Why does everyone love 1911s so much?

[JetGirl]

The worst trigger I've ever felt on a 1911 was still better than the best trigger I've ever felt on a Glock/XD/M&P/P250/HiPoint/FNH/FS92...
I like the frame size, the weight of steel vs polymer, the versatility of customizing & changing features or grip size, and I just like the appearance better. YMMV

 

[richardraw316]

I went shooting with NHT3 last week, his glock that he did a trigger job on was amazing by the way, got to shoot his Wilson, and hated it. As i told him, it felt rattley. hard to describe, like it might fall apart while i shot it. i was not impressed by the trigger, and thought the recoil was more than what i got from my M&P 45.
So after shooting a 1911 for the first time, things are not looking good for me ever getting one.
and this is a freakin wilson.

 

[TheRude1]

Cant add much more than what has already been said

And like Ricnzak said for the bump in the night, me my Double Eagle and a minimag will be the ones clearing the house

 

[kawtech87]

Im not in love with the 1911. I thinks its a good platform and the history attached to it is second to nothing else on the market.

Its infinately customizeable, adaptable, acurate, and just plain fun to shoot.

 

[rockhopper46038]

I went shooting with NHT3 last week, his glock that he did a trigger job on was amazing by the way, got to shoot his Wilson, and hated it. As i told him, it felt rattley. hard to describe, like it might fall apart while i shot it. i was not impressed by the trigger, and thought the recoil was more than what i got from my M&P 45.
So after shooting a 1911 for the first time, things are not looking good for me ever getting one.
and this is a freakin wilson.

Well, as great as they are, they aren't going to be for everyone. Objectively however, the 1911 trigger (let alone a Wilson 1911 trigger) is MUCH better than that on the Glock (or an M&P) and the recoil (assuming same loads) impulse WILL be less, so you might just be one of the people that it doesn't fit quite right and thus it feels "off". Subjectively, perception is reality sometimes. I know that Glocks, M&Ps and other polymer pistols are perfectly capable weapons, but to me they feel cheap and "plastic-y", with spongy, unresponsive triggers. Am I right? Yep, for me. Surprised you found a Wilson to be "rattley" though; My examples (and every other one I've ever held) are bank vault solid compared to pretty much every other pistol I've ever held. An original war production 1911 will have a pretty loose fitment, but that was loose tolerances by design.

 

[richardraw316]

Well, as great as they are, they aren't going to be for everyone. Objectively however, the 1911 trigger (let alone a Wilson 1911 trigger) is MUCH better than that on the Glock (or an M&P) and the recoil (assuming same loads) impulse WILL be less, so you might just be one of the people that it doesn't fit quite right and thus it feels "off". Subjectively, perception is reality sometimes. I know that Glocks, M&Ps and other polymer pistols are perfectly capable weapons, but to me they feel cheap and "plastic-y", with spongy, unresponsive triggers. Am I right? Yep, for me. Surprised you found a Wilson to be "rattley" though; My examples (and every other one I've ever held) are bank vault solid compared to pretty much every other pistol I've ever held. An original war production 1911 will have a pretty loose fitment, but that was loose tolerances by design.

to be honest, i felt the same way about my wifes walther pk 380. it just felt loose, like i might fire it and the slide may just keep going and fly off the gun. the wilson made me feel like i was holding a pile of parts in my hand, not a gun, but a pile of parts. i hope other 1911s dont feel this way.

 

[halfmileharry]

Kinda like askin' "Why do you love your wife?" It's made for you. I'm sure it's not for someone else just like your wife wouldn't be. (sorry ladies, not trying to be all male here)
BUT......It's made for a lot of us. Part of our DNA, our comfort zone, favorite chair, etc. Something you'll never let go of once you've got the 1911 fix. Sticks with you forever

 

[churchmouse]

to be honest, i felt the same way about my wifes walther pk 380. it just felt loose, like i might fire it and the slide may just keep going and fly off the gun. the wilson made me feel like i was holding a pile of parts in my hand, not a gun, but a pile of parts. i hope other 1911s dont feel this way.

I have shot variants that felt as you describe. A lot to do with the recoil spring and your grip on the gun. I always tell first timers to hang on to it. Once used to the platform it will grow on you.
The trigger is one of the best parts of this platform. No take up on a good one. It is on top and right there. JMHO.

My Korean issue 1911 is clunky and loose but they were mass produced and this is by design. My uncle said this piece never let him down when he needed it. He was a Ranger so I can only imagine.

 

[LCSOSgt11]

If you don't mind a small rant:

I began my fixation on the 1911 in high school after I read "Cooper on Handguns." I read that book/mag until it fell apart.

