Why is a $3K 1911 better than a $389 Glock 19?

[tensxd40]

I don't have a glock, hope you don't mind my 2 cents, but when I want to shoot my .40 I use my XD. When I want to shoot my .45 I use my new Ruger sr1911, and when I want to shoot my .357 I shoot my Blackhawk. I personally can't see paying that much money for a gun when one could be had for cheaper that shoots just as well. I believe it is a matter of preference. You will have your hardcore Glockers, 1911 owners and other owners of different gun manufactures that will tell you there's is the best no matter what. As for me, I absolutely love my XD, but after shooting my 1911 last night(first time), it will be my new favorite, wow what accuracy. Love my cowboy gun to. JMO

 

[jdindadell]

As a LEO you should know that a 1911 would handle nailing up wanted posters better than something made out of plastic.

Damn.... as a 1911 owner I should be ashamed of myself.

The tennifer process produces a very hard surface finish on the slide of a glock. Much harder than the carbon/stainless steel of a 1911. On either gun you would have to use the slide to knock a nail in. If you use the butt of the grip you would be either beating on a thin metal baseplate of the 1911, or a plastic baseplate of the glock. And most old 1911s have a lanyard loop on the bottom of the msh. So trhe glock would be better to knock a nail in, plus the top of the "ugly" slide is flat, and a 1911 is curved. The plastic glock sight might cause issues, but who really uses the sights anyways.

And the glock has enough drop safety built into the design that you could hammer with it chambered. I would not do that with a 1911.

 

[jdindadell]

People like 1911's because it makes them think they can shoot. At least that's why I liked mine. It took me a lot more rounds to accurately shoot a 19 than a Kimber and I'm still not there.

I think they make fun toys but the only person I know who carried one seriously, themcfarland, switched to a P30 and I don't think he's going back.

Must be me, but I have never had accuracy issues with the 2 dozen or so glocks I have owned and shot. I will say that I did not care for the 10mm g20 with 135g super zingers, but I should have tried all the rest of 10mm's ammo offerings before I sold the gun, my bad.

I have more trigger time with a glock than a 1911. I have recently shot alot more 45 than 9. I have a few metal frame guns in the caliber, a 4506 smith (heaviest), a pair of p220 sigs (lightest) and a handful of 1911s (in the middle weight-wise). I shoot the smith best, the p220 comes in very close as second (best controls, of the 3) and the 1911s are very close behind the p220. All shot single action, I like the sig and smith da carry option with saftey off(smith)/no safety(sig). Needless to say I would have no issues using any to defend myself.

I never found the trigger to help with anything. But I will stand by my belief that hand/arm strength is #1 problem most people have when shooting. I have watched alot of people (men, women, other) shoot and the ones with the nutcracker/deathgrip handshakes do alot better than the limp fishers...

Having a solid platform to launch bullets does not stop on the gun side of the grips. You have to do your part as well. Maybe that is where the single action trigger on the 1911 helps mask issues?

As for the 3k 1911 being better? Well, depending on what the smith did for 3k, the gun may be very accurate or have some other standout feature that makes it really great for a specific application. So it will be better in that respect compared to a stock 19. As far as being an all around defensive weapon I think we can all agree that the 19 is the winner, as long as you factor build quality, practical accuracy, capacity, and price.

 

[JWG223]

I think an appropriate analogy goes something like this; Why would you choose a HOTT, high maintenance, 36-24-36 WOMAN when a 5'2", 202 lb, 42-38-52,will do the same thing (maybe even better). The reason I own mine (over 40 of them, 1911s not women...LOL) is just that. STYLE!!! That and I don't like the sound "SPROINGGG". I have seen WAYYY too many Tupperware guns in duty to argue their reliability,etc. When was the last time someone asked you to fondle your G19. When I carry a high-end 1911 to a gun show, etc I CONSTANTLY get asked to see it. I am not planning on getting into a gunfight where I will need more than the 8 that I carry and HONESTLY most people aren't mentally able to stay in a gunfight that long (but that was a previous thread). And to those who argue the 9MM vs .45 capabilites, you can keep your Ammo Manufacturer's hype in your nightstand for your second and third shots, I will rely on my first hand knowledge on the stopping power of a single .45 bullet.

