1911 Reliability

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Hackathorn: "The 1911 Pistol is much more sensitive ammunition wise than many other model designs".

Bullet ogive unforgiveness alone is why I stopped carrying my 1911’s off-duty years ago. Remington Golden Sabre as Ken mentioned in the video was also the most reliable with regard to feeding than say HST or Ranger.

As opposed to that fact, the Glock 30SF that I changed to for off-duty carry would feed what I wanted to carry and that was Federal HST 230 gr.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my 1911. But, after two trips to Colt and frustrating range sessions leaving me doubting reliability, I gave up on it for EDC. Is it my favorite for sentimental reasons? Yes. Will I ever part with it? No. But for me, sentimentality doesn’t cut it on the streets.

The video was one that I saw before. But let’s be very honest here, it should have been titled “Wilson Combat 1911 reliability”. Because most 1911’s out of the box aren’t anywhere near as reliable as a WC 1911 model.

And people buying a firearm for EDC don’t need to have that doubt running around in their brain when they are out and about.

Your mileage may vary. Stay safe.

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I love my 1911. Never had any issues with any ammo. However I don’t carry it because it’s to big to conceal for me. I do have it at the ready when I’m home.

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I love 1911 and 2011 in 9mm.
These were redesigned for smaller caliber and 100% reliable. Not so picky as 45s.
There are exceptions, of course … but in this case we apply the rule: “you get what you pay for”

My not expensive RIA1911 eats everything, even cheap polymer reloads I bought long time ago, which malfunctioned all my polymer handguns. :grimacing:

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I love my 1911’s,… all of them! I have not had any problems with them! A good football jersey conceals it well. Or a baseball jersey does well too!

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“1911” is a bit vague these days, as Ruger, S&W, RIA, WC, NHC, GI, Colt, DW, and probably 15 other companies make one. Where a Glock, is made by Glock.

Of course, any gun that has issues is not going to be my carry gun!

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One reason to be training and practicing with your CCW. Being familiar with it and its functions to operate it properly. I not saying this about you but, you brought up a very good point and I wanted to highlight it!

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I’m with Joseph, for me the 1911 is a bit on the large and heavy side for me as a EDC. I do like my 4’’ SA emp. I don’t mind an occasional misfire, as long as I am looking at an ammo issue and not a pistol. Its not a bad thing to have to a little practice with something that could happen at any time with any ammo. In a perfect world I would prefer to never have a problem, but that’s not realistic. I do love my SA RO 1911 45. Shoots great feels good hits hard.

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My personal experience with 1911’s, is that the higher end ones (of the ones I’ve had the chance to shoot) tended to be more finicky. It seems the closer you get to the original GI type guns, the less finicky they are. The tighter tolerances of the more expensive guns, adds to the fit and finish. The “lesser” guns, are not as tight(my experience, yours may vary) and seem to be less choosy.

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Good point. And one that helped me come to the conclusion to stop using my 1911’s for EDC.

Your point cannot be made when speaking of offerings from Glock, Sig Sauer, S&W, Springfield Armory striker fired handguns.

Most average concealed carry permit holders aren’t going to spend the coin on a Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, Dan Wesson and certainly not Cabot. Most new gun owners are facing expenditures with ammunition, training, gear and holsters, maintenance and cleaning. So to be fair, unless they have tons of money, they prefer a reliable firearm that performs right out of the box in an everyday self defense situation.

Stay safe out there.

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That is a good observation, @45IPAC :+1:

Old “style” 1911, so GI type and less expensive versions get more tolerance. However if they are badly manufactured nothing will help them.

That’s why I value 9mm version. Most of them are reliable, there is no “old style” within this caliber. But even within 9mm I can find models I’d never trust, especially 1911s with short barrel.

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Had a Chiappa 1911 45 for awhile, never an issue, didn’t carry it enough to keep it, only issue was the sights were poorly made and fell apart…

It was a smooth shooting gun, friends with their 1k+ 1911’s were saying this cheap Chiappa shot as smooth as their built 1911’s.

If I ever fell the need to get another, will probably grab an RIA 1911, heard good things about them and ever RIA I’ve had has been great.

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:v:

These days I trust more RIA that Colt. Both are “low end” 1911 for me.
Let’s see what happens soon. Hopefully CZ-Colt will gain my trust. :wink:

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I do believe there is a happy medium between a “BBQ gun” and a GI gun. A Ferrari, Mustang, and F150 are all road ready machines. It comes down to your budget, and how much maintenance your willing to do to keep a 1911 reliable.

And while I do love JM Browing’s masterpiece, in the Lord’s caliber(45), the reliability and availability of modern, striker fired guns is almost impossible to argue against. That’s why, I carry an M&P.

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Nothing wrong with an expensive gun such as a Wilson for edc until you have an incident and the gun is taken from you as evidence. I suspect high-end guns manage to get lost in the system and the owner never gets it back. Also, IF you get your gun back it will probably be FUBAR.

I carry a Glock and have another Glock at home as a spare/back up.

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My thoughts exactly. I wouldn’t be happy about having any gun confiscated. That’s said, I’d be absolutely livid to have an Ed Brown, or Nighthawk Custom taken, over a M&P/Glock or a RIA 1911.

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I think differently.
I prefer to save my life with high-end tool I’m comfortable with (physically and mentally) and have it confiscated… and probably lost than rely on less expensive firearm thinking if it will work when needed.
What are the chances of shooting somebody in self defense? Close to zero. It may happen you will never press the trigger against other human. So I take my chance and carry better product.

I love my 1911s… but trust in 2011s more. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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I respect your opinion. Let me play the role of contrarian for one moment: If a person purchases a high end 1911 for EDC and has even an inkling of concern of having it confiscated as evidence in the case of a SD incident, would that person really invest themselves in carrying that high end 1911 or practice with it as much?

Let’s be really honest here. Real, meaningful training for EDC with your chosen sidearm means that you are going to train dynamically by dumping magazines in the dirt and mud, you are going to find yourself out of position, on the move and shooting from around and behind cover and barricades. You had better “run that gun hard” if you are being realistic with your personal protection training.

If you had the choice of picking a sidearm to addend that kind of training, would you choose your Cabot or Wilson Combat 1911 or a Glock 19?

I find 1911’s romantic and nostalgic. I absolutely love, love love them (I own and shoot them).

But gunfights in the streets are dirty, nasty, quick and brutal.

Picture that perfect 1911 with no “idiot mark” near the take-down lever and then picture that Sig Sauer P365 or the Glock 19.

High end 1911’s are Bar-B-Q guns.

No offense intended. I’ve carried them, I love them, I own them. But I am a realist.

Stay safe.

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When I owned WC, I carried them, and ran them in classes. Same with my Dan Wesson, and other 1911’s. I carry a Glock a lot these days (trying to like it) but 1911’s shoot much better for me. I don’t abuse them, but see honest wear marks as a good thing on a gun.

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