with most of what you say, good post...the 1911 is easiest for me to shoot well of any handgun but I have had more malfunctions with it than any other until I found the magazines one or the other liked.

Curious about the "fiction" in Jeff Cooper's praise of the 1911. Can you elaborate, please?
 
After 40 years of shooting revolvers I finally went back and shot a 1911. Wow! It just fit my hand right and I shoot some amazing groups. I never experienced a jam. The fit and finish were excellent and I like the .45.

When Jeff Cooper was comparing .45 to 9 mm the 9s were dismal for self defense. Today the 9s have mush better bullet designs and are a good man stopper but back then nothing beat the .45 for one stop shootings.
 
Nick_C_S said:
I'm a revolver guy.

And no gun - NO GUN - feels better in my hand than a 1911. They are so natural and easy to shoot. They are special. I have three 1911's.

If that wasn't enough (it is), as a handloader of ammunition, the 45 ACP round is fun and easy to craft.

What a fantastic gun! I really have no desire to shoot any other semi-auto.

Thank you John Moses Browning.
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I hear ya Brother!
 
I third that Carl , it truly a bad ass pistol . You can completely tare it down without any special tools , I love em from the 3" to the 5 .
 
100 years +

The most intriguing aspect of the 1911 is that the handgun is still being made,
by MULTIPLE manufacturers. It's contemporaries have long since passed, one cannot buy a new Luger P08, a Borchardt, a Mauser C96. a Savage 1907.

But you can go get a 1911.

Some are made right down the road, in Huntsville. I keep telling bamawife that is a very good reason why I should get one, she is not inclined to agree.
 
Because it is a good gun in numerous aspects of design and construction. It's really just that simple. It's good.
 
Why do people swear by...

Glock?

SIG?

Smith & Wesson?

Ruger?

...the list goes on.

Why do people swear by...

.45ACP?

.45 Colt?

.44 Magnum?

.357 Magnum?

... the list goes on.


Why do people swear by...

Double-stacks?

Revolvers?

Single-stacks?
 
jmr40 said:
I've sworn more at them than by them. I've had more malfunctions from 1911's than everything else combined...............
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I won't argue with you about older stock 1911's and questionable magazines, however you needed to have found a better 1911 'smith. Once properly worked on they are as reliable as Anything around. Fault Colt when they don't run, not the design. My three .45's and one .38 Super run 100% as does my 2011 Super.

Sadly there aren't any 1911 savvy 'smiths left near me. The only one's that I know of now are an hour or more away.:mad:
 
1911's

This is 2019 and it's model # is 1911 for the year it was accepted for military use. That's 108 years if my math is right. So the darn thing works since it still is a viable design. Think about the other semi autos that are no longer considered for production, like the P-08 or the P-38 or the namboo.
That being said I don't care for it that much and I sold the only one I ever had to a friend of mine who was a Marine who adores it. Said he spent a lot of time on guard duty with one on his hip in the late 70's and early 80's. As he put it : a flashlight, a stick and a 45. I may have kept it if I had put a larger dovetail on it cause it used to bite the crap out of my hand, but since he wanted it ......
 
Sistema Colt 1927

I bought a Sistema Colt 1927 today at an auction. I was told it shoots .45 ACP but it's marked 11.25mm. Does anyone know for sure that this gun is a 45 Auto? I did some research and the serial looks like a 1964 build in Argentina.
 
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