The 1911 is the best handgun

[Calibreeze]

Not the best, definitely icon in every sense of the word. What pistol is the best is highly subjective.
The M&P 2.0 line is tough to beat!

 

[ar15robert]

Having to ride the thumb safety so you don't activate it under recoil is a goofy concept. Not only do some people risk the possibility of that action pulling the palm off of the grip safety and making the gun impossible to fire, but you are sacrificing a contact point of control by not having the thumb on the frame itself.

never had any of those issues you mentioned.in many years of shooting a 1911.My kids have shot mine too without these issues

 

[bonesurf]

Not exactly a 1911 but….

 

[SDDAVE56]

Do you prefer the rounded mainspring housing?
I find my grip gets shifted and puts my trigger finger at a funky spot on the trigger.

Arched MSH vs Flat MSH. For me it makes no difference, I have both.

 

[snipechief]

Series 70 Colt 1911 .45 owner. Only mod is Crimson Trace grips with lazer. It will be passed down as it was to me .
I load the orginal recipe that Browning finally ended up with.
I also carried a 1911 in the military and qualified Expert with it every 6 months.

 

[Joker67]

Who on earth rides the safety for the reason of not engaging it?! that’s just some fud stuff if I’ve ever heard it!

Competition shooters who run stages shooting rapidly on the move. When you run and gun, things come into play that aren’t apparent standing flatfooted and slow firing. When you are shooting multiple controlled pairs at 4-6 different or even moving targets, riding the safety allows you to control recoil and get back on target for faster split times.
I’ve watched the 1911 guys who compete at a high level. That’s what they do.
Everything about grip changes when moving and shooting at multiple targets and changing mags . The grip safety is an extra challenge that 1911 people train around.

My 1911 is a CMP clunker. It’s very tough to do fast splits although it’s accurate (enough) out to 50 yards.

 

[Deleted member 9396]

my uncle used to say the 1911 is so nice you aint got to shoot em twice

 

[lamduhh]

Competition shooters who run stages shooting rapidly on the move. When you run and gun, things come into play that aren’t apparent standing flatfooted and slow firing. When you are shooting multiple controlled pairs at 4-6 different or even moving targets, riding the safety allows you to control recoil and get back on target for faster split times.
I’ve watched the 1911 guys who compete at a high level. That’s what they do.
Everything about grip changes when moving and shooting at multiple targets and changing mags . The grip safety is an extra challenge that 1911 people train around.

My 1911 is a CMP clunker. It’s very tough to do fast splits although it’s accurate (enough) out to 50 yards.

its like a rear "gas pedal" that is how i trained with it. It makes a world of a difference with control. with extended safeties its gives you just that little bit more meat for your thumb to control. It also helps your thumb placement while shooting other guns that dont have that thumb safety. after shooting 1911s both my thumbs naturally sit in that position now even when that safety is not present.

 

[9mmContagion]

its like a rear "gas pedal" that is how i trained with it. It makes a world of a difference with control. with extended safeties its gives you just that little bit more meat for your thumb to control. It also helps your thumb placement while shooting other guns that dont have that thumb safety. after shooting 1911s both my thumbs naturally sit in that position now even when that safety is not present.

And @Joker67
Exactly my point! You made my argument for me. I use the thumb safety as a “gas pedal” to control recoil. Not so the safety doesn’t engage…

 

[Enthused]

Just my 2 cents....I believe every red blooded American should own a 1911.

The first handgun I ever bought was a Colt Government XSE when I was 21 from the old Turner's location in Riverside. Buying a 1911 as soon as you are legally allowed to is like a right of passage.

 

[boltstop]

I don’t have anything profound or insightful to add to this discussion but I will say that the 1911s that I own are very natural guns for me to shoot to the best of my ability.

There you are. That’s it.

 

[tofusit]

Some love for the 2011s too! I didn't know until recently the staccato are really just the entry level.

 

[tedster]

I like my Kimbers. Pics show them with the same set of Zebra wood grip panels.
The Carry II has now beautiful Oak wood grips.