And now you can include Hawai’i. Only those who have lived on the mainland though as when I grew up on O’ahu if the temperature dropped below 77°F I wore pants and sweatshirts/jackets, but not anymore. I wear shorts year round. The past few winters Texas & Florida have dropped into the 30’s and Texas has gotten snow, so I think they can carry full-size if this winter follows.
The trigger and the grip is why I love the 1911. I have now built 6 for myself from the ground up. Building and fitting them is as much fun as shooting them.
Something that I found interesting as a carpenter I read that the grip angle on most cordless drills and screw guns are based on 1911 and I believe it because my Dewalt screw gun and drill feels a lot like my Springfield range officer in my hand
To correct a common misconception... The .45 didn't replace the .38 Special. It replaced the .38 Long Colt and .38 Short Colt revolvers. The .38 Special is a significant step up over either, and especially over the Short Colt.
The C& Arsenal video series from the 1900 model to the 1911 puts all of this in an understandable context. Long series of videos but very enlightening.
@@benjamin3290 to be fair, historians in general aren't the best at getting details of firearms right, and just don't realize there are a variety of ".38" pistol rounds. There are many "authoritative" print sources spanning a century that refer to the military revolvers as ".38 Specials". This is one completely understandable mistake.
Also, the "every law enforcement agency in the country at one time or another" is iffy at best. The overwhelming handgun of law enforcement issue/use in the U.S was the .38 spl revolver (typically a Smith K frame).
@@antoniotula262 Yep. I first qualified for my Texas Peace Officers License with a revolver. Virtually zero departments issued 1911s, maybe none. Wasn't until the late 80s to mid 90s that most departments switched to autos. And those almost universally split between Berettas and the old school 2nd and 3rd gen S&W autos. Mid 90s and on was the GIANT switch to the Glock, and to Sig 226 and 229s to a much lesser extent. To be honest, I can't think of a single LEO department that ever issued the 1911. Every Texas Ranger I knew carried one, but even then, I think a Sig was their issue piece, and the 1911 was just an authorized alternative.
@heathwasson7811 I haven't seen one of those big stainless Smith autos in a long time. LGS had some police trade-ins about 15yrs ago that were beat up good. I could see seatbelt marks from road time, rusted rear sights from guys working parades in summer or foot posts. I should have bought one, really.
Minor correction, the M1911A1 was officially replaced by the Beretta M9 in 1985. Despite that they remained in use with conventional soldiers as late as 1995.
Can confirm...we were still training with, and carrying the 1911 back around 93 when I was topside watch on my old pig; SSN 750 the Nswport News. Hurt my soul when they handed me a Beretta...It's a nice weapon, but the 1911 still has my heart.
@@hoppinggnomethe4154lol right? It's like people think crates of new weapons arrive at the armory and all get swapped out at once. I was at a FOB chow hall in Iraq and it was a massive hub base and between the different services, and units you could see everything from M16A1 to A2 refurbs to guys field testing the XM8.
Excellent video. Probably the most honest perspective I've seen presented on the internet. I've been a devout 1911 guy since 1973 when I was introduced to them in the Army. I was a light weapons and demolition specialist on a Special Forces A Team, so I got to disassemble, assemble, shoot and train others with A LOT of different firearms. Since that time I've shot and owned many different pistol platforms, but my favorite remains the 1911. It fits me best ergonomically and I am most accurate with it. For me the maintenance truly is a labor of love and I'm willing to do it so I can enjoy all of the "Pros" associated with it. And when properly maintained, they are extremely reliable regardless of ammo type. Thanks for the presentation. - Hawk
My Dad taught me how to shoot pistols using a 1911. Since then, I've show striker-fired and DA/SA pistols of almost all brands. When I got into competitive shooting, it was full circle back to 1911/2011. For pure performance, 1911/2011 all day long. If its the Zombie Apocalypse or some other unlikely dystopian scenario, Glock or HK.
Good video. IMO the 1911A1's rep fell a lot in people's estimations for three reasons. 1) The military manufactured ones were almost completely worn out by the early 80s through age, poor maintenance and infrequent spring replacements. They were nearly smooth bore single shot pistols in many cases. 2) Dozens of crummy companies pumped out lousy clones while the good companies pumped out expensive boutique guns the average shooter couldn't afford. The real nail in the coffin were the old Fudds who talked up the 1911 _while disparaging the Glock_ to Millennial and Gen X shooters. That last point is key. Nobody likes to be gaslit and the resentment bled over to the 1911.
I remember various "gun celebrities" in the early 90s calling Glocks "combat Tupperware" and insisting that if something wasn't a 1911 it wasn't worth a damn. That said, I like both 1911s and Glocks.
First, the “military” didn’t manufacture any 1911s, or any other weapons, for that matter. I’d like you to name the dozens of companies that manufactures crummy clones, and lastly, your last “key” assumption is as false as Biden with a working brain. Where did you come up with this stuff?
Well.... This old fudd was in a situation nobody wants to in be & I walk out. Issued .45 worked even for a "Maracha". I encourage everyone find what they like, learn it, train w/ it, maintain it. What ever an individual chooses. I'm Colt particular & like the "GI" too much despite the cons. That's my 1A 😉
Didn't some of the first point happen with Berettas too? I had some relatives and have some friends that were military and the few that had issued sidearms really hated their Berettas...but the new ones I've shot were pretty nice
The new versions are head and shoulders above the old GI model, which I carried in the mid '80's. Just got the new PSA Admiral model with the rail. So far, so good. It runs well with Chip McCormick magazines.
You definitely nailed all the pros and cons of the 1911. Never seen it so well laid out before! You just helped me go ahead and purchase a 1911 over a beretta M9 and a Sig 229. I think the trigger and accuracy of the 1911 wins!
Between this channel, Humble Marksmen, and Sage Dynamics... I was itching for a 2011. Two weeks ago I got to rent an Atlas Athena. Within 12 hours, I was placing an order for my own Athena. Chris is a enabler. LOL
I have many different pistols both revolvers and auto loaders. I love my wheel guns but the 1911 is my favorite in large part because I carried one in the tunnels of Vietnam. Call it nostalgia but I have a great history with the 1911
thanks for your service 🙏🏽 i just turned 21 and have always been in love with m1911s. i’m thinking about picking one up in the near future. with that being said, do you have any recommendations for me, given your experiences?
To me a 1911 is a 2nd or 3rd purchase gun in this era. It's best bought after a 10+ capacity 9mm home-defense/ccw pistol. It also helps to diversify your ammo pool when you buy .45. I want to eventually build a 1911 that is effectively MEU M45 but in a gray parkerized finish.
I know, right? My girlfriend likes shooting 9mm and I tease her about it asking her if she's a drug dealer. Seems like every 2-bit thug in the movies is rocking a 9. lol @@TomTheSasquatch
I love mine, great shooter, easy to hit a target, big heavy bullets are always fun. And a very interesting piece of history. It's no 23 round race gun, but it can be in no way over-rated. I would argue a glock is more over-rated, people get on their knees for them, even if they have a crappy trigger and a bad grip, not to mention ugly as it gets. By the way, mine is a very basic springfield milspec, cost me about 600 bucks. And in about 1500 rounds it has yet to have a single failure. I do clean mine, but we should all be doing that anyway.
i own 2 1911's a desert eagle 1911 ( bull armory made I believe) that has 200 rounds through it and a tisas raider that has about 30 through it ( just bought it a month ago) and I have yet to have any issues with ether of them. I hate the glock it feels terrible in my hand and It looks alot like a hi point. They talk about capacity but it doesn't matter if you don't train and just mag dump ( spray and pray).
Great video I carry a full size 1911 only had revolvers growing up went into the Marines and fell in love with this weapon it just fits hard to miss with keep her clean and she will do the job thanks for the video and all the hard work
This certainly was a very well done video. My fondness for the 1911 goes back to its use in WWll. My father served in the Army at that time. Again a very informative post. Cheers!
I've had four 1911s. I loved them all, including a Colt AND a Taurus. I didn't have trouble with my Taurus. My favorite is a Tisas Carry in stainless. My next new gun will either be a cz, the s&w FPC, or....another 1911. Nice video.
