1911 Pistols: Myth vs Reality And My Experience

[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.