Why Carry a 1911? Gun Guys

[vcdgrips]

Outside of my Lane

I began texturing 1911 grips seriously in 2008 after returning from a closed Gunsite 250 class populated by 19 of my closest shooting buddies/their buddies.


The regional FBI SWAT guys I knew loved their 1911s from the accuracy/badge of honor standpoint but even then, the writing was on the wall.

1. IIRC they were issued 1 gun, but there were a few extras in the division should they go down.

2. With the possible exception of recoil springs and grip panels, anything else that got wonky on the gun, back to Quantico it went.

3. Everybody had range mags/swat load out mags and daily "duty" mags and never the twain did meet.

4. Even when you made Regional SWAT, you could not carry a 1911 until you went to an off site multi-day transitional school which started being offered less and less.

5. After coming off SWAT, you could carry a 1911 if you had bought one yourself. The issued guns went back to the armory.

6. Many active/former SWAT guys worked fugitive apprehension in my AO.

7. Based on my conversations with one 2x HRT candidate, all quals were done with a Glock because while most HRT guys were prior regional SWAT, not all were and/or not all of them had had the transition course.

8. Based on my conversations with a former HRT guy, many of them had already started carrying glocks because of overseas assignments. Overseas it tended to be a 9mm. Stateside it tended to be a Glock 21

9. Regional SWAT started carrying 9mm with plus 2 OEM mags well before the rest of the division transitioned to 9mm wholesale from the .40 cal glock that they were issued. Technically, shooters who had recurring qualification issues could ultimately get a 9 mm before the changeover but that was not a good look and I know of no one who did so despite multiple shooters who were very tentative/task saturated folks shooting 80ish % with the .40 becoming 90 % ish shooters with a 9mm. In my division, SWAT guys would work with those shooters on a regular basis before their quarterly quals.

I am in fervent hope that somebody in my lifetime makes a reliable, readily available high capacity 1911 like gun. The DWX in 9 and .40 perhaps. They build it up into .45 as well using CZ 97 mags?
The DWZ?!?!?!?

[Bucky]

I am in fervent hope that somebody in my lifetime makes a reliable, readily available high capacity 1911 like gun. The DWX in 9 and .40 perhaps. They build it up into .45 as well using CZ 97 mags?
The DWZ?!?!?!?

Like the EDC X9? You didn’t say affordable.

[Evil_Ed]

I am in fervent hope that somebody in my lifetime makes a reliable, readily available high capacity 1911 like gun. The DWX in 9 and .40 perhaps. They build it up into .45 as well using CZ 97 mags?
The DWZ?!?!?!?

The "problem" with CZ97 mags...they only hold 10. If you're gonna go doublestack, it really needs to go at least 12-13...

I love my 97; it's huge, soft shooting, suppressed great with a BarSto barrel, reliable...but only 10 rounds, boooo. Then again, being designed in (surprise!) 1997 during the AWB, there was no real impetus to make it a higher cap since 10 rounds was the limit of the land, and that limit at the time looked like it would become a permanent one..

If CZ or anyone decides to redo a high cap 1911-like gun...they might be better off basing the design on the HK mags..

[TiroFijo]

A factory G21 with metal mags could shave quite a few mm in grip diameter and still hold 13-14 rounds...

[GearFondler]

A factory G21 with metal mags could shave quite a few mm in grip diameter and still hold 13-14 rounds...

Sure, but you're not gonna get Glock to shed the plastic condom.

[Jim Watson]

How "1911-like" does it need to be?
I have a 2011 .45 but The Company Previouly Known as STI has abandoned the bigbore. And they never were "popularly priced".

CZ, HK, Glock, XD, who else at all makes a "modern" .45?
And Walther, PPQ .45 ain't bad but it ain't 1911, either.
Does Smith still make plastic M&P .45?

[HCM]

How "1911-like" does it need to be?
I have a 2011 .45 but The Company Previouly Known as STI has abandoned the bigbore. And they never were "popularly priced".

CZ, HK, Glock, XD, who else at all makes a "modern" .45?
And Walther, PPQ .45 ain't bad but it ain't 1911, either.
Does Smith still make plastic M&P .45?

Smith still makes the M&P 45.

I believe Beretta still makes the PX4 45.

SIG appears to have abandoned the P320 .45. (And the 40/357 models as well).

[Bergeron]

Smith still makes the M&P 45.

Not to belabor the 1911-alternative points, but Ernest Langdon has publicly discussed his involvement with the M&P 45- that pistol remains the most ambidextrous and efficient .45 pistol that I've ever touched.

Putting my trigger finger into register helped on-safe the pistol, and I could easily, simultaneously hit the slide lock with both my trigger finger and thumb. This "both-sides-of-the-pistol" at once, with one hand, was and remains a revelation as to the utility of ambidexterity. The recoil was also mild, and the sights tracked very well. Perusing P-F, I find that the quality and accuracy of the the .45 version of the M&P is regarded above and beyond the other chamberings, and I can see why.

[MGW]

I like how this thread has progressed. I’ve been thinking about pistols and shooting a lot recently. Here are some random thoughts.

I shoot a 5” 1911 in 45 faster and more accurately than a 1911 in 9mm. No idea why. But I have significantly fewer rounds through a 9mm 1911. That could be the only reason.

A 2011 doesn’t have the same magic for me as a 1911. But I also haven’t shot a 2011 in 45. So who knows. One of the things I like about a 1911 over a 2011 is being able to easily change out the grips to the size and texture I like.

From a self defense perspective I don’t personally see and advantage to a 9mm 1911 over a 1911 in 45.

There are a lot of platforms that rationally make more sense than a 1911. But for an individual that’s serious about shooting, and knows how to vet and maintain a 1911, I don’t really see an issue with it as a carry gun. The 1911 significantly loses out to other platforms for mass institutional issue and for casual shooters.

[Robinson]

I shoot a 5” 1911 in 45 faster and more accurately than a 1911 in 9mm. No idea why. But I have significantly fewer rounds through a 9mm 1911. That could be the only reason.

Same here, to @JAD 's consternation. In fact, I shoot a 45 1911 better than either a 9mm or 38 Super. Maybe because of all the rounds I've put through 45s, as you eluded to, or maybe something about the 45 in a 1911.

If I found a 9mm Commander that proved reliable over thousands of rounds and that I could shoot as well as I shoot a 45 I would be carrying it.