I’m a fan also, have a Taurus, never gave me any issues, except one time it was so cold the action froze shut, I quit using that lube! My Kimber had a few jambs in the first 500 rounds, gtg after that. Would definitely like to step up a tier on the next one.
I was leary of Tisas. I bought the stingray carry in 9mm. it's a really fine gun and a great shooter. I also have Springfield and Para Ordinance 1911s.
One of your best videos to date! You very accurately explained the 1911 (Wilson Combat rocks). Too many new shooters haven't experienced the wonderful trigger of a custom 1911. Striker fire is Agricultural, 1911 is precision ( similar to AK vs AR).
I just turned 24. As a young gun guy I will say the 1911 is the absolute best handgun platform in history. My first gun was a Rock Island Armory 1911 in .45 for which I paid $400. In the years I have owned it it has never jammed or failed even once and I don't even clean it that often. Since than I have owned and shot many 1911s my favorite being my brand new Dan Wesson Razorback in 10mm, the most accurate and powerful pistol I have ever owned, but any 1911 is unbeatable for trigger quality and control and for reliability provided you do the bare minimum to take care of them.
I would love to own a good 1911, I wouldn’t mind cleaning it, I probably over clean my polymer frame canik, I was raised to keep them clean and lightly oiled. These are the most outstanding reviews on TH-cam!
I’ve shot a lot of cheap 1911’s and I’ve found Remington R1’s to be insanely good quality in every way compared to any other $1000 and under 1911 on the market.
I've always thought of the 1911s at great handguns, just outclassed in every specific niche when price point isn't a factor. I'll never knock anyone for using a 1911 for anything that's handgun applicable (depending on the manufacturer), there's just better options out there for each niche. As a general use handgun it's still easily a top 5 to 10 platform depending on your tastes
@@jhurley12 when it comes to competition guns it's a much different argument since a good competition gun is typically a great gun, and at that point its just minor little things that are more preference based. That's if you just go off 1911 patterns because if you bring up things like 9mm 1911 pattern handguns then it's it's argument over "is it actually a 1911" (I know it's a weird tangent but they're fairly common in competitions iirc)
@@gamez4420 Im not understanding your point of view on how the platform is outclassed in the competition niche, when it totally dominates. The caliber doesnt change the name of the weapon platform. I think you meant to say “when price point IS a factor”, because if it were not, the 3-8k dollar 1911s can be included in the conversation for these niches.
I don’t think it’s overrated. It’s been around too long and has such a great legacy. Even if you aren’t a fan of them, you have to give the weapon the credit it deserves. 🤷♂️
Modern handguns are an objectively better option, but 1911's are anything but obsolete. If you like your 1911 and you're proficient and comfortable with it, carry that!
1911's are a little to more to maintain and require a little more cleaning and turning, but worth the effort. Been shooting 1911's for forty years, always will be my favorites.
Yup..Been shooting 1911 for 62 years. Got my first experience at 8 years old. Quite a gun for an 8 year old. But my dad had a motto...if you are going to do anything, do it right. I am 70 and STILL shoot 1911 and it is what I carry.
I was still using a 1911 in 1998 when I returned from European duty with the US Army. And I would have continued to use the 1911 over the M9, had I been given the choice. The M9's we were issued were not any kind of quality (other than poor). Where the 1911's were old and tired, but very dependable and accurate. The M9's were not any of those things, especially accurate and definitely not reliable. I normally shot expert with any firearm I was handed. Usually 1st time, every time (with the exception of when I tried to qualify with multiple broken bones and a concussion). With the M9's I was issued, yes there were several. I could never qualify expert no matter how I tried, nor could any other person using the same junky M9's in my unit. The only M9 to qualify expert in my entire unit was a single officer, who was using his personally owned pistol of the same model. Not the junk we were issued. In fact I took 3 tries to qualify at all with the junk I was issued, due to some form of failure in every attempt. Qualifying at a mere marksman level, after having the M9 fail mechanically to the point armorers had to repair it overnight and allow me to qualify the following day. Where it again failed to finish the qualification course, due to mechanical failure, but after I had managed to hit enough targets to qualify. Imagine taking a pistol into combat that requires an overnight stay in the armorers shop to get it to fire a mere 2 to 3 dozen rounds, before it seized up again. Would you trust your life, and the lives of those depending on you, to a weapon like that? Well that is exactly what we were ordered to do, despite having much more dependable, and more accurate, 1911's sitting in the armory.
I like my polymers but nothing quite feels like a 1911 and the trigger.....well it speaks for itself. 1911 will continue to be relevant in some capacity for many decades to come.
like your show. Thanks for putting the time and ammo in for the rest of us.. Man who shooting as much as you helps in my decision on purchasing especially seeing long-term reliability.
For me. I have smaller hands and single stack 1911 with only 7-8 rds and more recoil make it a no go for me. I'll stick with my 9mm (it can still blow a lung out of the body). But I will admit the 45acp will blow the heart, both lungs, and the spine out while pushing your target back and out of the fight proven for over 100yrs. I inherited my grandads service Colt 1911 circa 1914 that he carried through Belgium in WWII. And I'm keeping it.
Love the hyperbole around calibers. A .45 isn't even 50% more effective than a 9mm. Its not pushing anybody backwards except in shitty action movies. Also just about every company makes 9mm 1911s so talking about caliber preference makes no sense.
I'm talking traditional 1911. And I'm an ICU doc in level I trauma. Bet I know a bit more about it than you. And the reason it was so effective in WWI and WWII is because at very close range it would indeed push them back and knock them down and this actually prevented a lot of people from getting secondary bayonet injuries etc. during hand to hand combat. But I'm sure you already know that. There always has to be that one guy whose asshole is puckered a bit too tight. @@Xavier_Coogat_the_Mambo_King
@@jeremybstudentpilot5315 I first heard about it from the fat electrician. However the man's name was Owen J. Baggett He has his own Wikipedia page, and you can just Google his name and read several results about him. So until someone shoots down a fighter with any other pistol, the 1911 is number one. Peace out.
I have five 1911’s and love them all. My first was a Colt LOM that I installed Wilson parts on and had the Roguard finish applied with NP3 for the internals. Great video!
Great review totally agree the 1911 is both over and underrated. One slight correction, I believe the 1911 was designed to replace revolvers that were chambered in .38 Long Colt which proved inefficient in stopping the Moro Rebels in the Philippines(I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong)
@@desperateneedofscotch. What they found was that .45 ACP didn’t stop Moros all that well, either. Some went back to the .45 colt. In the long run experience showed that an 1897 Winchester pump shotgun with buckshot was the best choice.
I've never had much luck with 1911s being cursed with very small hands. Oddly enough I can just barely get my hands around an S&W 2.0 10mm double stack with a shaved small backstrap. Great video, enjoyed it much!
I never considered that, I probably was assuming with the single stack hand size wouldn’t be too much of an issue. I’ve never owned one , always ant to , just never ran up on the right deal. I have a canik tp9 sfx , the small back strap that came with it made it easy enough to grip the same each time and it’s comfortable. I’m old school and it’s hard for me to like a striker, that specific striker has such an amazing trigger I can’t help but like it. It the reason I’ve always wanted a 1911, for the good trigger they are sort of famous for. I will have to consider my hands though, smaller than average I reckon, medium sized gloves fit them best. Your comment was thought inspiring , thank you.
@@noonespecific9463 You are quite welcome. To shoot a 1911 I have to grip it in my right hand and put my left hand forward and pull the trigger with my left index finger. The grip on the 1911 is just too long front to back.
@@poowg2657Hey man, what you need are some thin G10 grips, a flat MSH, and a shorter trigger. I can almost guarantee that will remedy your issues with the grip size.
Outlaw I got to let you in on a little secret. Every time I start up your videos I immediately hit the like button. I've never seen a bad one yet. Keep up the awesome information you provide every time 😊😊
A 1960 production,Colt LW Commander is in my carry rotation, set up with good sights,good magazines and a couple other "enhancements" it's just as capable as anything else, hell I've got a govt model made in 1914 that'll do the job too( yeah the sights suck, but the trigger is awesome,as is the reliability) Thank you John Browning!
