I WANT A 1911 AS RELIABLE AS GLOCK! WHICH BRAND?

[Alaskapopo]

"I WANT A 1911 AS RELIABLE AS GLOCK! WHICH BRAND?"

I'm not sure it's possible to build a 1911 as crappy as a Glock, but my STI Trojan 9mm has fired so many thousands of rounds without a burp I could not even count it.

My Para 1640 was a nightmare from day one, total piece of crap.

I used to carry 1911's for work and off duty. The issue is they can run reliable buy they take a lot of maintance. I got tired of having the gun run then something would come up and I would have to diagnose the issue replace the part in quesiton and then it would run again. Do this several times over the course of 10000 rounds and it gets annoying. My Glock 9mm's run and run and run with no parts being replaced they don't even really need to be cleaned. I carry a Glock for work and off duty now and just play the games with 1911's and 2011's but no I don't trust them for serious work.

Pat

[rjinaz85308]

1911s are a lot like Harleys. Many people buy them, but they can leave them alone. They feel the need to modify them. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but don't complain that it is not reliable after you do a Bubba job on it. I have Glocks and 1911s. The 1911s are far more accurate (both the factory stock and the custom builds) than my Glocks. But I like my Glocks. They work right out of the box (just like my stock 1911s) but they start out ugly, so when I put a ding or a scratch in it, no big deal. I'd have a heart attack if I did that to my 1911, though. But I don't feel one is inherently more reliable that the other as long as you leave them alone. I do like the price of Glocks better though<G>

Edited May 9, 2013 by rjinaz85308

[TallGuy]

Les Baer Concept V. ~ 8500 rounds through it and not one failure of any kind. All I do is change the recoil spring every 2000 rounds. I’ve done nothing to it except have the factory install an S&A arched mainspring housing/magwell. I use Wilson Combat ETM magazines and either Federal, Remington or Winchester 230gr FMJ. I’ve also used some Magtech and S&B without issue. Its a joy to shoot.

[ktm300]

I work a lot of big matches and I see as many issues with plastic pistols as I do on 1911's.

If I do my part, chamber check the ammo, run good mags, keep oil on the gun, and don't limp wrist it, every 1911 I have runs very well.

If you going to spend a lot of money on a 1911 get one from Akai. Unlike Wilson, Bear, etc you know who will build your gun and Shay builds one rock solid 1911. Pretty guns that run are kind of cool!

[MoNsTeR]

Doesn't exist.

I'm not saying this out of 1911 hate, I have many thousands of dollars invested in the 1911/2011 platform, and only 3 Glocks. It's just a fact that the design is inherently less reliable, and affordable assembly-line-produced implementations are going to have a significant amount of variability. That's not to say that there aren't units that are perfectly reliable out of the box, but you have to take into account the probability of getting one. Take 100 brand new Glocks and 100 brand new <choose your brand> 1911s and measure the failure rates. Doesn't matter if you choose Colt, Springfield, Kimber, STI, Wilson, Brown, whoever, Glock is going to win that contest.

You can certainly improve your odds by buying one of the better guns, like Dan Wesson, STI, Wilson Combat, or a custom gun from an elite smith. But no matter how high-quality a 1911 you buy you need to be prepared to fiddle with it, because there's a significant probability that you will have to.

[Croomrider]

First of all do not watch any video with yeager in it... no matter what he says. Second ignore yeager. C: if Yeager says something do the opposite. Glocks are a lot like AKs, very simple with very loose tolerances. 1911s tend to have very tight tolerances, the more expensive the tighter. All that means is that you have to have perfect or near perfect ammo and magazines because there is no slop to allow out of spec ammo etc. If you feed it well and take care of your magazines most 1911s will not let you down. If you use banged up mags and long out of spc ammo your Glock will choke.

Dude, you just confirmed what Yeager said. To compare a gun to an AK for reliability is about the highest honor you could bestow. I love my 1911/2011's for shooting and games, but I will not carry one for self defense. Sure they can be made reliable if you spend several times the money and use good ammo and mags, but Yeager even said that!

