1911 -Why?

[on2wheels52]

I think they're over-rated. I going sell the eight I have and buy something I like better (when I find it).
Jim

[MotoSook]

No green font....whatcha got...you don't need all 8?

[Isabo]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

<- 6'1" 190# and still uses both hands!!!

What's Italy's gun laws like?

Strict.
My husband, daughter and I all have licences to carry concealed. Not easily issued. Basically you need to demonstrate a need, eg carrying large amounts of cash or valuables or at risk. Some non-police security personnel (guardie giurate) can carry). Licences for hunting and target shooting only, are easier to obtain. Some areas are more amenable than others to guns for personal protection. Military calibres such as 9mm parabellum are a big no-no for civillians. 45 acp was declassified a little while back so the 1911 came in a rulebreaker round, the 45HP.

[azasadny]

I have 3 full-size 1911's and I really enjoy shooting them. Reloading .45ACP is very easy, too. Anyone who says they "kick" hasn't fired one...

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by MT930

Balance, point-ability, accuracy, feel, inherently accurate round.

They are a special design much like the 911 in the auto world.

The design was over looked looked for a long time in the effort to have more round capacity. People realized you don't need 18 rounds if you can connect with the target in 1 or 2 so 7-8 round mag capacity are fine. In short they feel great. I have many hand guns I like the big wheel guns, and the modern Sig's however if I could only have one, the Colt Gold Cup would be the only one.

I looked at some Kimber's this week, they are top notch. They have taken a great design and made improvements that make it better.

Here in Montana it is law enforcement's number one choice, bar nun.

My .02

Agree totally.

As well people were all over the place for a while trying to carry 15 rounds and so on. Problem is that if you hit someone with a 9mm several times it might just piss them off. Hit them ONCE with a .45 auto and it will almost always take them down.

Kimber makes a very good version, and its both affordable and accurate out of the box. Give it a try.

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by Soukus

Great animation. Thanks for posting Jim. I have to admit that I'm more intrigued but the mechanics/operation of a gun than anything else about it. Blame my "knack" gene. I think that animation was the last bit of convincing I needed. Looks like there's a 1911 in my future.

Find a range that rents handguns. I thought that the CZ75 was the end-all be-all from what I had read about it.

I told my Dad to get one, he had fears of the .45 being to hard to handle.

We went to a range that loans out pistols for you to burn their ammo with.

We tried a sig 226, glock, CZ75, Berreta 92 and some S&W 9mm rigs out.

Since we had my 1991A1 colt we tried several other nicer 1911's

We also tried a .357 revolver with a 6" barrel.

Both of us didn't like the glock ( I shot well with it but it felt like a foreign object in my hand. The "felt" recoil of the 9mm round was the same as the recoil of the .45 out of my 1911.

The CZ felt HUGE like it could have been a .50. It could have been a good gun, but it just didn't work well for me.

The berreta shot well.

I didn't like the sig. I wasn't very accurate with it and it didn't work for me.

My Dad is 70 and wanted something for traveling in his motor-home and for home protection. He wants something simple to use. We thought that a .357 wheelgun would be the right choice.

He ran 36 rounds down the tube and it wasn't for him.

He just bought a Springfield 1911 in SS, It;s nicer than mine.

Before Obama was elected my Father NEVER owned a firearm. He now has a 12ga shotgun, a .22 pistol and a 1911.

My Dad fears that the economy will suffer, crime rate will go up and that he's not going to let someone harm him or my Mom.

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by Isabo

Strict.
My husband, daughter and I all have licences to carry concealed. Not easily issued. Basically you need to demonstrate a need, eg carrying large amounts of cash or valuables or at risk. Some non-police security personnel (guardie giurate) can carry). Licences for hunting and target shooting only, are easier to obtain. Some areas are more amenable than others to guns for personal protection. Military calibres such as 9mm parabellum are a big no-no for civillians. 45 acp was declassified a little while back so the 1911 came in a rulebreaker round, the 45HP.

What part of Italy do you live in? I've only been to Milano, Torino, and San Remo.

I could live there! I felt freeer there than in the States!