I love mine. Over or under doesn’t matter. When something went bump in the night I grabbed my 45 and felt well prepared. Thankfully never had to drop the hammer but still an amazing pistol.
Dude, that Peter North reference was GOLD, we can be friends. Have not had a good laugh in a while...........and good flash back (58 years old so yeah flashback for me)
I have several 1911's in 45acp and 9mm, and with 4" and 5" barrels. I love all of them. Super accurate. Very low recoil. I haven't had any reliability issues with the pistols themselves. Besides the whole single stack issue, my only big complaint is the only hollow points that will consistently feed for me is Gold Dots. Every other hollow point I've tried just slams into that really steep feed ramp and jams. I like carrying my 4" 1911's, but for reliability sake they are all loaded with ball ammo.
Have you tried Federal HydraShoks or Underwood? Ive shot countless of them in 1911s and have never had a malfunction. But Ill say, not all magazines and feed ramps are created equal.
Awesome video my friend but the 1911 will always be my number one because it is the first handgun I fell in love with back in the seventies when I was watching Starsky and Hutch.
The 1911 is definitely NOT overrated and anyone who says it is, is nuttier than a squirrel turd in a pistachio factory. I own four 1911s and carried one while in uniform. It certainly takes practice to master, but in end, it will provide a very hole in any target put before it. It will be here long after the polymer guns have faded into twilight. John Browning got it right.
100%, as a bigger guy the weight of a 1911 doesn’t faze me I can shoot more accurately with it stock than my Glock 17 where nothing on it is original and the trigger pull is lighter. It’s the perfect pistol platform that has withstood time and can be improved upon but isn’t necessary to do so because it just absolutely without a doubt works!
Interesting. You don't mention however, that the true genius behind JMB trigger is the bow. The bow makes it the only trigger that moves in only one direction, which serendipitiously aligns with the hinge joint of the index finger. All other triggers are levers, which means that a microscopic difference in trigger placement will result a difference in pull weight. It also means that even with a very curved trigger, trigger advancement requires a change of direction. Not an efficient design for a hinge joint. Where consistency is king, a straight back pull is infinitely better
I can see that a few folks have mentioned when the military switched out the 1911 to the Beretta -- however, as you correctly said, some of us were able to continue to carrying the 1911 through the rest of the 80s (1976-99). Eventually, I was assigned to a unit just before Desert Storm that would not let me carry my prefered 1911. I've owned several 1911s and the best for me -- so far -- is the Bul Armory Commander 9mm ($989). I've run roughly 5000 rounds through it and have only had issues with it when running REMAN, steel, and aluminum casing ammo. My Bul has a VERY Light trigger (2.5-3lbs out of the box). My RIA 1911 (slightly less price than you mentioned) runs any and everything -- but the sites suck on mine -- requiring reliance on Kentucky windage sight alignment. You are right about the Girsan recommendation. I have a Girsan Officer modeal (3.5") and it was decent out of the box --- but a bit too heavy on the trigger and the grip safety needed adjustement. I did a little trigger job and tuned the sear spring. It now has 4 lb trigger pull. I do have to say that I owned a Kimber Micro 9 --- and it sucked on a major scale ... It would not fire a full mag without 2-3 rounds screwing up -- failure to feed, failure to extract . . . I had a RAI .380 Baby Rock with the absolute worse and heaviest trigger pull I -- or anyone else -- has ever experienced as well as a grip safety that (out of the box). I do have the P226 SAO Legion -- but I'm not overwhelmed by it beyond the the double stack capacity.
I stopped by a local gun store last December and they had a BUL Commander. I dry-fired it and that was it. I drove to the nearest branch of my bank and pulled out cash and drive right back to the gun store.
I don't think you will regret it. It's the best standard 1911 I've owned and fired. Every shooter at the range I'm at twice a week loves it and offers to buy it. @@damondiehl5637
As a Naval Aviator deployed on a carrier in 1975 we needed to qual with the 1911. The Marine Detachment Gunny issued us standard 1911s and at the fantail of the boat told us to hit the water. We did! Now I have my S&W E Series 1911 for the range. Great Gun!
I grew up on 1911's & BHP... and S&W Wheel guns... the 1911 is wonderful... and early Para-ordnance double stacks were also grand... love my P16-40 and for the record.. my Taurus is wonderful...
My Man!!! (As a 45ACP & 357Mag Fanboy) I deeply appreciate your unbiased, fact based observations. You're not selling anything. Please keep em' coming. btw,.... I have a few 9's too.
I’m one of those weirdos who loves both the polymer 9’s, as well as a variety of 1911’s. The high capacity plastic fantastics are ultimately more practical, but there’s just something special about when you pick up a 1911 and send some big 45 rounds down range!
Thanks for a genuine video. You did well in coverage of the 1911. 👍 In my safe, you'll find well over a dozen single action and double action revolvers. There are only two autoloaders in there with them. Both 1911A1 in 45 Auto. NO plastic pistols. They're not allowed inside the house. The 1911A1 was my sidearm in Vietnam for three tours. That's 3 years for the younger crowd. And I engaged the enemy in several instances, winning everytime. So it's a no-brainer for me to own, carry, and use the 1911. Its simply the best autoloader pistol around. End of story.
My 10mm 1911 is Pefection in a handgun. Range/ballistics/accuracy is amazing. I was a 357 magnum fanboy for most of my adult life. Never really bonded with the 45acp because of its very limited range. 10mm is so awesome in a 1911
In my own opinion, I believe that it is heavily underrated, and under appreciated. The 1911 is a prime example of it is not broke, don’t fix it. The only thing now is that in order to keep up with the current times, they have had to adapt and evolve into the modern market.
I agree Springfield does an amazing job on an affordable well put together 1911 variant and I have the Ronin 5” 10mm very smooth not quite on staccato status but very sweet!
I think it was you who said this, and I quote it frequently to my friends: the 1911 is a lifestyle gun. You buy one because you want one, not because it's the best thing on the market.
@@anonymousAJ I think it’d be more like: it’s 67 Chevy Impala, not a 2024 Toyota Camry. No one drives a Camry to show off unless they did some serious work to it.
I carried a Colt 1911 series 80 for nearly forty years. I didn't carry it to shoot targets so seven round clips were adequate. It was reliable and easy to maintain. A pistol is as accurate as person behind the sights. When you're looking to stop a threat its hard to beat a slow moving freight train. Its a pretty simple formula know what you carry, know how to us it and be ready to use it.
Cleaning and maintaining a 1911 isn't a big issue . Even the weight of the guns is mute as it really depends more on the type of holster and belt you choose. While it's true that it's a weapon best suited in the hands of a dedicated gun crank that in itself is an important factor. Not just anyone can pick one up and use it.
And the right oil makes a big difference. I run zMax Gun Oil with no problems whatsoever. I use it on all my 1911s and Staccatos with no failures. I see too many people buy, say a Kimber, grab a box of ammo and go to the range, then they complain it won't cycle. Well, the problem is you didn't clean the grease off of it from the factory. Had people read the manual and cleaned and lubed as instructed, the gun would have worked properly.
I had a Colt 1911 45acp a long time. When I tried modern 45acp, it was time to change. Not regretting my choice. I replaced the 1911 with a Walther PPQ 45acp.
1911 is still my favorite to shoot. Freely admit nostalgia plays a role. My father had a 1911 commissioned and built the day i was born and presented it to me on my 18th birthday. It is now 52 years old and runs supremely well with no mods. My wife, who is wildly inconsistent with most pistols, shoots it like a pro. I’ll take that. Sidebar still carry a shield plus as everyday carry but SHTF i grab that 1911 and S&W .357 immediately lol
Couple clarifications on 1911 calibers: 1. Yes you can get a .22 LR conversion for any 1911, however, these are either a funky open slide, or aluminum slides. A .22LR setup simply cannot cycle a full steel standard 1911 slide reliably. Either it will not have the power to swing the slide back, or the recoil spring will be too weak to get the gun back into battery. 2. No 1911 comes in .50 AE, the grip and breech simply are not long enough to fit that round. .50 GI is what you are thinking of, a round specifically developed by its namesake, Guncrafter Industries, which has the same length as a .45 ACP.
