1911 Pistols: Myth vs Reality And My Experience

[Bailey Guns]

I'm a 1911 fanboy. I love them for a lot of reasons, especially Colts and Kimbers. I still occasionally CCW a Kimber Aegis II 9MM.

My experiences with 1911 pistols seem to be at odds with the experiences of others. I've had very few that were not near 100% reliable out of the box. I've carried them on duty, trained with them (including multi-day classes) and shot them recreationally(?), a lot. As a matter of fact, I've probably owned 50+ 1911 pistols and I've had two that I just couldn't get to work. On the other hand, I've probably owned 15 or 20 Glock pistols and had 1 (a fairly early G21) that would not work in cold weather.

I've heard people say you have to spend $500 or more in gunsmithing work to make a 1911 reliable. Not my experience at all. I've never needed a gunsmith to work on any 1911 (not counting the two Baers) except for staking the front night sight on to a Colt. That's it. They've always functioned as well as any other gun I've owned right out of the box...and they were more accurate than most.

Five 1911 pistols are in my safe now. Two Colts and three Kimbers. Kimbers really seem to take more than their share of hatin' from gun guys. I don't know why that is. I've heard rumors (most of which weren't true...such as their MIM parts are made in China) and horror stories. I've never seen anything of the sort myself. I sold thousands of Kimbers through my store and I NEVER had an unhappy customer or a complaint about the gun. Most Kimber customers returned to buy another...and another. I did have two Kimbers I didn't really like to shoot...but not because they didn't work. Both were SIS models, a Custom and a Pro. The finish was just too slick and I couldn't operate the gun as I'd like on the range because my hands would frequently slip off the slide while reloading, doing malfunction drills, etc. The gun functioned flawlessly other than that.

One Kimber, an early Warrior model, never malfunctioned for me over several thousand rounds (I'd guess about 7). I'd also guess that at least half of that was with Wolf ammo. It was far more accurate than I could ever shoot, too. I wound up giving that gun to my son and as I far as I know it's still 100% reliable.

MIM parts also seem to be a sore spot for a lot of people. I'm no expert on metallurgy. But I do know MIM is used in manufacturing by almost all gun makers and for many other industries. I've never had a problem with a MIM part despite all the horror stories I've heard.

I've also never experienced a significant problem with any of the numerous Commander or Officer-sized 1911 pistols I've owned from Colt, Kimber or Springfield, despite their reputation as unreliable. I had one customer who bought a Springfield Micro. Constant FTE stoppages when he fired it. I could not duplicate the problem when I fired it and I couldn't see any obvious issue with his technique. He was a highly experienced Glock shooter and could not shoot that gun. I bought it from him and carried/shot it for months without an issue.

And I just love Colt 1911 pistols. By far my favorite, admittedly for nostalgic reasons. In my opinion it is THE epitome of an American legend in terms of pistols.

Not trying to start a war with this lengthy post, just curious what your experiences have been with 1911s.

[pdr240]

Used Colt Commander that I "fought" with for about a year before I realized the I was the problem ... never had a NIB one.

[trlcavscout]

I tried to like 1911's. My first was a Springfield, it was OK just took some work to feed HP's. Colts suck ass and I wouldnt take one if given to me, out of 3 new colt 1911's I bought new the cheapest one to make work was $275 at a gun smith I have never had a colt that worked right. I had a couple other brands that ranged from mild tweaking to sell that pos before it blows up. The best one was an old worn out kimber I bought, It looked like ass but it actually worked. 1911's are to heavy and to low capacity, not worth trying to make them work right.

[bryjcom]

I've had a Rock Island and a American Tactical(Both filipino imports) and have only had a few FTF with hollow point reloads. I'm no expert in the 1911 but I understand that hollowpoints can be tricky with the 1911.

For defensive loads I use Hornady critical defense. They feed like FMJs but expand better than hollowpoints.


Of all the ammo I've ran through them, 99% was FMJ and NEVER had a problem.

[MattR]

I had a Kimber that had an aluminun frame that was the biggest pos, every 2-3 rounds it failed. I had it worked on and tried different mags and ammo and finally just gave up. I had another Kimber in 10mm that I was going to by but made the guy let me shoot it first and it was the same thing. I had a Para double stack that wouldn't work either. I sent it back and they said it was good but the first mag had issues. I figured out the ejector on it was soft and had broken and replaced it with a Wilson and it ran great after that. My STI and Infinity both work great, they are .40's though. The Infinity broke an extractor once and that was the only issue it had.I've been thinking about a Sig Scorpion lately.

[hatidua]

I've had more 1911's than I can remember. The ONLY one that ever had a hiccup was a Colt Gunsite model. All of my Springfields, from the Milspec model up to the PRO model, and everything in between were as reliable as any firearm I've ever encountered. My Ed Brown's worked fine, the Wilsons were fine, my Grandfathers' USGI Colt from 1918 ran perfectly with any ammo. I exited the platform less than a year ago as I couldn't justify the cost of .45 over 9mm but I have fond memories of my various 1911's

From anecdotal evidence, it seems they are more prone to limp-wristing issues than other guns but I've not experienced that aspect myself.

[stevelkinevil]

I've had 4 Spring fields, 2 Colts, and one Kimber. All the Springfields ran like Champs and I carried one on duty for 9 years. The Colts reqired a little break-in but ran great after a couple boxes. The Kimber OTH never would run even after a visit back to the factory.

[Fentonite]

Kimber Ultra Carry: out of box needed ~100 rds to feed reliably. Then it wouldn't lock back on empty, so Kimber replaced the slide catch. Perfect after that.

Colt 1991: initially had intermittent FTF. New recoil spring ---> perfect.

[ChadAmberg]

I've got a 1911 in 45 and one in 9mm. Love 'em both, never so much as a misfeed. Love shooting them more than my other guns.

[buffalobo]

Only been a fan of 1911's for about 10 yrs. Never owned a NIB but have had 5 used. The older they were the more reliable they were. Only one(newest of the bunch and 9mm) turned out to be POS and I lost $150 on it just to get rid of it(had to be honest and told buyer of the issues I had with it).

Will stick to older models that are not so pretty and rattle. Require accuracy and reliability first.

[Sparky]

Had a Kimber Stainless that ran awesome right out of the box. Wish I still had it.

