Glock vs 1911, side by side comparison

[locosway]

Tonight I took my Glock 17 RTF2 with Warren Tactical Night Sights and bit of trigger work out to the range. I had intended to work on some 25m shots since my usual 10-15m shot placement is sufficient.

At 25m my shots were spanning a good sized area, but all were still good hits. I tried 3 different brands of ammo, and all performed about the same. Nearing the end of my shoot I rented a SA TRP Operator and went to town. Initially it was shooting low, so I adjusted the sights and brought the shots up. I wasn't all that impressed with the gun, so I swapped it out for a Colt Gold Cup. This gun was giving me a ragged hole at 10m. Very nice shooting gun, to say the least.

So, how about this comparison?

Accuracy: 1911 wins hands down. The trigger on a bottom barrel 1911 is better than a good trigger on a Glock. There's just no getting around the DAOish striker fired Glock trigger. It will never be a 1911, not in the least. A few other things that give the 1911 an edge are fit and finish, along with a slightly longer barrel and sight radius.

Shootability: 1911 wins again. I found the 1911 much easier to shoot and control. I attributed this to weight. The 1911 has more weight which helps absorb the recoil. The Glock was definitely shootable, but it was far more jumpy in my hands. Now, to be fair I should have shot a Glock 21, but I had the Glock 17 and the ammo.

Reliability: From my encounters with 1911's and Glocks, I'd have to give it to the Glock. The simplicity of their design, loose tolerances, and general construction lend to a more reliable firearm. However, the very things that make the Glock affordable and reliable are the things that hurt it's accuracy.

Capacity: 7 rounds for the 1911, and 17 for my Glock. This is a big deal to me. I really don't like the idea of only 7 rounds in my gun. 17 rounds is better, especially if you're using this for a defensive weapon where you might have to sling a lot of lead in a short amount of time.

Price: Glock wins hands down here. However, you can get a 1911 that's on the same price point as a Glock, but those aren't the ones I tested tonight. Both of the 1911's I tested tonight were well over 2x the cost of a Glock.

In summary, both are great guns, and I like them both equally well. However, the ability to run 17 rounds in my gun, and the simplicity of the Glock make it the winner for me as a defensive weapon. But, it will never be the surgical weapon the 1911 is. This is important to some people, and it is important to me for the most part.

Looking back at the experience on a personal level, I really want a more accurate gun. The 1911 appeals to me in many ways, but the drawbacks also eat at me. Maybe I would be better suited with a Sig Sauer P226 X5?

[chim-chim7]

Cool story.

[greasem0nkey86]

Cool story.

????

[CK_32]

Nice little wright up. Fun read.

[InGrAM]

7 rounds for your 1911? I know its not much but all of my 1911's have 8 and 10 round magazines (usually mec-gar, I find they work the best for my 1911's). I have a few old 7 round army surplus mags for my colt but that is it.

Over all, pretty good write up and impartial. Good stuff man. Keep it coming. Thanks

[23 Blast]

For the price point, a better comparison would be the stock G17 against an RIA 1911. A Colt Gold Cup is analogous to a G34 that's been tuned with aftermarket parts for competition.

I think that a Glock is actually quite accurate, but the stock trigger prevents most shooters from realizing that accuracy. Just look at how many competition shooters use Glocks - clearly they can be tuned into race guns.

I do agree that a stock 1911 trigger is pretty darn nice, and better than 90% of any other stock DA/SA, or striker, or DAO trigger out there.

For me, I like both. I have a G19 as well as a Colt 1911. I can be accurate with the Glock, but the 1911 is much easier to hit with. The whole muscle memory setup for each gun is radically different.

[locosway]

7 rounds for your 1911? I know its not much but all of my 1911's have 8 and 10 round magazines (usually mec-gar, I find they work the best for my 1911's). I have a few old 7 round army surplus mags for my colt but that is it.

Over all, pretty good write up and impartial. Good stuff man. Keep it coming. Thanks

Yes, there are higher cap mags for the 1911. However the two guns I shot came with 7 round mags. But even a 10 round mag isn't a 17 round mag, or even a 33 round mag that will fit a Glock 17.

For the price point, a better comparison would be the stock G17 against an RIA 1911. A Colt Gold Cup is analogous to a G34 that's been tuned with aftermarket parts for competition.

I think that a Glock is actually quite accurate, but the stock trigger prevents most shooters from realizing that accuracy. Just look at how many competition shooters use Glocks - clearly they can be tuned into race guns.

