Why the 1911 is the greatest pistol ever made

"In the next issue: how not owning a 10mm proves you’re a communist"....awsome!
Also who has an opinion on the very best 1911? Is it a Wilson or maybe a Nighthawk?
 
Hardware by JMB, software by Jeff Cooper... If the 1911 isn't the greatest pistol ever made I don't know what is. I can't think of a weapon still in use today that was issued in 1911. The m1913 Patton Cavalry Sabre?
 
Fairly new to the world of handguns and haven't had the chance to hold or shoot as many different models as others have but must say the 1911 just feels great in my hand. I'd carry one and trust my life to it. Cocked and locked I'm sure :cool:
 
Because it is reliable and it works!!! What else does one need to say about the 1911 design? The 1911 has worked virtually flawlessly for over 100 years! Including most clones! What else can you say?
 
Ill always own a 1911, I absolutely love mine.

But if everything I am depends on it, it's the last pistol I'm reaching for.
 
Local said:
From a purpose built perspective I would say Glock. Fewest parts, simple design, to date a stellar track record, low weight, high capacity etc etc. It does as it was designed to do and does it very well.

Local
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I have an industrial grade flame suit available if you want to borrow it for a bit.

Regards.

Mark
 
Local said:
From a purpose built perspective I would say Glock. Fewest parts, simple design, to date a stellar track record, low weight, high capacity etc etc. It does as it was designed to do and does it very well.

Local
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I'm with Local.
A 1911 is a beautiful gun. I've shot many over 30 years and have owned them. But I've not had many that finished a shooting season without some issue. I think JBM did not intend 1911s to be race guns and have the tight tolerances that 100 yrs worth of advancements have put into them. That's probably why Norc 1911s work well. They aren't as tight as a N. American gun.

Glocks, on the other hand, just work. Four guys just finished a session yesterday with Gen 2-4 Glocks shooting over 1000rds of Wolf Ammo. ZERO issues with function and accuracy.
I don't think 4 tuned 1911s can say the same. Possible...but unlikely.
 
skoal said:
Probably 5946
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This is definitely not my choice for the best pistol ever. Just because I carry one doesn't mean that I think it is the best. It is mandated that I carry a 5946 - it is a good gun, but far from my first choice given the choice. It is very, very reliable, dead-nuts accurate, has an annoyingly heavy trigger and the sight radius is too short - what's not to like?
 
silverfoxdj said:
Okay Sask give it up what is it lol
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Lol! It is tough to say the 1911 in this case because then a person would have to choose "a particular 1911" as there are many and there are significant levels of quality between the bottom end and the top. I think the "greatest pistol ever made" has to be great in every model and variation - Perhaps not the greatest in every model and variation - but great nonetheless. Many would say the Glock. It certainly is a great gun, but its ergonomics are critiqued by even people who like them. If I had to go with a gun that is possibly great in every variation and model, it would have to be the CZ75. It has been around for a long time. Has been copied by just about everyone. Has about the best ergonomics of any firearm period and has been carried by folks the world over. Just my $.02 worth. Your mileage will vary on this one. (In all honesty, those are probably the same reasons people think the 1911 is as great as it is too ...). Don't get me wrong, I would carry a Colt 1911 on duty if the choice was mine.
 
So many great gun designs out there. Yet for me the 1911 and Cz75 seem to be the most natural pointers. Certainly the 1911 has fewer parts than the Cz, and is a much simpler design. Of my shooting buddies I never here complaints about 1911's not working, but constantly here about plastic gun reliability problems. But in fairness to glock, most of those issues are with Rugers.
But I will never own a glock just on account of the fact i find them the most hideously ugly handgun imaginable. And this from a guy that owns a 1903 Roth Steyr, lol.
I certainly wouldn't hesitate to trust my life to a 1911.
 
If you "tune" a 1911 into an unreliable wreck that is not the fault of the platform, that is the fault of the wannabe gunsmith.

If you sell your 1911 on the basis that it shoots 3" groups at 50 yards then I understand two things about you as a manufacturer: One, you are proud of your craft and work to the finest tolerances. Bravo. Two, you are as much marketer as armourer appealing to a silly standard to sell your guns. Meh.

If I want to know about 50 yard grouping I am likely looking at a 22LR bolt rifle. If I want to know about a pistol grouping I will be interested in 5 to 25 yards and quite frankly consistent 3 to 6 inch groups will be just fine thank you. Different horses for different courses.

I have polymers, 1911s, and 1911 clones. I like them all but all steel is my favourite and I would agree that the 1911 handshake is my favourite. I fell no need to bad mouth other platforms or calibres other than .45 however.
 
Yes, what indeed. Nobody else uses internal extractors.
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Lot's of other guns use internals extractors - i.e. various Sigs, early Hi-Powers, etc. The original 1911 extractor was made from spring steel and it worked just fine. Few if any modern 1911 makers, including Colt, use spring steel anymore.

And consider this: the original 1911 magazine was specifically designed for a controlled feed in which the feed lips held each round in tension against the feed ramp, which was cut at a specific angle to interface with the magazine order to regulate the speed of the bullet during feeding. The surface of the feed ramp was a part of the design of the 1911.
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It was indeed designed to work this way - with ball ammo. Manufacturers started mucking with the feed ramp shape because people wanted to shoot self-defence type ammo (i.e. hollow points).
 
That was a fun read, thanks for posting! I love my 1911s. Have a few polymer guns and a Glock is on the list of things to buy, but not a high priority at the moment.
 
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