[ray1970]

I had a Colt back in the early 1990's that was 100% reliable with any type of ammo I feed it. Had a couple of springfield's that wouldn't run reliably on certain hollow points without some work. You have mentioned that 1911's have soul and character. That's part I the reason I don't like the MIM parts. I never had a problem with the parts but it just bothers me to have cheaply made parts on an otherwise quality handgun. So I usually change them all out.

[Hoser]

I have a several 1911s. Everything from a Colt Officers Model to a STI high capacity plastic frame with a dot scope on it. I have them in 45 ACP, 45 GAP, 40 S&W, 38 Super and 9x19. All of them run perfect when fed good ammo through good mags. I have owned one Lemon and it was a Para.

[Jmetz]

I've always had a thing for 1911's. I've only owned 2, first was a new Springfield Micro Compact years ago and never had an issue with it. I sold it after getting my second 1911 a Kimber Pro Carry II. I still have and carry the Kimber. By far one of the best hand guns I've owned. No issues ever, it shoots like butter, and is very accurate.

[XXFattyHunterXX]

I owned 4 colts so far, only got my Defender left, hate myself for ever traded/sold them. Not a single problem for any of them. The only problematic 1911 was one by rock island I used to have.

[Zombie Steve]

I've owned 4. Three ran right from the first shot. I did have a lemon Kimber - even a trip back to Yonkers didn't fix it.

[bryjcom]

Seems like the expensive Kimbers are the ones having a lot of problems.

[Rabid]

I had a Kimber that had excessive slide/frame wear that i had to send back for warranty work. They sent a new one back that worked perfect but i sold it because i never wanted to deal with Kimber's customer service again. They told me the wear was normal even after i sent them a picture so i brought it to a gunsmith that was a Kimber dealer who agreed something was obviously wrong, yet again they told the gunsmith it was normal. After a 2 months of complaining i finally got them to do the warranty work on it but it took another 4 months for them to send a replacement back to me.

[Bailey Guns]

I don't think Kimbers are more expensive, on average, than other comparable brands. New ones start under $800 and many are under $1000. They're all the same basic gun. They get more expensive with the frills they add.

I have to admit I'm not a fan of Series II Kimbers (or Series 80 Colts, for that matter). I don't like firing pin safeties and think they're unnecessary. I prefer my 1911s without firing pin safeties regardless of the brand. But I do own a Series 80 Special Combat Gov't and an Ultra Aegis II 9MM. The other 3 or either Series 70 or pre-Series II.

I'm on the waiting list for one of the new Colt USMC (http://www.coltsmfg.com/Catalog/ColtPistols/ColtMarinePistol.aspx) pistols...even though it's a Series 80 gun.

ETA: I was fortunate enough to own a Springfield Professional Model (the FBI HRT spec gun) for a while. I have to admit that was the best, most accurate, most pleasing 1911 I've ever had the pleasure of shooting. I really regret getting rid of that gun.

[KevDen2005]

I have owned three 1911's now. A Colt Series 70 was used. A brand new GI Model Springfield, and a Citadel that I bought off of a member here. All chambered in .45 ACP. No problems with any of them.

[buckshotbarlow]

before my boat sunk and house burned down, causing me to loose all my guns, i had 4 1911's. The sig xo has ran like money, never failed. I now use it as my nra instructor gun. My SFA ran like a typewriter, and now another member on the forum has it. My dad really loved our 2 colts, but now they are boat anchors. They also ran like typewriters...If I had to pick one to put my life behind, it'd be the sig. Great lock up and never had a problem...

SFA milspec SS
1991 series 80 colts x 2
Sig X0

Only money i put into the guns were new sights, bigger beavers and smaller grips.

[asmo]

I've had 1911s that have worked right out of the box (Kimber/Les Bauer) and I have had 1911s that I spent more time futzing with to get right than I ever care to remember (Colt, STI, RRA, Wilson, etc). In the end, I want a gun that I can pick up - from anywhere - and know I could, with a very high degree of probability, defend my life with it as my only gun. So I got rid of all my 1911s - I don't have time to dick with machinery and I don't feel confident enough in them (in them, not with them) to carry them.

Just my $0.02.

[MarkCO]

The ones I had in the very early '90s had some minor issues. But in general, I have had very few problems with them. Bought a few used, mostly new and still have them and use them.

[<MADDOG>]

The three that I personally owned (Taurus, Colt 70, and Les Baer), I never had a problem with. My fiancee's S&W, another story: I had to do a complete teardown to fix an issue ( I can't remember what it was, but it was common to the S&W's).

I have sinced moved on from the 1911 platform, and have no intention on going back.

[brutal]

I only own one (real) 1911 and while my Springfield Loaded has been mostly flawless, I did have some stovepipe issues running some new Wilson mags while the gun was somewhat dirty, as in two or three range trips and not cleaned dirty. Cleaned it, oiled it, and it ran like a champ again. Would love to own a TRP. Would love to own a Sig in 1911.

My mini wannabe 1911 style P238 is pure reliability. Haven't shot the P938 yet, but I expect the same. But then, these aren't real 1911's are they? Particularly since the P938 has an external extractor.

[BPTactical]

My .02
You get what you pay for.
Rock Island, Armscor, Taurus and the rest of Phillipino, Turkish etc made items are cast frames/slides for the most part, with tolerances all over the place which is normal for cast items.
Poor machining, lack of consistency.
Taurus is the worst of the lot, what fits one pistol ok may require major work on another identical pistol. I just had to spend 2 hours of careful file work on a PT1911 to try and correct bad trigger slot machining in the frame so a Greider trigger would fit. Got it to fit but there is a 1/16" gap between the top of the trigger and the frame.
Horse hockey.
Colt had major QC issues late 80's to mid 90's but as long as the frame and slides are machined correctly, usually repairable with quality components.
Never seen a bad Springy from the factory aside from the occasional little tweak need like tuning an extractor etc.
Not a Kimber fanboy at all, I have worked on a bunch of them out of the box that would not run and majority was for stupid minor crap that should have never left the factory that way such as barrels overhanging the ramp, bad extractors, out of spec mag catch machining and such.
Their external extractors are crap.
When they were a small volume manufacturer their pistols were very good but going big hurt them in the QC area.
I also think you pay too much for what you get. Order a custom Colt or Springy and you get a handcrafted pistol that was built by a true pistolsmith.
Do that with a Kimber and you get a assembly line gun that has aftermarket parts assembled by a group of technicians, not a pistolsmith.
Their customer service sucks.
That being said, you get a good one, they do ok.

