I love the 1911, but...

[barrelmaker_2002]

...The staggered magazines seem to have an advantage here. Most 1911 pistols don't have those, and those that do (the so-called 2011) have a really thick handle.

One of my very good friends has a Les Baer Custom 1911 with standard thickness grips. He then got a 2011, specifically an SVI, though there are cheaper options (like the STI VIP or Tactical 4.15) that have the same size grip.

We were sitting in his living room discussing the feasibility of carrying the 2011 because his Les Baer was broken (for about the 4th time) and he no longer felt he could trust it with his life.

So we got out the calipers and measured both grips. The less Baer was thicker. Not by much (about 0.01 inches), but thicker.

Ultimately, the 2011 is a viable carry pistol.