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Currenly I own 3 1911 handguns. I'm a big fan of the 1911 platform. With another gun show coming next weekend I've been thinking about picking up another toy, and this time I am considering something else besides a 1911. Lately I've been thinking of something that I previously thought was blasphemy.... owning one of them "plastic guns". I've handled the guns at the gun show, but personally they just feel like toys to me. I know they sell well, as they tend to be much cheaper than the 1911's. I travel in my job, and the thought of one of my $1k Kimbers being stolen in my luggage at the airport gives me the shivers. I want a less expensive alternative to pack with me when I'm gone.

So, I need some convincing. What are the advantages for these polymer framed guns over the 1911 platform aside from price? Assuming money was not an issue, tell me why you would go with an XD, or Glock or H&K over a Kimber, Springfield Armory, Sig Sauer gun. I'm not trying to be a 1911 snob. I just want to understand the major selling points for these type of guns.

For sake of the argument, let's leave out the 3" 1911 clones, and the small frame revolvers.

If you like your Colt clones and are happy with them, there's no reason to change. If it aint broke...

I own one plastic gun, but it has the grip angle of my 1911s, so far has been 100% reliable (Unlike my former Kimber, but like my other 1911 clones which I still own), it holds 16+1 rounds of 40 S&W, shoots nice ragged holes in paper, and most importantly it actually feels good in my hand. I trust my life to it, it has become my daily carry. Unfortunately its not a cheap plastic gun, tax and all I walked out with it after paying $615, but if they offered it in 45ACP I would pick up another.

The disadvantages of my plastic gun are: extra magazines are in short supply, when my cop buddies ask me what I am carrying I get the "Carry a 1911" lecture in place of the "Carry a Kimber" lecture I would otherwise get. Its trigger pull is a little heavier than my 1911s, and that pivoted trigger feels funny in a semi-auto hand gun (Triggers should move straight back, not feel like they are sliding up your finger and moving backwards on a semi-auto pistol).

I've shot 1911's all my life and still do..
BUT, I do love and carry my XD-45 Compact daily and love the way it shoots the simplistic operation...borrow one and shoot a few hundered rounds thru it!...It'll sell itself

Me & the plastic gun guys have a lot of fun on here.
I do think there is a place for them.
You stated one of those. Possibility of getting lost. I dont want my Kimber, Springer, or either of my revolvers to risk being lost.
My son has had a H&K and an XD. I shot both & liked the XD far batter. He did too & sold the H&K. Others will disagree.
Both of the ladies (Wife & Mom) in my life shoot Baretta Storm PX4s. They really like them.Trigger is not 1911 quality for sure but for carry when I had to be separated from my firearm in flying, I would sure carry one of them.
I have shot a Sig 239 & really, Really, REALLY like that one even though it is polymyr frame. Here you are getting close to the $$$s in your clones. ie: my Springer A1.
Daily carry at home will always be a real gun.
There are times when the plastic has its place.

BigBlueDodge wrote:Currenly I own 3 1911 handguns. I'm a big fan of the 1911 platform. With another gun show coming next weekend I've been thinking about picking up another toy, and this time I am considering something else besides a 1911. Lately I've been thinking of something that I previously thought was blasphemy.... owning one of them "plastic guns". I've handled the guns at the gun show, but personally they just feel like toys to me. I know they sell well, as they tend to be much cheaper than the 1911's. I travel in my job, and the thought of one of my $1k Kimbers being stolen in my luggage at the airport gives me the shivers. I want a less expensive alternative to pack with me when I'm gone.

So, I need some convincing. What are the advantages for these polymer framed guns over the 1911 platform aside from price? Assuming money was not an issue, tell me why you would go with an XD, or Glock or H&K over a Kimber, Springfield Armory, Sig Sauer gun. I'm not trying to be a 1911 snob. I just want to understand the major selling points for these type of guns.

For sake of the argument, let's leave out the 3" 1911 clones, and the small frame revolvers.

I like Glocks, and I like 1911s, and it is really hard to get motivated to convince anyone to do something they aren't ready to do.

I own both. I carry a Glock 30 in .45. Cheap, reliable, large capacity for overall size (10+1 .45 in the G30), accurate enough, no sharp edges needing after market dehorning for IWB, it just works.

My daughter wanted a G36 -- slimline, fewer rounds SLIGHTLY more comfortable IWB, good for smaller hands (my hands are big), and I carried that for some months until we were in the same city and I could give it to her direct.

They just snuggle IWB nice. They just work.

It really doesn't sound like price is much of an object for you though. Buy one, shoot it awhile. If you don't like it sell it. They also hold their value well so you will get most of your money back. Buy used to start and you might break even or come out ahead. The ammo will cost you more than resell loss anyway.

Try it; you MIGHT like it.

There is on thing that I like to change: 3.5# connector -- I really don't like the standard connectors, much less the NY trigger.

Reasons plastic is good.

It doesn't rust
Lighter weight
Less oil and lubricants. Plastic is somewhat self lubricating.
Supports the Chemical industry which so many of us in Texas make our living at.
Plastic is less likely to send chills through your body if it contacts bare skin on a cold day. or burn you if it gets to hot.

