1911 Pistols: Myth vs Reality And My Experience

[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.

[<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