Mike

Edited May 9, 2013 by Croomrider

[Flexmoney]

Admin. note:

Alright, knock off the gun fights. It's against the rules here.

If you post, please address the opening question, which is...

Which 1911 to buy with reliability as a top factor?

[Croomrider]

Sorry Flex, fixed it!

Mike

[bountyhunter]

Factory 1911s are a crap shoot plain and simple.

True statement that applies to just about any mass-made gun. You may get a good one, no way to predict. In many cases (COUGH! SMITH_WESSON COUGH!) they give you a lifetime warranty and use their customers as their QA. The good semi-custom makers like STI actually care if the gun is right before it ships. Edited May 9, 2013 by bountyhunter

[Alaskapopo]

I work a lot of big matches and I see as many issues with plastic pistols as I do on 1911's.

If I do my part, chamber check the ammo, run good mags, keep oil on the gun, and don't limp wrist it, every 1911 I have runs very well.

If you going to spend a lot of money on a 1911 get one from Akai. Unlike Wilson, Bear, etc you know who will build your gun and Shay builds one rock solid 1911. Pretty guns that run are kind of cool!

I have seen the opposite. Now your serious guys generally don't have issues either way because they know how to maintain their equipment. But amoung the new shooters I see the plastic guns running much much better than the guys with 1911's. 1911's are a finely tuned race car that will go fast if given TLC but a Glock is the AK47 of the pistol world. It runs and runs and runs.

I like both guys but they each have their pros and cons. For a stock 1911 I would go with a STI Trojan (had one before and it was good) or a Springfield mil spec and modify it how I wanted.

Pat

Edited May 9, 2013 by Alaskapopo

[practical_man]

I have had no troubles with my Kimbers running with a wide variety of factory and hand loaded ammunition.

I use only Metalform magazines.

That said, I am seriously considering a S&W E-series

Hope this helps

- John

[tk2]

I've found with the 1911 it is not about maintaining them, it is about getting them set up right in the first place. Once they are right they will run with any Glock. I had a SV open gun that I put over 100,000 rounds through and I didn't do anything to it except clean it and change the recoil spring once in a while. That gun just ran like a top.

Now I run STI limited guns and they are the same way, I just haven't put as many rounds through them yet.

I wouldn't hesitate betting my life on my 1911 style pistols, and I actually trust them more than any striker fired gun I've owned, including Glocks. I've just had too many light strikes with the striker fired guns, especially using imported ammo and reloads with wolff primers. The 1911's set them off every time.

[Jaxshooter]

If you are going the custom route call Shay Akai. Great guns that run. Out of the box Les Baer or the most bang for the buck an STI Trojan and have the trigger done.

[45 Raven]

Ed Brown - Wilson Combat - Nighthawk Custom - Dan Wesson - STI

[bushytail man]

The STI Lawman in 5" or STI Trojan in 5 inch would be good, if they Run ! The Trojan in 9mm, to save money (wish it came in fixed sights), would be an excellent gun, if it runs and runs and runs !

Of course, the Wilson CQB is excellent too, but a lot more dough than the Trojan.

Les Bauer, but takes a lot of breaking in. This gun will be shot until it dies, cared for, but used HARD! What say you?

PS. The Dan Wessons look good. Do they run?

Edited May 10, 2013 by bushytail man

[ckell101]

I've always been curious about the Dan Wessons. As a CZ guy, I've seen them on their site, but never one in person. Anyone have any experience with them?

[Suff]

I've always been curious about the Dan Wessons. As a CZ guy, I've seen them on their site, but never one in person. Anyone have any experience with them?

I've owned two DW's. An early model Valor .45 and a PM-9. Both of them ran flawlessly. Probably the only two guns I regret ever selling! I'm a CZ guy as well.

