Are 1911s magical?

[Maryland_Shooter]

If they were magical more of them would be reliable.

Do you have one that is unreliable? Send it to me for proper disposal

[harold63]

No one today is producing an unreliable 1911. A few will not eat HP's reliably and some have air soft pistol triggers out of the box, but those don't make it unreliable. Both of these issues are minor and easy as well as inexpensive to make 100%. It is why I buy the cheap 1911's and do these minor tune ups with a nice, personal paint sceme. I then have a 1911 that shoots great, looks great, eats any kind of ammo, and will cough it out all day without whimpering. To me, that is the magical thing about them. Leaves a butt load of money for ammo.

[orionz06]

Really? What are your thoughts on Obama, great job?

[Neko456]

No one today is producing an unreliable 1911. A few will not eat HP's reliably and some have air soft pistol triggers out of the box, but those don't make it unreliable. Both of these issues are minor and easy as well as inexpensive to make 100%. It is why I buy the cheap 1911's and do these minor tune ups with a nice, personal paint sceme. I then have a 1911 that shoots great, looks great, eats any kind of ammo, and will cough it out all day without whimpering. To me, that is the magical thing about them. Leaves a butt load of money for ammo.

456 - Not everybody can do the minor tune ups that you can. Yes I know some guys that can take a 1911 down to the pins and springs. But most can't I agree that some of the Cheap ones look really impressive like the SS PT 1911s and when they can shoot as good as they look they are Gems.

But in the end they are still PT 1911 there is a ceratin bragging right that they will never reach like mid level DWs, SAs and Kimbers not to mention the high ened Ed Browns, Les Baer and Wilsons. But if they shoot almost as good you got a winner. And kind of magical.

[Maryland_Shooter]

No one today is producing an unreliable 1911. A few will not eat HP's reliably and some have air soft pistol triggers out of the box, but those don't make it unreliable. Both of these issues are minor and easy as well as inexpensive to make 100%. It is why I buy the cheap 1911's and do these minor tune ups with a nice, personal paint sceme. I then have a 1911 that shoots great, looks great, eats any kind of ammo, and will cough it out all day without whimpering. To me, that is the magical thing about them. Leaves a butt load of money for ammo.

Which won't eat HP ammo?

[IronButt]

456 - Not everybody can do the minor tune ups that you can. Yes I know some guys that can take a 1911 down to the pins and springs. But most can't I agree that some of the Cheap ones look really impressive like the SS PT 1911s and when they can shoot as good as they look they are Gems.

But in the end they are still PT 1911 there is a ceratin bragging right that they will never reach like mid level DWs, SAs and Kimbers not to mention the high ened Ed Browns, Les Baer and Wilsons. But if they shoot almost as good you got a winner. And kind of magical.

Good points. I've been following this thread for a couple days. I have two 1911's & they are by far my favorite handguns. I'm not one who beleives that handgun development ended a hundred years ago though.

They're not the ideal handgun for everyone. I'm comfortable doing minor gunsmithing on my 1911's & I can detail strip one down to it's smallest pins & springs & reassemble it in a matter of minutes. If a person can't do that, maybe a different platform is a better choice.

I compare 1911's & Glock's to 1970's muscle cars & a new Honda Accord. Both will get the job done, but the muscle car/1911 will do it with more class. They're just going to need a bit more TLC than the Honda/Glock to stay running reliably.

Just my $0.02.

[IronButt]

the problem is everybody thinks they can "improve" john's design.
build them to his specifications, and there are no issues.

Another good point. It seems that whenever you move away from .45 cal, 230 gr bullets, 5" barrel, generous tolerances, etc.; then you're throwing more variables into the mix that the original design wasn't made for.

[LifeInPa]

I compare 1911's & Glock's to 1970's muscle cars & a new Honda Accord. Both will get the job done, but the muscle car/1911 will do it with more class. They're just going to need a bit more TLC than the Honda/Glock to stay running reliably.

The simple answer to that is buy modern muscle so you can have your cake and eat it too.

[Neko456]

Another good point. It seems that whenever you move away from .45 cal, 230 gr bullets, 5" barrel, generous tolerances, etc.; then you're throwing more variables into the mix that the original design wasn't made for.

456 - Of course one of the good thing about 1911s is once you understand them you can customize them so they shoot what you want. Some shoot 38 super like a tack driver.

Some of my guns can shoot the 200 garin SWC and CCi JHP 200 grain flying ashtray, some prefer the 230 JHP or Powerball with the 230 FMJ profile, one of my guns like the hornady 185 JHP. Finding out or building the Gun to do what you want makes it more personal. When you can get YOUR 1911 doing what you want it is pretty magical.

[IronButt]

The simple answer to that is buy modern muscle so you can have your cake and eat it too.

Yeah, but I'm an old phart & I'm kinda' partial to the old stuff. A new Mustang or Charger would be wasted on me anyhow. I don't go fast enough to ever wear out a set of brakes. Hell, buzzards follow me & my old Harley up & down the road.