Show us your Guns!

[Story]

I suppose the pro- and anti- gun divide is large enough on this board without introducing the Glock / 1911 schism.

Friends don't let friends drive drunk, ride Vespas, trust beer goggles or carry a Glock.

 

[carebear]

I imagine the Luger replica is fun to shoot. The butt angle is said to be ergonomically perfect for aiming the the mechanism has produced some difficult to clear jams I've heard.

Anyhow hope you enjoy it Kilroy.

Ruger took the Luger grip angle for his .22's.

It places the hand/wrist at more of a "saber grip" angle.

Conversely, I find the 1911 grip angle to place the wrist in a "punch" position. Also a very natural pointer.

 

[KilroyCD]

I imagine the Luger replica is fun to shoot. The butt angle is said to be ergonomically perfect for aiming the the mechanism has produced some difficult to clear jams I've heard.

Anyhow hope you enjoy it Kilroy.

Oh, I also have a Luger replica in .22 caliber, but the one in that photo is a genuine WWII-Era P-08 Luger, complete with the Nazi proofmarks. It looks new because it was refinished in the 1960s. As far as firing it is concerned, I've never experienced any jams with it, and the grip angle is nearly ergonomically perfect. It's the trigger and sear mechanism that is a mechanical "Chinese fire drill", which produces a lot of trigger creep.

 

[Diamondback]

Conversely, I find the 1911 grip angle to place the wrist in a "punch" position. Also a very natural pointer.

Which is why I like the 1911--if I'm out of ammo, the grip makes a great fistload, and I can jab the muzzle into the solar-plexus easily too.

--Diamondback
"Putting the fight in 'gunfighting'!" lol

 

[warbird]

If you carry a weapon everyday it is hard to beat the Glock or Sig or HK. These so-called plastic guns are incredibly reliable, extremely accurate, better than 97% of the people can ever challenge them to be, and they handle wear and tear and keep going. Theres tremendous romanticizing of 1911's and other vintage firearms, but most of them are not as reliable, accurate, and wear resistant as many modern weapons. I have fired most of them and own many of them.

Carrying a 1911 is all well and good, but when you compare an out of the box glock, sig or HK to an out of the box or vintage 1911 of most varieties you cannot compare the performance. A considerable outlay of cost has to be made to a 1911 or the often overlooked, wonderful weapon the Browning High Power to make them as reliable as the above mentioned firearms. If you are willing to make that investment then great you will have great weapons. But, when considering a firearm you may carry, you have to responsibly consider these factors, if your life and that of others around you may be on the line.

If you are a plinker and combat accuracy along with combat ready reliability are not your thing then a regular 1911 of many makes might be a good weapon to have fun with. Guns are tools to me as much as, no more so, fun. I don't care if they are pretty, in fact dull and ugly is prolly better. I don't care if they are the most accurate weapon ever made, accuracy brings less reliability. There's always a trade-off. Guns have saved my life in the past and hopefully they never will have to again, but I am not carrying one to look a part. I want it to run when I need it to run.

My carry weapon is usually a Glock 27, or Sig 228, mainly the Glock. IF I have time to get to the range and practice with the changes of the trigger in the Sig I will carry it. I carried a Caspian 1911 over much of the world, a true combat firearm. But I also put a lot of time and energy into prepping that gun. I had some money in it, but not as much as most because most of the work a friend of mine and I did. One more word of advice, if you do want to carry a 1911, start with a series 70 style from whichever manufacturer you prefer. The series 80 style sucks for carry guns.

 

[warbird]

Great thread ... and how good to hear folks still talking about the 10mm, Patriarch to the 40 S&W -- i.e., short & weak (just kidding!). When backcountry flyfishing here in Colorado, it's generally a Glock 20 and on rare occasions, a Kimber Eclipse Custom (10mm) that's on my hip and when in the N. Wyoming or W. Montana backcountry, I opt for the 4" S&W 500.

Pictured below, are the crown jewels of my handgun collection (& beneath them, yet another passion) ... in my search for an ideal CCW, I took a friend's Heckler & Koch P7M8 to the range and well, three years later finds me working hard to add a sixth P7 to the fold.

Top/clockwise: P7M8 Ltd. Jubilee Edition; P7M13; P7M8; Hardchrome, Chantilly-era P7M8 & lastly, a P7(PSP).