[cuzinvinny]

My Les Baer Premier II in .45ACP has been flawless, and I run 200 grain SWC's. It will keep up with any Glock as far as reliability, and is far more accurate. Break in is nothing more than getting out and running a couple hundred rounds of factory ammunition through it, although right now finding a couple hundred rounds of factory ammo could be a challenge. I specified the caliber in the first line of my reply because I have read a few reviews where the same gun in 9mm have been far less reliable.

[wes777]

Getting 9mm 1911 to be reliable is all about springs and mags. I liked beating up on the local SS guys with my 9mm Trojan for a while. They all complained that their minor SS guns didnt run right and that I had one of the "magic" ones. Its all about getting the right recoil spring, OAL, and Dawson mags. IMHO

[Tokarev]

Ruger is making a solid pistol for the money. I have both a full-size and Commander. No problems with ball or 200gr LSWC. The only thing that doesn't feed is the 155gr LSWC and that's only with the factory mags. Even these bullets feed if I use Wilsons.

[BASE772]

About 8000 rounds through my Dan Wesson Heritage without one problem. Eats everything I put in it. Really loves the Bayou 230's. Shoots straighter than I can hold it. The Check Mate mags work the best in mine. The mags from Thunder Mountain run flawless and are a great price as well.

http://shop.1911parts.com/Thunder-Mountain-45-ACP-Ultimate-Match-II-Magazine-8-Round-tmc-ss-45-tripp-8.htm

[ericjhuber]

1911s are a lot like Harleys. Many people buy them, but they can leave them alone. They feel the need to modify them. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but don't complain that it is not reliable after you do a Bubba job on it. I have Glocks and 1911s. The 1911s are far more accurate (both the factory stock and the custom builds) than my Glocks. But I like my Glocks. They work right out of the box (just like my stock 1911s) but they start out ugly, so when I put a ding or a scratch in it, no big deal. I'd have a heart attack if I did that to my 1911, though. But I don't feel one is inherently more reliable that the other as long as you leave them alone. I do like the price of Glocks better though<G>

I don't know anything about 1911s other than what little I have learned so far from my very knowledgable fellow club members. I'm hearing a lot of STI love at the club with lots of them being pressed into action for Single Stack and Limited. My goal is shoot Single Stack next since I'm doing Production now with my Glock 34. It seems if you buy a decent 1911 like an STI from a good gunsmith who can do their value add on it, you're in really good shape.

I have seen quite a few 1911 failures in my short time doing action shooting so I know it happens, but STI seems like a really solid choice from what I've seen so far when it comes to 1911/2011.

What I do know is Glocks and if you want a really reliable pistol, the less you do to them, the better off you are. The best way to undermine the reliability of a Glock is to start messing with it. I'm guessing it's the same in the 1911 world.

Edited May 11, 2013 by ericjhuber

[Th3Un4givin]

Any 1911/2011 gun tuned by Brazos, my HP edge has run from day one.

[gator11]

STI Trojan, mine has run flawlessly. For less money I would say Springfield Armory makes a fine entry level 1911.

[45 Raven]

The STI Lawman in 5" or STI Trojan in 5 inch would be good, if they Run ! The Trojan in 9mm, to save money (wish it came in fixed sights), would be an excellent gun, if it runs and runs and runs !

Of course, the Wilson CQB is excellent too, but a lot more dough than the Trojan.

Les Bauer, but takes a lot of breaking in. This gun will be shot until it dies, cared for, but used HARD! What say you?

PS. The Dan Wessons look good. Do they run?

The STI Trojan is available with fixed sights (the same rear sight as used on the Tactical 5.0 - I think it is made by Heinie). Oak Hill sold one in 9mm with the fixed rear sight on GunBroker a few months ago.

My Dan Wesson only has about 900 rounds through it so far, but has functioned perfectly so far using both factory and reloaded ammo including:

230 FMJ factory

230 JHP hand loads

230 CMJ hand loads

200 JHP factory

230 cast RNFP hand loads

200 cast SWC hand loads

Edited May 12, 2013 by 45 Raven