What makes the 1911 so great?

[Bender711]

Well, after a while here i've noticed that alot of poeple love the 1911 type guns. and i was just wondering why? im not saying that it is a bad gun, but it just dosent seem that any better than a SIG or HK etc.

[Eghad]

almost a century of service? The fact that a lot of comapnies are producing 1911 style pistols? Some body has to be buying them, some folks tend to buy stuff that is time tested and proven instead of the flavor of the decade, year or month.

[spacemanspiff]

does sig or hk have single action only guns that have manual safetys?

now if you'll all excuse me i have to go light some candles in my JMB shrine.

[Greg Bell]

i was just wondering why?

After owning several myself, I wonder the same thing.

[Will Fennell]

The trigger and how low the bore sits in your hand. Being REALLY thin doesn't hurt either.

These are just starters......another key point is how few parts there are....when is the last time you detail stripped your Sig or HK?

[Padawan]

does sig or hk have single action only guns that have manual safetys?

SIG certainly does.

[slystad810]

Once you get it, you "get it". 1911s are like a classic car; Timeless. They have a certain charm about them. Everybody should have at least one.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16978&stc=1&d=1137736001

And there are many prettier than mine :)

[JR47]

Single action trigger gives you the same feel shot after shot. The weapon points well. As was mentioned, they are slim in the grips. Shoots a proven caliber. Accurate, reliable, and durable.

There's also the nostalgia of a weapon that was our sidearm for 75 years. The Baby Boomers grew up with it in television shows, at the movies, and throughout their military careers.

It's not likely that the 1911 is a universal handgun, people's tastes are different. Some won't like the weapon for the same reasons listed above. It will do everything that you need it to do. So will many others.

You pays your money, and you takes your pick.:)

[STEVE M]

The trigger has already been mentioned but bears repeating. A 1911's

trigger is the easiest trigger system to operate and easiest for a gunsmith to

get a great pull on.

Very ergonomic thumb safety (along with all the

controls). These 2 things make the 1911 the fastest from the holster for an

accurate shot.

Low bore axis allowing faster follow up shots. (these 3 things account for it's

following in competitions such as IPSC and Steel Challenge).

Flat profile, no gun of this power is as thin for CCW.

Very reliable and easy to maintain. Easy to customize to your taste. Hey, we

all have our likes and dislikes.

The reason the 1911 is so good is more than the sum of all of the above,

no other pistol combines all it's atributes anywere near as well.

[tipoc]

"it just dosent seem that any better than a SIG or HK etc."

For some folks it ain't. For some a wheelgun is the best. They aren't the best gun for everyone, no gun is.

For me it is the best.

The location of the controls make sense and are ergonomic. They are simple.

It is the most versatile handgun out there. It can be a 50 yard NRA bullseye target gun. It can be an IPSC compensated racegun with red dot sights. It can be a reliable home defense/ range gun, a full size duty gun, a fighting handgun, etc. All this and more with the change of a few parts. Grip don't fit you? It can be altered with a different mainspring housing, a thicker or thinner set of grips, a new grip safety, etc.

It is a safe gun that can nevertheless be carried three ways. Ready for use as the situation requires.

It is thin and flat. It can be made smooth like a used bar of soap.

DAO and DA/SA and the Glock type guns are useful for service use. They have their place, some have decent triggers. None of them have the single action of the 1911. It's trigger is the same from shot to shot, a great aid to accurate shooting.

It comes in various weights, sizes and calibers.

All this and more.

But it comes down to preference and the desire to learn and work at the gun. There are simpler guns to learn out there. But maybe none as rewarding.

tipoc

[NBT]

You guys make me want to get up and purchase one now...

I'm thinking of that Para Ord Carry 12 mini 10 rounder (CA mag). :rolleyes:
Anyone know if this piece carry all the attributes you guys mention? I know the grip is a little thicker because of the double column.

What 1911 brands are best?

[auto45]

Easy and fun to shoot! :)

[poppy]

It's not that it is better or worse than any other proven pistol design. It is a classic. It is the most copied design around.

I didn't have my first 1911 until I was about 5 years into my collecting. I started with .22 revolvers, moved to centerfire revolvers, before ever considering an autoloader. I first got comfortable with Glock type actions, then DA/SA type actions, and then moved up to the 1911A1.

Any time I get a full sized pistol, I always compare it to the 1911. If I ever carry, it probably will not be the 1911, but I will always have at least one. Everyone should have at least one.

Does anyone think that in another 50-75 years that manufactures will start cloning the eary Glocks? :eek: Not likely. poppy

[teejhot.40cal]

It has seen 6 wars, been in service 85 years, and passed every test thrown at it. The question is not what makes so great, but what doesn't.