. http://m.policemag.com/article/2236/shots-fired-skokie-illinois-08-25-2008
So much for the "stopping power of a single .45."
I prefer to be able to deliver rapid, accurate, successive shots to a target. Handguns fire **** weak munitions compared to rifles. They all suck, comparatively. I want to sling more suck rather than less, and 9mm doesn't do anything much different than .45, but it is quicker to shoot accurately and holds more.

By the way, Tim now carries a g17. He was using 230gr gold dots during that ois.

 

[doc ace]

. http://m.policemag.com/article/2236/shots-fired-skokie-illinois-08-25-2008
So much for the "stopping power of a single .45."
I prefer to be able to deliver rapid, accurate, successive shots to a target. Handguns fire **** weak munitions compared to rifles. They all suck, comparatively. I want to sling more suck rather than less, and 9mm doesn't do anything much different than .45, but it is quicker to shoot accurately and holds more.

14 of the 17 rounds he hit him with, and he continued to attack him...

Shot placement folks! Surprisingly, the criminal quit coming after the three final shots to the cranium.

Although a .45, it was still a Glock, and although I didn't read anywhere about nearby witnesses commenting on how ugly and black his pistol was, and why he wasn't sporting a high maintenance slick 1911; I did notice the Glock failed to misfire once on the two way range. Intense read.

 

[JWG223]

14 of the 17 rounds he hit him with, and he continued to attack him...

Shot placement folks! Surprisingly, the criminal quit coming after the three final shots to the cranium.

Although a .45, it was still a Glock, and although I didn't read anywhere about nearby witnesses commenting on how ugly and black his pistol was, and why he wasn't sporting a high maintenance slick 1911; I did notice the Glock failed to misfire once on the two way range. Intense read.

Great AAR.
He now carries a glock 17 and doesn't feel like 9mm or .45 matter nearly as much as his ability to rapidly and accurately engage.

 

[BIGGREEN]

Three shots to the head! I call BS! Maybe one to the ear and a graze across his nose. The article only accounted for 7 of 30 shots. More than likely one to an extremity here and there. I would like to see the local newspaper's account of the incident. Like I insinuated, twist and contort stats however you want. The police mag wouldn't want to male the cop look bad. Like the ones who fired 100+ rounds into a pickup in California, thinking that the two old ladies were the "rouge " ex-cop they were loooking for. I am sure if we look hard enough we can find several article on single-shot .45 kills versus 9mm. This is a "highly trained" professional and he managed a barrage of missed shots and a couple of effective ones. Just imagine a bad guy in a regular citizen's house. Do you have what it takes to hold your aim? Your caliber doesn't matter if you cant hit the target. This has been brought up before and was just as long and drawn out as this thread. Not to mention off course.

 

[Jack]

I'm just going to say this plainly, you don't know what you are talking about.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Three shots to the head! I call BS! Maybe one to the ear and a graze across his nose. The article only accounted for 7 of 30 shots. More than likely one to an extremity here and there. I would like to see the local newspaper's account of the incident. Like I insinuated, twist and contort stats however you want. The police mag wouldn't want to male the cop look bad. Like the ones who fired 100+ rounds into a pickup in California, thinking that the two old ladies were the "rouge " ex-cop they were loooking for. I am sure if we look hard enough we can find several article on single-shot .45 kills versus 9mm. This is a "highly trained" professional and he managed a barrage of missed shots and a couple of effective ones. Just imagine a bad guy in a regular citizen's house. Do you have what it takes to hold your aim? Your caliber doesn't matter if you cant hit the target. This has been brought up before and was just as long and drawn out as this thread. Not to mention off course.

You don't know what your talking about.

 

[Hitman]

Hate to answer a question with a question sort of, but I’m interested in the root here.

Who, of sufficient knowledge and authority, said that 3K$ 1911's are better than a G19's?

 

[JNieman]

Look, I guess it'll have to be me that addresses the elephant in the room.




Why not get a $3,000 Glock?

Also:

Three shots to the head! I call BS! Maybe one to the ear and a graze across his nose. The article only accounted for 7 of 30 shots. More than likely one to an extremity here and there. I would like to see the local newspaper's account of the incident. Like I insinuated, twist and contort stats however you want. The police mag wouldn't want to male the cop look bad. Like the ones who fired 100+ rounds into a pickup in California, thinking that the two old ladies were the "rouge " ex-cop they were loooking for. I am sure if we look hard enough we can find several article on single-shot .45 kills versus 9mm. This is a "highly trained" professional and he managed a barrage of missed shots and a couple of effective ones. Just imagine a bad guy in a regular citizen's house. Do you have what it takes to hold your aim? Your caliber doesn't matter if you cant hit the target. This has been brought up before and was just as long and drawn out as this thread. Not to mention off course.