[NineOhOne]

Originally Posted by Isabo

Strict.
My husband, daughter and I all have licences to carry concealed. Not easily issued. Basically you need to demonstrate a need, eg carrying large amounts of cash or valuables or at risk. Some non-police security personnel (guardie giurate) can carry). Licences for hunting and target shooting only, are easier to obtain. Some areas are more amenable than others to guns for personal protection. Military calibres such as 9mm parabellum are a big no-no for civillians. 45 acp was declassified a little while back so the 1911 came in a rulebreaker round, the 45HP.

Wow. Sounds exactly like another Socialist state I know...

[NineOhOne]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

I could live there! I felt freer there than in California!

Fixed it for you...

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by NineOhOne

Fixed it for you...

Thank you,

I do understand that I do not do well with grammar nor spelling!

I love it when spell check says "WTF?"

[James Brown]

I have an AMT Government and have changed most of the parts to Wilson stuff, It works great and it's all stainless steel, almost maintenance free. Big, heavy, hard hitting, love it! Glass bead blasted it so it's a dark matt gray finish. Menacing...

[pookie]

I have a 70 Series Colt Combat Commander. I have it because my it was my Dad's and he gave it to me. It is/was one of the handguns I always wanted and never bought one because I knew someday I would receive his. I thought it would be after he passed that I finally owned the Colt but he gave it to me on one trip when he game to visit. He never shot it and it just sat in his gun safe. I like it, it is fun to shoot. But if I feel a need to carry concealed it is not my first choice. It doesn't fit me as well as some others, and I don't shoot it at as well as some others. It is still one of my all time favorites though.

[MT930]

Ed Brown Products, 1911, parts, rifles

Wilson Combat Makers Of The Finest Custom 1911 Handguns In The World

Kimber - 1911 Pistols & Rifles


Ed Brown, Wilson Combat & Kimber are all very good. The Kimber variants are the best value and available at most shops with out waiting, they are great out of the box accuracy weapons with great finishes.

The Ed Brown Kobra carry is the the nicest short frame model I have every handled. It would be my #1 draft pick if I had to carry every day.

They are all top notch. I am sure their are others I am not familiar with.

The Colts are great for a used option.

[HHI944]

I've heard some horror stories about reliability/FTE's in semi-recent Kimbers, but it seems the new ones are OK. Just something to keep in mind. I would have a private seller meet you at a local range/shop if you go that route so you can have a smith give it a once over and put a few rounds down before dropping the $$$. I did this with a Para Warthog I was interested in several months back and saved myself a lot of grief. In the 50 rds I fired, it failed to extract 4 times. Obviously, I passed. It's easy for an amateur who thinks he knows his way around to royally screw up a good gun.

[MotoSook]

I just couldn't resist. I don't like posting my gear but this one is to dang pretty not to show you guys. I just committed to buy it. Local shop wanted more than I could find online and those online that were slightly lower in price were back ordered. So I probably paid $50 more to not have to wait.

[TheMentat]

Originally Posted by Soukus

I just couldn't resist. I don't like posting my gear but this one is to dang pretty not to show you guys. I just committed to buy it. Local shop wanted more than I could find online and those online that were slightly lower in price were back ordered. So I probably paid $50 more to not have to wait.

I LOVE Springfield 1911s...

I would own one if it wasn't a HUGE pain in the ass to own & use handguns in Canada.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Very nice! If I wasn't poor that's what I'd have, instead of my lowly Springfield Mil-Spec.

[dhoward]

Excellent race platform.
SA trigger.
Good sight radius.
Millions out there.

[MotoSook]

And 100 yrs old this year.

[stogie25]

I have a Colt Gold Cup 1911 that I like very much. It is very accurate and well balanced. It is, like some people said a very usable piece of history like an old 911, 944, Jeep CJ, or a '57 Chevy.

That being said, if I had to have only one handgun (god forbid) I would choose my Glock 21. It uses the same ammunition. It is every bit as accurate, lighter, not as picky about ammunition, and has a higher capacity.

I also have a 1911 9x21 race gun that is a spectacular piece, but very impractical for daily use. It is a blast (pun intended) to shoot. With the compensator and the laser site it is incredibly accurate. I call it the space gun.