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.45 1911 or Non 1911

Why limit yourself to only One .45 ACP?

Start with the S&W M&P.45 Shield,
When money becomes available:
Add the Glock 21 and save for mags.
What? Early Christmas?
Add the Sig 220 in SS, oh and mags.
Thinking hard about CCW now? Boom G30. Oh and mags.
So, now you are having a mid-life crisis and you need some time at the range by yourself?
Buy the entry level 1911 with zero mods. Take apart, clean, tattoo your frame with a "personalized" idiot mark
so you can tell yours apart from others at the range and pump round after round of 230 hardball into a paper target.
Now you can F' with it. Add all sorts of goodies like sights, triggers, bushings until it won't even cycle anymore.
Congratulations! Now you can buy a Gold Cup!

Oh, and mags...
 
kelton said:
1 year no longer lifetime at least according to the web page (not saying they wouldn't warranty it if past a year)
Warranty | Smith & Wesson
Click to expand...
Yeah, that is an accurate statement. They had to back it down a bit, but still will bend over backwards to make sure you're happy and a continued customer. That being said I've never even vaguely had a hiccup with my S&W 1911TA.
 
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I have an unaltered Ruger SR1911 (except for the grips), which is a great gun for the price. I shoot much better with it than with any other pistol I've owned over the past 25 years. I don't know if it is the grip angle, or what, but I almost don't need to use the sights with it. I can usually shoot a sub 2" group at 75' with iron sights, and my eyes suck. However, it isn't my carry piece, or my home defense gun. I used to use it for 3-gun and pin shoots, but I haven't done a pin shoot in a while, and I switched to a Glock 17 for 3-gun.

I don't own any other .45 pistols so I can't speak to them, but if you want a do-it-all .45 I would consider one that holds more than 10 rounds that you can find pre-bans for.

But for target, steel, or pin shoots, the 1911 is awesome.

Here's a pic of mine.

1.jpg
 
rebut said:
Although I have a thing about carrying "cocked and locked" (a personal issue) I have shot single action Revolvers from the holster for many years, so cocking a 1911 on the draw is not a problem for me.

At the places I shot in my former state of residence I could draw and shoot at will and my first (DA) shot was just slightly off compared to my first (cocked shot).
Click to expand...

Did you learn to shoot from the movies?
 
i have the same issues as the OP. i don't own a .45 yet. trying to save money for home projects i want/need to do.

i've been debating sr 1911/vs the sr45. bit of a ruger fan boy, as i am happy with my lcr .38 & sr 9c. probably will come down to what's available at shooters supply when i'm ready to put the cash on the counter

edit: neither will be for edc @5'7", 170lbs. just 'cause i need a .45
 
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drgrant said:
If you're not wedded to a 1911, stay away, stay far away. at $900 you're not liable to run into much good. Just get a Glock 21, 30, M&P .45, or an XD .45.... CZ97, Sig P220... anything other than a 1911.

And I say that as someone who has two 1911s but I would never in a million years suggest one as a "first .45" .

-Mike
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Ha! $900 won't get you a Nighthawk, but might get you close to a Wilson Combat like mine.
IMG_8255_edit_v2b_900.jpg
 
drgrant said:
If you're not wedded to a 1911, stay away, stay far away. at $900 you're not liable to run into much good. Just get a Glock 21, 30, M&P .45, or an XD .45.... CZ97, Sig P220... anything other than a 1911.

And I say that as someone who has two 1911s but I would never in a million years suggest one as a "first .45" .

-Mike
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Thats funny because my first centerfire pistol was a 1911 and still is my favorite and most accurate pistol. Went thru an all things .45 phase but nothing made it happen like that trusty classic Browning design. Sold my Glock 21 and wish I could do the same with my XDs but I'd have to give it away...

Anyone who says you cannot buy a nice 1911 for $800 is a liar or the type who puts a Trijicon ACOG on a safe queen...
 
LuvToGoFast said:
Positives and negatives of 1911 vs Non 1911 .45
Sub $900 range, home defense, carry or target shooting...

Go
Click to expand...

Im a big 1911 guy.. I have over 20k rounds through one just last year.

IMO for under $900 a 1911 is not the way to go.

The answer is G21
 
Nick Fury said:
Thats funny because my first centerfire pistol was a 1911 and still is my favorite and most accurate pistol. Went thru an all things .45 phase but nothing made it happen like that trusty classic Browning design. Sold my Glock 21 and wish I could do the same with my XDs but I'd have to give it away...

