What is wrong with 1911's?

[rgrimm01]

I have been planning on buying a .45 cal 1911 with the intent to use it as an everything gun, as in EDC, range gun (practice w/what you carry right) and carry in the woods. I carry a Ruger revolver now, so weight is of little concern. I am nearly overwhelmed with all the choices but I have been hoping to happen upon a SR 1911. As a kid watching the old black and white war movies on channel 4 (anybody remember those?), the 1911 holds a special place in my heart. I like the idea of having a made in the USA 1911. In reading several reviews on the 1911, a common comment/complaint/warning is that they require extensive maintenence, prone to failure and require a cash outlay for a trigger/action job to make them worth having (which is somewhat confusing considering all the comments about how sweet the trigger is?). One would think that if the platform was reliable enough for the military in the many environments that they have been in service, surely they are reliable for whatever use I may have... I am also looking at the Sig P220, SW M&P and the HK 45 (as in addition to not instead of). I will inquire as to the latter in a separate thread.

 

[halfmileharry]

There's NOTHING wrong with a 1911.
You'll find some/most of the import guns are rougher in machining, use cheaper metals and might require some fine tuning and upgrades but then you do get what you pay for.
Buy a quality 1911 and all you'll have to do is shoot and clean. Along with smiling the whole time.

 

[Mackey]

Nothing "wrong" with any new 1911s. The only cons I can think of would be that they are longer guns (not a pocket pistol) and have a lower capacity than other semi-autos. While I don't currently own a 1911, I will some day and I'm sure you'll be happy with your purchase for a lifetime.

 

[Bapak2ja]

I will probably get banned for saying it, but I do not like the complex disassembly, the beavertail, or the grip safety. The 1911s I have fired were so easy on the trigger I would consistently fire before I had the fully acquired the target. Always fired down range but occasionally missed the paper target altogether, especially when I inadvertently double tapped. (I know, finger off the trigger until ready to fire, but practice is required to discover where the breakpoint is on the weapon.) The 1911s are just too touchy for safety in my hands. I prefer a Taurus, Glock or XD.

I guess it is a bit like wine. The connoisseurs enjoy the high class stuff. I prefer a Diet Dew.

 

[CindyE]

I have been planning on buying a .45 cal 1911 with the intent to use it as an everything gun, as in EDC, range gun (practice w/what you carry right) and carry in the woods. I carry a Ruger revolver now, so weight is of little concern. I am nearly overwhelmed with all the choices but I have been hoping to happen upon a SR 1911. As a kid watching the old black and white war movies on channel 4 (anybody remember those?), the 1911 holds a special place in my heart. I like the idea of having a made in the USA 1911. In reading several reviews on the 1911, a common comment/complaint/warning is that they require extensive maintenence, prone to failure and require a cash outlay for a trigger/action job to make them worth having (which is somewhat confusing considering all the comments about how sweet the trigger is?). One would think that if the platform was reliable enough for the military in the many environments that they have been in service, surely they are reliable for whatever use I may have... I am also looking at the Sig P220, SW M&P and the HK 45 (as in addition to not instead of). I will inquire as to the latter in a separate thread.

They are terrible guns! As a favor to all of INGO, I will take these undesirable guns off anyone's hands, and give them a home in my "1911 Rescue".

My husband and I love the 1911s. He has 2 Kimbers, 9mm and .45, and I have a Springfield EMP 9mm. They cost more than what we had planned to spend, but we really enjoy them. We just got them this year. I also have a SIG P238, which kinda reminds us both of a mini-1911. All 1911s are not equal though, and if you get a chance to shoot some before buying, I definitely would. I have no problems with my EMP or the Kimber .45, but the 9mm has lots of FTE for me. My husband has big hands, and I am small, but not weak. I really wanted to like that Kimber, but it seems it's not for me! Hubby had an M&P but traded it for the Kimber 9mm. He just doesn't like the DA triggers, it was a good gun, just not his style.
I agree the 1911s are kind of a pain to clean, but i imagine we will get better at it with time. We watched YouTube videos the first few times to help us!