I'm in my 60's, the "we can't be friends " line is how I've felt since you were a child, wish I had thought of it, first time seeing you, now I have to subscribe!!😂😂😂😂
First off, your the Man i chosen for pistol and revolver knowledge, you taught me which is the best carrying pistol for a novice as myself, and now i shot targets at one hundred yards thanks for your knowledge… and now for this video subject, if I’m going into a battle, it would be the 1911 45 ACP, so what you gotta do maintenance on it, same goes with an AF15 rifle or a battle rifle if you dont want it to jam on you in the middle of a fight, the sacrifice is worth it… beside its a proven application time and time again… Keep up with these video, your wisdom is mighty appreciated🙂😎🇺🇸 God bless
The 1911 is like that refined pretty lady that takes acting like a gentleman, roses, dinners and plenty of our attention to score a home run. The Glock is like that loose biker girl, with a six pack, AC DC blasting and a bag of pork rinds you're knocking it out of the park. Both will do depending on your level of commitment I guess.
I preferred the 1911 to the Beretta. One of the things I miss about the military was being able to shoot a wide array of weapons. For me it was part of the uniform and the job. During Desert Storm along with the American ordinance and weapons I had many different confiscated weapons. I had a few friends in law enforcement that had a variety of weapons. A few had different Brands and models of the 1911. After holding them I still preferred the colt. There is a reason why it lasted for so many years. Everyone finds a weapon of choice. If you've chosen the colt it was a good choice.
-- At Benning, CO encouraged us to carry 1911s. Grew up with the 1911, so it was fine with me. 75AB, I carried a 1911. 20 years a PSC I carried a 1911 (as a third behind my duty rifle and FN-57 for a good chunk). And the is a reason why I carried a niche pistol like the FN-57, but no time for a novel. Our tribe built and customized our own (always 70 series for the trigger). Most recently, I've revisited 10mm. I was so-so on that cartridge for a long time. Weak loads, and the hot ones I could handle, but it cost me some slivers with follow-on. Then I put it in a 1911 and everything fell into place. If the Lord himself came down and said: As it is written, 1911 .45acp. It is the way, I might work up the stones to respectfully say: Indeed, but if your humble servant may ... check it out in 10mm Auto. And the Lord might answer: Son .45acp, because sometimes, short, fat and slow, gets it done. But I'll rock some S with the 10mm. I love the 1911 platform. It's accurate, reliable, it's a tool steel heavy pistol, and effective. Makes it relevant to the now. With the added bonus of priceless history, well, every man deserves upon their end, to be enshrined in a pile of 1911s the size of The Great Pyramid of Giza. Right now. Rock Island Armory makes some great 70/80 and I think 90 series, 1911s, and you get a LOT for your money, which isn't spending much.
My mom's family was all IRA back in the day during the struggle for Irish Freedom(1916 - 1920). The IRA's favorite sidearm was the 1911. My great uncle was involved in many a firefight with Crown Forces. I love the 1911 and carry it as my church sidearm(head up my church's security detail). My favorite is my Ed Brown Kobra Carry in 45 ACP. Its 4.25 inch barrel and bob tail make it ideal for concealed carry. And I shoot it better than any other gun I own.
More of a 2011 guy than muh two world wars. I love my 2011 style gun, a BUL sas ii. What i would love to see is a low bore axis 2011. Trigger and magazines are already top notch.
A labor of love... that's how I would describe it myself. There's something wrong with you if, as a pistol shooter, you don't enjoy cleaning and tinkering with your guns; especially a 1911! I clean all of my guns every time I shoot them. Despite your experience with the Prodigy, after a year of watching videos and doing research I bought one. Yes, I had a few problems initially. But now, 1,000 round later it runs perfectly. Really enjoy your reviews.
I am not a trigger connoisseur by any means, but I just like the standard 1911 trigger compared to other out-of-the-box triggers. I can imagine just how light and crisp a competition 1911 trigger can be, just by feeling the standard 1911 trigger... I only have a little RIA M1911A1 CS, but it already has the best trigger of all of my handguns!
I have three p229s of various flavors but my fav is a colt 1911 in the modern gi configuration. I love shooting it. I set mine up so it handles 185 gr XTP at 1125 fps😉
I can't get into the spiritual gun cleaning thing, like a lot of people can. One of your viewers has explained it very eloquently, and they've actually helped me understand a bit better. But I still like the fact that I can disassemble my glock with one hand, and lay the pieces out on the table, in 3 seconds. Bring on the stinky solvents. Ease of disassembly has gone into every choice I've made. 10/22, 590 A1, Vector, SUB-2000, Bug-a-salt 😂 I know.. I'm missing out on a lot
This is a timely video. For the ladies its Pumpkin Spice Latte time of the year. For the men, its carry a full size gun time of year.
You're going to make people who cc in places like Texas or Florida very confused with comment.
10mm time!
And now you can include Hawai’i. Only those who have lived on the mainland though as when I grew up on O’ahu if the temperature dropped below 77°F I wore pants and sweatshirts/jackets, but not anymore. I wear shorts year round.
The past few winters Texas & Florida have dropped into the 30’s and Texas has gotten snow, so I think they can carry full-size if this winter follows.
HaHa, carried mine this morning for the first time since April.
I think Tisas or Girsan has offered a pumpkin spice model of the 1911.
The trigger and the grip is why I love the 1911. I have now built 6 for myself from the ground up. Building and fitting them is as much fun as shooting them.
Something that I found interesting as a carpenter I read that the grip angle on most cordless drills and screw guns are based on 1911 and I believe it because my Dewalt screw gun and drill feels a lot like my Springfield range officer in my hand
That's interesting!
Now that's an interesting bit of information. I never even thought of it, but it makes sense. Thanks for sharing that.
neat.
“But honestly, if you were born in America and don’t like 1911s, we can’t be friends”…. Best line ever. Thank you, Chris.
He's one of few who admits to enjoying 9mm 1911s. Some have an issue with 9mm 1911s, but love 22lr 1911s...🤔🤔
Yep… best line and 100% agreement with the sentiment.
I don't like Harleys or most loud muscle cars either. I prefer quality and reliability.
I wasn't born here but I'm a citizen. And if you don't like the 1911 you're a commie
I agree, I love to have in my case.
To correct a common misconception... The .45 didn't replace the .38 Special. It replaced the .38 Long Colt and .38 Short Colt revolvers. The .38 Special is a significant step up over either, and especially over the Short Colt.
The C& Arsenal video series from the 1900 model to the 1911 puts all of this in an understandable context. Long series of videos but very enlightening.
@@benjamin3290 to be fair, historians in general aren't the best at getting details of firearms right, and just don't realize there are a variety of ".38" pistol rounds. There are many "authoritative" print sources spanning a century that refer to the military revolvers as ".38 Specials". This is one completely understandable mistake.
Also, the "every law enforcement agency in the country at one time or another" is iffy at best. The overwhelming handgun of law enforcement issue/use in the U.S was the .38 spl revolver (typically a Smith K frame).
@@antoniotula262 Yep. I first qualified for my Texas Peace Officers License with a revolver. Virtually zero departments issued 1911s, maybe none. Wasn't until the late 80s to mid 90s that most departments switched to autos. And those almost universally split between Berettas and the old school 2nd and 3rd gen S&W autos. Mid 90s and on was the GIANT switch to the Glock, and to Sig 226 and 229s to a much lesser extent.
To be honest, I can't think of a single LEO department that ever issued the 1911. Every Texas Ranger I knew carried one, but even then, I think a Sig was their issue piece, and the 1911 was just an authorized alternative.
@heathwasson7811 I haven't seen one of those big stainless Smith autos in a long time. LGS had some police trade-ins about 15yrs ago that were beat up good. I could see seatbelt marks from road time, rusted rear sights from guys working parades in summer or foot posts. I should have bought one, really.
Pro's and cons. From Pancho Villa to Granada and everything in between. One thing I think we can all agree on. Enduring legacy . Great video.
Minor correction, the M1911A1 was officially replaced by the Beretta M9 in 1985. Despite that they remained in use with conventional soldiers as late as 1995.