Anyone who says you cannot buy a nice 1911 for $800 is a liar or the type who puts a Trijicon ACOG on a safe queen...
Click to expand...

I'm not saying you can't do it, I'm just saying that in a post sandy hook era of shit QC it's like playing russian roulette. I'm sure the OP would rather be shooting that pistol then (potentially) be sending it out to get it repaired or getting a smith to make it run right. I sold sub 1K 1911s for like 2+ years on the gun show circuit and elsewhere, and
most of the crap coming out of the bigs is pretty scary. You open 3 gun boxes from the same manufacturer and each one is different. [rofl] Not confidence inspiring in the least.

IMHO if someone really wants to flint on a 1911 they're better off buying used from a seller they trust, etc, eg someone that will let them function test it and
so on. And go out and read a guide about how to check out the pistol before buying it. And if buying commercial, never EVER buy a 1911
remote/unseen under a grand. f*** that noise. That's like masochism. This is about all I'd buy under a grand without being able to touch/see it...

STI Spartan:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/771771404

The cast-frame Dan Wesson's are pretty good too, but I think they're hovering around a grand.

Anyone who doesn't have a love hate relationship with a 1911 hasn't fired enough rounds through them. I think its the greatest design and the biggest piece of shit
all at once. The design won't die though because there are a number of HUGE overriding factors that keep it relevant...

Also no offense to the OP, but given that he's asked the question, tells me that he hasn't experienced much of the "fun" of a 1911. Steering someone into that saarlac pit without preparing them is the last thing I'd want to do...

-Mike
 
Much as I hate to say it, if you're looking at guns under $1000.00, Glock is the answer. Very reliable and a minimum of 10 rounds of .45 firepower. I have a G30s and a G21. Both are really reliable handguns. 1911's, being my first love, I have Colt's, Kimbers, a Smith, 3" Pro Series and a Smith 1911TA. For everyday carry the Kimbers have been very reliable but cost around $ 1250.00.
 
I currently own more than one 1911. I go from an Auto Ordinance basic GI Model to a customized Colt.

Although, it was the basic handgun of the US Army from 1911 to 1985 (and beyond, I was issued a 1911A1 in 1991 in Korea) and literally millions of troops familiarized or qualified with the 1911, I don't believe it is a good gun for the beginner or casual carrier. The manual of arms is a little complicated, it needs frequent lubrication and while relatively easy to field strip, requires caution with regard to the recoil spring and plunger. The Series 70 style and before are not drop proof although they can be made to be drop proof by using a lightweight firing pin and a strong firing pin spring. (a la Ruger). Now I don't want to hear stories how you threw grandad's 1911 from your second floor balcony of your apartment and it landed and concrete below with no AD. I'm sure that it or something similar happened. Equally, I think there have been enough AD's over the decades that this is of some concern. If it wasn't a concern Colt would have never developed the Series 80 and that wasn't Colt's first attempt, back in the 1930's they developed the Swarz Safety which never really gained popularity.

My biggest concern is the manual of arms in presentation. Forget Condition 1 (locked and cocked) it just looks disconcerting to the uninformed. It's perfectly safe and the only way to carry the pistol. My objection is having to release the thumb safety while drawing the pistol. It's been said that it takes 5000 repetitions to acquire muscle memory to acquire a fine motor skill and this means practice, practice, practice. My friends who are competitive shooters in various forms (IPSC etc) tell me that shooters who practice, practice, practice will on occasion fumble the draw under the stress of competition and not release the safety. Oh, sure the odds don't favor that, but it does happen and under stress Mr. Murphy seems to want to intervene. For that reason, and that reason alone, I would be hesitant to recommend the pistol to all but the most advanced shooters. For me the 1911 is one of the most ergonomic pistols I have ever shot (especially with the arch mainspring housing which contemporary conventional wisdom seems to condemn. Although the new custom guns by Wilson. Ed Brown etc. designed for concealed carry have a grip profile that looks like an arched mainspring housing built right into the grip) For me, weight is negligible, and aluminum frame models are available which may or may not affect controllability depending on the shooter.