 

[45fan]

Rgrimo1, if you are used to a ruger double action trigger, I doubt that a trigger job on just about any 1911 will be needed to satisfy you right off the bat. The trigger/action jobs start coming in when you buy a second one, or have the chance to shoot someone elses that has been well tuned.
Before setting your sights on the Ruger, it is a good idea to go out to as many gun shops that you can and fondle every 1911 that you find. If you can, shoot as many as you can, to expand your knowledge base on what you like and is comfortable to you. As far as aesthetics, I kinda like the 1911-a1 in its original form, but my hand likes the extended grip safety, and a few other modifications. Find what fits you, and go from there.

 

[jgreiner]

I have been planning on buying a .45 cal 1911 with the intent to use it as an everything gun, as in EDC, range gun (practice w/what you carry right) and carry in the woods. I carry a Ruger revolver now, so weight is of little concern. I am nearly overwhelmed with all the choices but I have been hoping to happen upon a SR 1911. As a kid watching the old black and white war movies on channel 4 (anybody remember those?), the 1911 holds a special place in my heart. I like the idea of having a made in the USA 1911. In reading several reviews on the 1911, a common comment/complaint/warning is that they require extensive maintenence, prone to failure and require a cash outlay for a trigger/action job to make them worth having (which is somewhat confusing considering all the comments about how sweet the trigger is?). One would think that if the platform was reliable enough for the military in the many environments that they have been in service, surely they are reliable for whatever use I may have... I am also looking at the Sig P220, SW M&P and the HK 45 (as in addition to not instead of). I will inquire as to the latter in a separate thread.

Tear down and cleaning of them is a real hassle when you compare them to the Glocks, MP's, etc. Plus weight is an issue. and price. I think a lot of LEO agencies want the best bang for their buck, so they have gone with a cheaper gun, that is as reliable or more so, that is easier to maintain. Plus, the higher capacity magazines are a definite plus.

With all that said, a good quality 1911 will outlast a Glock, or MP in longevity. Don't get me wrong, I dearly LOVE my MP....but I have never viewed it as an heirloom gun that I would hand down to my kids. I will have shot it to death long before then.

Some guns are simply over engineered and will last for a number of generations. the GOOD 1911's are like that. As are the Ruger Single Six revolvers, the Ruger Mark III's, the S&W revolvers (higher end ones like the model 60). These aren't the only ones, they are just the ones I am very familiar with.

My current carry weapon is the S&W MP Pro 5". It's a fantastic gun. I doubt I will ever sell it. But I am looking VERY seriously at a S&W 1911 Sc E series Bobtail.....as my carry weapon. I simply like the idea of having a hammer. Also, I like the idea of the 45 ACP round. And I will be acquiring a S&W model 60 as well, as a carry gun that is a bit easier to conceal.

But my next purchase will definitely be a Ruger Mark III Hunter, with the 6 7/8 barrel in Stainless Steel. It is a great plinking gun.......and will be around for a long time after I am gone. Plus my kids dearly love to shoot them.

 

[thebishopp]

There is also a little upgrade you can do to most 1911's (if not all) that makes it easier to disassemble. I can't remember what it is called (I'm pretty sure someone on here knows what it is). I had it done to my old ParaOrdinance P12. Basically it made removing the bushing and slide removal a lot less complicated (instead of the bushing and spring coming out prior to the slide, the whole top slide off with spring still inside - like the glock/xd/etc.) One of the few regrets in my life was selling it.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Nothing.

All weapons have pros and cons. The hardware is worthless without the software.

Focus on improving yourself via training and your choice of weapons will shift.

 

[churchmouse]

Not to wear out points already made I would only say look at the offerings from Springfield.
They have a wide variety of good pistols in several price ranges. Para-Ordinance has some hi-cap offerings as well. They are sweet to own and shoot. Nothing wrong with a Colt either
The HK USP is a fine weapon. I own one and love it. I do prefer the 1911 for some of the reasons you state. Channel 4, John Wayne black and white war movies.

