Calling all 1911 owner's

[shooter444]

I have been trying to trade back into a 1911 for a couple years now,... no success. The itch just kept getting stronger and stronger. So, I finally wore myself down, and, after finding a great buy,... I bit the bullet, and bought a fine example of a GI model. When I got it, I field stripped it, oiled her up, and had some fun in my back yard pistol range by running just over 100 rounds through it, without one hic-up, I will add. :lol:

My post-point?

When I field stripped her again, I suddenly realized how much I missed shooting a 1911(been a good 10 years) and how much I missed the shear pleasure of breaking down a 1911 for cleaning! I find it VERY PLEASURABLE holding 11 pieces of finely fitted REAL METAL parts in my hands, that go together to form a truly enjoyable shooting piece of firearm history!!!

So, I thought, well, it's a slow day, and I am wondering if it is just me with this addiction, so, I'll post the question and see if there are any other 1911 junkies on the board that appreciate the 1911 as much as I do,... and the satisfying feeling of stripping one down all the way to removing the firing pin and extractor with any small straight object that's handy, for a tool. :lol:

 

[Elk34]

Yes you had me at 1911.

 

[shooter444]

Ha, ha, ha,... ya,... I was picking up a prescription yesterday, open carrying my 1911, when my friendly pro gun pharmacist stopped me to ask what I was carrying. When I said 1911,... he said,... "Right answer"!

He carries a SA A1.

Your reply, reminded me of his.

 

[AZ Husker]

I will always be a 1911 fanatic. Nothing points as well or has such a good trigger.

 

[shooter444]

I hear that, as I said, it's been around a decade since last shooting one, trigger was the very first resurrected memory when I took this 1911 to the range. Some things never change,... thankfully!

 

[Flash]

Never owned one. I absolutely hate grip safeties. I know I can pin them or otherwise disable them, but I prefer something without a grip safety, like a Sig P220 SAO.

 

[shooter444]

Flash, this is probably first time I disagree with you. I wouldn't own a 1911 without a grip safety.

John Moses Browning put one into the design of this historic piece for a purpose, imo. I like its two level safety design,... 1) thumb safety 2) grip safety,... especially when it comes to re-holstering. I have only found the thumb safety accidentally bumped into off position while re-holstering, once in my entire life, but, it is something I never forgot. It was many decades ago, but every time I re-holster I remember it and purposely shove it into the holster using/positioning my palm on the butt corner edge of the frame, without touching the grip safety,... it is cheap safety insurance, as far as I am concerned!

I have a S&W M&P full size 45acp and a S&W M&P Shield, also in 45acp. Both have been 100% reliable and accurate !!! I didn't like their stock thumb safeties, I thought they were too small to rely on in a tense situation, so I bought both without one. Every time I have re-holstered them in the past years, I have to take a good pause and make sure the trigger is not being compromised.

I will probably start carrying the 1911 on a daily basis now, I have already proven it reliable and accurate enough for me and I'll delegate the M&P full size to the nightstand, full time.

I find it quite humorous how some individuals freak at the thought of cocked and locked,... with a thumb and grip safety, I find it the most safe sidearm I have ever worked with.

Ahhh, but,... to each their own,... that's what makes America Great, to me!!!

 

[Flash]

Browning didn't design it with the grip safety originally, it was put in to appease the Cavalry, who wanted a grip safety among other things.

https://www.browning.com/news/articles/history-of-the-1911-pistol.html

Since cavalry troops were going to be the primary combat users of the pistol, several specific design features, like the grip safety and lanyard ring, were mandated by the horse soldiers. (Nothing will turn a cavalry trooper into an infantryman faster than shooting his own horse by accident.) The Browning pistol design was formally adopted by the US Army on March 29, 1911, and thus became known officially as the Model 1911. The US Navy and US Marine Corps adopted the Browning-designed pistol in 1913.

 

[shooter444]

I wouldn't feel like it's a good day, If I didn't learn something new,... thanks Flash, you're back on the plus side , even if you don't like grip safeties!

But, back on point, even our historic cavalry agrees with having a grip safety! Which only goes to show, even perfection can be improved upon! :dance:

 

[Flash]

My problem is the size and geometry of my hand. What happens is that around once every 3 or 4 magazines, I pull the trigger and it doesn't go off as the grip safety's not depressed far enough.