US Army MP vet here, I got out in 88 and where we still carried the M1911A1 in our Germany and Belgian units.
Can confirm...we were still training with, and carrying the 1911 back around 93 when I was topside watch on my old pig; SSN 750 the Nswport News. Hurt my soul when they handed me a Beretta...It's a nice weapon, but the 1911 still has my heart.
No firearm replacement is instantaneous. Everyone should know that. 👍
@@hoppinggnomethe4154lol right? It's like people think crates of new weapons arrive at the armory and all get swapped out at once.
I was at a FOB chow hall in Iraq and it was a massive hub base and between the different services, and units you could see everything from M16A1 to A2 refurbs to guys field testing the XM8.
@@SuicideVanthe XM8 actually made it to field testing? Dang, went further than I thought
Excellent video. Probably the most honest perspective I've seen presented on the internet. I've been a devout 1911 guy since 1973 when I was introduced to them in the Army. I was a light weapons and demolition specialist on a Special Forces A Team, so I got to disassemble, assemble, shoot and train others with A LOT of different firearms. Since that time I've shot and owned many different pistol platforms, but my favorite remains the 1911. It fits me best ergonomically and I am most accurate with it. For me the maintenance truly is a labor of love and I'm willing to do it so I can enjoy all of the "Pros" associated with it. And when properly maintained, they are extremely reliable regardless of ammo type. Thanks for the presentation. - Hawk
My Dad taught me how to shoot pistols using a 1911. Since then, I've show striker-fired and DA/SA pistols of almost all brands. When I got into competitive shooting, it was full circle back to 1911/2011. For pure performance, 1911/2011 all day long. If its the Zombie Apocalypse or some other unlikely dystopian scenario, Glock or HK.
Thoughts on the star 45acp?
Good video. IMO the 1911A1's rep fell a lot in people's estimations for three reasons. 1) The military manufactured ones were almost completely worn out by the early 80s through age, poor maintenance and infrequent spring replacements. They were nearly smooth bore single shot pistols in many cases. 2) Dozens of crummy companies pumped out lousy clones while the good companies pumped out expensive boutique guns the average shooter couldn't afford. The real nail in the coffin were the old Fudds who talked up the 1911 _while disparaging the Glock_ to Millennial and Gen X shooters. That last point is key. Nobody likes to be gaslit and the resentment bled over to the 1911.
I remember various "gun celebrities" in the early 90s calling Glocks "combat Tupperware" and insisting that if something wasn't a 1911 it wasn't worth a damn.
That said, I like both 1911s and Glocks.
First, the “military” didn’t manufacture any 1911s, or any other weapons, for that matter. I’d like you to name the dozens of companies that manufactures crummy clones, and lastly, your last “key” assumption is as false as Biden with a working brain. Where did you come up with this stuff?
there are two different mag follower designs that is a source of much of the reliability issue with HP ammo (old and new being like the 1970 design)
Well....
This old fudd was in a situation nobody wants to in be & I walk out. Issued .45 worked even for a "Maracha". I encourage everyone find what they like, learn it, train w/ it, maintain it. What ever an individual chooses. I'm Colt particular & like the "GI" too much despite the cons. That's my 1A 😉
Didn't some of the first point happen with Berettas too? I had some relatives and have some friends that were military and the few that had issued sidearms really hated their Berettas...but the new ones I've shot were pretty nice
The new versions are head and shoulders above the old GI model, which I carried in the mid '80's. Just got the new PSA Admiral model with the rail. So far, so good. It runs well with Chip McCormick magazines.
Was the old GI version government issue. If it was it was a 30 years old at best.
You definitely nailed all the pros and cons of the 1911. Never seen it so well laid out before! You just helped me go ahead and purchase a 1911 over a beretta M9 and a Sig 229. I think the trigger and accuracy of the 1911 wins!
Whilst the two "contenders" are great pistols, in a hundred years, your 1911 will be the one your (great?) grandchildren are grateful for. --Old Guy
Between this channel, Humble Marksmen, and Sage Dynamics... I was itching for a 2011. Two weeks ago I got to rent an Atlas Athena. Within 12 hours, I was placing an order for my own Athena. Chris is a enabler. LOL
I have many different pistols both revolvers and auto loaders. I love my wheel guns but the 1911 is my favorite in large part because I carried one in the tunnels of Vietnam. Call it nostalgia but I have a great history with the 1911
Respect for a tunnel rat.
@@ms.annthrope415 👍🇺🇸
thanks for your service 🙏🏽 i just turned 21 and have always been in love with m1911s. i’m thinking about picking one up in the near future. with that being said, do you have any recommendations for me, given your experiences?
To me a 1911 is a 2nd or 3rd purchase gun in this era. It's best bought after a 10+ capacity 9mm home-defense/ccw pistol. It also helps to diversify your ammo pool when you buy .45.
I want to eventually build a 1911 that is effectively MEU M45 but in a gray parkerized finish.
I didn’t it wrong lol bought a 1911 kimber custom ii 10mm love it first hand gun lol now on to M&P 5.7 then thinking 1911 prodigy is next 😁
9mm is a fruity caliber. No reason for a grown man to own one
I carried a revolver for 15 years then bought a nice sig 1911 for EDC. I love it.
I know, right? My girlfriend likes shooting 9mm and I tease her about it asking her if she's a drug dealer. Seems like every 2-bit thug in the movies is rocking a 9. lol @@TomTheSasquatch
Not a bad assessment my first was a 1911 it's too heavy and big to carry and the stock sights are terrible for low light applications
Springfield Garrison was my first 1911, my eyes were opened. Whether its in 45 or 9 that platform is very nice.
Chris! I'm thinking of getting the Garrison as my first 1911, 9mm. Do you still recommend it?
@jackbarlow4104 yeah its a great gun. I enjoy getting it out to.look at almost as much as popping off rounds
I love mine, great shooter, easy to hit a target, big heavy bullets are always fun. And a very interesting piece of history. It's no 23 round race gun, but it can be in no way over-rated. I would argue a glock is more over-rated, people get on their knees for them, even if they have a crappy trigger and a bad grip, not to mention ugly as it gets. By the way, mine is a very basic springfield milspec, cost me about 600 bucks. And in about 1500 rounds it has yet to have a single failure. I do clean mine, but we should all be doing that anyway.
i own 2 1911's a desert eagle 1911 ( bull armory made I believe) that has 200 rounds through it and a tisas raider that has about 30 through it ( just bought it a month ago) and I have yet to have any issues with ether of them. I hate the glock it feels terrible in my hand and It looks alot like a hi point. They talk about capacity but it doesn't matter if you don't train and just mag dump ( spray and pray).
Great video I carry a full size 1911 only had revolvers growing up went into the Marines and fell in love with this weapon it just fits hard to miss with keep her clean and she will do the job thanks for the video and all the hard work
Your content has only become more solid over the years. Good stuff.
Definitely holds a special place in our hearts. 1911s just feel great in my hands. Great video.
This certainly was a very well done video. My fondness for the 1911 goes back to its use in WWll. My father served in the Army at that time. Again a very informative post. Cheers!
I've had four 1911s. I loved them all, including a Colt AND a Taurus. I didn't have trouble with my Taurus. My favorite is a Tisas Carry in stainless. My next new gun will either be a cz, the s&w FPC, or....another 1911. Nice video.
I’m a fan also, have a Taurus, never gave me any issues, except one time it was so cold the action froze shut, I quit using that lube! My Kimber had a few jambs in the first 500 rounds, gtg after that. Would definitely like to step up a tier on the next one.
I'm with you there. His video on the CZ Shadow 2 compact really has me wanting it for a new carry option.
I love my Bul Armory 1911 Government.
I was leary of Tisas. I bought the stingray carry in 9mm. it's a really fine gun and a great shooter. I also have Springfield and Para Ordinance 1911s.
You should consider an H&K P2000. I have them in 3 calibers. All are sweet.
One of your best videos to date! You very accurately explained the 1911 (Wilson Combat rocks). Too many new shooters haven't experienced the wonderful trigger of a custom 1911. Striker fire is Agricultural, 1911 is precision ( similar to AK vs AR).
Totally agree! I love the 1911 and feel the positives out weigh the negatives. However, if you’re not into maintaining it, then it’s not for you.