Making plastic is a process that involves removing from the earth toxic materials, converting them to inert plastic that will stay inert for thousands of years after it has be returned to the earth in an sanitary land fill (ie: a dump) Therefor plastic is better for the environment.

It isn't a true wonder nine unless it is plastic.
1911s are boring they only work one way. SA ... Many Plastic guns offer variety SA/DA its variety.
No worrys about Plastics getting scuffed up when tossed into a console or toolbox.
Can buy two plastics for the price of a good 1911s
1911's are a 100 year old design. Time for something more modern.
Plastic guns tend to work reliability right out of the box after a simple cleaning.
According to the media you could get it through metal detectors.
1911s are an addiction plastic means freedom.

BigBlueDodge, I had the same quandary several years ago.

I love the 1911 platform, and despite the fact that you excluded 3" clones, I have one of those, too (and it's solid as a rock).

I have about a dozen plastic guns in the safe, and though they get less carry time, they get more rounds down the pipe.

My Kimber Super Match is the most accurate defensive-caliber handgun I own. If I ever need to take a hostage shot at 25 yards, that's the one I want. But I try to take defense/combat handgun classes at least three times per year, and for pounding 500 to 1,000 rounds per day, I prefer a Glock. In the last few classes, I've shot a G35.

For the purists: yes, I have maybe one more stoppage per thousand rounds with my 1911s than with my plastic guns, Glock or XD. But for training, the Glocks and basic XDs cost about half what a good 1911 costs. If I beat the heck out of that plastic gun--rain, mud, dirt, sand--worst case, it will only cost me $600 or so to replace it. And both Glocks and XDs have, for me, proven to be reliable.

The 5-degree difference in grip angle between the Browning-style autoloaders (and XDs) and Glocks isn't a big thing for me to overcome. A few minutes of dry fire with either, and I feel comfortable.

But if you're a died-in-the-wool 1911 shooter considering a plastic gun, Glock may not be for you. I'd suggest looking at the Springfield XD, or maybe S&W's M&P (I have an M&P9 Pro on order).

If it ain't broke, why fix it?

You ain't fixin'...you're augmenting!

Heck, start slow and split the difference. Try a Polymer 1911, Kimber BP Ten, Para Hicap, etc. Only plastic I have is an EAA witness .45 and HK USP .45. Botha re great guns but the EAA is too fat for me and the HK (which i love to shoot) is too large for easy IWB CC. 14+1 of .45 is hard to beat!

I own two plastic guns an XD and an M&P both offer significant advantages for carry over a 1911. First and foremost is magazine capacity 16+1 of 9MM in the XD and 15+1 of 40 in the M&P. Weight, corrosion resistance, and simple manual of arms rounds out the list. My 1911s get carried less and less since I have gotten the two Tupperware guns. At this time, the M&P is my go to carry piece. The M&P and the XD both are available in .45ACP which may be a plus for the die hard 1911 fans.

Had a Walther P99 awhile back, didn't like the trigger much, but it shot like a charm. A quick point and shoot hit dead center every time. Decock was pretty cool. No lever to hang on anything. Held a bunch of 40S&W.

But given the chance, traded it off.

I think I mentioned in one of my first posts that I used to carry a 1911 and they still hold a special place in my heart, but I now carry a Glock. There were two primary issues that contributed to my decision. The first was my experience that Glocks are generally good to go straight out of the box, whereas the 1911s I trust have all been to pistolsmiths. The second was environmental, insofar as I don't worry about sweating all over my sidearm when I'm carrying a Glock. There are other pros and cons to the Glock, and only you can decide what's going to work best for you. For example, if money is no object, a true custom 1911 finished in some wunder-kote is one answer to the reliability and environemtal issues.

I will say that, if I were going through the same decision process today, I would look hard at the XD family. Heck, you can even tell your 1911 friends that you're carrying a Springfield Armory. Brazil. Croatia. What's the difference?

cheaper
good to go right out of the box
don't rust (well, less of a rust worry than a 1911 anyway)
lighter
more rounds
more durable
feels MUCH better in the hand (shooting a 1911 feels like shooting a 2x4)


cons:
because they are lighter you generally have more felt recoil.
it'll take some time switching from 1911 trigger pull over plastic guns with a pivot trigger

in short, your plastic guns are great for daily carry and would rather have one of those for concealment and capacity reasons over a 1911 any day. 1911's are pretty and they shoot great when they're tweaked, but when the rubber hits the road I want a modern gun in my hand.

If you want something closer to a 1911 in size and function but in a poly body look at the Taurus 24/7 OSS. There are some similar features there.

http://www.taurususa.com/products/gunse ... series=OSS

Closest grip feel to the 1911 in plastic is the XD, to shoot a Glock you will have to re-learn how to hold it for proper sight alignment/sight picture..the XD just drops right in.

LedJedi wrote:in short, your plastic guns are great for daily carry and would rather have one of those for concealment and capacity reasons over a 1911 any day. 1911's are pretty and they shoot great when they're tweaked, but when the rubber hits the road I want a modern gun in my hand.

For everyone who disses the 1911 platform, let me remind you that IPSC Open Class run-and-guns are almost all 1911/2011 formats. There is a reason these professional shooters continue to use the Browning model in the 21st Century.

It works.

Ask Rob Leatham.