1911 vs other .45s?

[redcliff]

80% eh? Now I'm worried; I've fired 4,000 rounds of .45acp through my 1911's this last year with zero malfunctions. Does that mean the next 1,000 rounds are gonna fail to function?

[shooterdude]

If you want a gun that will save your life get a Glock21 if you want a gun that looks cool all the time but works 80% then get a 1911.

A Beretta will save your life, looks cool AND functions as close to 100% as any other gun...just sayin'

[mugiwara]

80% eh? Now I'm worried; I've fired 4,000 rounds of .45acp through my 1911's this last year with zero malfunctions. Does that mean the next 1,000 rounds are gonna fail to function?

yes.

[Cyc Wid It]

If you want a gun that will save your life get a Glock21 if you want a gun that looks cool all the time but works 80% then get a 1911.

This guy is carrying Greg Dawg's torch, except without the annoying pictures. 0/10.

[jonzer77]

80% eh? Now I'm worried; I've fired 4,000 rounds of .45acp through my 1911's this last year with zero malfunctions. Does that mean the next 1,000 rounds are gonna fail to function?

Yes but I will buy it off of you cheap rather then you having to spend costly money at a gunsmith so you can go buy a glock LOL

[robcoe]

If you want a gun that will save your life get a Glock21 if you want a gun that looks cool all the time but works 80% then get a 1911.

funny, my experience has been the opposite, the Glock 21 I rented from the range jammed every other round and my 1911 has been going strong for 1000 rounds so far with no hickups.

[InGrAM]

If you want a gun that will save your life get a Glock21 if you want a gun that looks cool all the time but works 80% then get a 1911.

BAAAHAHAAHAH!!! This is my vote for stupidest post in this thread so far.

[Unicorn food]

If you want a gun that will save your life get a Glock21 if you want a gun that looks cool all the time but works 80% then get a 1911.

Out of the 1000's of rounds Ive spent in Training and target practice my 1911's haven't failed at all. I will swear by mine any day of the week.

Edit: The only issue I have ever had with my 1911 is when the dumb A operator didn't seat the mag properly. God that operator is a jerk...

[hayaku]

i lost brain cells reading some of the comments here. some of the responses were funny lol

to the original poster: the 1911 platform has several characteristics that are different from other semi-autos:
- trigger is single action only (as mentioned by many others). therefore it is much easier to fine tune creep, break, reset. this is where everyone enjoys shooting a 1911 because the trigger feels that good compared to other trigger designs. because it is single action, you do not have a hard trigger reset snap like most double action guns where it "bites" your trigger finger back. if you are a precision rifle shooter, you will notice this immediately.
- trigger is not hinged. it slides directly back and forth only. less to mess up on the operators part helping them be more accurate.
- high beavertail design (that is if you have the high beavertail on your gun). this allows for a high tang grip on the barrel axis helping with aiming accuracy and recoil control. the high tang beavertail also gives it a very ergonomic grip angle. the 2 handed thumbs forward grip works extremely well on this frame and is favored by almost all tactical and competition shooters.
- 2 to 3 internal safeties: beavertail, thumb safety and if you have a series 80, there is a firing pin lock as well.
- tons, and i mean tons of accessories and aftermarket parts to customize look, function, and ergonomics of the gun (triggers, hammers, springs, sights, mag wells, grips, beavertails, firing pins, buffers, etc etc etc etc etc)
- tactical maneuvers and methods are extremely efficient, ergonomic and functional on this platform as well (chamber check day or night, mag reloads, tap/rack/bang, etc)

take a look at the competition circuit, especially the higher classes.. they use the 1911 platform for a reason. i think they enjoy a better than 80% working rate lol

[Rover]

I glanced at everyone post and I'm suprised noone mentioned single stack vrs double stack mags. Not that it makes a difference how it shoots, but ergonomically it does make a difference.

That is a very important part IMO. Ergonomics are the only good way to pick between two reliable guns. If you're more comfortable shooting it, you will shoot it better, that's why big time clay and precision rifle guys spend thousands on custom stocks.

In other states, or if you're looking for an extremely compact pocket pistol single stack can be a disadvantage due to lost capacity. However in Ca you're limited to 10 round magazines (yes, I know there are exceptions), so a single stack 1911 can hold just as many rounds as a double stack Glock/XD/whatever.