You don't know what you're talking about.

 

[madwabbit]

why drive a $60,000 '67 muscle car instead of a $25,000 2013? It's not as safe, as reliable, or as modern. But damn its just good lookin and theres a heritage there that you can't replace. From a collector's point of view, glocks are a nickel a dozen.

Staying as firmly planted into OP's question as possible, thats why. I dont think anyones advocating that a 1911 on its own merit is a better edc than a glock. If they are, its their preference. I know good ol boys that will take you to church at 100yards with a 1911. I know guys with glocks that I could kill with a spork before they'd ever land a shot. If we leave out the merit of the shooter, the guns in their own right are very different machines and the only person with a clear statistical argument is a collector.

 

[madwabbit]

Oh, and

Three shots to the head! I call BS! Maybe one to the ear and a graze across his nose. The article only accounted for 7 of 30 shots. More than likely one to an extremity here and there. I would like to see the local newspaper's account of the incident. Like I insinuated, twist and contort stats however you want. The police mag wouldn't want to male the cop look bad. Like the ones who fired 100+ rounds into a pickup in California, thinking that the two old ladies were the "rouge " ex-cop they were loooking for. I am sure if we look hard enough we can find several article on single-shot .45 kills versus 9mm. This is a "highly trained" professional and he managed a barrage of missed shots and a couple of effective ones. Just imagine a bad guy in a regular citizen's house. Do you have what it takes to hold your aim? Your caliber doesn't matter if you cant hit the target. This has been brought up before and was just as long and drawn out as this thread. Not to mention off course.

you dont know what you're talking about

 

[JNieman]

You know what we need?

More analogies.

Maybe comparing them to silverware, or the choice in oil filters on your air compressor. The one comparing guns to women was good, but I think we can get even more irrelevant if we try.

 

[Jack]

I know guys with glocks that I could kill with a spork before they'd ever land a shot.

Who knew the dos Equis guy played WoW and gave bad legal advice!!?!

 

[madwabbit]

Who knew the dos Equis guy played WoW and gave bad legal advice!!?!

its what you do in law school during free time. You know, chasing something higher than a GED. Laugh at my pre-grad hobbies all you like, at least im not scamming the public with selling "pre-ban" dicks rifles for 2500.00 to guys who don't know better. I'm a geek with a degree from a prestigious university. You're a slimeball taking advantage of bad politics. cheers.

I don't always laugh at trolls on the internet
but when I do
Its Jack-offs on bayoushooter.

 

[chad]

You know what we need?

More analogies.

Maybe comparing them to silverware, or the choice in oil filters on your air compressor. The one comparing guns to women was good, but I think we can get even more irrelevant if we try.

Good idea. A Glock is a Timex and a 1911 is a Rolex.

 

[madwabbit]

Good idea. A Glock is a Timex and a 1911 is a Rolex.

1911 vs Glock Analogy thread. GO

 

[Jack]

its what you do in law school during free time. You know, chasing something higher than a GED. Laugh at my pre-grad hobbies all you like, at least im not scamming the public with selling "pre-ban" dicks rifles for 2500.00 to guys who don't know better. I'm a geek with a degree from a prestigious university. You're a slimeball taking advantage of bad politics. cheers.

I don't always laugh at trolls on the internet
but when I do
Its Jack-offs on bayoushooter.

Quite frankly, I don't believe you. If you do have a legal degree I would expect you to know something about the law.

 

[JR1572]

Hate to answer a question with a question sort of, but I’m interested in the root here.

Who, of sufficient knowledge and authority, said that 3K$ 1911's are better than a G19's?

I've read it on the Internet and heard it in person for years.

I asked the question here in an attempt to have a civilized and adult conversation with people and try to see if anyone could give me some insight into this.

However, all I've gotten are opinions about how good a 1911 feels and a pile of real cheesy analogies.

As far as sufficient knowledge and authority, if you know someone on this board who is that person regarding $3K 1911's, point them in the direction of this thread.

I'm sold on the fact that the $3K 1911 is not a better defensive pistol than a Glock 19.

JR1572