I carried one a long time ago for a while. I never truly like the grip cocker, and if you're not fully comfortable with it dont carry it. But to each his own. They are marvelous weapons. I have several H&K's still. You will not go wrong with one of their firearms. I love that collection of P7's. In scanning a few price lists, I am amazed at the increase in cost of these pistols since manufacture ceased. I hope I still have mine in the vault. I don't think i sold it, but dang I can't fully recall. I've sold many a gun I wished later I hadn't.

 

[carebear]

I've been carrying 1911's for almost 20 years now, about 16 of those daily carry.

Mostly my Series 80 LW Commander. I had a fluff and buff done a week or so after I bought it, which I do to every gun I plan to carry, no matter the action type or manufacturer, but it hasn't been "heavily modified" nor has it needed it.

Reliability has never been an issue from day one, when I took it to the range and put 200 rounds of Federal Hydra-Shock (the old angular ogive) through it (while carrying my perfectly reliable Series 70 full size).

I eventually added a beavertail and a set of Novaks, and have had some checkering done, but that's because I like fooling with stuff (my biggest problem with the plastic fantastic BTW).

"Functional" and attractive/modifiable are in no way contradictory or mutually exclusive.

Plastic hats would keep the rain and snow off better and would never wear out, but they would lack style and customizability.

I have no problem with people preferring more "modern" designs (though that's a misnomer since we've had polymer guns since the '60s and striker-fired is nothing new either). I do get tired of that preference being falsely justified with the tired "newer is better/more reliable/more functional" claptrap.

But I'm neither bitter nor opinionated.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

carebear
I agree with you.
After years of shooting...researching...gun shows...new calibers and fads etc..etc. I determined long ago that the .45 acp is a great round for carry and personal protection...and a 1911 or Colt type single action package also great for that purpose. The few mods you alluded to certainly add to being able to better rely on how it performs. I'm assuming polishing the throat...action..,etc. A beaver tail...checkered or fingergroove grips...dif MS housing perhaps...and certain sights really can all be considered part of extending that process...but the first few a must,IMO. Even with a revolver a couple of modifications should be considered...IF it is going to be used. Thing is,much of the time,a gun will be purchased..thrown in a drawer...or a holster...and never or rarely used. Many buy a 9mm....357mag...45...or 44 hawg leg just on reputation...and really have no idea how the caliber or certain gun might perform for them. Little idea of stopping power..penetration...or "over" penetration....noise(cracking ringing loudness)...heavy double action pull...personal accuracy....how weak some small calibers actually are....but then will expect it to take care of what may be a serious situation.
HD

 

[John in Covina]

Shootability - accuracy -right out of the box

There seems to be some misconception that all 1911's are sloppy and don't shoot well out of the box.
Not true, when CNC (computer numeric control) machining came into the foreground in gun manufacture the tolerances became much tighter. Any 1911 such as a Springfield or Kimber low end model will shoot superbly right out of the box. As you go for the higher end with all the bell and whistles, it does get better and the upgrades are all there too. The cnc guns are at where a pre-cnc regular 1911 was at after level one and or level two of 1911 unsmithing, already.

I got a Springfield Armory "Loaded" a number of years back and it is a wonderful 1911. It is not as fabulous as my friends Kimber that was given all of the good work Kings Gunshop could do for it, but my 1911 ain't bad.

If I were given a Glock, I have no problems with it, they can be smithy. There are small changes to the internals and such that can be done to them to make it a better shooter for you, but they are utilitarian and as such won't win a beauty contest.

As to my 1911, I got them before night sights were part of the Loaded package, I'd like to do that upgrade at some point.

1911'se a lot like a fine V8 engine, it works really well, but people just figured out how to make it better in a lot of different ways, just like hot rodding a V8 engine. There is not a lot of hot rodding for the Glocks, yet.

 

[warbird]

There seems to be some misconception that all 1911's are sloppy and don't shoot well out of the box.
Not true, when CNC (computer numeric control) machining came into the foreground in gun manufacture the tolerances became much tighter. Any 1911 such as a Springfield or Kimber low end model will shoot superbly right out of the box. As you go for the higher end with all the bell and whistles, it does get better and the upgrades are all there too. The cnc guns are at where a pre-cnc regular 1911 was at after level one and or level two of 1911 unsmithing, already.