I personally really like a single stack 1911, it just feels "right" in the palm of my hand. I can shoot my XD just as well, but the 1911 feels much better and is my "go to" for steel plate matches because it's more comfortable overall. My hands aren't however, all that big, people who have shot all my guns with bigger hands gravitate toward my XD and my Smith N frames.

1911s are fine as a first pistol, but it's not what I would recommend. I'd recommend something simple like an XD/Glock/M&P or Berretta in 9mm. 9mm is a great learning caliber, packs plenty of punch and is cheap enough that you're not going to skip the range due to cost. Once you've become proficient and made some friends at the range, you'll undoubtedly get a chance to try a bunch of different guns and form your own opinion about what's best for you. Neither SA/DA/DAO or striker fired pistols are really better, all are perfectly good fighting pistols, so to recommend one to somebody with no prior experience is a crap shoot at best.

[tacticalcity]

There are some incorrect assumptions about the 1911 being spread here.

The 1911 is considered a superior weapon system by "tactical" operators. That is why so many SWAT teams favor it despite the fact that the department wide issued firearm is a DA/SA handgun. Presence of thumb safety is not draw back because the trigger is light, smooth, and exactly the same from the first pull to the last. It is a much faster firearm compared to the department issue Beretta's or similar firearms.

The Glock is also a preferred platform for tactical use by SWAT teams. Again this is because each trigger pull is the same from the first to the last, except it is a medium pull rather than a light pull because it does not have a thumb safety.

Read any book about Delta Force, technically called 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, and you notice that they all reference the fact that they almost all use a 1911 or Glock variant as their secondary.

Other elite teams also use other weapon systems. I am not saying they are the only acceptable option. I am simply saying that any implication that a 1911 is tactically inferior because it has a thumb safety is ridiculous.

[tacticalcity]

That is a very important part IMO. Ergonomics are the only good way to pick between two reliable guns. If you're more comfortable shooting it, you will shoot it better, that's why big time clay and precision rifle guys spend thousands on custom stocks.

In other states, or if you're looking for an extremely compact pocket pistol single stack can be a disadvantage due to lost capacity. However in Ca you're limited to 10 round magazines (yes, I know there are exceptions), so a single stack 1911 can hold just as many rounds as a double stack Glock/XD/whatever.

I personally really like a single stack 1911, it just feels "right" in the palm of my hand. I can shoot my XD just as well, but the 1911 feels much better and is my "go to" for steel plate matches because it's more comfortable overall. My hands aren't however, all that big, people who have shot all my guns with bigger hands gravitate toward my XD and my Smith N frames.

1911s are fine as a first pistol, but it's not what I would recommend. I'd recommend something simple like an XD/Glock/M&P or Berretta in 9mm. 9mm is a great learning caliber, packs plenty of punch and is cheap enough that you're not going to skip the range due to cost. Once you've become proficient and made some friends at the range, you'll undoubtedly get a chance to try a bunch of different guns and form your own opinion about what's best for you. Neither SA/DA/DAO or striker fired pistols are really better, all are perfectly good fighting pistols, so to recommend one to somebody with no prior experience is a crap shoot at best.

Ergonomics are not a consideration with me. Not if I can reach the controls and doesn't have spikes piercing my hands when I grab it. Ok, so that is an exaduration. They matter in so much that they are not so bad they get in the way.

Ease of mastering the trigger matters most to me. So that means the same trigger pull each and every time and short reset.

How exactly does this effect my choices? If I put a lot of weight on ergonomics over trigger control then I would pick the Springfield XD over the Glock. The XD feels better in my hand. However, it has a trigger rest that is twice as long as the Glock. Meaning that means there is twice the chance that while I am shooting my follow up shots movement in my hand will pull me off target. Making the Glock, according to my criteria a better choice. No bear in mind, the ergonomics on the Glock are not exactly terrible. I can reach the controls and the manual of arms is easy to master. So while it may not feel super comfy, it feels good enough that no improvement in ergonomics would make another gun a better choice unless the trigger and trigger reset matched or exceeded those of the Glock.

Based on my criteria the Glock outshines all of its clones and DA/SA handguns. And the 1911's shorter trigger pull makes up for the presence of a thumb safety and puts it neck and neck with the Glock.

Of course, I do not expect everyone to agree with me. To each their own.