1911 love/hate

ha ha.. I watch his videos all the time..
He's a typical gun guy.. he likes what he likes and hates everything else.


I have my share of plastic guns.. but I prefer my 1911's.

There is something about actually shooting them. It's almost religious.
Yes they can be picky.. but quality 1911's are hard to beat.

Would I drive over one with my truck and then shoot it? I dunno.. but I'd watch a video of someone else doing it! lol

I'm Glock guy but I would not hesitate to use a 1911 in self defense. I like Yeager but I firmly disagree with him on that front, the Glock isn't the end all be all.

I just couldn't justify spending well over $1000 dollars on a custom 1911. I have heard good things about the Ruger sr1911 and its about $850.

After years of shooting just about everything on the shelf I still favor the 1911. It doesn't even have to be a $3,000 gun. Just about every reliable company has a 1911 in their line up giving a huge selection.

I've hesitated posting this video, but glad to see someone did.

Love my 1911, but if I'm actually being honest, every 1911 I've shot has had FTE/FTFs or some other problem within a few hundred rounds. I haven't had that with the Glock 21, M&P Shield 9, XDm9 or Sig P250.

I can't talk too much about guns I've only shot a tiny bit. People might not like it, but it's what I've observed -- and happens to match what Yeager is talking about.

I wonder how many people get beefed up about his opinion without watching the rest of the first one and his reasoning for the opinion? Oh, and there is a Part II to that video which is worthwhile to watch, if you can get past Part I.

1911s SUCK Part 2 - YouTube

Pete was pretty anti-1911 for many many years.. then he bought one..

Now I think he has 2 or 3?


I agree you have to "tune" a 1911. You don't tune a glock.. you just shoot it.
That said, there are MANY MANY factory guns that run flawlessly.. but I wouldn't get into a sub $700 gun (new) and not expect to spend some money to get it just right..

Might be true, Josh (about reliability from many manufacturers). But each time I shoot IDPA there is one group that invariably has problems -- the kids shooting 1911s. While I've only been shooting IDPA for a little while, I've seen it at every event I've been to.

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with training (or lack thereof)...

richardlpalmer said:

Might be true, Josh (about reliability from many manufacturers). But each time I shoot IDPA there is one group that invariably has problems -- the kids shooting 1911s. While I've only been shooting IDPA for a little while, I've seen it at every event I've been to.

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with training (or lack thereof)...

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OH damnit... now I want to go try one of the 1911's on a course.

sunofnun said:

OH damnit... now I want to go try one of the 1911's on a course.

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Let's do the next one in Renton!

(I mean, it's not like every stage anyone shooting a 1911 can't finish it or something -- but throughout the day when you see someone have to clear a jam, it's been one of them.)

Well I can't watch the video at the moment, (will later) but I'll just say he's full of it, and it should be love/love!

Yes there was a day when you could have either a very reliable but inaccurate 1911 (WWI era to about the 50s/60s) or a very accurate but finicky (50s/60s til 80s or so?) 1911, but not both. But those days are now long gone. Now you can have wicked accurate 1911s and they're as reliable as anything else out there, though may require a bit more maintenance.

I would absolutely trust either of my 1911s with my life. They always go BANG. And they're my most accurate pistols, and the easiest to shoot accurately with. They point well, soak up .45 recoil well (both mine are all steel Govt models) and just feel right in the hand.

richardlpalmer said:

I've hesitated posting this video, but glad to see someone did.

Love my 1911, but if I'm actually being honest, every 1911 I've shot has had FTE/FTFs or some other problem within a few hundred rounds. I haven't had that with the Glock 21, M&P Shield 9, XDm9 or Sig P250.

I can't talk too much about guns I've only shot a tiny bit. People might not like it, but it's what I've observed -- and happens to match what Yeager is talking about.

I wonder how many people get beefed up about his opinion without watching the rest of the first one and his reasoning for the opinion? Oh, and there is a Part II to that video which is worthwhile to watch, if you can get past Part I.

1911s SUCK Part 2 - YouTube

Click to expand...

Really? What brand/model? I have a Kimber and Springfield, neither have never so much as hiccuped once since day one, round one, that wasn't ammo related (reloads). And I've let them get dirty on purpose, I let the Springer get FILTHY just to see if would jam up. It slows down a little, and is harder to rack by hand, but never failed to go BANG.

That said, some models, and especially the shorter barreled (anything less than 5" govt) sometimes needs a break in of 100-500 rounds. Mine didn't, but I wouldn't have any qualms about a gun that need a few hundred rounds to break in but then was flawless afterwards. I never consider a gun good to go for carry/defense unless it has at least 100-200 rounds of carry ammo through it without a hiccup, plus any reg target ammo as well.

sunofnun said:

Pete was pretty anti-1911 for many many years.. then he bought one..

Now I think he has 2 or 3?


I agree you have to "tune" a 1911. You don't tune a glock.. you just shoot it.
That said, there are MANY MANY factory guns that run flawlessly.. but I wouldn't get into a sub $700 gun (new) and not expect to spend some money to get it just right..

Click to expand...

It wasn't 'anti-1911' so much as just not knowing what I was missing... as soon as I did, I rectified that situation right quick! They're definitely my favorite pistols now, and I want more in different sizes etc!

IMO the only 1911s that need 'tuning' are cheap ones, or super high end target models, and some short barreled models. Any good brand should be GTG from day one.

