Is the 1911 the best handgun ever made?

Question

Think of all the major designs. The 1911 has lasted the longest, in the greatest numbers, and is used by all of the most elite American military units and competitive shooters.

Is it really the greatest handgun design of all time?

I know someone is going to argue for Glock...but really. Try putting 3 shots on paper fast with a Glock 21, then try it with a good Kimber or any 1911 of your choice. That's really what it's all about, isn't it?

Answer 1

No, the Browning Hi-Power P35 is.

John Browning himself recognised all the problems with his 1911 design, and fixed them in his last pistol design before he died.

FN took the design, tweaked it and made the most influential, most adopted, most successful and most copied pistol design ever in the Hi-Power.

Answer 2

I'm a certified gunsmith it's what I do for a living. The 1911 was the best for a long time, the Browning Hi- Power are basic modifications that upgraded the 1911 a little more modern how not much. The 1911 as well as the Hi Power, a lot of CZ pistols ( not all CZ ) use a bump feed feeding system. During feeding the breach takes the round from the magazine and shoves it at about a 31 to 35 shoving up the feed ramp until the round hits the top of the chamber bouncing flat as the breech holds it into the chamber. This why hollow point ammunition has plagued both the 1911, Hi Power and some older CZ's. They tend to snag. Most people think polishing a feed ramp and blending the chamber will fix this. Maybe, depending on the quality of gun and who's doing the work. Plumber gunsmith's may even get to work for a few hundred rds. FAST FORWARD to modern day. Glock H&K ( USP, P3000 ) and Sig Sauer all use a a BREECH LOCKED straight feed which has allowed each pistol to fire 25K+ rds w/ no jam

Answer 3

Many, many people will tell you "YES." The design is good, but THE best? I'm not so sure about that. I like John Browning's other warhorse, the 1935 Browning Hi-Power better. Less safeties and more ammo, albeit, a smaller round.

Both the 1911 design and the .45 acp itself are early last Century technology, good but dated. I had an old uncle who swore by the 1911 .45 and was pushing eighty when the Glock 17 made its début Stateside. Although he never got to shoot one, he was in awe of its ammo capacity.

I am a Glock man myself as far as service weapons are concerned. They are hard to beat as they do well in the weather, are rugged as all get out, they are accurate, dependable, high capacity and available in a multitude of calibers (the .10mm & .357 Sig being my personal favorites). They are double action (or 'safe' action) and the same on every shot and the polymer frame absorbs a lot of the recoil. The H & K USP is also a great model as is the newer FN 5.7mm pistol. I'm not crazy about the Sig, but it is a good weapon and the Ruger P-89 line is also a good warhorse.

Some people are just so enamored of the old .45 that they can't see that other good guns exist. I'm not putting the old warhorse down, I would not feel under-amed if all I had was a 1911 .45, it is just not my first choice and would actually prefer the 1911 in the .38 Super caliber. It is others who have elevated the 1911 to a super legendary status. It won't stop a speeding freight train but then, what handgun will? I am just pointing out that the design and caliber are... Dated. I also like the .38-40, but the .357 Magnum is more modern and a better stopper. As a field gun the old S & W Model 28 (Highway Patrol model) .357 Mag. is hard to beat.

Best.

H

Answer 4

I don't know about the 1911 being the greatest handgun ever made. I think the 1873 Colt SAA holds that distinction, but I don't think there is any argument that the 1911 is the most successful handgun design ever made.

Answer 5

It certainly is not. CZ-75 and it's variants now hold that title. Then it's the Beretta, Xd, then Glock. 1911 comes no where close. A Glock is better than a 1911 by leaps and bounds. I will take your Glock 21 challenge vs the limber or good 1911 and I will win with lots of ammo to spare.

Answer 6

No. The Browning Hi Power is better ( sorry I'm a P35 fan). For those who should know better, Dieudonne Saive actually deserves credit for the its design as John B. died in 1926. The P35 is better in a (Enginering persons eyes) in that it does the same job, with fewer parts. It eliminates the link,pin, & Removable bushing of the 1911. It deletes the uneeded Grip safety. It's slimmer, Fits smaller hands better yet has the first hi capacity mag. It also needs less add ons & smithing to make it "work." Notice that 1911's have a whole industry to make it do what it should from the box? Also most other pistol designs since have used the tilting barrel & mag of the hi-power as their basis. Not the 1911.....

1911 is great. The p-35 fixes it's faults.
The Glock? One could make a arugement for it. It has merits in it's favor.

Answer 7

I own a Kimber Ultra Carry 2 and Two Glocks. I carry the Kimber more often and love shooting the Kimber. The only disadvantage is the 1911 is way more difficult to take apart and clean than the Glock.

Answer 8

Probably not. The Browning High Power was John Browning's improvement on his own gun - the 1911. I've always found the HP to be more fun to shoot than the 1911, and I know there's difference in calibers, but I've got lots of experience with cartridges more powerful than the 45 ACP so it really boils down to design. I think the Sig would rival either the 1911 or the HP for the better all around gun.

Answer 9

People who shoot a lot shoot the 1911. or a variant.
Kimber, Browning HP. if you are a hard core 1911 person nothing anyone says will sway you away from that choice.

the 1911 was a watershed weapon. It's hard to come up with a design as well crafted as it is.

I am not a fan of the 45ACP cartridge. I think for killing paper it is a waste of lead. Now if I want to knock down a hog or a cat, I take it with me to the back country.
I shot a box of 45 ACP once a year. then clean it. Other wise I shoot my Smith MP9C. If I go to the back country the 45 goes along. The 9 stays home.

Answer 10

If the 1911 was originally designed with a high capacity double column magazine then yea it would be the best ..... and yea u know Glock freaks will be on here blowing there horn ...... kids that buy guns because they heard about it in a song or movie. I love my p14 I got the classic style and accuracy of the 1911 but the high 14 round capacity of the new age guns ..... Now I think that is the best design of all time evan know it's a Canadian gun ..... wait a sec so was John Garand ( designer of he famed M1 Garand) so I guess they got a knack for it. .... P.S Ive had a Browning HP all I got out of it was a bunch of jams ..... I don't know might of been me... but I never had that problem with my P14 funny.
We are forgeting some old timers here like the Schofield.

Answer 11

I don't think so.

I prefer the Colt Model P, aka Single-Action Army Revolver. It is chambered for an wide assortment of fine defensive cartridges, and in the hands of a trained man, it is faster on the first shot than any automatic, and in the hands of a highly skilled shooter, like Bob Munden, it can shoot faster than a semi-automatic is capable.

Now if hunting is on the agenda, I'll have to bow to the Ruger Super Blackhawk, I sure like that .44 RemMag. The Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk have all the advantages of the Model P with a few extra strong points. For one, it is incredibly strong, you have to work at it to blow up a Super Blackhawk.

I'm also very fond of Smith and Wesson J-Frame and L-Frame revolvers, the small and medium-large frame. Both are chambered in .357 Magnum and are some of the finest packing pistols ever made.

The revolvers all have one advantage over the M-1911. they don't require magazines that can take a set and turn you pistol into a single-shot. Revolvers will also shoot anything that will fit in the cylinder, regardless of bullet shape, or strength of powder charge. The same cannot be said for semi-automatics.

Doc Hudson