Why The 1911 Will Never Die

GunDigest ^ | 2/5/2025 | Richard A. Mann

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Well, it is simply a GREAT PISTOL! Only gripe I have is the Rock Island version will not fit my .22 Ace conversion kit. The hole is just a hair off...and I am not willing to run a drill bit through it as it might mess something else up.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I should mention that the Rock Island version I have was made in the Philippines. Works great except for the ACE conversion kit.

[niteowl77]

Familiarity bred contempt in my case. I thought the axis bring-back pistols were more interesting than the (then) common-as-dirt 1911A1. As time went on, I had to conclude that except for maybe the FN Hi-Power, the Radom ViS 35 and the P-38, the rest of that foreign lot made much better souvenirs than they did "fighting" handguns.

About ten years ago, I was invited to try a full-size 9mm 1911 at a range, and I was hooked. It was the pistol equivalent of an old-school luxury car: big, smooth, comfortable. I no longer enjoy .45 ACP recoil, but 9x19 out of a steel 1911 is easy as pie. I also think I now know the reason that some of John Moses Browning's details were put there; he really was one smart - and practical - cookie.

[Empire_of_Liberty]

Why we make weapons that wound people.

[6ppc]

I’ve got a Commander, new in box, I inherited from my dad. One of these days I’ll pull it out and play with. For the last 30 years I have only had time for my benchrest shooting. Season starts in March...back to the grind. Gonna fireform 200 pieces of brass tomorrow.

[T.B. Yoits]

Too bad they all fail to feed 3 times per mag unless you wanna spend $4000 on one.

Sounds like hollow point ammunition or something underpowered.

Never had it jam with full metal jacket at 230 grains.

[T.B. Yoits]

I'm a fan of the slimmer grips from Challis.

https://www.challisgrips.com/

[OKSooner]

The M60 machine gun.

[This_Dude]

Nope. All 230 grain hard ball. I know way better than to run hollows in a 1911.

Only thing I ever ran hollow points in was...

Wait for it...

A hi-point. And it even WORKED.

[Chainmail]

Got a 1911, made in 1918. Never had a failure of any kind and it is accurate.

I have had a bunch of 1911s/1911A1s, mostly Colts, and carried a Remington Rand in combat in Vietnam. Never let me down then - and I won a couple of Marine Corps matches with my government-issued .45 match pistol (one hand, 50 meters).

You guys can have the plastic stuff!

[FlatulusMaximus]

Me too! I love it, but it has gotten hard for me to handle due to peripheral neuropathy. Do you carry yours concealed?(It seems awfully bulky.)

[Myrddin]

I have 10mm in S&W and Ruger revolvers as well as 1911 Ruger and a Springfield build. The Springfield holds 15 rds. My usual carry for hiking is an S&W 629 with 4 inch barrel. PMC 240 gr JHP is adequate for black bears, mountain lions and wolves. That is the normal 4-legged hazards nearby.

[No Party Affiliation]

I do not, for that very reason. Got a nice holster for it if I ever live in an open carry state 😊

[BAN-ONE]

For many decades,
It fits my hand.
Bullets hit where I point it.
It works every time without “gunsmithing”.

I have more rifles & shotguns than I could readily list.
But I only have one functioning pistol.
That probably says something.

[doorgunner69]

“it might be made completely obsolete by a phased plasma pistol in the 25 watt range...”

As long as it does not have the trigger feel of a Glock.

[Dave911]

Sounds like a Colt Frontier

[Dave911]

Best semiautomatic platform ever made.

[Dave911]

Colts, Kimbers, Nighthawks, carry them, love them.

[SkyDancer]

Had a nice kick to it but I survived. I’ll stick to my .40 S&W though.

[gundog]

Pretty sure a 200 round break-in is recommended with all 1911s. A slight polish on the feed-ramp might be in order, and I’d stay away from anything flat-nosed, for self defense.