Why Carry a 1911? Gun Guys

[SecondsCount]

I took my "shoots-once-every-8-months" wife to the range a while back. We rented a basic Springfield Mil-Spec, .45.

She put a two-inch group on paper at 10 yards, right in the center of the target. Never even seen a 1911 before. My results were just as good if not better. Shootability, accuracy, precision, user-friendliness, intuitive interface... whatever you wanna call it, the 1911 definitely has it.

I've found other platforms that offer similar shooting characteristics with more "certain" reliability, for less cost, effort, etc. Obviously a government-sized 1911 is the most fool proof in terms of reliability... but I tend to think that's a little too big for a go-to carry gun. I'd love to have a CCO-sized gun that was as dead-nuts reliable as a Sig P220 or a Browning Hi-Power... but... I feel like that's gonna cost me 2 grand plus; I'm not sure I'd trust an off-the-shelf commander/CCO from a non-custom gun maker. Especially when a P220 shoots just about as accurately as any 1911 I've shot.

So, I don't actually own any 1911s at the moment. But, I feel like the platform offers a lot of what I'm looking for in a handgun... just at an overall cost that doesn't make sense for me, right now.

My former wife carried a 9mm CCO built on a Caspian with a Kart barrel that John Harrison fit. I got a super good deal on it and she shot several hundred rounds a month through it. We kept it lubed and I would clean it about every six months. It was very reliable and was a great little package for carry. It didn't like HST but ate 124+P Gold Dot with ease.

If you wanted something off the shelf, I would look at the Dan Wesson offerings and not worry too much about the cost. Your wife might enjoy shooting more if she has something enjoyable to shoot

[Darth_Uno]

I took Gabe’s class the year BC (before COVID)

Day two I used my Glock 17. I struggled to make the accuracy standards. My brain and the Glock trigger don’t interface well. I had to slow down just a bit to keep the rounds where they were supposed to be. I didn’t worry about managing ammo though.

I was a "two wurld warz" 1911 guy right up until the day of my first class, where I realized that running out of ammo is for chumps.

[GJM]

Jeff Cooper maintained that a new shooter could be brought up to speed most efficiently with a steel five inch 1911. For years, Gunsite's 250 class has had pretty modest round counts with excellent results in molding a competent defensive pistolero.

[RJ]

I took my "shoots-once-every-8-months" wife to the range a while back. We rented a basic Springfield Mil-Spec, .45.

She put a two-inch group on paper at 10 yards, right in the center of the target. Never even seen a 1911 before. My results were just as good if not better. Shootability, accuracy, precision, user-friendliness, intuitive interface... whatever you wanna call it, the 1911 definitely has it.

Uhhh...ummm...so, is that model like, the Glock 19 of 1911s?

[MGW]

I was a "two wurld warz" 1911 guy right up until the day of my first class, where I realized that running out of ammo is for chumps.

I was never a two-world wars guy. I was an "I can run the shit out of this thing" guy though. Keeping a 1911 full of ammo isn't that big of a deal. You just gotta do it more often. Push button. Insert magazine. Carry on. I think I had 15 magazines when I went to Gabe's class. Admittedly a lot of my downtime was spent stuffing ammo into magazines.

[MGW]

Thank you gentlemen. Those match the experience of a good friend of mine. I remember with my Garthwaite, dry fire reloads greatly improved my speed and gracefulness for lack of a better word, with the reloads as it had no magwell.

The Chen SI Magwells are really nice. For the ultimate low-pro magwell I don't think his Gen 2 magwell can be beat. But they're expensive and require a skilled gunsmith which adds to the $$$.

[MGW]

Slightly different, but relevant. Bill Wilson has told me that he transitions from the 1911 to the Beretta 92 instantly, but going from 92 to 1911 takes much more effort.

Maybe I need to start shooting that Beretta again after all. Last time I took a serious stab at Berettas I had been shooting Glocks.

[MGW]

I've found other platforms that offer similar shooting characteristics with more "certain" reliability, for less cost, effort, etc. Obviously a government-sized 1911 is the most fool proof in terms of reliability... but I tend to think that's a little too big for a go-to carry gun. I'd love to have a CCO-sized gun that was as dead-nuts reliable as a Sig P220 or a Browning Hi-Power... but... I feel like that's gonna cost me 2 grand plus; I'm not sure I'd trust an off-the-shelf commander/CCO from a non-custom gun maker. Especially when a P220 shoots just about as accurately as any 1911 I've shot.

So, I don't actually own any 1911s at the moment. But, I feel like the platform offers a lot of what I'm looking for in a handgun... just at an overall cost that doesn't make sense for me, right now.

The P220 had some magazine issues but it makes for a pretty decent carry gun. And you're right. They are stupid accurate. Then again the P226 is pretty damn close to a P220. No magazine issues. Easier to reload. More BB's. I'm trying to remember why I stopped carrying a P226. Oh yeah. Kitten Sig. I can sure think myself in circles.

[MGW]

Staccato C2?

I had a 4" Staccato P for a short time. They're pretty solid. My hope was that the EDC or CZ would take away the concerns with magazines. And that EDC X9 has some really great ergonomics.

[Robinson]

Uhhh...ummm...so, is that model like, the Glock 19 of 1911s?

Maybe more like the Glock 17 of 1911s. The Springfield Mil-spec or a Colt Classic.