I got a Springfield Armory "Loaded" a number of years back and it is a wonderful 1911. It is not as fabulous as my friends Kimber that was given all of the good work Kings Gunshop could do for it, but my 1911 ain't bad.

If I were given a Glock, I have no problems with it, they can be smithy. There are small changes to the internals and such that can be done to them to make it a better shooter for you, but they are utilitarian and as such won't win a beauty contest.

As to my 1911, I got them before night sights were part of the Loaded package, I'd like to do that upgrade at some point.

1911'se a lot like a fine V8 engine, it works really well, but people just figured out how to make it better in a lot of different ways, just like hot rodding a V8 engine. There is not a lot of hot rodding for the Glocks, yet.

The newer 1911's are by no means sloppy and inaccurate, in fact just the opposite. Modern is by no means better simply because it is new. I tire myself of attitudes that suggest these new plastic guns are not as good as the old guns. It simply is not true.

The 1911 tuned is a great weapon. However I would never carry an out of the box 1911. They need work and anything done to them requires fitting and work. If you can't do it, then you must pay someone for it. I'd say my opinions come mainly from years of training, though not recently, at places like Gunsite and hours of talking with people all the time about different experiences and requirements.

 

[shoelessjoe]

I carried one a long time ago for a while. I never truly like the grip cocker, and if you're not fully comfortable with it dont carry it. But to each his own. They are marvelous weapons. I have several H&K's still. You will not go wrong with one of their firearms.

Warbird ... have a go at this P7 video and if you did part ways with your P7, well you're going to kick yourself ... bear in mind that it's not HD, having been copied off a 1992 VHS tape:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6239098748148707308

Having trained extensively with my M8's, I feel quite comfortable carrying one (HC Chantilly w/Win.Ranger SXT 127 gr. +P+) here in the city and as you alluded to, I hope I never have to draw it.

Don't want to get caught up in the polymer/1911/caliber fray, as folks like what they like and that's as it should be ... but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that in my hands, my H&K Tactical (.45) will outshoot every other handgun in the safe, save for those P7's -- and this includes Colt & Kimber 1911's and a plethora of other shooting irons ... and polymers.

Know of a few folks who picked up the new HK-45 and they're raving about it ... I am waiting for the HK-45C (compact) and if it lives up to the hype, it might not only become that sixth P7, it might also become my CCW.

 

[Mustang]

Hi all,

I worked in a rather large, family owned sporting goods store (as in hunting, shooting sports) for over 7 years, and had extensive hands on experience with many different guns. I also had to quit eventually because I was using too much of my paycheck purchasing firearms (and archery equipment) :eusa_doh:lol. It's been quite a few years, but I've retained a good enough relationship that they still allow me to go behind the counter to check out the handguns in the glass case, which is cool.

I've owned at one time or another, a Glock Model 22, Colt Single Action Army, Colt Gold Cup 1911, as well as many other handguns. However, I was/am primarily a bolt action rifle man. I used to have many friends come over to shoot their guns since I had quite a gun range set up (up to 400 yards), which was pretty awesome. My brother's father-in-law has the necessary license(s) for, and owns many fully automatic guns. They live quite a long ways away, so I only was able to go out shooting with him once, but we burned up a lot of ammo!

Reading this thread (at least the last part of it) sure brings back memories of the never ending debates with the regular customers/friends about which gun/caliber was best, and why. Good times

Oh, while I really did like my Glock, I prefer 1911's. My next gun will be a Kimber Desert Warrior 1911. I really wish I would have kept the Single Action Army :cry:. it was not a "vintage" original...it was made in the early 90's, but it was a sweet gun.

 

[warbird]

Hi all,

I worked in a rather large, family owned sporting goods store (as in hunting, shooting sports) for over 7 years, and had extensive hands on experience with many different guns. I also had to quit eventually because I was using too much of my paycheck purchasing firearms (and archery equipment) :eusa_doh:lol. It's been quite a few years, but I've retained a good enough relationship that they still allow me to go behind the counter to check out the handguns in the glass case, which is cool.

