the author knows almost as much about guns as the L$M does...
Posted on 12/23/2010 5:29:16 AM PST by marktwain
I have said it before and I will end up saying it again: the 1911 an old design that is more trouble than it is worth. I don’t say it to be confrontational, or to draw attention to myself. I say it because I see my fellow shooters mindlessly parroting the gun equivalent of Chuck Norris Facts whenever the 1911 comes up in conversation, and I just don’t get it.
I am not surprised that the 1911 is out of place in today’s world, and you shouldn’t be surprised either. What other 100-year old design is still in daily use?
In the comment section of another blog, I summarized my skepticism of the 1911′s attributes thusly:
It’s a 100-year old design. It needs tools to disassemble. It has unreliable magazines. It is finicky about ammo. And, as a single-action pistol, it is unsafe for 95% of its users to carry.
In my original complaint, I forgot to mention the issue with slide-stop failures, and the whole internal extractor/external extractor situation. Either of which would be serious enough to kill any other design’s reputation in the shooting world.
In response to some knee-jerk defenses of the 1911 from fanboys who drank too much John M. Browning Kool-Aid, who told me how all that I needed to do was buy a bunch of aftermarket parts and send the gun to a gunsmith, I added:
Why does a reliable 1911 cost so much, and need so much gunsmithing?
To be fair, I have some of the same complaints with the Walther PPK. Which is also a very old design, one which has been eclipsed by more modern designs which can do everything it does better.
I mean, is it unreasonable to expect an affordably-priced pistol for defense to reliably feed hollowpoints out of the box? What Smith&Wesson pistol of recent manufacture won’t feed hollowpoints? What about Glock? SiG? Beretta? (I know Kahrs need to have some rounds through them before they are reliable, but it says that right in the owners manual). The shooting public would not accept an unreliable gun of a more modern design. But for some reason, the 1911 gets a pass for all of its flaws. “Just use hardball” is not a valid defense of the 1911 design, nor is it a valid strategy for selecting ammunition to defend yourself.
And God help anyone who buys a used 1911. Everyone and their brother seems to think they are qualified to take a Dremel to their 1911. Guys who can’t change their own flat tire somehow have no reservations about playing doctor on their 1911. Who knows what wacky “custom” parts have been put into the gun because someone read about it on the interweb tubes?
It was the best military sidearm of its day, and for a long time afterward. I do not dispute that. But its time has long passed. And a military sidearm is not the same thing as a handgun for personal defense.
Leave aside the lack of reliability with hollowpoints, and the other problems. The 1911 is too big to conceal. And the smaller versions are less reliable due to the shorter slide-travel and a tendency to limp-wrist the gun.
Some people protest by saying that the 1911 is the best gun for defense, because the most “realistic” shooting sports are heavily populated with 1911 users. And everyone knows that you should train like you fight, so that you will fight like you train, right? Well, that would be a more convincing argument if those “realistic” shooting sports didn’t have intricate rules that somehow disqualify most non-1911 designs. Purely by coincidence, right? Sure, they come up with semi-plausible rationales for some of those rules, but there is no way to disguise the overall bias towards the 1911.
I don’t hate 1911 fans. I merely pity them, because they are victims of marketing hype and groupthink, the lemmings of the gun world. And if someone sinks thousands of dollars into a 1911 (and isn’t using it to compete for money), well they are just gullible. Like the kind of people who pay money for tapwater in a bottle.
So what if Jeff Cooper liked the only handgun in use when he was in the military? It’s not like he had a choice of other handguns to use. And, on a related note, Jeff Cooper has a reputation that exceeds his accomplishments. The best information that I can find shows that he spent the battle of Guadalcanal as the training officer on Gen. Vandegrift’s staff. Not leading a platoon. Not on the line, pulling a trigger. And his coy evasions when asked about his real-world experience with gunfighting are revealing, if one cares to view them objectively. (If you have documentation about Cooper’s real-world experience, please drop me a line. I am happy to revise my opinion.) I have no doubt that he was qualified to teach people how to shoot on a range. Beyond that, a grain of salt is required. I prefer to get my advice on defense & gunfighting from men who have actually been there & done that; Massad Ayoob, Jim Cirillo, etc. Am I a qualifications snob? No, I am an results snob.
Ok, got it out of my system.
Agreed, except perhaps a wheel gun. Since I don't use it every day, I like the grip and thumb saftey of the 1911. If the pistol fires, it is on purpose.
Not a lot to agree with in the article
Take care!
“The 1911 Sucks.”
Dang, guess I have to get rid of the Mark IV Series 70 I just picked up. /s
That argument is so weak, it borders on troll territory...
Consider that the Colt 1911 design, though copied by numerous manufacturers, is *THE* most reliable, accurate and popular pistol design among those who pull triggers for a living (combat/action shooting sports from back before IPSC on through to today).
Face it: When you need to shoot hard, fast & accurate; When you need to be “knee-deep-in-brass-and-still-shootin’-fast”, the professional competitors have time and again chosen, and relied upon, the Colt 1911 design.
I am retired Navy after all.
The old line goes "The difference between a Sea Story and a Fairy Tale is that one begins 'Once upon a time', and the other starts out with 'Now this is no bullshit'."
And the rules don’t disqualify other guns — Although they do favor major-caliber. But that’s like arguing that it’s unfair that NASCAR won’t let Prius driver’s win. High HP V-8’s are favored for a reason.
Now, if you want to compete with a minor-caliber 9mm or a 6-shot wheel-gun; knock yourself out. However, if you want to be *competitive*, you should choose wisely. Wise shooters overwhelmingly prefer that 1911 design. You don’t have to like it, but it is what it is.
No, and it should not happen.
Get the gun looked at by a gun smith.
>>looked up the serial number and turns out its manufacture date was 1928.<<
>That thing will tear up your shoulder though, that’s for sure!<
That was back in the days when men were men and didn’t complain about such things as sore shoulders.
LOL
Next time fold a towel over your shoulder (under your jacket, of course) and all the old guys will think you’re toughin’ it out.
LOL
Have you been over to, or puchased anything at that J & R shop on 5 Highway up by me?
I confess I have not been to this store.
Where is it and what do they have?
I visited Pistols Plus the other day at Osage Beach and damned near came away with another .223.
>>Actually it was designed to be reloaded easily on horseback.<<
That’s a piece of info that I’ve never heard before. Thanks
Agreed. However, I do like the Makarov pistol.
Its a small shop on the west side of 5 just on the north end of Sunrise Beach.
My wife and I met a gal that was married to the owner a year ago, but we have never been in and looked around. Too damn busy.
I am still kicking myself for selling an FN made Hi Power...for.....$300.
I can't believe I admitted that publicly.
I own five A-5s. Four are Belgium made.
I take the Japanese-made gun to the field.
Amen and amen! Yes, the 1611 KJB and 1911 Colt 45-two perfect weapons.
the author knows almost as much about guns as the L$M does...
We had to tell who “Ackley” was. So many regrets in life...
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