As many of you know, the USMC purchased a bunch of 1911's several years ago to issue to Marine Special Operations. My understanding is that the M45 (new nomenclature but still a 1911) was harder to train with and many Marines opted to not carry it because of weight and controllability.
I know in the context of my own experience, back in the day, male Army MP's were issued 1911's and female MP's were issued S&W (sometimes Ruger) DA .38 revolver because it was perceived at the time that women had more control problems since in most cases, have lesser upper body strength than men, let's not start that debate, and oh my the way women are an integral part of the US Armed Forces, whether you like it or not, it's reality.

I personally have more faith in the .45 ACP round than the 9mm parabellum. Contemporary wisdom says that the 9mm round of today is the ballistic equivalent to the .45. I say let's wait and see. Wait until the next Miami Shootout aka Miami Massacre event.

For it's simplicity the DA Revolver does it best: draw, aim, pull trigger in one smooth movement. Although DA/SA semi-autos have been with us for many decades, people complain about the trigger transition from DA to SA on subsequent shots. I have never been afflicted with this personally .

So in the end, I think that the most viable option for most people is the polymer safe action type pistol exemplified by Glock, S&W, Ruger and other makers. The Glock and the S&W have been proven to be reliable and other makers such as Remington, FN, and Beretta are now making polymer pistols with some variation of the "safe action".

So in the end, that would be my choice most likely a Glock or S&W (longest and most proven track records). I think too, where magazine capacity is limited I'd rather carry 10 big ones with one up the spout than 10 little ones of 9mm, and some of the newer .45's actually have higher capacities than 10 (not that it does any good to us living in Healy Occupied Territory).

So, that's my two euros anyway.

As always: caveat lector !
 
rebut said:
Although I have a thing about carrying "cocked and locked" (a personal issue) I have shot single action Revolvers from the holster for many years, so cocking a 1911 on the draw is not a problem for me.
Click to expand...
So you're pulling the trigger and dropping the hammer on a chambered round every time you load the gun? Uhh....
 
MarkT said:
I have an unaltered Ruger SR1911 (except for the grips), which is a great gun for the price. I shoot much better with it than with any other pistol I've owned over the past 25 years. I don't know if it is the grip angle, or what, but I almost don't need to use the sights with it. I can usually shoot a sub 2" group at 75' with iron sights, and my eyes suck. However, it isn't my carry piece, or my home defense gun. I used to use it for 3-gun and pin shoots, but I haven't done a pin shoot in a while, and I switched to a Glock 17 for 3-gun.

I don't own any other .45 pistols so I can't speak to them, but if you want a do-it-all .45 I would consider one that holds more than 10 rounds that you can find pre-bans for.

But for target, steel, or pin shoots, the 1911 is awesome.

Here's a pic of mine.

View attachment 235517
Click to expand...
+1 for the Ruger SR1911 (full size) if using for home defense and range trips. Too big to carry IMO, but I am sure that some do it during the winter.

Plus the price tag ain't bad. I got mine for just under $700.

I love mine. Probably my fave handgun and my go to for home defense. Also nice looking gun in all Stainless Steel.
 
just the weight puts me off from daily carry of a 1911. been there, done that and have come back full circle to when i was a newb, small and light. so that means now a shield 9 or smith 36. i did pick up a g36 a few years ago on an impulse buy but for some reason never tried to carry it much. i do like it and shoot do well though.

i've told this here before...when i started shooting ~ 1970, i met a guy at my club that carried 3 full size 1911's on him all the time. he had a double shoulder rig and the 3rd was in an uncle mikes style nylon holster behind his right hip. each side of the shoulder rig was equipped with a double mag carrier and he had a double mag holder on his belt. damn, 3 1911's with an additional 6 mags. he always wore a trench type rain coat, always, even in summer. he's long dead. probably the heart gave out from exhaustion, i dunno.
 
Supermoto said:
Did you learn to shoot from the movies?
Click to expand...

SASS shooters ran rampant a two of the ranges a frequented out west. Although I never to part in a "shoot", they were very generous in sharing their experience and techniques.
 
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kalash said:
So you're pulling the trigger and dropping the hammer on a chambered round every time you load the gun? Uhh....
Click to expand...


Strong thumbs...What can I say?

As I said..."Sig P220C/P245 are my favorite to carry 6+1 loaded and a couple (or three) spare mags. So it is rarely an issue." Then I said, "So...long story short, I like Sigs AND 1911s but I choose size and weight first...Sig compact 45s for carry."
 
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