Why Everyone Loves/Hates the 1911

[DadSmith]

Not many guns can evoke the kind of strong emotions the 1911 does. Whether you love it or hate it, chances are, you have an opinion. Today, we're digging into how the 1911 became such a big part of gun culture and why it's a polarizing topic even 110 years after its invention.

 

[sixGuns]

I love the 1911 because it's the pistol I shoot the best, but I don't carry it because of the thumb safety. After shooting/carrying it primarily for a decade I told myself I could train myself to thumb off the safety should the need arise. Long story short... I don't carry it anymore.

 

[BugI02]

Pretty much the same as 6guns. I love it because it is so sweetly easy to shoot well. I don't carry it because I want my carry weapon to have one in the chamber but don't much like cocked and locked. Prefer one up but hammer down carry

 

[tomcat13]

Big Fan of the 1911 platform. Have/shoot it in both 10mm & the way the Good Firearm Lord (JMB) made it: .45 acp. Don't normally carry them because I have other weapons for That purpose. Love the History behind the weapon & how it feels in my paw-that may be why I'm so fond of them.

 

[Brad69]

You all can kiss my @&#& I carry my 1911!

I has three safeties cocked and locked you have to remove the thumb safety and defeat the grip safety.

1. Mucho safer than your striker fired stuff.

2. If bad guy gets 1911 he or she might not get the thumb safety thing.

3. If needed I can beat a person to a pulp with a 1911.

Age old battle the 1911 was considered too “dangerous“ for police. They could only trust them with revolvers( younger INGO members note that most policemen carried revolvers until the early 90’s).

JMB was most likely a time traveler the 1911 and Hi Power are unbelievable works of art.

 

[MrSmitty]

I love the 1911, don't have one now, but want one, just a great design, simple to take down, triggers are usually pretty good...My son's EDC is a Rock full size 9mm 1911......

 

[churchmouse]

You all can kiss my @&#& I carry my 1911!

I has three safeties cocked and locked you have to remove the thumb safety and defeat the grip safety.

1. Mucho safer than your striker fired stuff.

2. If bad guy gets 1911 he or she might not get the thumb safety thing.

3. If needed I can beat a person to a pulp with a 1911.

Age old battle the 1911 was considered too “dangerous“ for police. They could only trust them with revolvers( younger INGO members note that most policemen carried revolvers until the early 90’s).

JMB was most likely a time traveler the 1911 and Hi Power are unbelievable works of art.

#3 for sure.
Ask me how I know.

 

[KG1]

I love my 1911s because they’re mine. Just the way I like them to be. No plastic fantastic for me.

 

[DadSmith]

I never owned a 1911 until I became a member here and seen Churchmouse's works of art (1911's). Now in 1 year approximately I have two. The Rock Island 10mm, and the Springfield Ronin 1911 45acp.
I asked a lot of questions that were well answered by several 1911 owners, and enthusiasts on the forum and made my decision to by the Ronin. It's a very nice firearm, accurate and the trigger is fantastic.
I now carry the 10mm RIA more and more as I have gained confidence in its reliability.
I still want a Ronin 10mm, a Bul Armory 1911 in 45acp and eventually a Dan Wesson 1911 in 10mm or 45acp.

 

[BigRed]

Not many guns can evoke the kind of strong emotions the 1911 does. Whether you love it or hate it, chances are, you have an opinion. Today, we're digging into how the 1911 became such a big part of gun culture and why it's a polarizing topic even 110 years after its invention.

Good video.

I saw two tools....one useful and one uselses.

 

[MindfulMan]

I only have (1) 1911 ..... in .45 ACP as designed.
When it's this purdy, and dripping with ancient Woolly Mammoth tusk, why would I need more than one !?!

 

[BigRed]

You all can kiss my @&#& I carry my 1911!

I has three safeties cocked and locked you have to remove the thumb safety and defeat the grip safety.

1. Mucho safer than your striker fired stuff.

2. If bad guy gets 1911 he or she might not get the thumb safety thing.

3. If needed I can beat a person to a pulp with a 1911.

Age old battle the 1911 was considered too “dangerous“ for police. They could only trust them with revolvers( younger INGO members note that most policemen carried revolvers until the early 90’s).

JMB was most likely a time traveler the 1911 and Hi Power are unbelievable works of art.

The only drawback re: JMB's HP is that it did not come in .45.

French partner screwed that up.

 

[churchmouse]

The only drawback re: JMB's HP is that it did not come in .45.

French partner screwed that up.

Tried to like the High Power but just never made the grade.
Had 3 of them over time.

 

[mark40sw]

I only have (1) 1911 ..... in .45 ACP as designed.
When it's this purdy, and dripping with ancient Woolly Mammoth tusk, why would I need more than one !?!

Yep... 45 American Caliber Pistol

 

[NHT3]

You all can kiss my @&#& I carry my 1911!

I has three safeties cocked and locked you have to remove the thumb safety and defeat the grip safety.

1. Mucho safer than your striker fired stuff.

2. If bad guy gets 1911 he or she might not get the thumb safety thing.

3. If needed I can beat a person to a pulp with a 1911.

Age old battle the 1911 was considered too “dangerous“ for police. They could only trust them with revolvers( younger INGO members note that most policemen carried revolvers until the early 90’s).