MIM parts-MIM stands for Metal Injection Molding. Metal powder is mixed with a binder agent, usually a plastic or resin and injected at high heat and pressure into a mold. It is a way of producing large amounts of relatively close tolerance parts quickly.
The problems arise when you look at the pitfalls of any molding process, for steel items the molds are actually 3% oversize to account for shrinkage, hard to hold really precise tolerances with a 3% fudge factor. Also molded components can suffer from cold wrinkles, voids and the like.
I will stick with precision machined tool steel components.
Nighthawk-again overpriced for what you get.
Wilson- you get a good one and they are great.
ParaOrdinance-where is the puke icon when you need it?
Les Baer, Yost, Cylinder and Slide- Crime de la creme, none finer.
Volkmann-very nice but pricey.

[Bailey Guns]

My mini wannabe 1911 style P238 is pure reliability.

I love the P238. When I was a member of Kimber's dealer advisory board (06-08) that was the most recommended pistol from dealers to add to the Kimber lineup. Higher ups said it was a non-starter and wouldn't sell. Meanwhile, Colt has reintroduced the Mustang and Sig is selling the hell outta the 238.

Funny story about a P238. I bought one new and like a dummy, sold it. The guy I sold it to said it didn't work and couldn't hit anything with it when it did work. I told him to bring it over. Put 2 or 3 mags through it without a problem and accuracy was impressive. He didn't believe it was shooting where I was aiming for some reason. He took a small twig and stuck it into a hole in cardboard target. He placed a 12ga hull on the twig with the primer facing me (the shooter). He said he's believe it was shooting where I was aiming when I hit that shell. This is the first 3 shots from about 10 yards (the first shot was directly through the center of the primer):

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt337/baileyguns/DSC_00162_zps8a7dfa02.jpg

I wound up buying the gun back from him.

[wctriumph]

I have owned 4 1911's, the first being a AMT. I don't really count this one in my poll response because it was so bad. The store I bought it from was owned by a retired Marine armorer and he could not get it to work, took it back to the factory in Arcadia in person twice and they made it better but never so i could trust it. Not once did it feed and fire a full mag without a stovepipe or misfeed. I traded it for a 8mm camcorder that I never used and eventually gave to my sister in law and I still consider that I received the better part of the deal.
Two SA that worked flawlessly and my current Colt which has worked perfectly once I put 200 rounds through her.

[battle_sight_zero]

Deleted

[O2HeN2]

I bought a Gold Cup during the 1980s that wouldn't even feed ball and I had to send it back to Colt. Then it worked like a charm. It went on to be modified and became my first IPSC gun (well, second, shot my 686 revolver for awhile first).

I've had several 1911s since then.

The 1911 design requires an excessive amount of complex machining to make, there are several fittings that require close tolerances and therefore the 1911 is quite susceptible to tolerance stack-up. It's a very, very poor design to cheaply mass produce in this day and age. All you have to do is look at any of the modern tactical tupperware firearms out there to see the improvements made above and beyond the 1911 design in terms of simplification, overcoming tolerance stack-up and cost reduction.

Despite all that, I love 1911s nevertheless!

O2

[hurley842002]

Only money i put into the guns were new sights, bigger beavers and smaller grips.

Hey if big beavers and midget hands are your thing more power to ya! Lol

I've owned 4 1911's all Springfields, one GI "champion" model, two 5" loaded models, and my current "champion operator". I had a couple ftf's with the GI model, but it smoothed out after a couple hundred rounds. I had zero issues with the rest, and my operator started with HP ammo.

[Gman]

I got tangled up with Para Ordnance...what a steaming pile of cast and crappy MIM parts. My Kimber and S&W 1911 SC run great. I was always attracted to the thinness of the platform and its natural pointing properties. John Moses Browning was a hell of a designer. I do find that I also prefer the arched MSH on a 1911.

I have appreciated that the manufacturers are also going with thinner designs these days for CCW.

[SideShow Bob]

I started in the 1911 cult way back in the very early 80s with an old beat to hell rattle trap Remington Rand war surplus gun show purchase for $250. And have been hooked ever since.
In the late 80s, when Para only sold the wide body frame upgrade kit, I put it on the RR, later on I traded it for a pimped out Gold Cup.
Over the years I have had at least one 1911 of one manufacturer or another, and have regretted selling or trading every one except the series 80 or other type of firing pin safety types.
All of the handguns I currently own are series 70 1911s in 45 ACP. With the exception of two, both are Sigs, a P238 and a P938 both of which are not a true 1911.

[MrPrena]

I only owned 3 - 1911 so far.

SA TRP Operator
SA MC Operator
Kimber Desert Warrior

All has its purpose.
Desert warrior was very light weight, and it was easy to carry.

All had no problem, but Desert warrior's bushing broke once at the range. I just changed it to EdBrown's bushing, and no problem at all.

[soldier-of-the-apocalypse]

1911 was the first gun I shot naturally good never had any issues with the 10 or so 1911s I've shot

[Wulf202]

Bought a used series 80 colt, after 500ish rounds the gun slam fired. I picked the floor plate out of my stomach, cut my hand, and some brass chunks out of my face.

Firing pin bushing slipped and the firing pin spring was weak.

Accurate as hell though

[sroz]

Para P14 - flawless
Para LTC - was great after about 500 rnd break-in (traded)
Remington R1 - flawless
Sig Ultra Compact - flawless
Sig RCS - flawless
RIA GI Compact - flawless
(2) Sig P238 Scorpion & SAS - don' t really think of them as 1911's - flawless
Metro Arms American Classic II Commander - shoots great & no malfunctions. Oh yeah and the ejected casings finally stopped hitting me in the forehead

Btw, all except for the Para LTC were lost in buckshotbarlow's boating accident. When he said he was gonna clean them for me, I never thought he would deep six them.

[centrarchidae]

Used to own a SA GI Loaded, and before that a Kimber TLE II, pre-rail.

On my Sigs and my M&P. I could neglect changing the recoil spring for an extra 5K rounds, or never change a mainspring at all, and the pistol would work just fine. Not so with the 1911.

For defensive purposes, I want a pistol that I don't need to think too hard about.