They do like the lube don’t they? lol
I just turned 24. As a young gun guy I will say the 1911 is the absolute best handgun platform in history. My first gun was a Rock Island Armory 1911 in .45 for which I paid $400. In the years I have owned it it has never jammed or failed even once and I don't even clean it that often. Since than I have owned and shot many 1911s my favorite being my brand new Dan Wesson Razorback in 10mm, the most accurate and powerful pistol I have ever owned, but any 1911 is unbeatable for trigger quality and control and for reliability provided you do the bare minimum to take care of them.
I would love to own a good 1911, I wouldn’t mind cleaning it, I probably over clean my polymer frame canik, I was raised to keep them clean and lightly oiled. These are the most outstanding reviews on TH-cam!
I can't recommend the Bul Armory 1911 Government more. Feels and shoots like a $1,500 gun for only 850 bucks
Im a big 1911 junkie! I probably have ten of them! I always have my eye out for another one to add to the collection. Great video! Thanks!
I’ve shot a lot of cheap 1911’s and I’ve found Remington R1’s to be insanely good quality in every way compared to any other $1000 and under 1911 on the market.
I've always thought of the 1911s at great handguns, just outclassed in every specific niche when price point isn't a factor. I'll never knock anyone for using a 1911 for anything that's handgun applicable (depending on the manufacturer), there's just better options out there for each niche. As a general use handgun it's still easily a top 5 to 10 platform depending on your tastes
So what about the competition niche? Im not a "1911 or die" type person, but in competition land, 1911 platform is 100:1 anything else.
@@jhurley12 when it comes to competition guns it's a much different argument since a good competition gun is typically a great gun, and at that point its just minor little things that are more preference based. That's if you just go off 1911 patterns because if you bring up things like 9mm 1911 pattern handguns then it's it's argument over "is it actually a 1911" (I know it's a weird tangent but they're fairly common in competitions iirc)
@@gamez4420 Im not understanding your point of view on how the platform is outclassed in the competition niche, when it totally dominates. The caliber doesnt change the name of the weapon platform. I think you meant to say “when price point IS a factor”, because if it were not, the 3-8k dollar 1911s can be included in the conversation for these niches.
It's completely impractical for carrying too heavy and big unless you have no other option
I don’t think it’s overrated. It’s been around too long and has such a great legacy. Even if you aren’t a fan of them, you have to give the weapon the credit it deserves. 🤷♂️
Modern handguns are an objectively better option, but 1911's are anything but obsolete. If you like your 1911 and you're proficient and comfortable with it, carry that!
1911's are a little to more to maintain and require a little more cleaning and turning, but worth the effort. Been shooting 1911's for forty years, always will be my favorites.
Yup..Been shooting 1911 for 62 years. Got my first experience at 8 years old. Quite a gun for an 8 year old. But my dad had a motto...if you are going to do anything, do it right. I am 70 and STILL shoot 1911 and it is what I carry.
I was still using a 1911 in 1998 when I returned from European duty with the US Army. And I would have continued to use the 1911 over the M9, had I been given the choice. The M9's we were issued were not any kind of quality (other than poor). Where the 1911's were old and tired, but very dependable and accurate. The M9's were not any of those things, especially accurate and definitely not reliable.
I normally shot expert with any firearm I was handed. Usually 1st time, every time (with the exception of when I tried to qualify with multiple broken bones and a concussion). With the M9's I was issued, yes there were several. I could never qualify expert no matter how I tried, nor could any other person using the same junky M9's in my unit. The only M9 to qualify expert in my entire unit was a single officer, who was using his personally owned pistol of the same model. Not the junk we were issued.
In fact I took 3 tries to qualify at all with the junk I was issued, due to some form of failure in every attempt. Qualifying at a mere marksman level, after having the M9 fail mechanically to the point armorers had to repair it overnight and allow me to qualify the following day. Where it again failed to finish the qualification course, due to mechanical failure, but after I had managed to hit enough targets to qualify.
Imagine taking a pistol into combat that requires an overnight stay in the armorers shop to get it to fire a mere 2 to 3 dozen rounds, before it seized up again. Would you trust your life, and the lives of those depending on you, to a weapon like that? Well that is exactly what we were ordered to do, despite having much more dependable, and more accurate, 1911's sitting in the armory.
I like my polymers but nothing quite feels like a 1911 and the trigger.....well it speaks for itself. 1911 will continue to be relevant in some capacity for many decades to come.
like your show. Thanks for putting the time and ammo in for the rest of us.. Man who shooting as much as you helps in my decision on purchasing especially seeing long-term reliability.
For me. I have smaller hands and single stack 1911 with only 7-8 rds and more recoil make it a no go for me. I'll stick with my 9mm (it can still blow a lung out of the body). But I will admit the 45acp will blow the heart, both lungs, and the spine out while pushing your target back and out of the fight proven for over 100yrs. I inherited my grandads service Colt 1911 circa 1914 that he carried through Belgium in WWII. And I'm keeping it.
Sounds like you should check out a 9mm staccato Cs. Hopefully @honest outlaw does the 1k round review of it.
Love the hyperbole around calibers. A .45 isn't even 50% more effective than a 9mm. Its not pushing anybody backwards except in shitty action movies. Also just about every company makes 9mm 1911s so talking about caliber preference makes no sense.
.45acp also kills the soul, not just the body
I'm talking traditional 1911. And I'm an ICU doc in level I trauma. Bet I know a bit more about it than you. And the reason it was so effective in WWI and WWII is because at very close range it would indeed push them back and knock them down and this actually prevented a lot of people from getting secondary bayonet injuries etc. during hand to hand combat. But I'm sure you already know that. There always has to be that one guy whose asshole is puckered a bit too tight. @@Xavier_Coogat_the_Mambo_King
So what does a .357 Magnum do then (lol)?
The 1911 is the only handgun credited with shooting down a fighter. Until another handgun can claim that, it is in second place.
Source?
@@jeremybstudentpilot5315 I first heard about it from the fat electrician.
However the man's name was Owen J. Baggett
He has his own Wikipedia page, and you can just Google his name and read several results about him.
So until someone shoots down a fighter with any other pistol, the 1911 is number one.
Peace out.
@@StacyBaldwin-qv5cj great story. I just read it. Thank you.
I have five 1911’s and love them all. My first was a Colt LOM that I installed Wilson parts on and had the Roguard finish applied with NP3 for the internals. Great video!
Great review totally agree the 1911 is both over and underrated. One slight correction, I believe the 1911 was designed to replace revolvers that were chambered in .38 Long Colt which proved inefficient in stopping the Moro Rebels in the Philippines(I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong)
@@desperateneedofscotch. What they found was that .45 ACP didn’t stop Moros all that well, either. Some went back to the .45 colt. In the long run experience showed that an 1897 Winchester pump shotgun with buckshot was the best choice.
After all these years I still carry and love my 1911. As you said the best trigger on the market
I've never had much luck with 1911s being cursed with very small hands. Oddly enough I can just barely get my hands around an S&W 2.0 10mm double stack with a shaved small backstrap. Great video, enjoyed it much!
I never considered that, I probably was assuming with the single stack hand size wouldn’t be too much of an issue. I’ve never owned one , always ant to , just never ran up on the right deal. I have a canik tp9 sfx , the small back strap that came with it made it easy enough to grip the same each time and it’s comfortable. I’m old school and it’s hard for me to like a striker, that specific striker has such an amazing trigger I can’t help but like it. It the reason I’ve always wanted a 1911, for the good trigger they are sort of famous for. I will have to consider my hands though, smaller than average I reckon, medium sized gloves fit them best. Your comment was thought inspiring , thank you.
@@noonespecific9463 You are quite welcome. To shoot a 1911 I have to grip it in my right hand and put my left hand forward and pull the trigger with my left index finger. The grip on the 1911 is just too long front to back.
Huh… I would have thought that being a single stack, it would have been a good fit for smaller hands.
Thanks for the insight
@@poowg2657Hey man, what you need are some thin G10 grips, a flat MSH, and a shorter trigger. I can almost guarantee that will remedy your issues with the grip size.