[Handy]

The trigger and safety lever placement are as good or better than anything else out there. If you want a slim single action, the 1911 does it right.

But everything else is a bit of muddle. But a muddle that a lot of people are happy dealing with to get the nice trigger. As more people try the S&W 945 they might see what I'm talking about, but those guns are still rare enough that 1911s are looked at as the only way to get a gun with that kind of trigger and safety.

[jsinon]

Initially when I bought my first handgun years ago I had to have the latest high capacity plastic (and steel) wonder. I ended up with an HK USP40 that I loved. The 1911 wasn't even in the running, what a dinasaur, then I was awakened. I don't even know when it happened but as stated above, once you "get it" you "get it". Also the big hole in one end is comforting, even an FMJ while not the best defense round by a long shot, at nearly 1/2" in diameter is going to put the hurt on a bad guy.

[gordo b.]

GI 1911a1 with King hard ball sights(or the equivalent like Novak Tritiums ect.) = ultimate killing machine in bad conditions:cool:

[Ozzieman]

But for me if you don’t have one in your collection your collection is not complete.
For many it’s an antique, for others and I include my self it is the finest design of a firearm of all time.
Other companies have made guns that will do some thing better, but as an over all package none come close to the function, power, reliability and just shooting enjoyment that the 1911 can give.
The 1911 is the design that all others are would like to emulate in one way or another.

[FirstFreedom]

1. Trigger Pull

2. Ergonomics
3. Strength of design
4. One of the first with redundant safeties (grip & manual)
5. Classic/looks/inertia/military/nostalgia

[Mike Irwin]

Beats me, I'm still trying to figure it out, and I've owned one, and shot it extensively, for the past 10 years...

[mathman]

I'll give my classic (Harley Davidson) response.

If I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand.

[alston73]

The 1911 is the Ford F150 of guns. I don't like 'em but it's proven and it definitely gets the job done.

It's a little impractical in my opinion.

[Yoshi]

From Mathman: If I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand.


I was gona say that....:D

[IndianaDean]

All of the reasons have already been stated. I can't think of anything to add.

[benny5]

I bought my first 1911 platform almost 2 years ago. A Sig GSR. Love it. I shoot it better than any other pistol (sigs, glock & ruger). It's the ar-15 of handguns. Every mod you can think of is available for them. Long, longer, short, super short, single stack, double stack, polymer, stainless, aluminum, rail, non rail, 9mm, 45, 10mm, 40, 22LR, .50 cal.

To me its the nostalgia of having a design of the genius that is john moses browning. The creator of the model 94 winchester, the 50BMG, the BAR, the over/under concept and many more.

It's a "gotta have" item in your gun collection. You gotta have a 1911, you gotta have an ar-15, you gotta have a 10/22.......

Shoot a good one and you are hooked.

Also, sig does make a SA only pistol with a 1911 style safety, the P226 X-5. Costs a small fortune, but you can spend a small fortune on a 1911. Just look to ed brown or wilson combat.

Tony.

[aspen1964]

..I wanted one for some time but put it off due to today's high cost(I wanted a Colt Gov't)...when I eventually put down the money and bought a mint one..after looking it over and over then shooting it..it leaves little to be desired in a full-sized automatic...I haven't carried it yet but imagine it feels similar to having a big dog at your side..;)

[mathman]

aspen1964,

If you don't mind my asking, what year is your Colt and what did you pay for it?

The reason I ask is that I am currently thinking of buying a NIB 1969 Colt Commercial 1911.

Thanks

[18DAI]

I have 3 ,a Colt Combat Elite ,a S&W SS 5 inch billboard ,and a POS Kimber Stainless Target II. I'm still wondering what makes them so great. After I discovered the HK USP I'm really perplexed at what the appeal of a 1911 is. YMMV Regards 18DAI.

[brockgl]

I own a Springfield 1911-A1, and a Sig P229 .40. Having a 1911 is like having a Corvette Stingray, or a 1968 Mustang, but technology has advanced, and Sig makes the sports cars of the future...

BANG BANG BANG

[tipoc]

"After I discovered the HK USP I'm really perplexed at what the appeal of a 1911 is."

Posters above have tried to explain it from various angles, all valid.

I'll repeat what has been said before.

Not all guns fit all people.

The 1911 takes effort to learn well. Some folk don't like making an effort. Some learn to shoot the 1911 well but prefer other platforms.

Any motor vehicle can take you from point A to B. A brand new Lexus appeals to some, a Ford F150 to others, to others still a 1955 Chevy Bel Aire. Take your pick based on your preference. In time, if you're smart, you'll learn some about the ones you didn't pick. You can come to understand the appeal and how they work even if you're preferences don't change. Or for the rest of your life you can pretend to be astonished that folks don't see the obvious advantages, over all other vehicles, of a Mazda Miata.