[strm_trpr]

I bought a NM serial SS milspec Springfield 1911 in 2011. I have put only about 500 rounds down the tube, however, I have never had an issue with FMJs. When i first got it I had some problems feeding gold dots, however after the first box of 100 FMJ it was fine and all hollow points I have tried not work fine; however, I stick to Winchester Rangers. In extreme conditions (lots of dust and bellow freezing and about 200 rounds later in pawnee grasslands) the slide would get visibly slow, however, it still functioned. I trust it with my life, but it is too heavy for CCW and it lacks a light rail so it is not good for home defense, so, It is just a range gun for now.

[Troublco]

I have a Springfield SS 1911's that I got new in '95. I had to replace the sear, hammer, disconnector, and trigger for it to be a good gun. The sear and hammer were the worst of it, but once I got that done it shot great, and has ever since.

[pookawa]

2 kimbers. after about 100-200 rounds they ran flawlessly.


used some USGI 1911s back in the day. these things were extremely worn and beat up, but ran smoothly.

[rpm]

I've owned a great many 1911s beginning with a Charles Daly (POS) and ending with a Yost-Bonitz custom. For a while I owned a large number of mostly WWII and a few WWI examples, all of which were sold off to fund other things.

I abandoned the platform a number of years ago after witnessing most 1911 guys having some type of regular stoppages and experiencing many of them myself while competing in USPSA. I still very much like them although I feel they do require dedicated and regular maintenance to run right.

Sent using Tapatalk

[TTWHTD]

Wilson Combat ULCC .45
1200 rounds, 1 FTF (my 10yo son was shooting it, I'm guessing weak wrist) not a single problem with me in 1199 rounds using lots of different ammo. I suppose you get what you pay for.

[Aloha_Shooter]

1943 Remington Rand
1943 Colt modified to NM config
Les Baer Custom
Someone's home-brew on a LB frame

The 1943 RR will stovepipe on occasion if you limp-wrist it. The homebrew had some slight issues until I got the mainspring adjusted, has been flawless since -- I attribute the issues to the DIYer who built it. My 1911s that have been built properly and handled properly (i.e., not holding it like you've lost all ligaments in your hands and wrists) perform flawlessly. I'm glad for those that like their Glocks or other platforms but I think most of the diatribes against the 1911 are groundless and uninformed from people that put it down just so they can feel better about their choice of guns. I like my M&P 9c, it's certainly more concealable than any of my 1911s and like my Beretta M-9 is easier to clean but none of that takes away from the fact I just shoot better with the 1911.

[Flower]

[Zombie Steve]

So many people making a 1911 these days, it's almost like asking "who's had problems with a pickup truck?".

[BlasterBob]

My Norinco 1911 is probably considered by the BIG boys as being the "Edsel" of the 1911's but it has been flawless for me.

[Bailey Guns]

So, who's had problems with their pickup?

[SideShow Bob]

So, who's had problems with their pickup?

Which one ?

[Zombie Steve]

Exactly.

[streetglideok]

I used to own 3 different 1911s before the tragic canoe accident, the uss titanic tipped over and all guns were lost. I had a first series of the colt defender, worked flawlessly, with everything. Had a first run Kimber Eclipse, custom shop model that I had a few failures, related to the slide catch snagging bullets and locking the slide open. Took a little filing to resolve that issue(mim part). Then I bought a used colt 1911 MKIV enhanced, mid 90s manufacture it looks like. Barrel link was worn, springs worn, and had some handling marks. Jammed and had horrible groups. New barrel link and springs, and it shot most impressively. Then the mim slide stop broke. Replaced that with a Wilson part, and it has been reliable since. Dad has a Springfield 1911A1 GI model that used to work fine, then the last trip to the range, it was a jamomatic. This brings about the pattern I see with 1911s. Pretty sure his gun's problems were related to detailed cleaning and proper lubing of the gun. I didn't read thru all 5 pages of posts, but anyone who has been with 1911s is familiar with these kinds of posts or should be IMO. You'll see the guys like me who have owned and shot a few different models, and aside from some minor issues, the guns work fine. You'll see some guys who mostly have had good ones, but a couple of duds(we all get them at one point or another). Then you'll see the guys who have little 1911 experience but plenty of experience in other guns, or none period. Those seem to have the largest sum of problems. 1911s have different lubing demands which many fail to grasp, to me it seems at least. Glocks require a few drops here and there, but not a 1911. Proper holding of the weapon is important to prevent limp wristing and inadvertent slide stop locks. So I feel a lot of the 1911 issues are lack of training in proper use and cleaning of the model, not a lack of skill in general. Each type of gun, whether it be a Sig, Glock, Beretta etc can have lemons, and reading enthusiast forums you will see them all day. A lot of them are lemons, a lot of them are also lack of being familiar with the weapon, and too stubborn to accept the fact they need to learn.

[SA Friday]

Have kimbers they ran fine. Ammo and mags make them or break them. Have a Colt that has had extensive upgrades done on it. Converted it back to a 70 series too. Have mutiple STIs. They run like Fararres. 1911s are not a beginners gun IMO. You want simple and reliable without tinkering then get an M&P or glock.

[Birddog1911]

The only 1911 that ever gave me trouble was a STI Ranger II. All of my fullsize have been fully functional. This thread needs more gun pr0n:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii190/Birddog4570/IMG_4400_zpsdf2fd83d.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/Birddog4570/media/IMG_4400_zpsdf2fd83d.jpg.html)

[Birddog1911]

I tried to like 1911's. My first was a Springfield, it was OK just took some work to feed HP's. Colts suck ass and I wouldnt take one if given to me, out of 3 new colt 1911's I bought new the cheapest one to make work was $275 at a gun smith I have never had a colt that worked right. I had a couple other brands that ranged from mild tweaking to sell that pos before it blows up. The best one was an old worn out kimber I bought, It looked like ass but it actually worked. 1911's are to heavy and to low capacity, not worth trying to make them work right.

I'd like to know when the last time you fired a Colt was. They are definately not the pistol that they used to be, and every post 2007 Colt that I've owned has been flawless. My Wiley Clapp Govt. model is the finest 1911 that I've owned.

[streetglideok]

Anyone with these junk 1911s I will gladly take them off your hands for a nominal fee [Sarcasm2]

[Bailey Guns]

Which one ?