JMB was most likely a time traveler the 1911 and Hi Power are unbelievable works of art.

Agree with everything you said other than #1 but that's a discussion for another time. I have a number of striker fired pistols and a couple 1911s and for me it's like comparing chicken soup and pecan pie.. Both give your body nourishment but one has qualities not possible in the other.

CM, I have to tell you I'm disappointed, using artwork for a task that could be just as easily accomplished with a rock.. You sir should be ashamed of such barbaric treatment of a 1911

 

[wingrider1800]

I only have (1) 1911 ..... in .45 ACP as designed.
When it's this purdy, and dripping with ancient Woolly Mammoth tusk, why would I need more than one !?!

Who-wee that sure is sharp. The purdy ones like that are for church on Sunday. You should keep an eye out for more to carry the other days.

 

[Expat]

Just way too complicated for most people.

 

[Trapper Jim]

First, whoever "hates" the 1911 is not worthy.

To expound on the OP, the 1911 and it's history and travel to today's 1911 is a colorful one. When I started shooting, the S&W Model 10 ruled the day. Quite simply, getting a typical off the shelf slabside to run reliably was a mixture of luck and gunsmithing degrees. It didn't help that Colt was the only go to manufacturer and we all know they had the tolerances of a two car garage in manufacturing.

Good friends like Jim Clark Sr, Jr and Ed Brown was hammering blued slides to fit Gold Cup frames that were brushed Nickel finished so that we could compete in NRA Bullseye and Combat courses alike. Competition takes credit for the refinements that we have today in manufacturing and improvements. That has peaked in my opinion.

Most of the early refinements were in reliability followed by cosmetics. We now have a solid dependable platform for the 1911 and if you stay with a reputable manufacturer and good steel the line up can be boring and flush. However, we now are going past a boring platform to cosmetic creations that sell through looks and gadgetry. For instance, to make things easier (cheaper) to produce 30 LPI checkering is a lost art. I think Les Baer is about the only one doing that any more. I love all my 30LPI guns and while the 25 and even 20 are functional, they just are not the same as 30LPI. When flattening/dressing the top of the slide, the cut should be made BEFORE the sight cuts for an engineered clean look rather than a dished out (cheaper) afterthought. Again, just my opinion.

Coned barrels kill several birds with one stone as they can add weight, strength and reduce manufacturing costs. (cheaper) It does however commit the slide and barrel limiting your options in take down, maintenance and any future refitting. The Cosmetic Queens have also, cut off the right end of the slide stop and carved out what was once a square shouldered reamed support hole for the most contact of steel bearing for this very important part. (Not Cheaper so hard for me to understand). Also, now a tool is required to break down your pistol.

The shoot ability of the 1911 is as good as it gets for me. The crisp trigger break, the point ability, the power, the dependability and the accuracy and control over continued accuracy for mega millions of rounds is second to none. Rugged sights, easily modified grip panels and the balance (non existent in plastic or LW striker guns) are the best it can be. The range of calibers is also broad in the steel framed 1911 however the 45 is the flagship and lets look why. JMB and our Government didn't set out to produce a small arm that scares or wounds the enemy. We set out to end the enemy. The 45/70 and .30.06 shared the same goal. No one wants their target to get back up. The marketing to the masses of the well know German born 9MM paved the way for plastic striker guns. (Cheaper) Again, the American .38 Super is more potent (but not cheaper). Now get NATO involved so we can find a way to kill our enemies in a kindler gentler way. The flood gates opened, the masses followed, the demand for 9mm brought the price down but at the same time thinned the availability of product in pandemic times as seen recently.

Now back to the 1911 and it's followers. Mastering the 1911 for the masses does take more work. More conscious thought. More interaction of manipulation. More marksmanship. More maintenance. This might be a reason as to why a simpler, less accurate, higher capacity, easier to use and cheaper to make tool may suit our new America. Not to mention a way to make a gun safer for the careless shooter. The safety issue is always brought up regarding a 1911. I know some 1911 wannabees that have to disable some 1911 safeties rather than learn how to shoot one. Heck, some have not learned how to rack one even. The fact is, if anyone has looked at the sear contact area of some striker fired pistols, they will see less square inch metal contact than a typical 1911 in some cases. not to mention that these guns are assembled (cheaper) and not manufactured like a 1911. Also, I am seeing a whole lot more of blown cases, ruptured chambers, destroyed guns, and firing out of battery in the last 10 years or so out of these plastic princesses. Remember, this is 9MM we are talking about, lord knows the danger in hotter calibers in these service pistols.

In review, there is no right or wrong in which one you may like. I have had a lot of fun shooting striker fired guns and I have burnt through a lot of 9MM. However, being a prisoner of my character, my guns need to have hammers and wood. Anything else, well, is just cheaper and compromising for me and in my opinion only.

As a footnote, word on the street is, you won't make heaven hating a 1911.

See you on the range

Trapper

 

[88E30M50]

I love my 1911s. I've moved to classic Sigs for carry but I'll always have 1911s around

 

[Robert Richardson]

The only drawback re: JMB's HP is that it did not come in .45.

French partner screwed that up.

If I had to carry a 9mm, God forbid, it would be my High-Power.