If you have to ask, you'll never understand.

tipoc

[dirksterg30]

I sold my Glock 30 for a Springfield Champion 1911because
1. the gun is so thin, making it ideal for CCW
2. the trigger is the same on every shot, and not mushy like the Glock was
3. the ergonomics are some of the best I've seen in a pistol
4. many accessories available - grips, sights, magazines, conversions to different calibers...
5. I wanted to stay with a gun in .45ACP
6. it looks cool!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/dirksterg30/1911s/PX9142L.jpg

[RsqVet]

For me I found that I shoot a 1911 better than most anything else, sig P220 is a close second, My hands seem to prefer the single stack guns though I have a few double stack as well. With 9 rounds of 45 in a commander sized gun +/- a reload one has to ask if more than that is required.

In addition the 1911 is simple yet elagant in design and to a good degree over built --- look at the engagement surfaces of 1911 parts at a gun show and then the internals of most other more "modern" designs --- the 1911 parts have larger areas and more meat on them. Someone compared the 1911 to a F150 --- to me it's more like a F350 --- It will some day wear to the point of decreased performance and if I tired really really hard I might be able to break it but more than likely I would just make it work less well, not break outright --- I like that about any design.

Of course all of that assumes a quality made gun which is a whole seperate issue and since it's the most coppied gun it is also the most copied poorly hence many people think it's less than reliable even in a quality configuration.

In addition a 1911 is slim and a commander sized steel gun is not all that heavy to carry so you get a durable gun with longevity that is not a bother to lug around.

[Minator]

heres mine if cost is an issue get a rock island / twine pines /armscor/ charles daily only cost 375 out the door



http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a65/Cannibal777/df431cef.jpg

[Willy T]

I think its a generation thing. I own 2 1911 style pistols but to be honest neither one is my favorite shooter. To my Dad and Grandfather they are better than sliced bread. And to be honest their "approval" means alot to me. Maybe I need therapy or something? :D

[StrikeEagle]

What 1911 brands are best?

I think the Colt (new manufactured Series 70) comes closest to JMB's spec, and closest to the one that built the 1911's reputation. That's what I'd go with.

[Petre]

For me ... 1 word describes it more than any other ... history.

This is a gun , that despite the manufacturer has a serious history. There's a few guns like this and this is one of the greatest ones.

[slystad810]

Minator heres mine if cost is an issue get a rock island / twine pines /armscor/ charles daily only cost 375 out the door

Could you scale that image down a bit please? It is so big it keeps freezing my computer.

Thanks! :D

[Mike P. Wagner]

I shot a 1911 during a time when I renting a lot of weapons, and was underwhelmed. It was a fine shoot (as were most of the weapons I shot).

I suspect that there are at least two elements to the attraction of the 1911

1) Generational - it's really popular with some WWII and younger types. Though, as I posted earlier, I remember WWII vets cussing at it, and suggesting that the best use for it was throwing it at the enemy. As I remember those old guys, they really though a revolver was a better choice (more accurate and less likely to jam). But most of the next generation loves it.

Having grown up on military bases, I feel confident when the Beretta 92 is replaced with some polymer wonder, that generation of soldiers and sailers will talk about how wonderful the Beretta was ...

2) Tinkering - it seems as thought the 1911 is the tinkerer's delight. It looks to me like the 55 Chevy of pistols. People really seem to love tinkering with it - there are probably 100 times more accessories available for a 1911 than for any other pistol out there.

I am not saying that the modern 1911 isn't a fine weapon - it clearly is a fine weapon. But I think it's one of many fine weapons available today.

Mike P. Wagner

[AUSTRIANGUNNER]

only of "1911" and not sully or demean any other good hand-weapon. The 1911 is still here becuz it works. The way a Bowie-knife works. Always. Well. Universally. It has gained the reputation over the century that some claim after a decade: PERFECTION. 1911 machines are the basis of un-numbered ingenious advances to the basic frame and internals, like the Ford Model-T was to the auto industry. But the genius of the machine is the mind of the man. I own 3 Detonics and 5 GLOCKs. They make me happy.

[Harry Callahan]

Just like a '66 GTO. It's the lines, baby!:)

[Willy T]

Austriangunner,
I must not be able to spell perfection, especially when considering a handgun. Much less a century old design. Alot of tech has come down the tube but the 1911 does perform as designed almost 100yrs ago.:cool:

[AUSTRIANGUNNER]

folks in this slot know what I meant.