The two questions are not analogous. A standard 1911 pattern gun, whether it's built by Colt, Kimber, Springfield or anyone else, follows the same blueprint in terms of the operating parts. A barrel that fits a Colt should fit another 1911 as should most any of the other parts. There may be differences in terms of how those parts are put together with allowances for fitting but a gun from one company should be pretty much interchangeable with a gun from another company.

Parts from a Chevy won't fit a Dodge or Ford. The blueprints and parts for each vehicle are entirely different. They're only the same in terms of general appearance which could be said for almost all semi-automatic pistols as well.

[SideShow Bob]

This thread needs more gun pr0n:

http://www.ar-15.co/webkit-fake-url://C2AEC5B1-6812-42DA-AB70-358FF876AC45/imagejpeg

OK.

[Birddog1911]

http://www.ar-15.co/webkit-fake-url://C2AEC5B1-6812-42DA-AB70-358FF876AC45/imagejpeg

OK.


Pic fail? I see nothing.

[SideShow Bob]

Pic fail? I see nothing.

See, talk about 1911s and I get an FTF........[LOL]

[Bailey Guns]

Gun porn as requested. Clockwise from upper left:

Kimber Custom, Colt Gov't Series 70, Colt Special Combat Gov't Carry Model, Kimber Super Carry HD, Kimber Aegis II 9MM
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt337/baileyguns/1911Pistols_zpsb7ab1a6d.jpg

[Bailey Guns]

See, talk about 1911s and I get an FTF........[LOL]

Operator error!

[Beer]

[Birddog1911]

Limp wristing photobucket!

[SideShow Bob]

Operator error!

[Beer]

And that accounts for 75 - 80% of 1911 problems .

32507

[streetglideok]

And that accounts for 75 - 80% of 1911 problems .

32507
+1

[Bailey Guns]

And I don't like full-length guide rods. I always replace them.

[clublights]

And I don't like full-length guide rods. I always replace them.


JMB didn't think the 1911 needed a Full-length guide rod... I don't either !

[DSB OUTDOORS]

Most people spend top dollar for the weapon. But run the cheapest ammo through it and blame it on the gun. Can't be the ammo. It's factory Tula, Wolf, Etc. My reloads, they feed fine through my Highpoint. [LOL] I'll buy that Kimber, Glock, S&W, form ya for $150 - $200 less what you paid for it!!!!!

[Bailey Guns]

Shok-buffs. I've found great deals on 1911s that "didn't work" and "fixed" them by taking a shok-buff out. I love basement gunsmiths.

[kidicarus13]

I haven't read mention of the Dan Wesson line of 1911s. Have never really heard anything negative about them. Mixed bag with my other 1911s (2 Colts, 2 Kimbers, 1 Springfield) but I will leave you with this Para Ordinance Warthawg = JUNK

[Zombie Steve]

Shok-buffs. I've found great deals on 1911s that "didn't work" and "fixed" them by taking a shok-buff out. I love basement gunsmiths.


I always have a shok-buff in my gun, but I call it a recoil spring.

[Beer]

[Gman]

Shok-buff? Isn't that what the recoil shield on the spring guide does? ;-)

[DonnyCommo]

Picked up a Springfield loaded last April and loved it till I had a case head separation. Didn't bung up the frame too bad, but after that getting it to run reliably was a trick. As of yesterday she has been traded off to a friend who knew what happened and he gave me his Colt series 80. So far I'm loving the colt more.

alas, all I've ever done was replace a sear spring with the loaded. The platform may have its inherent issues but I love it for the nostalgia.

[wctriumph]

My Colt, I don't see ever selling or trading this one, I have become attached to it as well as these other two.

[Byte Stryke]

I tried to like 1911's. My first was a Springfield, it was OK just took some work to feed HP's. Colts suck ass and I wouldnt take one if given to me, out of 3 new colt 1911's I bought new the cheapest one to make work was $275 at a gun smith I have never had a colt that worked right. I had a couple other brands that ranged from mild tweaking to sell that pos before it blows up. The best one was an old worn out kimber I bought, It looked like ass but it actually worked. 1911's are to heavy and to low capacity, not worth trying to make them work right.


John Moses Browning Called from Heaven because he said you cannot take a hint. He wants me to tell you he hates you

[ROFL1]

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

The two questions are not analogous. A standard 1911 pattern gun, whether it's built by Colt, Kimber, Springfield or anyone else, follows the same blueprint in terms of the operating parts. A barrel that fits a Colt should fit another 1911 as should most any of the other parts. There may be differences in terms of how those parts are put together with allowances for fitting but a gun from one company should be pretty much interchangeable with a gun from another company.

Parts from a Chevy won't fit a Dodge or Ford. The blueprints and parts for each vehicle are entirely different. They're only the same in terms of general appearance which could be said for almost all semi-automatic pistols as well.

I agree, should.
I'm a 1911 fanboy myself, but mostly at the range these days. Did carry one or another full size kimber for years, though. Almost no issues.
I had a Springfield "GI" - and this gun had a TON of issues. The 'should' part of your post that caught my attention was that the slide didn't appear centered on the frame. I wish I had a picture. The [professional] gunsmith who swapped some parts for me said never again. It also got worse and worse in terms of goofy malfunctions over time to around 1500 rounds.
It went back to Springfield Armory THREE times trying to fix it. They actually cried uncle and offered me a replacement or cash. The cash became a TLE.
I loved that Springfield, but the thing would just not work.

[Robb]

My 1911 issues have almost all been caused by... me.
Cheap mags have been the number 1 issue for me, crap mags and/or cracked/broken feed lips etc. And of course trying to improve on the design (blasphemy!) by running shock buffs. They didn't help a damn thing.
The only real faiures I've ever personally experienced were shooting off a front sight of a S70 I bought new in the box, and a used gun I purchased had a broken slide stop when I bought it. Both Colts.
Dumbest 1911 mistake was being frustrated in my youth because my 1st 1911, a gunshow WWII RR wouldn't shoot cheap wadcutters reliably! That may have been mag related too. Dumbest gun move ever: I traded it off on a NIB S70 Govt. Still have the S70 but wish I had kept the RR too.