When I became a police officer, I have had 1911's for my off duty carry as most police administrators wet their Depends when you ask to carry it. Most police firearms are Glocks, Smiths, Sigs, et. al, which are mostly nothing more than a multi-shot revolver. A revolver, which I started out with in my police career is a "point and shoot" weapon which required no specific actions to make it work. Most (and not certainly all) police duty weapons now are semiautomatic with no mechanical safety device which requires deactivation to make it work. If a bad guy gets control of a cop's Glock or Beretta 92D, Sig 226, 229, 220, et al or similar weapon, the cop will be shot with his own weapon as the trigger pull is the only means necessary to fire it, just like a revolver.

I like the 1911 because it has at least two safety mechanisms. First is the manual or thumb safety. Carried in condition one (and only) the manual safety prevents the weapon from being fired without deactivating it. Second, the grip safety prevents the weapon from being fired unless it is gripped properly.

There have been incidents where police have had their 1911's taken away and the bad guys could not fire the weapon due to their unfamiliarity with deactivating the manual safety, or the weapon did not fire due to being improperly gripped.

If the 1911 is in the proper caliber, the .45 ACP, that round is the round by which all other semiauto pistol rounds are measured. Sure, one can argue the 9mm with proper ammo works well, and so does the .40 S&W. But, the .45 ACP starts out as a .45 and does not necessarily need to expand to perform adequately. Of course, proper marksmanship can "level the playing field" to an extent.

The 1911 is somewhat slimmer in grip profile than say a double stack configuration such as the Glock, Beretta, Smith, and Sig. I have small hands, and my department issue Sig 229 is like grabbing a tree trunk.

The 1911 also has the "single action" type trigger mechanism which is a short reset, and consistent. Most modern 1911's out of the box have perfectly adequate trigger releases, in contrast to the "spongy" release of the Glock, and the detestable "double action" trigger actions of the others ala Sig, Smith, and Beretta. I have yet to encounter a double action auto trigger that is or was as smooth as any revolver that I had, without expensive and extensive pistolsmith work.

One may worry about the seven or eight round .45 magazines for the 1911. Not to sound arrogant, but adequate and consistent marksmanship practice removes the "more bullet" theory from mind. As Clint Smith and others have said to this effect, more bullets mean more opportunities to miss.

And finally:

It's a .45.

 

[churchmouse]

When the topic of round count comes up I offer this solution. It is a Para-Ordinance P-14 limited. It is one of the best "Shooters" I own in a 1911 variant. It has 14 in the double stack mag and one in the hole, condition one you have 15 rds. It is wide in the grip but I have large hands. I also offer the P-12 in the officers size frame. It to will accept the P-14 mags. Wonderful
The P-12 is the black 1911 under my Springer Trophy.

 

[sgreen3]

Proven design, and history to go along with it.

 

[youngda9]

Kinda like askin' "Why do you love your wife?"

Because she's loose and rattles...sometime I feel like she just might fly off(on her broom).

 

[GlockZ]

1911's are like a hott ex-girlfriend; expensive, high maintainence, sexy, but fail to work when you need them to! They are sexy and nice to look at, but that's about it.

 

[iChokePeople]

1911's are like a hott ex-girlfriend; expensive, high maintainence, sexy, but fail to work when you need them to! They are sexy and nice to look at, but that's about it.

Maybe just like the ex you're talking about, it just wouldn't work for YOU...

 

[IndyDave1776]

1911's are like a hott ex-girlfriend; expensive, high maintainence, sexy, but fail to work when you need them to! They are sexy and nice to look at, but that's about it.

How do you figure that? I have had mine for 17 years, and it has been reliable and needs no more maintenance than being cleaned once in a while, and it works. They are also a bargain considering their cost of manufacture (steel, machine work, etc) contrasted with what you pay for a piece of injection-molded plastic.

 

[JetGirl]

1911's are like a hott ex-girlfriend; expensive, high maintainence, sexy, but fail to work when you need them to! They are sexy and nice to look at, but that's about it.

How do you figure that?

Because some men don't know how to handle a woman?

 

[repeter1977]

1911's are like a hott ex-girlfriend; expensive, high maintainence, sexy, but fail to work when you need them to! They are sexy and nice to look at, but that's about it.

Apparently you don't screen your girlfriends, or guns properly then. I have 1911s, and Glocks, and more then a couple others, actually never had a problem with any of mine. I do some research, and make sure that I get a great firearm. good luck with your future girlfriends and firearms.

 

[churchmouse]

Because some men don't know how to handle a woman?

Gently....

 

[LPMan59]

1911's are like a hott ex-girlfriend; expensive, high maintainence, sexy, but fail to work when you need them to! They are sexy and nice to look at, but that's about it.

i'm the guy she was sleeping with while she was dating you. you have a tiny little Glock.

 

[ghitch75]

no Tupperware here!!!.....i don't see what there is to explain?????....just buy one and you'll see!!!