IIRC we’ve discussed this topic in the past in the 18-year history of this blog, but I’m reminded of it because I’ve been carrying a 1911 .45 auto, my favorite for many decades now and my preferred carry on duty for 43 years as a sworn police officer. I’m wearing it now partly because it’s the season for my favorite match, The Pin Shoot and it lets me re-acclimate. It’s the ideal gun for Pin Shooting, blasting heavy bowling pins off a table as the clock is running, because that shooting format was designed around Col. Jeff Cooper’s triad for winning gunfights: Accuracy, Power, and Speed.
The short, straight-back press of the 1911’s trigger is conducive to accuracy. Its .45 ACP cartridge – I use Federal HST 230 grain hollow points at the +P velocity of 950 feet per second – is ample for power. Speed is facilitated by the pistol’s natural pointing and low bore access, which reduces muzzle jump.
Three years ago Bill Wilson – national champion shooter, one of the all-time great pistolsmiths, and now a manufacturer of what many believe are the best 1911s on Earth, the Wilson Combat brand – hosted me for a discussion on Wilson Combat’s YouTube channel on the topic of “Why Carry a 1911.” It’s now over two million views, and you can find it here:
Individual preferences invite controversy, and as always, we invite your comments here.
:::: sigh :::: There’s always some ‘new wonder catridge’.
The .45 ACP, originating in 1904, supposed to be better than the 1901 9mm Parabellum?
Us traditionalist stick to the old ways! 🙂
Seriously: neither catridge would have been so popular, for so many agencies, individuals and armies, without a lot to say for them.
BUT the “Nostalgia; a quality 1911 in a quality leather holster… as opposed to a plastic gun in a plastic holster.”
That’s like chosing your parachute by the colour.
The 1911 is not at all a worse choice because of his words though.
Interesting that we are discussing a 1901 invention versus a 1904 one.
Like the Old Irish Saying goes: ‘data is flying, but cars aren’t’.
(HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST I MAKE THEM UP!!)
Lots of stuff going through the airwaves, but physical inventions have practically stopped.
We expect the world of 2100 to be astounding. But that’s 75 years from now.
75 years ago we had nukes, space travel (the nazi rockets left the atmosphere). You got around by car, tram, train, ship, plane.
The microwave is the only non data moving item I can think of offhand you have in your house now, you couldn’t have had then.
Great improvements in technolgies.
But where are the new ones?
Bladerunner was set in 2019. So where’s my flying car and replicant Daryl Hannah?
njk
nicholas kane,
Agreed. I wonder if technology will reach a plateau and stop advancing, like the Arts have. Popular music is fun, and great in its own way, but not superior to classical music. Modern buildings are technologically superior to ancient buildings, but not artistically superior. They started to build the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris about the year 1150, without electricity. Those ceilings are 90 feet high! Standing next to the Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt, is like standing next to a mountain.
We still don’t live like the Jetsons. People talk about AI, but our power grid probably needs to be doubled in size to support AI. At the same time, Greenies want power to be supplied by solar and wind, not so much nuclear, oil and coal. Can’t have AI and low energy providers. Something will have to give, and economics can be a limiting factor as well. Technology can be expensive.
I don’t see a need for self-driving cars. I don’t even have a desire for one, but it might be good for drunk drivers to have self-driving cars.
The way I see it, Technology is in a Golden Age, but other fields are in a Dark Age. We can also say that race relations have improved compared to previous centuries.
As an American, I think the twentieth century was great, because it was great for us. However, it was actually the worst century in the history of the world, when you consider all the big wars, and the number if citizens murdered by their own governments. I guess it was the best of times for the Americas, and the worst of times for Europe and Asia.
Here are the extremes. The worst place on Earth? North Korea. The best place on Earth? Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
‘The way I see it, Technology is in a Golden Age, but other fields are in a Dark Age.’
Yep show a roman, or an ancient Egyptian, our technology and they’d be stunned.
Explain that in a lot of the world the army and police keeps the leaders in power by force and any opposition gets arrested, or murdered and they’d know exactly what it was like.
A lot of the greenies are coming around to nuclear power now. Seems a deal with the devil if there ever was one though.
In New Jersey, we are limited to ten-round magazines. Would I rather carry ten rounds of 9mm Luger, or ten rounds of .45 ACP?
I’d rather move to a free state. Although I understand why some people can’t.
SLH,
I totally agree with those who would condemn me for choosing to remain in a slave state. GUILTY! I could move to a free state. I made bad career choices, (I am “working poor.” I fell in love with the wrong career field.), so I would have to look for someone to give me a good, sub-market price on rent. In other words, “charity.” Also, I have family members I want to be with here.
On the plus side, there are some real patriotic fighters in New Jersey, like Scott Bach and Anthony Colandro. They are inspirational! They give me courage, and make me want to fight!
When I want to feel good about NJ gun laws, I simply think about gun laws in the United Kingdom. So, it is all relative. My county is actually Republican, and it shows. Very little crime here. Life is great if you have plenty of money.
If many Republicans left the state, and I found myself in a small minority, then I would move to a free state.
Like Roger Willco, I live in a crappy State. The People’s Republic of NY is not 2A friendly and coddles criminal behavior. The poor sheeple that let it become so are now waking up (too late?) to the idea that elections and politics matter. And then those who believe any resistance to antisocial behavior is wrong…..
Economics is a huge factor today. As is social interactions. Its a huge decision to just uproot and leave family and friends (your support network) behind. As well as employment (the internet made finding work somewhat easier, although job security is a large factor that will soon be a huge factor). Moving from one location to another over magazine capacity or the style of carbine has the fewest restrictions is not always the smart move.