@@AkeLovesGAMESMy thoughts exactly! I’d start with some thin grips, bushings and screws. May be an easy fix for a 100 bucks or less. Good advice!
Outlaw I got to let you in on a little secret. Every time I start up your videos I immediately hit the like button. I've never seen a bad one yet. Keep up the awesome information you provide every time 😊😊
A 1960 production,Colt LW Commander is in my carry rotation, set up with good sights,good magazines and a couple other "enhancements" it's just as capable as anything else, hell I've got a govt model made in 1914 that'll do the job too( yeah the sights suck, but the trigger is awesome,as is the reliability) Thank you John Browning!
A 1911 variant has been my daily carry for 25 + years. From military to law enforcement to civilian....
I bought my Kimber Desert Warrior with Tridium sights in 2007. Absolutely love it.
I love mine. Over or under doesn’t matter. When something went bump in the night I grabbed my 45 and felt well prepared. Thankfully never had to drop the hammer but still an amazing pistol.
Dude, that Peter North reference was GOLD, we can be friends. Have not had a good laugh in a while...........and good flash back (58 years old so yeah flashback for me)
I have several 1911's in 45acp and 9mm, and with 4" and 5" barrels. I love all of them. Super accurate. Very low recoil. I haven't had any reliability issues with the pistols themselves. Besides the whole single stack issue, my only big complaint is the only hollow points that will consistently feed for me is Gold Dots. Every other hollow point I've tried just slams into that really steep feed ramp and jams. I like carrying my 4" 1911's, but for reliability sake they are all loaded with ball ammo.
Have you tried Federal HydraShoks or Underwood? Ive shot countless of them in 1911s and have never had a malfunction. But Ill say, not all magazines and feed ramps are created equal.
Awesome video my friend but the 1911 will always be my number one because it is the first handgun I fell in love with back in the seventies when I was watching Starsky and Hutch.
The 1911 is definitely NOT overrated and anyone who says it is, is nuttier than a squirrel turd in a pistachio factory. I own four 1911s and carried one while in uniform. It certainly takes practice to master, but in end, it will provide a very hole in any target put before it. It will be here long after the polymer guns have faded into twilight. John Browning got it right.
100%, as a bigger guy the weight of a 1911 doesn’t faze me I can shoot more accurately with it stock than my Glock 17 where nothing on it is original and the trigger pull is lighter. It’s the perfect pistol platform that has withstood time and can be improved upon but isn’t necessary to do so because it just absolutely without a doubt works!
Interesting. You don't mention however, that the true genius behind JMB trigger is the bow. The bow makes it the only trigger that moves in only one direction, which serendipitiously aligns with the hinge joint of the index finger. All other triggers are levers, which means that a microscopic difference in trigger placement will result a difference in pull weight. It also means that even with a very curved trigger, trigger advancement requires a change of direction. Not an efficient design for a hinge joint. Where consistency is king, a straight back pull is infinitely better
I can see that a few folks have mentioned when the military switched out the 1911 to the Beretta -- however, as you correctly said, some of us were able to continue to carrying the 1911 through the rest of the 80s (1976-99). Eventually, I was assigned to a unit just before Desert Storm that would not let me carry my prefered 1911. I've owned several 1911s and the best for me -- so far -- is the Bul Armory Commander 9mm ($989). I've run roughly 5000 rounds through it and have only had issues with it when running REMAN, steel, and aluminum casing ammo. My Bul has a VERY Light trigger (2.5-3lbs out of the box). My RIA 1911 (slightly less price than you mentioned) runs any and everything -- but the sites suck on mine -- requiring reliance on Kentucky windage sight alignment. You are right about the Girsan recommendation. I have a Girsan Officer modeal (3.5") and it was decent out of the box --- but a bit too heavy on the trigger and the grip safety needed adjustement. I did a little trigger job and tuned the sear spring. It now has 4 lb trigger pull. I do have to say that I owned a Kimber Micro 9 --- and it sucked on a major scale ... It would not fire a full mag without 2-3 rounds screwing up -- failure to feed, failure to extract . . . I had a RAI .380 Baby Rock with the absolute worse and heaviest trigger pull I -- or anyone else -- has ever experienced as well as a grip safety that (out of the box). I do have the P226 SAO Legion -- but I'm not overwhelmed by it beyond the the double stack capacity.
I stopped by a local gun store last December and they had a BUL Commander. I dry-fired it and that was it. I drove to the nearest branch of my bank and pulled out cash and drive right back to the gun store.
I don't think you will regret it. It's the best standard 1911 I've owned and fired. Every shooter at the range I'm at twice a week loves it and offers to buy it. @@damondiehl5637
The 1911 has been around so long even the cliches people use to talk about them are old enough to be on Medicare.
As a Naval Aviator deployed on a carrier in 1975 we needed to qual with the 1911. The Marine Detachment Gunny issued us standard 1911s and at the fantail of the boat told us to hit the water. We did! Now I have my S&W E Series 1911 for the range. Great Gun!
Definitely a deadly weapon even if unloaded. I wouldn't even want to drop it on my foot. Love 2.5 pounds of "lightness".
Excellent reviews. Straight up information.
I grew up on 1911's & BHP... and S&W Wheel guns... the 1911 is wonderful... and early Para-ordnance double stacks were also grand... love my P16-40
and for the record.. my Taurus is wonderful...
My Man!!! (As a 45ACP & 357Mag Fanboy) I deeply appreciate your unbiased, fact based observations. You're not selling anything. Please keep em' coming. btw,.... I have a few 9's too.
I’m one of those weirdos who loves both the polymer 9’s, as well as a variety of 1911’s. The high capacity plastic fantastics are ultimately more practical, but there’s just something special about when you pick up a 1911 and send some big 45 rounds down range!
Thanks for a genuine video. You did well in coverage of the 1911. 👍
In my safe, you'll find well over a dozen single action and double action revolvers. There are only two autoloaders in there with them. Both 1911A1 in 45 Auto. NO plastic pistols. They're not allowed inside the house.
The 1911A1 was my sidearm in Vietnam for three tours. That's 3 years for the younger crowd. And I engaged the enemy in several instances, winning everytime.
So it's a no-brainer for me to own, carry, and use the 1911. Its simply the best autoloader pistol around. End of story.
My 10mm 1911 is Pefection in a handgun. Range/ballistics/accuracy is amazing. I was a 357 magnum fanboy for most of my adult life.
Never really bonded with the 45acp because of its very limited range. 10mm is so awesome in a 1911
In my own opinion, I believe that it is heavily underrated, and under appreciated. The 1911 is a prime example of it is not broke, don’t fix it. The only thing now is that in order to keep up with the current times, they have had to adapt and evolve into the modern market.
I agree Springfield does an amazing job on an affordable well put together 1911 variant and I have the Ronin 5” 10mm very smooth not quite on staccato status but very sweet!
I think it was you who said this, and I quote it frequently to my friends: the 1911 is a lifestyle gun. You buy one because you want one, not because it's the best thing on the market.
It's a sports car, not a minivan
@@anonymousAJ I think it’d be more like: it’s 67 Chevy Impala, not a 2024 Toyota Camry. No one drives a Camry to show off unless they did some serious work to it.
It's my only one I wouldn't conceive of using it as everyday carry but it's what I wanted
Picked one up last year after finding this channel and I instantly shot it better than any other handgun I’ve ever owned.👍 Now, I want one in 10mm. 😂
I carried a Colt 1911 series 80 for nearly forty years. I didn't carry it to shoot targets so seven round clips were adequate. It was reliable and easy to maintain. A pistol is as accurate as person behind the sights. When you're looking to stop a threat its hard to beat a slow moving freight train. Its a pretty simple formula know what you carry, know how to us it and be ready to use it.
Cleaning and maintaining a 1911 isn't a big issue . Even the weight of the guns is mute as it really depends more on the type of holster and belt you choose. While it's true that it's a weapon best suited in the hands of a dedicated gun crank that in itself is an important factor. Not just anyone can pick one up and use it.
