gundownunder wrote:Real steel VS recycled plastic lunchbox, hmmm tough choice.
Is there something the Tupperware toy will do for you that a 1911 won't do.
A cheap, mass produced 1911 may not appreciate in value, but then neither will the Tupperware toy.
Here is the problem I have.
You like a 1911. That's fine. So do I.
But I get tired of people who are arrogant about their firearm preferences and look down on everything else.
I have my own preferences, but I will not discourage the preferences of others.
This is the pistol I recommend for a carry gun for anyone who asks:
Proven reliability
Shooter is effective with it
Fits the purpose
Fits the shooters preferences
Which pistol is it?
Any one of a number of pistols. It might be a Glock, or it could be a 1911. Maybe the shooter does well with a CZ, or a double action revolver. Maybe the shooter puts thousands of rounds downrange in CAS and prefers a SSA-style revolver.
No one uses a 1911 because it is the most effective pistol on the market. People use a 1911 because they prefer it over other pistols for personal reasons. No one uses a double-action revolver because it is the most effective pistol on the market. They use them because of personal preference. I may give some arguments for why I feel one pistol is more effective than another, but I won't tell someone they have to change their preferences to match mine.
I really like 1911s. I like their history, and I like the way they shoot. I like they way they look. They are easy to disassemble and reassemble. They are great pistols. From my nostalgic side, I would love to carry a 1911. On the practical side, I do not carry a 1911. I carry a polymer framed 9mm pistol. I carry this pistol because:
- I shoot it well. It has sort of unique sights that really work for me. I can shoot very fast and stay on target.
- It carries 18 rounds in a magazine. Since the terminal effect on a target is about the same with most pistol cartridges from 9x19mm up to .45 ACP, and I will tend to shoot the same number of rounds into any given target regardless of the caliber I am using, 9mm makes sense to me. With three spare magazines (two on the belt, one in a pocket mag pouch) I have 72 rounds of ammunition. With a 1911, this would be 21 or 24.
- It points naturally for me
- It carries nicely
- It has proven reliable
- It has a very low bore axis
- A polymer frame is an advantage in cold weather
I have carried a SIG in the past, and an XD. I would be happy carrying either. I prefer the XDM for the shape of the slide which gives a better gripping surface. I would happily carry a CZ or one of its clones. I hate Beretta M9s, for two reasons - I don't shoot them well, and I oppose slide-mounted safeties. I like Jerichos, but unfortunately, US importers again are infatuated with slide safeties. Other people like the M9 and shoot it very well. I still advise people to avoid slide safeties, since they can be dangerous (this goes into the effectiveness issue) bit some are better designed than others (Jericho, for example). I don't particularly care for Glocks, but I shoot them very well, and I would be fine to carry one if I needed to. If I had to carry a 1911, I would. It would not be my first choice at all, for practical reasons. We have more practical options available today.
To say that the XDm is a recycled plastic lunchbox or a tupperware toy sounds like ignorance. The XD pistols are very tough. I inadvertently fired way overpressure .40 S&W loads in one that would have blown a Glock apart, maybe damaged a 1911 or maybe not, and there was no evidence of damage to the XD. Most people shoot XDs very well. I know an instructor who has a very expensive custom 1911. It is finicky about ammo and his XD outshoots it accuracy wise and with every type of ammo he feeds it. He is a Gunsite guy, so he still carries the 1911.
The XD has a higher capacity than the 1911, and no manual safety, or a manual safety, depending on preference. Appreciation is not a concern - it is not an investment for monetary gain, it is an investment in safety and some fun as well.
In our courses, we see more issues with 1911s than any other pistols. Once people really run a 1911 in one of these courses, they often switch to another type of pistol, and never because we tell them they should. If someone prefers to carry a 1911, I never tell them they should not. Sometimes I do recommend that they switch to a less expensive and more reliable 1911, though.
At the end of the day, we balance preference and practicality. Sometimes preference dictates a less practical weapon. Some of you choose a 1911 over a more practical firearm. Some choose a double-action revolver over a semi-auto. I prefer single action revolvers and carry a Ruger Vaquero when I am in the bush, even though a Redhawk would probably be a more practical choice.
We should not fault people for having a different preference, though.