My commander I ran several thousand rounds through? Maybe 4000+

It runs crappy now.. I need to have it rebuilt, and tuned.


My kimber tactical TLE/RL has never functioned correctly (pete knows about that) it's maybe had 200rnds down the pipe I need to send it in to get it tweaked.. or have it tuned locally.. it's on the to do list.


My kimber grand raptor is money. It functions flawlessly with whatever ammo..



So.. I guess it's a mixed bag.

my springfield xd runs like a top from day 1.

richardlpalmer said:

Might be true, Josh (about reliability from many manufacturers). But each time I shoot IDPA there is one group that invariably has problems -- the kids shooting 1911s. While I've only been shooting IDPA for a little while, I've seen it at every event I've been to.

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with training (or lack thereof)...

Click to expand...

I'll go out on a limb here and guess those are highly modified race guns? They have light springs, shoot light loads etc, and it's a bit of a balancing act to get it right. Just ask Hawker some time, he went through that with his XDM 5.25 getting it dialed for competition. Keep it like John Moses Browning intended, and that just doesn't happen.

Also there are still elite military units that won't use anything but 1911s. My Springer was intended for that... when the Marines said they might want a new 1911, several manufacturers answered the call with a 1911 to be considered for the contract (which never ended up happening). The Loaded MC Operator was Springfield's entry in that race, built to USMC specs: all steel Govt model, light rail, night sights (Novak) and a rubber grip (Pachmayr) And of course it had to bang every time, and be accurate.

It looks like this:

sunofnun said:

My commander I ran several thousand rounds through? Maybe 4000+

It runs crappy now.. I need to have it rebuilt, and tuned.

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Dude... 4000? I think you're missing a zero (or two?) there... lol. I'm sure it just needs a little TLC from your dad and it will be fine again.

My kimber tactical TLE/RL has never functioned correctly (pete knows about that) it's maybe had 200rnds down the pipe I need to send it in to get it tweaked.. or have it tuned locally.. it's on the to do list.

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Yup short barrel version, and on the low end of the Kimber scale, FWIW.

My kimber grand raptor is money. It functions flawlessly with whatever ammo..



So.. I guess it's a mixed bag.

my springfield xd runs like a top from day 1.

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And my Kimber Eclipse has been flawless as well. :top:

GixxerPete said:

Dude... 4000? I think you're missing a zero (or two?) there... lol. I'm sure it just needs a little TLC from your dad and it will be fine again.

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oops.. yes I actually did.

I've owned that gun longer than I've had kids. I think i got it in 1994-5? My dad has always been a .45 guy.. we used to grab coffee cans full of reloads and go blow through a can each.. "competing" with each other..

GixxerPete said:

Really? What brand/model? I have a Kimber and Springfield, neither have never so much as hiccuped once since day one, round one, that wasn't ammo related (reloads). And I've let them get dirty on purpose, I let the Springer get FILTHY just to see if would jam up. It slows down a little, and is harder to rack by hand, but never failed to go BANG.

That said, some models, and especially the shorter barreled (anything less than 5" govt) sometimes needs a break in of 100-500 rounds. Mine didn't, but I wouldn't have any qualms about a gun that need a few hundred rounds to break in but then was flawless afterwards. I never consider a gun good to go for carry/defense unless it has at least 100-200 rounds of carry ammo through it without a hiccup, plus any reg target ammo as well.

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Ironically Kimber and Springfield (but other than one Kimber Pro, couldn't tell you which other models).

You may have hit the nail on the head though with ammo having been a problem for them, too. I've also seen problems due to limp wristing. And the shorter barrels also might be a problem. Or a break-in period (if needed).

GixxerPete said:

I'll go out on a limb here and guess those are highly modified race guns? They have light springs, shoot light loads etc, and it's a bit of a balancing act to get it right. Just ask Hawker some time, he went through that with his XDM 5.25 getting it dialed for competition. Keep it like John Moses Browning intended, and that just doesn't happen.

Also there are still elite military units that won't use anything but 1911s. My Springer was intended for that... when the Marines said they might want a new 1911, several manufacturers answered the call with a 1911 to be considered for the contract (which never ended up happening). The Loaded MC Operator was Springfield's entry in that race, built to USMC specs: all steel Govt model, light rail, night sights (Novak) and a rubber grip (Pachmayr) And of course it had to bang every time, and be accurate.

It looks like this:

Click to expand...

That's purty!

I think they're actually on the opposite end of the spectrum -- new, out of the box, guns -- and they're falling into the situation described by Yeager. The point being, one or some of the issues you brought up could be the cause. On top of that, if the build was poor then it simply compounds the problem.

The video is actually quite good if you can get past any "button" on being told what you like, sucks. Took me two attempts at watching it to finally get to the part where he explains it.

I have a early production(sub 1000 serial#) S&W 1911 that has 3K+ through it and it has been flawless. My Springer Mil Spec that I've only had for a couple of years and haven't shot it much(maybe 4/500 rds) hasn't had any hiccups either.

oH HELLLLLL NO you did not bring Fing james yXXger into this house!!! you assholes had to go there and I done lost 2 frickin hours on youtube listening to to and about this guy.........**** me

I have a few 1911's, all full size and I don't claim to be an expert, but I do run a lot of guys through quals with 1911 duty guns. Stock colts always seem to run well. Shorter models always seem to have issues.

I'd like a 9mm EMP though. Cool little gun.