38,000 rounds through 1911s

[farscott]

Because pins and stuff!



There was... until 1945 and Uncle Sam got out of the 1911 building business.
I guess you could say it lasted until Colt started deviating from the GI spec, which was... MK IV? Gold Cup?

Colt deviated from the original spec when they chambered 1911-pattern pistols in everything from .22 LR to .38 Super. My experience with 1911-pattern pistols is that the farther one deviates from the original design in terms of barrel length and cartridge chambering, the more issues arise. For example, 9x19 1911-pattern pistols are fun and really quite accurate, but every one of mine is ammo sensitive and need different magazines. Of course, some of them have ramped barrels (STI, David Sams) and some of then have frame ramps (two Colts).

Short 1911-pattern guns can be finicky. Some run while others do not, and finding what is the root cause can be frustrating. I have had Colt Officer's ACP models that run well and others than choke at least once per magazine with the same ammo and same magazines as the "good pistol".

From the late 1990s until about 2011, I pretty much shot and carried nothing but 1911s. Not sure on my total round count, but I have more than one pistol with more than 25,000 documented rounds through it. I shot Bullseye with 1911-pattern pistols, and those pistols are capable of delivering sub-three-inch groups at fifty yards -- but not in my hands. I have broken extractor hooks, broken magazine catches, cracked a slide, lost sights, damaged alloy frames (including a Robar-smithed Commander), etc. because everything breaks if you use it. It is a lot easier to fit any one of the corresponding Glock parts. I never had to lap a new slide to a Glock frame.

[Jared]

I'm curious what kind of problem we'd be trying to solve there. Glocks, while perhaps not quite "perfection" tend to be pretty reliable. The teeting issues with the Gen 4 seem to have sorted themselves out, at least that's my impression with the one's I've played with here lately.

And if that wasn't true, at the point where I have to replace a guns slide to make it reliable is the point where I just buy something else that works out of the box.

I've got a G19 MOS that I bought new earlier this year that's not exactly giving me the warm and fuzzies with its extraction/ejection pattern. So far they are all getting out and not stovepiping, but time will tell. I've had cases eject left, right, straight back and forward so far with this gun. Contrast that with the Beretta APX I've been running, where I'm pretty sure a properly placed 5 gallon bucket could catch 85% of the brass or so. Whatever is going on with the Glock design the last few years, I don't think its all the way ironed out.

[Drang]

Colt deviated from the original spec when they chambered 1911-pattern pistols in everything from .22 LR to .38 Super. My experience with 1911-pattern pistols is that the farther one deviates from the original design in terms of barrel length and cartridge chambering, the more issues arise.

No argument here. One class I attended everyone said they were running a 1911, but I said "1911-ish", and when they asked me what I meant, I said a Combat Commander isn't really a 1911, since the barrel's too short, the bushing's different, and I had real sights put on.

[StraitR]

1. "1911" is meaningless. When someone says "1911s are finicky and unreliable" it's the most meaningless statement someone can make. I had a Sig 1911 chambered in .357 Sig that was finicky and unreliable. I have a 600 dollar Rock Island 9mm 1911 that has fired over 3,700 rounds without a single failure of any type. I've had Colts that were dead-ass reliable tanks and Colts that had trouble feeding JHP. I had a different Sig 1911 in .45 ACP that worked so long as you used Wilson Combat magazines, but wouldn't work with anything else.

And this is why I try to stay out of 1911 discussions. Everything is presumptive, because as you say, "1911" is meaningless. Yet, round and round people go about "my 1911 this" and "my 1911 that", for better or worse, it all means nothing.

[Tango]

Exactly right, when someone says 1911, you really have to listen. What I love about them is that when you find "yours" it is really hard to compare another platform to it.

[JHC]

Exactly right, when someone says 1911, you really have to listen. What I love about them is that when you find "yours" it is really hard to compare another platform to it.

"yours". Interesting. Here I think I've become smitten by the heft balance and handling of the Operator frame. I didn't see that coming.

[jetfire]

To be fair, the external extractor makes sense in every way but aesthetics.

Heresy feels pretty good when the gun works correctly.

Which reminds of the biggest problem with 1911s - 1911 enthusiasts.

[Drang]

Which reminds of the biggest problem with 1911s - 1911 enthusiasts.

Granted you'd get in a lot of fights with gun store commandos.
Even worse would be the gun store commandos who think they're on your side...

[JonInWA]

We have 4 1911s (or, to be more specific, 4 1911-pattern pistols); A 1945-production, Mt Rainier Ordinance Depot refurbished Remington Rand, a SIG-Sauer "Second Generation" GSR, a Nighthawk Custom Talon II, and a Colt stainless Series 70 Repro.

In my empirical experience, the only ones that I think would pass the 2K test out-of-the-box would be the Remington Rand and the Colt Series 70 Repro (In all honesty, I think I only have some 500 rounds on that particular 1911). Both the SIG and the Nighthawk would now likely successfully pass the 2K test, but not originally. Both required some additional ministrations (2 separate trips to the factory for the GSR for different issues, one initial and one developing over time) and consistent recoil spring early wear (replacement needed like clockwork every 800 rds) and magazine tuning for the Nighthawk Custom (somewhat self-induced, as I'm using Check-Mate magazines, not the OEM ones (which might have been just fine, but I done think I've ever used them other than for basic functionality testing)

The Colt Series 70 early on gave me some brass-to-face on ejection, but that sorted itself out quickly, with no ministrations needed. I've not heavily used the Remington Rand, but it's probably the best rack-grade 1911 I've ever personally experienced. The only thing I've done to it was to have replaced the OEM recoil spring with a Wolff 16# standard one as preventive maintenance.

Best, Jon

[JonInWA]

This thread prompted me to put some rounds through the Series 70...darn thing wants to shoot like a Gold Cup, with impeccable reliability. Yeah, the edges and hammer are a bit sharp, but it's a great 1911. And the hammer sharpness Ill inexpensively address simply by getting a holster that suitably shields my side from the hammer spur.

Best, Jon