The thing is an instructor and gun guy I am not comfortable advising anyone to buy a 1911. The next question is which one. Lots of reliability issues with certain ones and different types of ammo. I don't have those concerns when recommending a Glock or CZ-75. Guns for self-defense should be like lawnmowers. Keep em full an oiled and expect them to work all the time.
I am not crapping on it. I carried a worked Series 70 off duty for a few years.
My point is that when you have a good one, you have a good one. But it is hard to recommend one to a new shooter knowing that depending on which one he picks the is a higher likelihood of problems with the gun or ammo than with a Glock or CZ and some other brands. I don't like to have to fiddle with guns and work out bugs, I want to be able to take a handful of different factory ammo and load mags and just shoot. That is all I am saying.
Which ones have a higher likelihood of problems? Couldn't you just recommend any of the quality 1911 manufactures?
It is a gun, not a religion. Don't be so defensive
I guess I'll have to take down my John Browning alter now. I really wasn't being defensive. You just stated matter-of-factly that there are certain 1911's that have reliability issues. I was curious which ones those are. It was just a question. I know Colt, Springfield and Kimber to be reliable. Which manufacturers aren't?