Then there’s question of where you want to move to. States on both Coasts are a poor choice, regulatory burdens are being imposed with every legislative session. Western States; look at what happened in CO. NV; well when SHOT Show attendees were prohibited from possessing weapons on premises outside of exhibits…
Best bet is to look for a State with a strong citizens 2A movement and low tolerance for Progressive politics. Because the anti-2A forces want NY style legislation nationwide; the successful strategy is State by State.
I would think it would depend on how you dress. A quality 10 round 1911 magazine in 45 will extend the grip profile considerably more than a 10 round 9mm magazine. If you can successfully carry the 10 round 45 magazine concealed, do it.
Low before it was the in thing, I milled the back of the slide to mount as low as possible with no adapter plate a Burris fastfire. I had it so low you could still point shoot via sighting down the top of slide. A Para P12 with a ramped 45 barrel and 4 inch slide was my concealed carry, with two spare tuned magazines In a cross shoulder document bag.
Mas:
When Colt first introduced the Delta Elite, I used the full power Norma 10mm load (“Uncle Jeff’s” original load) on pins in one match that year. My goodness, that load threw the pins off the table, usually blowing out the back enough to make it unusable after one hit. That said, too much recoil added unwanted time to the clock. The pistol held up fine, and I eventually ran out of my entire stock of that Norma load. I hope you and yours have a wonderful Independence Day.
I am most comfortable shooting my Colt Series 80. It’s a great gun to learn to shoot. Unfortunately, as I get into my later 60’s, all my previous injuries rear their head and say ‘remember me when you…’. I may buy a 1911 9mm.
When I am out of the house I believe my most likely risk is a grappling-distance risk. As a result, I carry a J-frame 38 special in a IWB holster. I am thinking of carrying the 1911 as backup in a shoulder rig in cooler weather or a small 9mm on my left side during summers.
At the age of 73, I have now been carrying a concealed firearm for 50 years. For the first half of those years, I carried a Smith & Wesson revolver. I was always concerned about the complexity of a semi-auto. In the 1990’s, I became good friends with a homicide detective with a big city P.D. He carried a 1911 off duty and well, he convinced me to give the 1911 a try. Patriotic fellow that I am, I thought what a way to honor our service men and women who carried this same firearm for some 74 years into battle during WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and many other conflicts. So today, my EDC is an Ed Brown government model in 45acp.
I’ve been carrying a 1911 45acp since Vietnam. Because it works.
I do on occasion put a j frame in the pocket in addition to my 1911.
My first centerfire handgun was an Auto Ordnance 1911 with MMC sights and Herrett stocks bought when I was a poor PFC. Eventually traded it for a Model 60 as a back up gun to my 686 and wish I still had it. Favorite 1911 now is a 45 LW Commander with night sights and Wilson mags.
Admire the sentiment, but again; it’s like chosing a parachute by the colour.
njk
Dried up old Boomer says what?
At 69 now, I suppose I can be considered a dried up old boomer. I consider it fortunate, however, to have been raised with manners and to respect my elders. I consider it ill advised to criticize someone anonymously on the internet, it exposes a lack of common decency as well as a lack of balls.
The tip on safety use when the gun’s in contact with a body is very good. Also relevant. In my younger days I wondered why you’d ever have a gun in firm contact with a body. Then I ended up under a Pit Bull. When your gun muzzle is in firm enough contact that you’re sure it’s not on YOUR body, the slide assembly moves enough that the gun won’t fire.
While the 1911 trigger can have a marvelously short reset, I find that’s not all that big a deal unless you’re shooting in action competition at the top skill level. Maybe not then. Over time, I’ve also figured out that I like a pivoting trigger better than the 1911 slider.
.45 v 9 mm-assuming acceptable penetration, the most important concern is where YOU put the bullets. After a 6-8 week period where all I did was train or compete, I did comparison 9 v .45 testing. While I could get all split times in the sub 0.2 second range, the .45 shot placement wasn’t as good. Combat acceptable, but it also required serious effort. After a ~30 days without practice, fuggetaboutit.
I don’t have to deal with mag restrictions-yet [come on SCOTUS!], I’ll have to think about that if the time comes. 9 still looks better, I’m in pretty good shape for my age, but I’m not what I used to be.
At 5’6″, a small hand and short fingers, virtually every semi-auto I have ever handled, it’s impossible to get the barrel aligned with my forearm. Just one that fitted, a WW2 Japanese Model 94, brought home by a friend’s father. No ammunition available of course. Even double-action revolvers are a problem. I’m sort of stuck with single-action revolvers.
Try a Springfield 1911 EMP in 9mm…
Well, at 82, and with arthritis in both hands, I find that I can no longer rack the slide on my Springfield XDS .45. cal. Haven’t tried my 1911, but maybe that will become my EDC. Just my 2 cents worth.
Ol’ Jim, hisself
Jim, with the exposed hammer cocked, on the 1911 you’ll have only the recoil spring to work against and the slide should be easier to rack. Easier still with a full size 1911 in 9mm with the much lighter recoil spring.
While I absolutely LOVE the 1911, ever since being introduced to it at Parris Island back in the 1960s, with my spare frame, carrying a 3-pound pistol just pulls my pants down, and it digs into my body when I drive or sit anywhere. So if CW2 breaks out, I will have two 1911s to choose from, but EDC now is a Ruger LC9 with a spring clip that attaches inside my waistband at the appendix. Seems to serve me well.
Don’t rack the slide; hold the slide weak handed and punch the frame forward strong handed. Courtesy cornered cat.
Small frame woman, tiny hands. I LOVE my full size Springfield 1911 and I can shoot it better than anything else. It’s been set up for me with a flat backstrap and custom special trigger. It’s enough to protect against bears and I don’t really care that it’s a bit (ok so really) difficult to conceal.