[Ronin13]

I'll bite, although, admittedly, I'm not really a 1911 fanboy, I do appreciate a good firearm that served our nation well and continues to be a cornerstone of the pistol market. I also think that you can't call yourself a gun person without owning one.
2010 I bought a Springfield 1911 GI Champion. Great gun. Probably put 2,500 rounds through it and the only issue was a few FTE because I didn't realize one of my mags got wet once and the spring needed to be meticulously cleaned, then it never had a problem again.
My brother has owned a Wilson CQC- fun to shoot, great gun, but for the price it's not much better than a full size Springfield, IMO. Then he got rid of it for a Nighthawk Custom GRP. Fan-fucking-tastic firearm. I love to shoot it and would be hard pressed between a Lippard or a Nighthawk if I had the $3,500 to just willy nilly spend on a custom 1911 (although the Lippard would win out in the end).
http://i.imgur.com/xtjIIQd.jpg?1
Here's the bro's GRP- I love the FDE frame and black slide, looks very cool.
That being said, some of the really expensive guns you can pretty much get the same out of a quality Springfield or Colt.
However, again IMO, the hands down, end all, be all, best 1911 money can buy would be a Lippard custom like the CQBP 1911 (biased because I've met and chatted with the man and view him as equal to Mr. Colt himself or Mr. Browning)
http://karllippard.com/military/images/CQBP4.jpg

[10x]

Every Series 70 Colt I ever had, some 25 over the last 40 years, has been a reliability and / or accuracy problem. I've had to work on every one. These Colts are magazine sensitive, only use genuine GI or Genuine Colt 7 round mags with hybrid feed lips, absolutely can't use mags with wadcutter feed lips like Wilson or McCormick. Other reliability problems were caused by poor fit or poor quality control from Colt. I've had to repair replace or work on extractors on most of them. Other issues on other guns. Accuracy issues were generally cured with Group Grippers when needed. The series 70 was the beginning of the bad reputation for the 1911.


Having said that, I got into Colts a long time age when they were the most accurate target gun you could get. I am X ring capable and the Gold Cups are X ring capable, that is why I enjoy them. However, there are better choices for carry and self defense.

Colt made its reputation on the pre series 70 guns and they are great. The latest productions guns are better than the series 70 and the series 80 of the 1980s and 1990s.

I will use series 70 Colts for target work, not for SD.

[hollohas]

I have only owned one 1911...a Kimber Ultra Carry II and it is by far my favorite handgun I own. After thousands of rounds I have had no stopages/failure to feed. Mostly FMJ 230g reloads but also hundreds of different denfensive varieties too. Although it ran great out of the box I cannot call it perfect because it had two very minor flaws.

#1 - the finish on the safety and grip safety wore off almost immediatly. I mean in like a month or two of buying it new, carrying it and practicing with it (a lot).

#2 - The mag release was a little off. If I got carried away and pushed it too hard, the mag would stick in the well. Letting pressure off the release would let the mag drop freely. After lots of practice I stopped pushing it too hard. That solution worked but made me uncomfortable that I would have a problem in high stress. Only took a few minutes to remove the release and fix it.

[SideShow Bob]

My Colt, I don't see ever selling or trading this one, I have become attached to it as well as these other two.

Thought the first picture was of "The Stove Pipe From Hell" [LOL]

[SamuraiCO]

http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g410/samurai64/IMG00037-20091027-1421.jpg

Kimber Pro Covert. Finish is wearing off in and I need to have recoated. Thumb safety broke off so upgraded to Wilson, no problems since. Only use Wilson mags. Guns broke down and cleaned after every use.

That being said it is my carry weapon. It shoots and shoots and shoots. 230's no problem. HP no problems. My reloads no problems.

My first but not my last.

Wife has Springfield 3". No issues with it.

As I have stated before the weapon sits in my hand at the same angle as my Katana. Grips are the same. Something there is just magical how two weapons from different times have so much in common.

If they are good enough for Jeff Cooper they are good enough for me.

[MED]

Both my Colts needed to be ported and polished with the barreled fitted to the slide better then it was. After that, they worked great. I have one that is somewhere around 30,000 rounds and still runs great.

[Walker2970]

Love My Rock Island EDC
32573
only issue i ever had was with Mags
here is a buddy's collection
32575
never had a 1911 that wouldn't go bang when it was loaded

[flogger]

Colt series 80 Officers stainless, 2nd owner. No issues at all.

Shoot it, clean it and shoot it again.

[KS63]

Springfield Range Officer. Not one problem concerning reliability. Most of the MIM parts have been replaced with billet/bar stock pieces including the ignition system. For the most part, the only Springer parts are the frame, slide and barrel. Still not done with it, but it now fits my hands better and I'm more confident in the pistol. It ran 100% with the factory parts, but I chose this platform because of its history and the ability to truly make it your own. That's the beauty of a 1911.

[Mick-Boy]

However, again IMO, the hands down, end all, be all, best 1911 money can buy would be a Lippard custom like the CQBP 1911 (biased because I've met and chatted with the man and view him as equal to Mr. Colt himself or Mr. Browning)


You are flat out of your mind. Haze yourself.

[Gman]

You are flat out of your mind. Haze yourself.
+1

Put the sum of their works side by side, and the man you've elevated so highly is not in the same league, IMO.

Of the 3, I'd put JMB way up on that list in the area of firearms design;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Browning
Products[edit source (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Browning&action=edit&section=4) | editbeta (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Browning&veaction=edit&section=4)]

Several of Browning's designs are still in production today. Some of his most notable designs include:
Cartridges[edit source (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Browning&action=edit&section=5) | editbeta (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Browning&veaction=edit&section=5)]



.25 ACP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.25_ACP)
.32 ACP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.32_ACP)
.38 ACP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_ACP)
9mm Browning Long (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9mm_Browning_Long)
.380 ACP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.380_ACP)
.45 ACP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45_ACP)
.50 BMG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_BMG)


Firearms[edit source (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Browning&action=edit&section=6) | editbeta (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Browning&veaction=edit&section=6)]



