Can someone explain to me.....

[bruce21b]

why are 1911's so much more damn EXPENSIVE than other handguns??????

in a couple months ill be getting some stock options at work and would like to buy a nice 1911 like a wilson combat or night hawk, or a Springfield TRP (ohhh yeah)....but jeezzz....looking at the price on these guns i may have to save up a while longer.....and i thought my Sig P-226 was expensive

[SVThuh]

For the most part, most of the ones that you find on the market are made by specialty shops such as Kimber, Dan Wesson, Etc. that specialize in the 1911 market. You can find some that are fairly inexpensive such as Springfield Arms G.I. or Rock Island Armory. But then again, the more options you add, for example with the Springfield, it becomes more expensive due to the intricate machining that is performed. Polishing the throat, better triggers, etc.

The Taurus is proof though that not all 1911's that are fairly option rich have to be expensive though. The PT1911 is a great 1911 for half the price of its distant Kimber cousins and just as good in many aspects.

[jtkratzer]

Getting a good requires precise fitting of parts. Getting something like a Wilson Combat is hand built, it's not a production gun. They're also tested for accuracy with at least 25 rounds of ammo. You are truly getting a piece of art that will work for a very long time. Getting a good 1911 is something your kids' kids' won't be able to wear out if properly cared for.

[bruce21b]

that makes sense........

another question.....

do most of you who have 1911's that keep a round loaded in the chamber, do you keep the hammer "cocked"??? or is it even possible to lower the hammer with one in the pipe?? I just wonder how safe it is to keep the 1911 cocked for an extended period....

note: im very new to 1911's so please forgive a dumb question....

[Frostyeyes]

YES 1 in the pipe with hammer cocked and safety on, been doin it that way for 30 + years and it hasnt gone off yet.

[Harris]

Why are they expensive? Because they're worth it.

Cocked and locked is the way these guns were designed to be carried. The pistol suffers no ill effects from remaining in this condition indefinitely.

Depending upon the specific design (i.e. whether there is a firing pin block or not) these guns range from as safe as any other modern firearm to safer than many designs. Take a cocked and locked series 80 (or 90) Colt for example: to fire, several things must occur. The grip safety must be depressed. The manual safety must be moved to the disengaged position (this requires a fairly positive spring pressure to be overcome). The trigger must be pulled, since nothing else will move the lever, that pushes the plunger out of the way of the specially machined firing pin, thus allowing the firing pin clearance to move forward. Finally, the hammer must strike the firing pin with sufficient force to overcome resistance of the spring, and travel forward striking the primer (the firing pin is shorter than the cavity for it in the slide, so it requires inertia to move far enough forward). Elimination of any one of these factors will result in the gun not firing.

This means the pistol can not and will not fire from being dropped, or shaken. It will only fire with human intervention.

A series 70 Colt and the 1911's that preceded that, did not have the firing pin block. Therefore if the pistol were dropped in a manner that either damaged the sear, letting the hammer fall; or barrel down with sufficient force to generate the necessary inertia; the gun could discharge. It seams to me I read this would require a perfect barrel down strike on a solid surface from a height of 22 feet, but I don't know where I heard that. It's hard to imagine a drop landing on the hammer hard enough to cause disengagement from the sear. However, the firing pin block eliminates even this remote possibility.

Harris

[jtkratzer]

Originally Posted by bruce21b

that makes sense........

another question.....

do most of you who have 1911's that keep a round loaded in the chamber, do you keep the hammer "cocked"??? or is it even possible to lower the hammer with one in the pipe?? I just wonder how safe it is to keep the 1911 cocked for an extended period....

note: im very new to 1911's so please forgive a dumb question....

Locked and cocked...round in the chamber, hammer cocked, safety on. I carry it that way when I carry it. Right now it's in its case with 4 loaded mags, but nothing in the gun at all. I have my XD45 loaded up right now.

[SVThuh]

Originally Posted by Frostyeyes

YES 1 in the pipe with hammer cocked and safety on, been doin it that way for 30 + years and it hasnt gone off yet.

+1 It is safe to keep the hammer back and the safety on with one in the pipe. If your not comfortable with that, and you dont want to have to fully cock it from the de-cocked position, most models have a "half-cock" feature that doesnt allow the hammer to fully drop when you hit the slide release. To me, its pointless to keep it like this, since you still have to pull the hammer back before you can fire, but it might fit the bill for you.

Personally, I would keep it loaded +1 cocked and locked.

[bruce21b]

thanks everyone for your replies........

[bigun]

Originally Posted by SVThuh

For the most part, most of the ones that you find on the market are made by specialty shops such as Kimber, Dan Wesson, Etc. that specialize in the 1911 market. You can find some that are fairly inexpensive such as Springfield Arms G.I. or Rock Island Armory. But then again, the more options you add, for example with the Springfield, it becomes more expensive due to the intricate machining that is performed. Polishing the throat, better triggers, etc.

The Taurus is proof though that not all 1911's that are fairly option rich have to be expensive though. The PT1911 is a great 1911 for half the price of its distant Kimber cousins and just as good in many aspects.

Unfortunately they dropped the ball on some of their small parts. But all of the 1911 makers have had their problems. If you are looking for a good gun that a few good parts make a great gun the Taurus is a hell of a deal. I prefer the finished feel of a Kimber but even they can use a upgrade on some of their components. Springfields are also great guns but lack the fit and finish of the Kimber untill you get to the TRP and they cost more than all but the Custom shop Kimbers.