Reasons to get a 1911 and which one?

[K-Texas]

Maybe we ask too much from the 1911. I mean, Mr. Browning was working on it several years before military input culminated with the 1911. Ammo came in one single flavor: .45 FMJ. It was more than a half century later when shooters first attempted to run JHP ammo through them. And what little feed ramp they have on the barrel, or the profile of the bullet could be problematic.

In some ways the 1911 has benefited by being chambered in different calibers where a full feed ramp is used and gives better support of the cartridge's case-head. A necessary addition for higher pressure rounds like the 10mm. There are also some very good 1911s in .45 ACP that have full feed ramps as Para Ordnance was doing even with models under $1000 MSRP. That is before Remington bought P.O.

And who wouldn't like to pull the trigger on the Rock Island Armory double-stack 10mm? That is, unless you're like me, and know that firing one would likely cost $650 depending on the retailer.

[equin]

I carry a full-size Government 1911 most of the time. When I need to carry something smaller or lighter for whatever reason, I carry a Shield 9mm, though I am strongly considering picking up a lightweight Commander or "CCO" 1911 like a Dan Wesson Valkyrie to fill that role.

Here's why I carry a 1911:

1. Without starting a caliber war by going into the reasons, I far prefer .45 to any other common caliber for any defensive use.
2. I shoot it far better and more confidently than any other .45 handgun (or really anything but a .22). That includes my much-loved Glock 21 I've owned for 20 years. There are some objective and some subjective reasons: objectively the trigger is lighter, the sight radius is longer, the weight absorbs recoil a little better. Subjectively, the grip is smaller and at a more natural angle for me and there seems to be a certain balance to it lacking in the Glock.
3. It is more concealable than any other .45 handgun I've encountered. With a proper holster, I can appendix-carry it under even a t-shirt all day with confidence.
4. Spare magazines are thin and easy to carry.
5. As I mentioned above, I frequently appendix carry. While the theoretical risk of a negligent discharge down there has never bothered me, the manual safety and external hammer give some added safety when reholstering.
6. High-quality, well-maintained 1911s are very reliable. (Note the qualifiers.)
7. There's always the conceit of carrying a proper gentleman's sidearm.

Some downsides:

1. It's very heavy. A 1911 Government empty weighs more than a big honkin' Glock 21 fully loaded with 13+1 rounds. You'd better invest in a good holster and a better belt.
2. Low capacity: 7+1, or 8+1 (though 8 round mags can print a little more when concealed). There are experts who can give some pretty good reasons why you should carry something with more like 15-rounds. Yes, you can carry a spare mag, and I do, but making a combat mag change could be a dicey proposition.
3. Manual and grip safety. If you aren't used to them, you'd better get used to them before carrying a 1911.
4. Disassembling and cleaning 1911s is more of a pain than your typical poly-striker pistol.
5. Quality and reliability vary. While high-quality 1911s are reliable, cheap 1911s often are not. If you want to buy a reliable pistol for $500, you should probably get a Glock, not a 1911.
6. Even decent-quality 1911s can be persnickity with feeding hollow-points. As has often been said, that feed ramp was designed for hardball. That said, I've had some nasty failures to feed 147-grain HSTs in my Shield, so this isn't unique to 1911s.

I have less experience with the variety of 1911s out there than I'm sure many others on this forum have, but I'd say stick with a reputable manufacturer. Certainly don't get a Filipino-, Turkish-, or Brazilian-made 1911 if you are planning to carry it for self-defense, because I just don't think you can trust the reliability. Can't go wrong with a Colt. The cheapest ones I would go for would be the Kimber Custom II or TLE, the Ruger, or the SW E-series. I've heard good things about the general quality of Sig 1911s, but not so great things about the triggers. I personally wouldn't go for the Springfield Mil-Spec or Loaded, but TRPs are supposed to be great. If you want to splurge in the mid-$1,000s range, Dan Wesson/CZ seems to make the best 1911s you can buy outside the "semi-customs" like Wilson Combats or Ed Browns.

One other note: While a Commander or CCO might be good for carry, stay away from 3" barrel Officer models (or "Ultra" in Kimber-speak). They have a long, widely-reported track record of poor reliability.

Just my 2 cents and change.

I still consider myself a shooting sports noob, especially a 1911 noob, and only have one 1911, a Colt Competition in .45, which I love. I was thinking of getting a “budget” 1911 to accompany it, and saw that Springfield offers a “Defender Series,” which is essentially a US made Milspec model but with only one 7-round mag, different grips, and which comes in a cardboard box - all for about $500. It’s supposedly a forged frame and slide, too. You said, though, that you’d personally stay away from Springfield’s Milspec model, and I was wondering if you could give a 1911 noob like me a bit more info or details on that?