U.S. M1895 Colt-Browning machine gun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1895_Colt-Browning_machine_gun)
FN Browning M1899/M1900 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_M1900)
Colt Model 1900 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_M1900)
Colt Model 1902 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1902)
Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1903_Pocket_Hammer) (.38 ACP)
Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1903_Pocket_Hammerless) (.32 ACP)
Colt Model 1905 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1905)
FN Model 1906 Vest Pocket (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Model_1906_Vest_Pocket) (.25 ACP)
Remington Model 8 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_8) (1906), a long recoil semi-automatic rifle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_rifle)
Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1908_Vest_Pocket) (.25 ACP)
Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1908_Pocket_Hammerless) (.32 ACP)
FN Model 1910 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Model_1910)
U.S. M1911 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1911_pistol) pistol (.45 ACP)
Colt Woodsman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Woodsman) pistol
Winchester Model 1885 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1885) falling-block single shot rifle
Winchester Model 1886 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1886) lever-action repeating rifle
Winchester Model 1887 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1887/1901) lever-action repeating shotgun
Winchester Model 1890 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1890) slide-action repeating rifle (.22)
Winchester Model 1892 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1892) lever-action repeating rifle
Winchester Model 1894 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1894) lever-action repeating rifle
Winchester Model 1895 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1895) lever-action repeating rifle
Winchester Model 1897 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1897) pump-action repeating shotgun
Browning Auto-5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_Auto-5) long recoil semi-automatic shotgun
Browning 22 Semi-Auto rifle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_22_Semi-Auto_rifle)
U.S. M1917 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1917_Browning_machine_gun) water-cooled machine gun
U.S. M1919 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun) air-cooled machine gun
U.S. M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle) (BAR)
U.S. M2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun) .50-caliber heavy machine gun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_gun) of 1921 (the famed "Ma-Deuce" weapon)
U.S. M4 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4_cannon) 37mm autocannon
FN Trombone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Trombone) pump-action rifle
Remington Model 8 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_8) semi-auto rifle
Remington Model 24 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_24) semi-auto rifle (.22) Also produced by Browning Firearms (as the SA-22) and several others
Browning Hi-Power (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_Hi-Power) (Grand Puissance or GP), the standard sidearm of many military and police forces
The Browning Superposed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_Superposed) over/under shotgun was designed by John Browning in 1922 and entered production in 1931
Ithaca Model 37 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_Model_37) pump-action repeating shotgun

[Bailey Guns]

I'd be hard pressed to put anyone in the same league as John Browning. There have been many great firearms designers (which proves to me that God is definitely pro-gun) but I'm not sure any have risen to the level of JMB.

ETA: There's a big difference between designing the entire gun/cartridge and making it work well and adding little tweaks and adjustments that, at most, keep it working.

[brutal]

I love to shoot it and would be hard pressed between a Lippard or a Nighthawk if I had the $3,500 to just willy nilly spend on a custom 1911 (although the Lippard would win out in the end).

However, again IMO, the hands down, end all, be all, best 1911 money can buy would be a Lippard custom like the CQBP 1911 (biased because I've met and chatted with the man and view him as equal to Mr. Colt himself or Mr. Browning)


You are flat out of your mind. Haze yourself.

This.

Karl is the biggest fucktard blowhard I've ever met at a gun range.

[Hoser]

However, again IMO, the hands down, end all, be all, best 1911 money can buy would be a Lippard custom like the CQBP 1911 (biased because I've met and chatted with the man and view him as equal to Mr. Colt himself or Mr. Browning)

Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. If you spoke with him, remember he is a salesman selling himself. Of course he is going to say anything and everything to make himself look good.

Lippards 1911s are accurate, but are finicky little bitches. I have shot them and had them in pieces on my bench. Not impressed. Even less impressed when you consider the wait and cost.

Go haze yourself.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I'd be hard pressed to put anyone in the same league as John Browning. There have been many great firearms designers (which proves to me that God is definitely pro-gun) but I'm not sure any have risen to the level of JMB.

ETA: There's a big difference between designing the entire gun/cartridge and making it work well and adding little tweaks and adjustments that, at most, keep it working.

+1

[TFOGGER]

Think about the guys we consider to be the most influential gun designers: Mikhail Kalishnikov, Eugene Stoner, Gaston Glock. JMB designed more successful firearms than all of them combined. No contest. MOST modern semiauto pistols are based on the tilting barrel lockup/short recoil design of JMB.

[Bailey Guns]

OK...I'll be controversial. I don't think Kalashnikov was a top 25 firearms designer. His only real claim is the AK-47 and later variants of the same gun and the idea of an intermediate cartridge was already widespread. I'll give him credit for designing a gun from ideas already in use that worked well, was easy and cheap to manufacture and that inspired a nation.

[Zundfolge]

Ok, so for all you guys that have not had problems with your 1911s how many of you have one of the many inexpensive rebranded Armscor 1911s? You know, Rock Island, Citadel, Charles Daly, ATI, STI Spartan, etc.

I like the idea of a CCW 1911 (I still think a CCO chambered in 10mm would be about as perfect as one can get), but for what one costs from a "guaranteed to work flawlessly" manufacturer, I could have a pretty nice non-1911 type gun (plus leather and ammo).

[Bailey Guns]

I've heard really good things about the PI-made guns from Armscor (and other brands) but I've never owned one.

I think I'd spend a few extra dollars and buy a Remington R1911 if I were looking for an entry-level 1911 that wasn't going to break the bank. I've seen them new in high $500s. Pretty hard to beat in my opinion.

[TFOGGER]

OK...I'll be controversial. I don't think Kalashnikov was a top 25 firearms designer. His only real claim is the AK-47 and later variants of the same gun and the idea of an intermediate cartridge was already widespread. I'll give him credit for designing a gun from ideas already in use that worked well, was easy and cheap to manufacture and that inspired a nation.

Maybe not one of the top designers, but certainly one of the most influential: The AK is found in every theater of war since WWII. You can't argue with the success of the design, even though it's dogshit simple. Kind of the same principle as the 1911, simple, elegant, reliable, and effective for its intended use. The problems with either arise when people try to make them something they're not.

[Bailey Guns]

Absolutely. His one design was a homerun, that's for sure.