I've owned at one time or another, a Glock Model 22, Colt Single Action Army, Colt Gold Cup 1911, as well as many other handguns. However, I was/am primarily a bolt action rifle man. I used to have many friends come over to shoot their guns since I had quite a gun range set up (up to 400 yards), which was pretty awesome. My brother's father-in-law has the necessary license(s) for, and owns many fully automatic guns. They live quite a long ways away, so I only was able to go out shooting with him once, but we burned up a lot of ammo!

Reading this thread (at least the last part of it) sure brings back memories of the never ending debates with the regular customers/friends about which gun/caliber was best, and why. Good times

Oh, while I really did like my Glock, I prefer 1911's. My next gun will be a Kimber Desert Warrior 1911. I really wish I would have kept the Single Action Army :cry:. it was not a "vintage" original...it was made in the early 90's, but it was a sweet gun.

There's endless stuff to debate, single v. double action, 9 v. 10 v 4 v 45... You should shoot what you like to shoot and what matches your needs and wants best. Just as long as you know what you need to know to get the most from your firearm.

The Colt SAA is a lot of fun. I have a pair of Ruger Bisley Vaqueros in .45, which I love. For me at least they have a more natural straight and level point when held in my hands. I modified mine to have a free spinning pawl so the cylinder can spin in either direction when the gate is open.

 

[Mustang]

This place is awesome!

I've gotta say, The Fedora Lounge is even better than I initially expected. The only things I expected to be able to discuss here were fedoras and WWII, which would have been fine...but there's so much more to it! My wife has now begun to call the FL, "my other family" lol . A not so subtle hint I'd better heed if I know what's good for me! :eusa_doh: Everything in moderation.

I like the Ruger Vaqueros as well, but I just plain loved the sound of that Colt while I cocked it. It was music to my ears.

 

[carebear]

Just remember that it is "The Fedora Lounge". Keep the gun posts within the board rules and context (vintage related, non-political) and within the relevent threads, not scattered hither and yon, and we will be good neighbors and avoid bothering the folks who don't care for them.

This is advice I constantly remind myself to heed.

 

[Diamondback]

"Vintage related"? Guess that DQ's all the "Tactical Tupperware". then... lol

 

[Rooster]

Hopped up colts aren't needed for every day carry. I figure if I ever have to use my carry gun it will be for ranges of 15' or less. In my experience it doesn't take much of a pistol to hit where it's pointed at that range. It's keeping your nerve in that situation that will keep you alive.

 

[Gatsby84]

I got a Springfield Armory "Loaded" a number of years back and it is a wonderful 1911. It is not as fabulous as my friends Kimber that was given all of the good work Kings Gunshop could do for it, but my 1911 ain't bad.

I'm not wanting to sound ignorant by saying all Springfield 1911's aren't accurate out of the box (aside from machining), so I won't, I'll just say that mine wasn't all too accurate on its own. I had to move the rear sight far to the left for it to be able to shoot where I was pointing the sights.

It shoots nice, but I like shooting a friends Kimber better, but the stiffness of the Springfield trigger pull beats that of Kimber, in my opinion.

-Allen

 

[Mustang]

"Vintage related"? Guess that DQ's all the "Tactical Tupperware". then... lol

lol lol "Tactical Tupperware" lol lol

 

[warbird]

Hopped up colts aren't needed for every day carry. I figure if I ever have to use my carry gun it will be for ranges of 15' or less. In my experience it doesn't take much of a pistol to hit where it's pointed at that range. It's keeping your nerve in that situation that will keep you alive.

Boy how right you are and that nerve I think primarily comes from training and instinct. Obviously that is after a resolve is decided by the person training. In the end I found personally you never know how you will react till or if that time comes.

I agree with your assessment of the kind of work needed to make a 1911 a combat piece. Many mods simply are not necessary. What is necessary is a proper fit, a loose but not too loose runner. My mods always have to do with reliability and smoothness of action or a durable finish and I like to get rid of hard edges. A lot of combat mods are simply a waste of money IMO. They are mostly for appearance.

To me the 1911 is the most aesthetically beautiful, if you can call a pistol that, auto loading pistol in the world. A hundred years later it still has great lines, is a great size and feels great in the hand. I will concede to the folks that don't like the big more so-called modern double stacks, the 1911 single feels better.