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What is it about the 1911?
Take, for instance, this Colt Lightweight Commander. Loaded with eight rounds of .45 ACP, it weighs 34.6 ounces. And it retails for $949. I don’t know how to put value on a fighting pistol with a virtually unmatched legacy like the 1911. And I love the single action and thumb safety. Subjective matters of opinion, perhaps. More objectively, other similar-sized guns carry twice as much ammo, weigh 25 percent less, and cost half as much.
But, what is it about the 1911?
Let’s figure this out together, okay?
While this is a new gun from the Colt factory, it’s been out to the range twice already. Few guns fit as well in my hand. And while this .45 pony kicks like, well, a young pony, I love shooting it. See the stocks? Custom Black Cherry Colt Logo G10. They’re excellent. Any haters yet?
I know modern self-defense ammo virtually equalizes the playing field when it comes to 9mm vs. .40 vs. .45 ACP — cue the flame war — but I really enjoy loading a 1911 magazine with the big .45 ACP rounds. As long as I commit to practicing regularly and can hit my target, I’m okay with carrying less than 15-17 rounds in one mag. Crazy?
One of the 1911’s best features is its width — or lack thereof. The thin slide is easy to holster inside the waistband (or out, for that matter), easy to manipulate, and the magazines are thin, too. Moreover, a reloading exercise becomes second nature in no time.
Few guns boast the availability of mature aftermarket parts like a 1911. Colt mags are excellent but the gun runs just as well with Wilson Combat mags. So, what makes a better gun — a stock gun from the factory needing nothing or a gun you can customize and accessorize and tune to your specifications?
Sights on target, safety off, finger on trigger. Here, the genius of the single action trigger stroke becomes clear. Just a slight squeeze and …
Ready for cleaning after a 100 or so rounds — and 100 percent reliable.
What is it about the 1911? Or, what isn’t the 1911?
— Mark Kakkuri
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