I figured it was just my lousy grip, but found out later that I'm not alone in this, even among accomplished shooters.

Case in point, Logan Clark, President of Clark Custom guns, national champion shooter and holder of a couple world records and, incidentally, lives close to his Uncle, Jerry Miculek.

He did an episode on Shootout Lane a few months back and stated that he had the same problem as me and since he competed with 1911s, he had to find a solution. What he said was that he welded an extension around 3/8" longer to the grip safety and thus eliminated the problem.

 

[shooter444]

Ya, I have read about that, but, since playing with 1911's since my early teens, I have never, not once, ever had that happen to me.

I have seen the commercial upgraded extended hump on grip safeties for sale, but, as I said, never had a problem.

Actually, I don't know anyone, personally, that has ever had the problem,... but, I have read of at least
a half dozen complaints on the net, over the years.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think the 1911 format is for everyone. I quit it about a decade ago, but, I guess I am too programmed, carried one for too many years, I guess they got in my blood so-to-speak and now I have returned to the fold.

 

[Ballistic Therapy]

I never understood the infatuation with the 1911.
I own a few of them but never got wrapped up in the 1911 fan club.
I very rarely shoot any of the ones I have.

 

[h8pvmnt]

I love my 1911's my son loves my 1911's but i never carry one. Too big and heavy for my body type and mode of dress. I do always have one in my range bag to shoot. I doubt i will ever not own at least one. I don't really like field stripping any gun but the 1911 is not a favorite in that dept. I much prefer stripping my glocks and p365. I don't have a lot of free time as i am not retired and run a small business, so the less time cleaning and less small parts to lose the better.

 

[shooter444]

Yup, 1911's aren't for everyone. I just had a moment and wondered if other 1911 owners felt the same about stripping one down so completely, cleaning just seems to be complete as well, and the possible satisfied felling I get from knowing it is as clean as it can be.

My M&P's are inaccessible for cleaning like a 1911. There are places I can only blow out with a cleaner, because I haven't the knowledge to disassemble it any further. Also, I like the feeling, in my hand, of a basically forged weapon.

I was just wondering if others wanted a friendly conversation about the handling of 1911's,... that's all

 

[shooter444]

I love my 1911's my son loves my 1911's but i never carry one. Too big and heavy for my body type and mode of dress. I do always have one in my range bag to shoot. I doubt i will ever not own at least one. I don't really like field stripping any gun but the 1911 is not a favorite in that dept. I much prefer stripping my glocks and p365. I don't have a lot of free time as i am not retired and run a small business, so the less time cleaning and less small parts to lose the better.

Yup, big and heavy,...about the same as my full size M&P45 with light on the rail, fast fire rear sight and a 14 round mag. You're right, really need to dress accordingly, or, open carry, I do both. I prefer cold weather carry, picked up a real nice shoulder holster for it that will make it invisible with the right vest, or, sweatshirt, this winter.

Never owned Glock, can't remark on that.

 

[Tenring]

Hi my name is Tenring and I have a problem......

I was told I own more 1911's than I have fingers on both of my hands. So figured I had a problem, then I decided maybe I have so many because they are not Semi-Custom or Custom 1911's and just the right one would be my last. So after buying a bunch of those the problem got worse.

So after swearing that I would not buy any more 1911's I am stuck buying other platforms. But I told my self that the Sig P938 and P238 were not really 1911's and got them. The problem blew up, but after some education she agreed they were not 1911's and I survived.........my wife is my problem.

 

[1911Guy]

As you can probably guess from my handle, your subject line caught me right away!

I just found the form again after quite a few years, was poking around for something interesting, and caught your post! I must say that the 1911 is my favorite pistol platform! Though I own and have been issued various platforms, I still shoot the 1911 faster and more accurately than any other. Every platform has its pro's and con's, but this is what I choose as my EDC! Thanks for Posting and good to be back!

 

[shooter444]

Funny, Tenring,... you make me feel like opening this reply with,... HELLO, MY NAME IS SHOOTER444 AND I AM A 1911 JUNKIE ! :lol: A good 1911 is like a good woman,... keepers, both!

 

[shooter444]

Welcome back, 1911guy,.... yup, sounds like this thread fits you!!!

 

[Buckshot Bill]

I will always be a 1911 fanatic. Nothing points as well or has such a good trigger.

^ This pretty much says it all for me. I couldn't agree more!
Buckshot Bill