100th Anniversary- 1911 Auto Handgun

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Can you believe it? Browning designed it a hundred years ago and it is more popular than ever. I have a Colt Gold Cup stainless version that I absolutely love. A buddy that has a black steel version also recently bought a ParaOrdnance GI Buddy and he loves it. Have y'all seen the Springfield Armory "Range Officer" model? :drool:

I'd love to get the new Ruger stainless 1911...

So many 1911's, too little money...

Please tell us which models and mfg's you've shot and give us the good and the bad. Just please don't hijack the thread with "my gun is better than yours". Or some other argument that doesnt' help us celebrate this venerable pistol.

My ex-boss was in WWII and he was fighting up the famous island hill that the Marines are famous for "hoisting the flag" on top. However, he and his team were Army Rangers going up the steep side impregnated with Jap bunkers. He was wounded trying to throw grenades into a Jap machine gun nest/cave. He got it on the backside when they countered with their own grenades. His buddy was hit with fragments in the head and permanently injured. Later that night in a Medical tent, my ex-boss was laying on his stomach on a cot when the Japs tried to take the camp back. He told me he was shooting them with his Thompson and his 1911 from his cot!!! I asked if he ever used the barrel magazines and said **** NO! Too many jams and hard to carry and harder to load. He told me he kepth as many as 1000 rounds of 45ACP on him at any given time in short and long clips for both weapons. He only spoke of this after I had worked for him many years and finally gained his confidence. He is still alive and I consider him a hero.

 

[RoyJackson]

My ex-boss was in WWII and he was fighting up the famous island hill that the Marines are famous for "hoisting the flag" on top.

Iwo Jima...

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

You are correct Sir!

 

[hawkeye08]

I recently had the opportunity to shoot a few rounds in Kimber 1911 stainless 5". I was amazed how smooth the trigger was and how little the perceived kick was for a 45acp

 

[retiredmgn]

The 1911 is an amazing piece of engineering. It's unfortunate Browning was working for Colt at the time of creation. It should be a Browning 1911 not a Colt 1911.
My carry gun is a Springfield 9mm EMP. Small, discrete, with all the safety features of a .45 1911. As the literature states, 'built from the ground up for the shorter case of a 9mm parrabellum'. Just right.
But I do have a hankering for a .45 1911. I need it like the proverbial hole in the head. Just desire...when will it end.

 

[k0ua]

I have owned several thru the years of various calibers, only have one custom springfield armory now in .45acp and I am not sure if my SV with a Caspian upper counts or not. (The SV is identical to the more numerous STI polymer widebody lower). It is a .40 cal and all the guts work the same but the widebody polymer lower is not exactly what old John had in mind. Not that they had the material to make one in John's time:laughing:
I have pistols of other actions and makes, but Nothing feels as good in my hand as a good "45" tho a browning hi-power is pretty good to. 100 years and we have made all kind of progress with materials and manufacturing techniques, but the old 45 is still one of if not the best pistol you can lay your hands on. Rest easy John, you created a masterpiece.

James K0UA

 

[MossRoad]

I've got my dad's 1911 from WWII. It is nickle plated and appears to have been manufactured in 1919. From what I recall, he said he bought it at the end of the war. He said he would never carry it in combat because it was too shiny and would reflect light and get you killed. But they were selling them off cheap at the end of the war and he couldn't resist.

He let me shoot it a few times when I was a kid (about 35 years ago) and I don't think it has been fired since.

On a side note, a few months ago I was going through some of his papers and found he was with a combat engineering batallion in the south pacific. He was the firearms instructor for his batallion, among other things. Maybe that is why he got me into shooting in Boy Scouts and helped me add accessories to my target rifle.

 

[HCJtractor]

I was at my gun shop last year looking for a Kimber, but they had a really nice Les Baer (used but like new). I just had to have it. After researching these Baers, I emailed Mr. Baer to ask him the background of my .45, as it was not exactlly shown in his catalog. Turns out it was the test gun on the cover of American Handgunner in Sept. 09, and was tested and had a 6 page article written about it. It was then given away in a raffle, and evidently someone won it and sold it at my gunshop. They had no ideas about its history. It looked brand new. I was pretty excited as there on the cover and with a "centerfold" was my newly purchased .45, same serial number clearly evident. I really hated to even carry it, but this thing was made to shoot. So, I shoot it and carry it a lot and it really is sweet. Just thought this was an interesting story.

I also have a stainless Colt Gold Cup and a nice little Kimber midsize. I love these old classic .45s.

 

[k0ua]

I was at my gun shop last year looking for a Kimber, but they had a really nice Les Baer (used but like new). I just had to have it. After researching these Baers, I emailed Mr. Baer to ask him the background of my .45, as it was not exactlly shown in his catalog. Turns out it was the test gun on the cover of American Handgunner in Sept. 09, and was tested and had a 6 page article written about it. It was then given away in a raffle, and evidently someone won it and sold it at my gunshop. They had no ideas about its history. It looked brand new. I was pretty excited as there on the cover and with a "centerfold" was my newly purchased .45, same serial number clearly evident. I really hated to even carry it, but this thing was made to shoot. So, I shoot it and carry it a lot and it really is sweet. Just thought this was an interesting story.

I also have a stainless Colt Gold Cup and a nice little Kimber midsize. I love these old classic .45s.

Oh man did you ever luck out. Those things are super accurate and so well fitted..

James K0UA

 

[2manyrocks]

Can you believe it? Browning designed it a hundred years ago and it is more popular than ever.

Actually, I find it hard to believe, but you are correct it remains very popular. What other 1911 vintage designs are still going strong?