I do agree that a stock 1911 trigger is pretty darn nice, and better than 90% of any other stock DA/SA, or striker, or DAO trigger out there.

For me, I like both. I have a G19 as well as a Colt 1911. I can be accurate with the Glock, but the 1911 is much easier to hit with. The whole muscle memory setup for each gun is radically different.

I'm accurate with my Glock, but not AS accurate as I am with a 1911, and that was the point. Yes, a Glock can and does run well in competitions, but they will never be as accurate as a 1911. You can ransom rest both guns and the 1911 is hands down more accurate.

As for using a G17 vs a G34. My Glock 17 has a 4.5lbs connector like the G34, but I've also done the polishing of the trigger parts, which is essentially a Glock trigger job. The trigger on my Glock is very nice, and everyone who shoots it raves about it. My sights are also good. Overall it's not the best Glock out there for being tuned, but it's certainly miles beyond a stock Glock.

[JanG]

18 rds of 9mm in a 1911 package


although you can't put a 33 rd mag in it like the glock 17, and it costs twice as much. but it is a looker.

btw, good report. i would have gotten a glock 21 based on reliability reputation alone, but i couldn't get over that grip angle so i ended up dros'n a mp45 earlier this week.

[H2O MAN]

Now, to be fair I should have shot a Glock 21,

Yes, but a nice write-up none the less.

[locosway]

18 rds of 9mm in a 1911 package


although you can't put a 33 rd mag in it like the glock 17, and it costs twice as much. but it is a looker.

btw, good report. i would have gotten a glock 21 based on reliability reputation alone, but i couldn't get over that grip angle so i ended up dros'n a mp45 earlier this week.

I'm not a huge fan of the stainless/nickel/chrome look. I suppose I could send it out to be refinished, but that just adds to the price.

[fullspeed1]

With all that being said, Run your 1911 in a 4 day Fighting Pistol/Advanced Fighting Pistol class from Tactical Response that will put 2k+ rounds down range and various weapons manipulation drills including one handed reloads and racking. The training seems to reveal the true nature of either platform. I own both a Glock 19 and a 1911, Love shooting the 1911, But I guarantee you that my Glock is my go to.

[locosway]

With all that being said, Run your 1911 in a 4 day Fighting Pistol/Advanced Fighting Pistol class from Tactical Response that will put 2k+ rounds down range and various weapons manipulation drills including one handed reloads and racking. The training seems to reveal the true nature of either platform. I own both a Glock 19 and a 1911, Love shooting the 1911, But I guarantee you that my Glock is my go to.

Yes, the Glock is my go-to gun as well. And while I could do either gun, I would like to use the right tool for the job. High speed combat accurate shooting, my Glock is the way to go. If I want to be precise in my shots, then a 1911 is more in line with that need. This comparison stemmed from a conversation I had with a friend on the Glock not being as accurate as a 1911. I know people say that most guns will out shoot their owners, but at some point in your life you may run up against that wall. And while I don't claim to have mastered the Glock in terms of accuracy, I do feel that I'm good enough to notice it's inaccurate nature.

This sort of bothers me slightly, knowing that my weapon can't take a surgical shot if needed on a repeatable basis. Can I do a hostage shot at 25m? Yes, but I wouldn't rely on it from my Glock.

[JanG]

didn't the 1911 go through a 6k torture test before being adopted by the military? if you want a reliable 1911, stick with the looser original than a super tight tack driver.

[locosway]

didn't the 1911 go through a 6k torture test before being adopted by the military? if you want a reliable 1911, stick with the looser original than a super tight tack driver.

Again, right tool for the job. If I was stranded in the middle of no where and I had to pick a gun to use, it would be my Glock 17.

However, I don't regularly go wading through jungles, mud, sand dunes, etc. And if I were doing those things, I likely wouldn't have a gun on me, and if I did have a gun on me, it wouldn't be a $2k 1911.

For me, the Glock 17 lends itself more to a combat environment where maintenance is not performed regularly, and where you need to carry more than 20 rounds of ammo. Three mags for my Glock gives me over 50 rounds, and with a +2 baseplate it pushes that number closer to 60 rounds.

Can a 1911 be as reliable as a Glock? Yes, but not on average. The point of my comparison was more about being accurate, and not so much about which one can withstand xxxxxxx rounds before a failure.

[mikaarce]

Thank you for the post, I have a glock 22, and a colt 1911, your right with the precision on the 1911, I almost traded my glock because I was not shooting well with it, but with practice, I slowly found how to grip it, and shoot well with it.