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Flechero posted an earlier thread about what kind of 1911 he should buy. I didn't want to hijack his thread especially given the great responses he was getting. I have never shot a 1911 before but have admired as they are nice looking. But why should I buy one? What is so magical that I should joint the cult of the 1911? Don't get me wrong I love any gun but can you explain the draw? Thanks all!

Power, Dependability, Accuracy, Simplicity.

Personally I don't have one, so take my opinion as such... But I have always thought it was sort of a nostalgic/historical thing. Its an iconic gun, with 100 years of battlefield and combat testing and has proven to stand the test of time.

I've shot a couple and they are fun to shoot, but heavy and bulky, so for me it could never be more than a range gun. Maybe others will have some better in-site.

Because its a 1911.

Everyone has their preferences. I personally think the polymer, striker fire type guns are...well...ugly. But then again, looks aren't everything. There are lots of striker fire guns that are good guns. The on-going "rivalry" between 1911s and striker fire (specifically Glock) is mostly all in good fun. I like the way 1911s look. That may be superficial....but it's my money. I also like the extra safety features (side safety plus grip safety.)

1911's are awesome, but if I were in a rock fight and I could have 15 rocks or 7 rocks I'd have to go with 15

Countryside wrote:Everyone has their preferences. I personally think the polymer, striker fire type guns are...well...ugly. But then again, looks aren't everything. There are lots of striker fire guns that are good guns. The on-going "rivalry" between 1911s and striker fire (specifically Glock) is mostly all in good fun. I like the way 1911s look. That may be superficial....but it's my money. I also like the extra safety features (side safety plus grip safety.)

Said like a pro! The reality of it is that if you are going to carry a gun around you have to be comfortable and confident with what it is that you have. Plus your paying for it.

My reason was nostalgia. Like owning a classic car. It is a dang fun pistol to shoot.

I don't have mine at the top of any of my defensive scenarios. Mainly because I have multiple firearms that take glock magazines. In a home defense scenario, I can ask my family to bring me more magazines and they would all know to bring me glock magazines. One less place for communication breakdown. If my other defensive tools were depleted, I would have zero issues with deploying the 1911. Performance has never been a negative issue.

Richbirdhunter wrote:1911's are awesome, but if I were in a rock fight and I could have 15 rocks or 7 rocks I'd have to go with 15

Range day was yesterday and I had my XDM 45 with 8 - 13 round mags. So we finished up and I had been keeping my mags topped up throughout and thought what the heck. So I dumped all 8 mags as quickly as I could. Let me tell you by about round 60 my finger was giving out. The trigger pull in the XDM was getting heavier by the second. I still managed to clear all 8 mags in about a minute but wow...

One word: Trigger.

Nothing I have ever shot has a trigger like a 1911.
It is so smooth to set off, and you will have almost no sympathetic movement of your other fingers, ruining your shot.

And unlike the Polymer pistols, when you run out off ammo and throw it at the bad guy, the all steel frame will actually hurt.

And put the .22 Conversion on the 1911 frame, and you have a certified Laser Pistol.

goose wrote:My reason was nostalgia. Like owning a classic car. It is a dang fun pistol to shoot.

I don't have mine at the top of any of my defensive scenarios. Mainly because I have multiple firearms that take glock magazines. In a home defense scenario, I can ask my family to bring me more magazines and they would all know to bring me glock magazines. One less place for communication breakdown. If my other defensive tools were depleted, I would have zero issues with deploying the 1911. Performance has never been a negative issue.

I can absolutely see that! Don't get me wrong one is on my acquire list but it's down the list. I love the looks of them. I would not consider any of the guns I have nice looking with the possible exception of the Dan Wesson 357 or maybe the H&K P30sk...

So I carried a Berretta M9 for the 10 in the Marine Corps and shot a lot with it. The times that I was not in uniform I had a Glock 23 and shot it a lot until I got married and no longer had any of my own money or time. What I shot best was and still is a single action on that M9 and when you want a single action trigger you want a 1911. (Barring Revolvers) There are a lot of other single double action guns out there but most have a general pull from the 1911. If I didn't carry a 1911 I would carry a sig 227 or something comparable. So after answering the short question long......

1. Single Action Only

2. Trigger

Disclaimers....Still nothing wrong with a Glock that has a 3.5 lbs disconnect.

What Pariah said I think is the primary reason that the platform is so distinguished.

I also don't have one (yet), but my dad has several and uses them for EDC. I am shopping for one, and plan to add one at some point this year. I want it as a carry gun and could see myself using it 50% of the time potentially.

Also, I would add that most users find the safety mechanisms to be comforting. For one, there is the grip safety that provides protection against negligent discharge if the gun is not firmly in hand. For two, they have the thumb safety to prevent trigger pull when carrying with the hammer cocked.

Also the single action trigger makes it a shooter's gun. Meaning that it's easy to get on target and fire rapidly. Also, the single stack magazines make for a slimmer grip profile that is comfortable in the hand of people who may have trouble wrapping the hands around a double stack grip and reaching the slide lock with their thumb.

Obviously, some people love carrying the 1911 cocked and locked. Other people are wary of carrying a gun with a pre-cocked hammer and a light trigger (even with the safety mechanisms). No matter how you look at it, having the hammer spring loaded and a live round in the chamber, there is a lot of potential energy in that device.

Pariah3j wrote:Its an iconic gun, with 100 years of battlefield and combat testing and has proven to stand the test of time.

Everyone has their reasons for a 1911, here's mine.

Accuracy, trigger, weight, and looks

I have a few polymer guns and 1 1911 with more to come very soon.

The salesman at my lgs explained the 1911 comparing them to cars. He said polymer guns like glocks, m&p's, and xd's are like honda civics, toyota camrys, and nissan altimas, they are very reliable with parts being cheap if something breaks, they hold lots of ammo just like the named cars give great gas milage, and with the right mods they can both look very cool but...... 1911 in different brands are like corvettes, ferrari's, rolls royce's and other high end cars. Some can be found rather cheaply, they do the same job as their competitors meaning they get you from A to B (both shoot something). But with a nice 1911, depending on which one you get, you're paying for the hand worked parts, the attention to detail, the subtle custom pieces that make it that much more special.
I didn't have the disposable funds for a $3k custom like an ed Brown, or a high end wilson combat, so I settled for a mid grade 1911, I wanted something for carry more than a dedicated safe queen so I got a Dan Wesson .45 ECO.

To quote Q from 007 skyfall, in respects to a 1911. "It's more of a personal statement"