[duke_39a]

I bought a Kimber Custom Classic in 45 back in 1997 while I was still in college back in Oregon. This was shortly after Kimber started making them. I thought it was the "tits" but it frequently had "Failure to Feeds". I chalked it up to the ubiquitous (it means: present, appearing or found everywhere. That's my big word for the day) "Break in period". It usually stopped about a 1/8th to 1/4 of an inch out of battery. Drove me nuts. I put it away for several years while I was too busy on Active Duty to mess with guns. I pulled it out again after I transitioned from Active Duty and started trying to make it work, changing springs, slide stops, and other parts, reading what I could (10-8 forum / Modern Service Weapons are great sites) to figure out what was going on. I finally decided to make it a project gun that would get top end parts, and a real gunsmith that knows the 1911 to rebuild it, hand fitting parts and making sure it worked. Over the course of 18 months I bought good parts such as 10-8, Ed Brown, EGW, Cylinder and Slide, Wilson, etc. When I got it all together I started my search for a smith. I found Steve and Whispering Pines. He showed me several of his 1911's that he had built for competition guns. We discussed what I wanted and in our discussions we talked about what I wanted, how to do it, and he asked great questions. I chose him. I wanted a combat gun. Reliable, not so tight that I needed a hammer and a bushing wrench to take it apart, but it had to retain that smoothness of a tight fit gun. He took his time but in the end it came out great. I still need to get it refinished but it has yet to have a stoppage since I got it back from Steve. Now that I have some time it will probably spend more time out at ranges and hopefully start seeing some competition use. Someday it will be an heirloom to pass down to someone in the family or sold to make rent.

[lead_magnet]

I've personally owned two, both were Springfield "loaded" models, one was stainless the other was parked. The parked one was more reliable than the stainless which would jam about every 3rd or 5th round. The parked one I would get about one jam every box of ammo or so, could never trust either of them so I sold them. That being said, my dad has had a Springfield 1911 literally since I was born and It has never had an issue at all, and he never (literally never) cleans it. Seems to me like they are hit or miss.

[sroz]

Ok, so for all you guys that have not had problems with your 1911s how many of you have one of the many inexpensive rebranded Armscor 1911s? You know, Rock Island, Citadel, Charles Daly, ATI, STI Spartan, etc.

I like the idea of a CCW 1911 (I still think a CCO chambered in 10mm would be about as perfect as one can get), but for what one costs from a "guaranteed to work flawlessly" manufacturer, I could have a pretty nice non-1911 type gun (plus leather and ammo).

Got an RIA GI compact & a Metro Arms commander. Never had a malfunction with either one. Not up to the quality of most American made 1911s and heavy, but I've come to rely on them. Occasionally carry the RIA and they both make good range guns.

[<MADDOG>]

Ok, so for all you guys that have not had problems with your 1911s how many of you have one of the many inexpensive rebranded Armscor 1911s? You know, Rock Island, Citadel, Charles Daly, ATI, STI Spartan, etc.

I like the idea of a CCW 1911 (I still think a CCO chambered in 10mm would be about as perfect as one can get), but for what one costs from a "guaranteed to work flawlessly" manufacturer, I could have a pretty nice non-1911 type gun (plus leather and ammo).

While I myself haven't had issues, the 35% of owners on this thread have.

I'll spend the money on a pistol that is known to work (lemons aside), and spend the money saved from buying a non-1911 platform on ammo. And while I can understand the historical and accuracy perspective of the platform, I just can't see the advantage of a 1911 versus the newer Glocks, S&W's, XD's, Sigs, etc for "serious" use. I'd even venture to say I like the High Power more-so than the 1911, but that's my opinion.

Also, in my opinion, the non-disputable crown of Mr. Browning's invention/design is the Ma Deuce. The only weapon that comes close is the MG42/MG3.

[Zombie Steve]

I just can't see the advantage of a 1911 versus the newer Glocks, S&W's, XD's, Sigs, etc for "serious" use.

Points naturally, doesn't have a mushy trigger like the Glocks, S&W's or XD's, and SAO unlike the Sig's SA/DA nonsense. Feeds semi-wadcutters (Glocks won't)... the guns you mention all have a capacity advantage on old slabsides, but IMO it ends there. Glock's reliability has sure taken a kick in the crotch since Gen 3's...

I've owned Glocks and Sigs. I like the XD of the bunch, but the M&P is just another Glock. Still carry a 5" 1911.

To each his own.

[Aloha_Shooter]

While I myself haven't had issues, the 35% of owners on this thread have.

I'll spend the money on a pistol that is known to work (lemons aside), and spend the money saved from buying a non-1911 platform on ammo. And while I can understand the historical and accuracy perspective of the platform, I just can't see the advantage of a 1911 versus the newer Glocks, S&W's, XD's, Sigs, etc for "serious" use. I'd even venture to say I like the High Power more-so than the 1911, but that's my opinion.

Also, in my opinion, the non-disputable crown of Mr. Browning's invention/design is the Ma Deuce. The only weapon that comes close is the MG42/MG3.

The bars I see show 28% of owners on this board have had problems from minor to severe, not 35%. The point of this thread is that the 1911 IS known to work when you get past the myths and FUD and the cheap knock-offs. I'll grant you including the cheap knock-offs if you can find me similar homebrew and knock-off clones of the Glock, M&P, XD, etc. I'm glad you like your Glock, that's at least one less person competing for 1911s. To this day, I find the 1911 to be the most comfortable, natural handgun to use. The only disadvantage I have experienced is the tendency to pull my pants down when I'm losing weight.

[<MADDOG>]

At the time, 44 respondents who owned 1911's stated "minor" to "major" out of 124, 35%. Can't count those who haven't owned one.

Not trying to cause a pissing contest, just stating my opinion.

[Eggysrun]

I've never had issues with my old 1911. Fires dry, dirty, cleaned, lubed, makes no difference. Bought some "new" 1911's and had feed issues once in a while, seemed more of a lube issue but still..... my glocks have only had issues from shitty mags I've not cleaned or lubed them for 2000 rounds and they shoot just fine. Somewhere these "new" 1911's goofed up and need a little more TLC than the old ones in my opinion

[Walker2970]

Ok, so for all you guys that have not had problems with your 1911s how many of you have one of the many inexpensive rebranded Armscor 1911s? You know, Rock Island, Citadel, Charles Daly, ATI, STI Spartan, etc.

I like the idea of a CCW 1911 (I still think a CCO chambered in 10mm would be about as perfect as one can get), but for what one costs from a "guaranteed to work flawlessly" manufacturer, I could have a pretty nice non-1911 type gun (plus leather and ammo).

I own 3 Rock Island's other that a cosmetic issue and a mag issue ( have one that dose not like the Wilson mag's) i have never had any issues with them. Rock Island makes a 10mm 1911 and it carry's the same lifetime warranty they all have, you don't have to send it any where but Nevada for repairs or replacement. I also own a Colt and a Kimber but still find myself carrying my rock , I just love it.
The Rock Island guys are stand up guys and stand behind there products.