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OK guys, I'm looking for pros and cons. I have a Ruger LC9 that I think I will be satisfied with as a daily carry gun. But, I'm considering going to a compact 1911 model instead. In YOUR opinion, would that be a great decision, or a stupid thing to do?

Now, tell me WHY that's your opinion?

Thanks for your input.

Try to shoot whatever you think fits your hands, be proficient with it and you are done.

for myself being a big guy size and weight dont bother me but for some it does and 1911's generally a bit heavier -- also being a big guy i hate sweating on 1911's and rather sweat on polymer -- just my couple views and issues with an edc 1911

Beruity had it right - let your hand make that decision.

If you love the feel of the LC9 and you just gotta have a larger calibre, try a Walther PPS (available in 9 or .40) or a Springfield Arms XDs (available in 9 and .45). They both feel about the same size as the LC9s I have, as far as the grip goes. A 1911 feels a bit bigger (shooting my son's Ruger Commander sized 1911 or my D-I-L's Kimber).

How experienced are you with handguns? IMO a 1911 is not for a novice to carry as they are cocked and locked which requires the operator to not want to keep touching the gun, many newbies do that and I did as well. I really like my 1911's but rarely carry one as I found the size is a bit much for me. I typically carry a Sig 938 which although technically is not a true 1911 it shares many of the same features and is smaller, to me size is key that way I never leave home without it. The LC9 is a good carry size, strapping on a 1911 will increase the weight substantially and do not forget about the holster expense. 1911's are nice to own, maybe get one and shoot it for a while and determine if it is something you would want to carry, remember we can never have too many guns.....

Salty1 wrote:How experienced are you with handguns? IMO a 1911 is not for a novice to carry as they are cocked and locked which requires the operator to not want to keep touching the gun, many newbies do that and I did as well.

Any weapon that you carry should be "cocked and locked" If not, do you reasonably think you have the time to rack the slide at the first indication of trouble? Some cases, maybe, most caes probably not.

To answer the OP, I carry a 1911 exclusively when not at work. I have various brands and sizes that I carry but my favorite is a Colt Defender. It is lightweight, short (3" barrel) version of the 1911. Very accurate and have never had a problem with it.

Now, I said when not at work that is what I carried. When at work, I carry an XD45 in my briefcase and a P938 in my pocket. The reason for this is I am in the A/C business and a lot of positions that I sometimes have to get into allows an IWB or OWB weapon to be exposed. There are also buildings that I work in that are 30.06 so it is easier to leave my briefcase in the car, remove my P938 and put in the briefcase without indecent than it is to unholster/reholster in a truck.

Most 1911's, not all, but most all, don't have rust resistant finishes such as Glocks with their tennifer finish. Other brand striker fired pistols have their own rust resistant finishes. You can sweat on them without there turning into rust buckets.

Plus, most striker fired pistols will hold many more rounds than a 1911 irrespective of caliber.

RPBrown wrote:

Salty1 wrote:How experienced are you with handguns? IMO a 1911 is not for a novice to carry as they are cocked and locked which requires the operator to not want to keep touching the gun, many newbies do that and I did as well.

Any weapon that you carry should be "cocked and locked" If not, do you reasonably think you have the time to rack the slide at the first indication of trouble? Some cases, maybe, most caes probably not.


Interesting as it seems that your definition of "cocked and locked" is much different than most that I speak with. As far as I know "cocked and locked" refers to 1911 style handguns as the hammer is back and the safety controls the trigger from dropping on a live round. The 938 I carry is always in condition 1. My Sig 250, revolvers and other non 1911's are not cocked and locked, the hammer is down and they take a double action pull to discharge the round in the chamber. I am not talking about carrying with an empty chamber.....

Thanks for the replies, guys. Good info so far. Keep it coming!

So, a little explanation & answers to questions that have come up. I am experienced and comfortable with shooting handguns. Been doing that for many years. However I am new to concealed carry (waiting on my plastic, in fact).

I agree that "cocked & locked" is necessary for concealed carry. Being new to CC, that part will be new to me, but I figure it will be the same getting comfortable carrying cocked & locked whether using a 1911 or other semi-auto, so I think that part will not be an issue.

My daughter-in-law bought the LC9 on a whim a couple of years ago, but decided she didn't want it, so I bought it from her. I've put a couple of hundred rounds through it and I'm confident it will work just fine for me as a concealed carry gun. Since it's a few years old, it's the original hammer style, not striker fired. So the long, heavy double action trigger causes my accuracy to suffer a little bit, but I think I can overcome that with a little work. It's very light weight, which is good, but that gives it a pretty good felt recoil. But again, I think I can overcome that, too. I've owned Rugers and like Ruger in general, and I this gun as some good qualities (small, light, rounded no-snag edges, good looking).

But to be frank, I'm considering an STI, and STI makes only 1911 style guns for concealed carry as far as I can tell. Honestly, an STI is waaaaay out of my price range, but I came into a little dab of money that I can apply toward this purchase if I decide to go that way. I love the fact that that STI is made in Texas. That's a very big deal for me. From what I can learn, STI has a great reputation for quality workmanship and excellent performance. If I do this, it would be pretty much a once in a lifetime type purchase for me.

Some of the drawbacks for me personally for buying the STI (other than price) are that I don't want to carry a full size 1911 (love to own one, don't necessarily want to carry it), and I've heard of reliability issues for all makes of the compact 1911's in general.

I'm aware of the great debate about how some people believe the 1911's are "antiquated" and there are more modern and reliable firearms available out there now. I'm not looking to get into that debate here, just looking more to see what your end result was based on what you carry, and why that was the right decision for you in your opinion.

Basically, I think my little LC9 will work for me, just exploring other options. Maybe it's nothing more than these few "free" bucks that came into my pocket are burning a hole back there!! Of course, I could be all grown up and responsible and pay some bills or save that money, but hey, you only live once, right?

Thanks again for the info. Keep it coming!

I am a 1911 fan. A cocked and locked 1911 isn't going to fire. It is physically impossible for the hammer to drop on a locked 1911. I believe most have a firing pin lock to keep it from moving too.

One thing that I don't think has been discussed, are the actions between the 2 guns.

The Lc9 is a DAO gun. Like a revolver you have to pull the trigger fully(like a revolver) to fire each round.
The 1911 platform, is SAO, meaning no play in the trigger to fire the next round. Single action.

The two are entirely different. IMO, transitioning from a DAO, to SAO takes some practice and getting used to.

Then there are the DA/SA guns out there, which I am partial to. Eg: Walther PP, Ppk, P-38, Ruger P-95 and a lot of others.

When I took the CHL course, I qualified with a P-95 and used DA firing the first round in each of the firing tests. Had no problem qualifying, as most people don't.

Just my opinion.

I love shooting 1911s and own one for the range. I have other options for edc, all are striker fire m&p pistols. If you want a quality 1911, STI is pretty good. But I'd advise against carrying one. An edc gets a fair amount of use/abuse. Then there would be the issue of having it confiscated if you ever had to use your gun. I'd rather do without a $4-600 pistol for the duration of an investigation than something that's upwards of $1,000 or more.

I have been carrying a 1911 govt condition 1 in an iwb w/ a thumb break that fits between the hammer and frame. I love carrying that gun. Used to carry an sr9c, and still do occasionally.

I can shoot the 1911 better and like the larger caliber.

carrying a 1911 cocked and locked IMO is just as safe as striker fired pistols with no safetys other than the safe action trigger