1911’s are hands down my absolute favorite handguns. To start off the ergonomics are perfect for me. When I hold my fist in front of my body, my hand is at the perfect angle for a 1911. It allows for the bore to naturally sit level. There are models made out of several different types of metal, but so far I still prefer steel, be it stainless or carbon. An all steel frame really absorbs recoil, and if you are used to the recoil of the shield .45, the recoil in a 1911 will feel drastically less. Being that it is a single stack, it has a thin profile making it easier to carry and even conceal. Many complain about the reliability of a 1911 but typically if it’s a reputable brand, quality magazines, and is taken care of they can be 100% reliable. MP5’s are touted as one of the best sub guns ever made, but do require special care. Quality 1911’s are inherently more accurate than most other handguns. This can be attributed to the design of the firing mechanism (hands down best triggers), and the way that the barrel locks into the slide. Yes glocks lock into the slide in a similar way, however 1911’s are unique to each gun. 1911’s typically have much less barrel slop due to the barrel bushing and locking lugs. Barrels are individually fit to each gun and typically cannot be switched from gun to gun. This handgun was the standard sidearm for the US for 75 years and is still used today by some of our special forces operators. It has seen successful use in theaters of war from the first world war to current times. Disassembly and reassembly can appear difficult at first, but after you do it a few times it is nothing to fear. I can easily field strip and reassemble blindfolded, and I have done it to prove a point to my gf
. Complete disassembly is really only needed after several several hundred rounds. I try to deep clean every 500 rounds and that may even be overkill.
As for which one you want that is completely personal, and I would suggest you try a few different variations to get a feel for what you like. Original design is a 5” barrel chambered in .45 acp, with a “government” size grip (full size).
As for variations there are:
Series 70 vs Series 80- Series 70 is the original design and what is typically preferred. The series 80 has a firing pin safety that
can make the trigger a bit more gritty, but are really nothing to worry about. Sigs are all series 80 and my scorpion has a great trigger. The series 80 was developed to prevent the firearm from going off when dropped due to inertia transferred to the firing pin. However a titanium firing pin solves this problem, because it does not have enough mass to overcome the firing pin spring.
Barrel Length- 5” (standard government), 4.25” (Commander), and there are several variations in the 3 inch range but typically this is where you can run into reliability issues not attributed to brand or care. For a first 1911 I would suggest a full size 5 inch.
Grip Length- There are government (8 round) and officers size (7 round) grip length, and obviously other custom sizes.
The grip length and barrel length can come in many different combinations.
There are standard and extended beavertails, which is more personal than anything. The extended beavertail will allow you to get a higher “purchase” on the gun without the slide contacting your hand i.e. slide bite.
There are models with and without rails which will allow you to attach lasers, flashlights, and other accessories which once again is completely personal.
As for material, as stated earlier I prefer steel, but there are aluminum and alloy frames that reduce weight, but can increase felt recoil.
As far as brand, once again you will have to make that decision for yourself. I personally have not had good experience with armscor/rock island/citadel. Others have had great results and I truly believe they have a good weapon, mine just never really ran right. I think that Sig Sauer, Springfield (As much as I don’t agree with the company), and Ruger make the best production 1911’s for the money. As far as custom and handmade guns go I like Nighthawk, Ed Brown, Wilson Combat, Les Baer, and Dan Wesson. I’ve never owned one of the above hand fit but I have shot and handled most of them.
For magazines I would stick with Chip McCormick and Wilson Combat.
A bit long winded, but I get excited about 1911’s haha
03Lightningrocks wrote: ↑Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:59 pm
My 1911's are my favorite of all my weapons. Rifles included. There is just something about the smooth operation of this platform that is hard to describe. It is almost as if it is made for human hands.
Bingo