[Soccerdad1995]

I have had a lot of reliability issues with 1911s, plain ones and fancy ones.

Those words have been uttered about every gun ever made, by one man or another. I've seen glocks and M&P's fail, even a couple of sig's and XD's. If you "have had a lot of reliability issues" with multiple 1911's, you are certainly among the minority.

I've had issues with alot of guns, including revolvers, pump action shotguns, lever action rifles, and other "ultra reliable" platforms. But that doesn't mean that I'd only "trust my life" to a bolt action (the one platform where I have personally had no reliability issues.

If something has moving parts, you're going to occasionally have operational issues. But my 1911's have been every bit as reliable as any other guns I own.

[equin]

So far no reliability issues with my Colt Competition after about 700 or so rounds. It’s eaten all different kinds of ball and JHP ammo with no problems. I realize the round count isn’t too high yet, but so far I’m real happy with it.

[C-dub]

Dang it!

Now I'm thinking about another 1911. I thought I was saving for a SCAR-17s, but daaannngggg, I'll probably get more use out of another Colt and for more than half the price.

EDIT: I meant less than half the price.

[Ed4032]

Dang it!

Now I'm thinking about another 1911.

#metoo

Dang it....

[DocV]

Dang it!

Now I'm thinking about another 1911. I thought I was saving for a SCAR-17s, but daaannngggg, I'll probably get more use out of another Colt and for more than half the price.

EDIT: I meant less than half the price.

Repeat after me. 1911... 1911 ... 1911

[SIGFan43]

Back in the mid-1970s, I owned an electroless nickel Combat Commander, and carried it in an Askins Avenger holster. It fired military surplus, Speer ash-tray hollow points, and my semi-wadcutter handloads, and it was very rare that I had a malfunction. I saw one in a local gun shop a few weeks ago, and I started to drool, but it looked well-used and expensive, so I passed. The past year or so, I have considered selling my SIG P239 9mm for a 1911 in the same caliber, although I still find the .45ACP very desirable. One recurring theme on this thread is the trigger on the quality 1911s. There is simply no better trigger than the 70-series Colts that I have personally shot and/or owned. Concealment: Easy. Quick to get into action, especially if you have fired one for years like I did. I always carried in Condition One: cocked, locked, and fully loaded with two spare mags on my other hip. I still regret selling that old pistol. I have been looking lately at Ruger commander-size pistols in .45ACP and 9mm.

[C-dub]

Dang it!

Now I'm thinking about another 1911. I thought I was saving for a SCAR-17s, but daaannngggg, I'll probably get more use out of another Colt and for more than half the price.

EDIT: I meant less than half the price.

Repeat after me. 1911... 1911 ... 1911

[KinnyLee]

I've carried these two for the last fifteen of so years and they are relatively trouble free. Between the two pistols the Loaded and Pro has around 30000 rounds through them for training, IDPA, and casual plinking. I've changed the recoil springs on my Loaded, but the Pro still has the original springs. I had to restake the slide stop / safety plunger tube on my Loaded and sent my Pro back to Springfield to refit the safety because it was rather loose. (on SACS's dime) I recently sent my Pro back to have a complete check up and new nightsights put on and Deb said it's in tip top shape other than the finish wear. (on my dime) I trust either with my life That's because I have thorough understanding of the platform and know its strength and weaknesses.



My recommendation is to get a 70 series pistol. There are less moving parts, so there is less things to break. Stick with the Government model as they tend to be the most reliable. I highly recommend Springfield Armory's TRP line as they have a certain amount of hand fitting with features you would want.

[Lynyrd]

I've carried these two for the last fifteen of so years and they are relatively trouble free. Between the two pistols the Loaded and Pro has around 30000 rounds through them for training, IDPA, and casual plinking. I've changed the recoil springs on my Loaded, but the Pro still has the original springs. I had to restake the slide stop / safety plunger tube on my Loaded and sent my Pro back to Springfield to refit the safety because it was rather loose. (on SACS's dime) I recently sent my Pro back to have a complete check up and new nightsights put on and Deb said it's in tip top shape other than the finish wear. (on my dime) I trust either with my life That's because I have thorough understanding of the platform and know its strength and weaknesses.



My recommendation is to get a 70 series pistol. There are less moving parts, so there is less things to break. Stick with the Government model as they tend to be the most reliable. I highly recommend Springfield Armory's TRP line as they have a certain amount of hand fitting with features you would want.

Nice! Really nice! And I echo you sentiment on the 70 series. Mine have been zero trouble.

[flechero]

I've carried these two for the last fifteen of so years

Beauties! Nothing better than a 1911 showing some honest wear!