Saturday, January 1, 2011

1911 - 2011 Century Old Design Still Running STRONG!


There is plenty of debate across the intertubes about this century old design. It is not really a century old now because the design by John Moses Browning, PBUH, preceded 1911 when he led his followers to the promised land. It was in in 1911 that the US Military establishment officially adopted the design as an official sidearm. There was an officers version that was more compact than the original design. It even comes in a 10mm design called the Delta Elite that is one heck of a kicker. There are those who will tell you that anything other than the original design is unreliable. Even a number of people say the design is unsafe because it was designed to be carried with one in the chamber, with the hammer cocked and the thumb safety engaged. I can tell from personal experience that that is a load of BS. I put the Springfield pictured above left through the gas tank of my motorcycle into the frame while cocked and locked. It didn't go off even though there was bark from the tree that it hit pushed into the hammer serrations and beaver tail safety. There are those that will even tell you the design is outdated and even the original does not work without significant modification. Well, the design works just fine until someone starts monkeying with it. Either by design or with a Dremel in their garage or basement. The one change and improvement that actually works is the work undertaken by Virgil Tripp. Thus was born the 2011 and this post about them. In the beginning there was Tripp Research. I have the fortune of having one of their guns setup as an open gun. Through various incarnations there came STI and SV that are both this design. I even have an AirSoft licensed copy of the SV for practice. I wrote about sub caliber practice and that is something that I preach and practice. One of the STI frames I built up into a .22 trainer. That trainer is fitted with two top ends, one in Open Class configuration and one in Limited configuration. The cool thing about the Open setup is that it recoils with .22lr about the same as the .38Super with a comp on it. Gives a really good feel for how the gun shoots in practice. You'll notice in all this about the different calibers and my comment about different top ends. That is the absolute best thing about this design. Some call it the Windows PC of the hand gun world and some call it the Small Block Chevy of the hand gun world. All depends on your background and tastes. The point is that everyone and the brother (except Glock) makes a version of the 1911. If you want a different caliber all you have to do is change out the top end. Be it .22lr, .38Super, .40S&W, 10mm, 357SIG, .45ACP or .50GI. It matters not, you can shoot one caliber and then convert over to another caliber in about 2 minutes and be on your way.

Love it, Hate it or somewhere in between, it is a timeless design that still serves it's purpose of protecting and defending free people the world over for over a century.


UPDATE: Welcome readers of FARK.com. I'd be curious who linked me over there but thanks and stick around. Have a look and see if there is anything else of interest. Maybe even comment.

Found the linker and he has a post of his own 1911.

So what other 1911 owners are out there?

9 comments:

  1. I've been saying that STI needs to have a "buy a 2011 in 2011" promotion. :-)

    Believe it or not tho, I don't own a single 1911. I need to remedy that, and I hope to do so in 2011. Since it'll be my first 1911, I figure I should start on the lower end, merely because of price and learning. So, while I've considered options like a Rock Island Armory, a Springfield, and so on... I think I've settled upon getting an STI Spartan. I think that will suffice quite well for a first 1911.

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  2. A most excellent choice. If you want a single stack the Spartan is it. You get a quality made and assembled gun. Costs more but worth it for the quality. Either a well built tight gun or a loose rattle trap that was built to JMB's original milspec. Either will be reliable and fun.

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  3. I have to second hsoiblog's comment. I've lusted after the 1911 from afar for too long without dropping the cash to consummate the relationship. As soon as I scrape the cash together, the STI Spartan is coming my way, too.

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  4. That's the thing. Sure, the STI Spartan isn't 100% STI-made, but it is. Their trigger group, their specs, their reputation, their customer service stands behind it. Yeah, it'd be nice to get a "pure" STI gun but hey.. for a first 1911? I'll take it. It'll do the job and be just fine. Plus if there's any problem, it's just a short drive up I-35. :-)

    I see no downsides to this.

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  5. Been strongly considering a Taurus 1911, this only further pushes me that way.

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  6. I was the one who submitted the Fark link. As I noted in my blog piece, I have a Kimber .45, and I'm quite happy with it:

    http://www.battleswarmblog.com/?p=4315

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  7. Greetings from Fark.
    Wanted to drop in and post my experience with the venerable 1911. I first experienced a Colt !911 A1 USGI issue model while competing in a Tactical Match. Shot it. hated it, never gave them another thought. (mind you I hated it because I didn't shoot it well) Fast forward a few years and my father tells me he bought a Kimber Custom 1911. I shrugged it off till I shot it. I fell in love. The Kimber Custom Elite is a pleasure to shoot. One of my favorites actually, although it still doesn't take my love like the HK USP .45 Tactical and I haven't gotten up the guts to carry it condition 1 which if you are going to carry that's the only way. I am a convert though and have been eyeing up the Sig 1911 or the Springfield EMP. Thanks for the link Lawrence and Ill be sticking around here for a while.

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  8. "And as it is written, glad tidings and joy be unto thee and he, when another is brought unto and in the church of John Moses Browning..."

    For those wanting to try a 1911 and will to spend less than $450.00, then look at the Rock Island Armory Tactical. Well worth every penny.

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  9. As all these Guns have got strong and firm grip, great trigger sustem and perfect barrel quality, that's why they are still running.

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