 

[Johnny C]

There is also a little upgrade you can do to most 1911's (if not all) that makes it easier to disassemble. I can't remember what it is called (I'm pretty sure someone on here knows what it is). I had it done to my old ParaOrdinance P12. Basically it made removing the bushing and slide removal a lot less complicated (instead of the bushing and spring coming out prior to the slide, the whole top slide off with spring still inside - like the glock/xd/etc.) One of the few regrets in my life was selling it.

That would be the reverse plug and full length guide rod.
The plug has a shoulder and must be installed from the rear and on the shorter guns, the guide rod must be unscrewed with an allen wrench from the front to get the spring out.
So...the slide comes off easier, but there is actually more involved in the complete breakdown / disassembly and an allen wrench is needed.

This is the only way to go though if you have multiple top ends for a single frame.

 

[Dirc]

If you don't mind the weight you'll probably love it.

 

[pinshooter45]

I'm not sure why you are finding posts other places thst say 1911 don't run well. I bought a bone stock Colt 1911 GI A1 series 80 about 8 yeasrs ago paid around $700.00 Tax and all and have never looked back. The stock trigger is no lighter than a stock trigger on a cocked revolver. And I can hit just about any thing I aim at, and it hits where it's pointed. I like you grew up watching John Wayne win WWII with his Thompson, Garrand, snd 1911. So my choice was the Colt for that reason. Even though other manufactures made them including Remington the recently reintroducded their own model. So have fun shopping and don't worry the 1911 is the greastest fighting handgun ever made. No other handgun design has lasted 100 years. With the exception of the SAA which had a breif gap in it's production. That shoud speak for itself!

 

[rockhopper46038]

Nothing wrong at all. Some of the things you've heard are probably personal preferences. A few are rooted in fact, but mostly no longer apply. As an example, the original 1911 was designed as a military weapon, and therefore ball ammunition was specified. Because of this, hollow point and some SWC ammunition would experience feed issues in old, original pattern pistols when people started pulling them out of attics and using them in civilian life for self defense. An industry developed for gunsmiths to modify the original barrels, lower the ejection ports, and perform other work which is now pretty much done standard at the factory to make the design more reliable with modern SD ammo, as well as the powder puff loads some of us use for gun games. This isn't a design flaw, so much as the natural result of a weapon being in service for 100 years. The triggers can be worked to be heavy, or like an angel's kiss...but the gnarliest 1911 trigger will compare pretty well with the triggers on today's most popular issue weapons; whereas you can't get the feel of a "gunsmithed by angels" 1911 trigger on any of them, at any cost. It is a fact that the manual of arms for a 1911 requires practice; moreso than the "safe action" pistols; but while that is a valid concern for an agency that must train a large amount of people who may have only a passing interest in firearms, that is task specific, not a design flaw either. Too long a Ost to do on a cell phone, but in short, the 1911 is a fine choice, if it fits you.

 

[bobzilla]

The only thing wrong with 1911's are the fact that I own too few.

 

[singlestacksig]

do not get one, they are the crack / meth of guns..
seldom do you find an owner who only has one..
they can lead to cravings to get them in other calibers..
you will consider selling other guns just to raise cash to buy more..

 

[jgreiner]

The only thing wrong with 1911's are the fact that I own too few.

I will 2nd that statement

 

[ATOMonkey]

The 1911 is the small block chevy of pistols.

Parts are everywhere, you can make them do just about anything, all parts are interchangable, and you can dress is up or down as much as you want.

For something with so much utility, it can also be one hell of a BBQ gun.

 

[bud1976]

There is nothing wrong with a 1911. They may be a little harder to break down than some other more modern designs but that should not be seen as a problem. All the 1911's that I have owned or fired that belonged to friends of mine have functioned perfectly. They are very dependable and robust. Pick one that you like and enjoy.

 

[drgnrobo]

The only thing wrong w/1911's is you can never have enough.Ive had real good luck with Springfield Armory offerings & their customer service is great (real people ) I wanted to purchase a mainspring lock key & they sent me 2 for free. Ive been eyeballing the SR 1911 since they were introduced & the range reports Ive read have been favorable.I carry 8+1 w/ a extra 8 rdr ,if that cant get it done youre a bad shot.