And the right oil makes a big difference. I run zMax Gun Oil with no problems whatsoever. I use it on all my 1911s and Staccatos with no failures. I see too many people buy, say a Kimber, grab a box of ammo and go to the range, then they complain it won't cycle. Well, the problem is you didn't clean the grease off of it from the factory. Had people read the manual and cleaned and lubed as instructed, the gun would have worked properly.
I had a Colt 1911 45acp a long time. When I tried modern 45acp, it was time to change. Not regretting my choice. I replaced the 1911 with a Walther PPQ 45acp.
Nicely done Chris ... truly a pistol that has earned it's way into the Hall of Fame!! Cheers ...
What does a taxidermist do for fun?
Stuff.
A vegan and a vegetarian are standing on a cliff. They decide to jump off to see who makes it to the bottom first.
Who wins?
Society!
Colt Govt .45 was the second pistol I went out and got. History, aesthetics, fun and easy to shoot.
1911 is still my favorite to shoot. Freely admit nostalgia plays a role. My father had a 1911 commissioned and built the day i was born and presented it to me on my 18th birthday. It is now 52 years old and runs supremely well with no mods. My wife, who is wildly inconsistent with most pistols, shoots it like a pro. I’ll take that. Sidebar still carry a shield plus as everyday carry but SHTF i grab that 1911 and S&W .357 immediately lol
Couple clarifications on 1911 calibers:
1. Yes you can get a .22 LR conversion for any 1911, however, these are either a funky open slide, or aluminum slides. A .22LR setup simply cannot cycle a full steel standard 1911 slide reliably. Either it will not have the power to swing the slide back, or the recoil spring will be too weak to get the gun back into battery.
2. No 1911 comes in .50 AE, the grip and breech simply are not long enough to fit that round. .50 GI is what you are thinking of, a round specifically developed by its namesake, Guncrafter Industries, which has the same length as a .45 ACP.
It is not overrated neither is it underrated. The 1911 doesn’t need to argue, it only speaks in freedom
I was born at Camp Lejeune and the M1911 A1 is my all time favorite. It goes everywhere that I can legally take it.
Concise, concrete information, presented in a easy-to-follow way! Thx! ❤
OKAY, THANK FOR BEING HONEST
nice vid, currently shopping for my first 1911
The 1911 has been my best friend for over 50 years , I have Sigs, Glocks, Springfield, Walther but miss 1911 always comes along for the ride......🤪🇺🇲
I'm in my 60's, the "we can't be friends " line is how I've felt since you were a child, wish I had thought of it, first time seeing you, now I have to subscribe!!😂😂😂😂
First off, your the Man i chosen for pistol and revolver knowledge, you taught me which is the best carrying pistol for a novice as myself, and now i shot targets at one hundred yards thanks for your knowledge… and now for this video subject, if I’m going into a battle, it would be the 1911 45 ACP, so what you gotta do maintenance on it, same goes with an AF15 rifle or a battle rifle if you dont want it to jam on you in the middle of a fight, the sacrifice is worth it… beside its a proven application time and time again… Keep up with these video, your wisdom is mighty appreciated🙂😎🇺🇸 God bless
The 1911 is like that refined pretty lady that takes acting like a gentleman, roses, dinners and plenty of our attention to score a home run. The Glock is like that loose biker girl, with a six pack, AC DC blasting and a bag of pork rinds you're knocking it out of the park. Both will do depending on your level of commitment I guess.
I preferred the 1911 to the Beretta. One of the things I miss about the military was being able to shoot a wide array of weapons. For me it was part of the uniform and the job. During Desert Storm along with the American ordinance and weapons I had many different confiscated weapons. I had a few friends in law enforcement that had a variety of weapons. A few had different Brands and models of the 1911. After holding them I still preferred the colt. There is a reason why it lasted for so many years. Everyone finds a weapon of choice. If you've chosen the colt it was a good choice.
Can you overrate 2 world wars?...
Back-to-back champs!
Can you ignore he civil war? Is the Springfield muzzleloader still relevant ? Not a clever argument.
Love the 1911. It was my personal side arm for my entire Army career. Got me out of a jam a couple of times. Always shot expert at qualifying times.
Have a Springfield mil-spec no frills 1911 45 acp. Incredible gun! Smooth, incredibly accurate and goes BOOM every time.
I have multiple 1911s, by far, it's my favorite gun.
I love my 1911. Loved it when I first trained on it in the Army. When I bought my first post Military gun, it was a Reminigton R-1 1911.
Thanks for the memory of a pilot shooting down another plane with a 1911. I have a Springfield Range Officer 1911. Love it.
The service cartridge for the US Military before the 45 ACP was 38 LC, not 38 SPL.
-- At Benning, CO encouraged us to carry 1911s. Grew up with the 1911, so it was fine with me. 75AB, I carried a 1911. 20 years a PSC I carried a 1911 (as a third behind my duty rifle and FN-57 for a good chunk). And the is a reason why I carried a niche pistol like the FN-57, but no time for a novel. Our tribe built and customized our own (always 70 series for the trigger).
Most recently, I've revisited 10mm. I was so-so on that cartridge for a long time. Weak loads, and the hot ones I could handle, but it cost me some slivers with follow-on. Then I put it in a 1911 and everything fell into place.
If the Lord himself came down and said: As it is written, 1911 .45acp. It is the way, I might work up the stones to respectfully say: Indeed, but if your humble servant may ... check it out in 10mm Auto. And the Lord might answer: Son .45acp, because sometimes, short, fat and slow, gets it done. But I'll rock some S with the 10mm.
I love the 1911 platform. It's accurate, reliable, it's a tool steel heavy pistol, and effective. Makes it relevant to the now. With the added bonus of priceless history, well, every man deserves upon their end, to be enshrined in a pile of 1911s the size of The Great Pyramid of Giza.
Right now. Rock Island Armory makes some great 70/80 and I think 90 series, 1911s, and you get a LOT for your money, which isn't spending much.
I carry my Girsan MC1911C with some Wilson Combat upgrades including mags and I'm in love! She runs like a freight train too.
My mom's family was all IRA back in the day during the struggle for Irish Freedom(1916 - 1920). The IRA's favorite sidearm was the 1911. My great uncle was involved in many a firefight with Crown Forces. I love the 1911 and carry it as my church sidearm(head up my church's security detail). My favorite is my Ed Brown Kobra Carry in 45 ACP. Its 4.25 inch barrel and bob tail make it ideal for concealed carry. And I shoot it better than any other gun I own.
I love both of my 1911`s .. I have a Colt Gold Cup Trophy and A R1 Remington .. Never had an issue with either pistol .. Great show by the Way !!
More of a 2011 guy than muh two world wars.
I love my 2011 style gun, a BUL sas ii.
What i would love to see is a low bore axis 2011. Trigger and magazines are already top notch.
A labor of love... that's how I would describe it myself. There's something wrong with you if, as a pistol shooter, you don't enjoy cleaning and tinkering with your guns; especially a 1911! I clean all of my guns every time I shoot them. Despite your experience with the Prodigy, after a year of watching videos and doing research I bought one. Yes, I had a few problems initially. But now, 1,000 round later it runs perfectly. Really enjoy your reviews.
I am not a trigger connoisseur by any means, but I just like the standard 1911 trigger compared to other out-of-the-box triggers. I can imagine just how light and crisp a competition 1911 trigger can be, just by feeling the standard 1911 trigger... I only have a little RIA M1911A1 CS, but it already has the best trigger of all of my handguns!
I have three p229s of various flavors but my fav is a colt 1911 in the modern gi configuration. I love shooting it. I set mine up so it handles 185 gr XTP at 1125 fps😉
I have the Sig Sauer C3 .45 1911. It's got the grip safety and single-action hammer. 1911s have the best triggers without a doubt.
The hardest part of 1911 disassembly is not scratching the frame when removing the takedown pin. Makes me nervous every time
I can't get into the spiritual gun cleaning thing, like a lot of people can. One of your viewers has explained it very eloquently, and they've actually helped me understand a bit better. But I still like the fact that I can disassemble my glock with one hand, and lay the pieces out on the table, in 3 seconds. Bring on the stinky solvents. Ease of disassembly has gone into every choice I've made. 10/22, 590 A1, Vector, SUB-2000, Bug-a-salt 😂 I know.. I'm missing out on a lot