Jason Burton-Why I choose to carry a full size 1911

[samuse]

@Gary1911A1

A hard fit barrel and other parts do tend to make the 1911 more durable and better able to hold accuracy over a longer period of time than pistols that just feel tight where the barrel is fitted up at high points. Bill Wilson has argued a tighter 1911 is also more reliable as it does the same thing every time it’s fired. This of course means a not to tight fit like a Baer.

I’ve been saying the same thing for years. I can’t stand a Baer gun, but his 5" 45s are usually dead nuts reliable. I even extensively sand tested one that punked a Glock 21 back in 2008 or 9. Quite an eye opener.

[The_War_Wagon]

@samuse

The weight kills it for me. That heavy sucker dragging my pants down all day long was a royal PITA.

I had to buy a REAL belt and holster, but after that, it’s been a snap. Carried a S&W 1006 from 1991-2003; the 1911 is smaller & seems lighter to me.

[Gary1911A1]

I think a Commander or a 4" 1911 makes a difference in comfort if you wear your pants low on your hips and the muzzle tends to poke into chairs when your seated. Otherwise a full size Gov’t 1911 Colt with a lightweight alloy frame will carry about as comfortable. I’m surprised these models aren’t more popular with people who mind the heavier weight of a full size steel 1911. As for bobtail so I guess I’ve shoot 1911s’ for to long and just don’t like the feel of them. A genial rounding of the butt like Wilson does is all that is needed to keep the grip pointing out through your outer garment. To borrow a little from Col. Cooper I think a Bobtail is an answer in search of a problem.

[attrapereves]

@Gary1911A1

I think a Commander or a 4" 1911 makes a difference in comfort if you wear your pants low on your hips and the muzzle tends to poke into chairs when your seated. Otherwise a full size Gov’t 1911 Colt with a lightweight alloy frame will carry about as comfortable. I’m surprised these models aren’t more popular with people who mind the heavier weight of a full size steel 1911. As for bobtail so I guess I’ve shoot 1911s’ for to long and just don’t like the feel of them. A genial rounding of the butt like Wilson does is all that is needed to keep the grip pointing out through your outer garment. To borrow a little from Col. Cooper I think a Bobtail is an answer in search of a problem.

Thats the problem I have with full size 1911s! I wear my pants below the waistline and the muzzle always pokes the seat. I’ve been contemplating buying a Colt 1991 commander for carry.

[Gary1911A1]

@attrapereves

Thats the problem I have with full size 1911s! I wear my pants below the waistline and the muzzle always pokes the seat. I’ve been contemplating buying a Colt 1991 commander for carry.

Another possible solution to this problem is to try a holster with more of an angle if your current holster is more straight up and down. The more the angle, the shorter the overall length on your side. You can get away with more angle the further back on your side you go. I like about 3:30 or so myself. I don’t go beyond a 15 degree angle myself, but everyone is a little different.

[samuse]

I carried a Colt LW Gov’t for about a year. Excellent pistol. Hard to carry a 5" appendix though.

That’s why I ultimately went back to a P2000 and a Glock 19.

[BigJoe]

I don’t have 1 carry gun, i tend to rotate a HK45c, g19, S&W 38 but i will say 60-70 percent of the time i’m carrying either my rogers 1911 or mars thug.

[samuse]

@The_War_Wagon

I had to buy a REAL belt and holster, but after that, it’s been a snap. Carried a S&W 1006 from 1991-2003; the 1911 is smaller & seems lighter to me.

You hear that a lot but a belt does not defy gravity.

I carry in a Raven or JM kydex OWB with an 1 1/2" or 1 3/4" Wilderness belt with the internal stiffener. It’s the stiffest belt I’ve found and a Glock 19 is still very much noticeably lighter than a 1911, especially after a long day on your feet, and especially if you’ve doing any amount of running.

[Striker]

@Gary1911A1

I think a Commander or a 4" 1911 makes a difference in comfort if you wear your pants low on your hips and the muzzle tends to poke into chairs when your seated. Otherwise a full size Gov’t 1911 Colt with a lightweight alloy frame will carry about as comfortable. I’m surprised these models aren’t more popular with people who mind the heavier weight of a full size steel 1911. As for bobtail so I guess I’ve shoot 1911s’ for to long and just don’t like the feel of them. A genial rounding of the butt like Wilson does is all that is needed to keep the grip pointing out through your outer garment. To borrow a little from Col. Cooper I think a Bobtail is an answer in search of a problem.

Yeah, I’m a little surprised as well. I’ve been considering a Springfield Lightweight Champion lately and searched for some comprehensive reviews but had a hard time finding any. I figured a 4", lightweight 1911 would be fairly popular, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

And I also like the round butt treatment that Wilson does. Unfortunately their pistols are way out of my price range or actually even beyond what I want to spend, so it’s not an option.

[maximus83]

@markm

Yep. I CC’d the 1911 full size for years too. A lighter, better capacity, and more reliable pistol eventually made sense… even with my thick skull.

Yep me too. Don’t love the 1911 any less, still 2 customs in my safe but I don’t carry it anymore.

[MountainRaven]

@samuse

You hear that a lot but a belt does not defy gravity.

I carry in a Raven or JM kydex OWB with an 1 1/2" or 1 3/4" Wilderness belt with the internal stiffener. It’s the stiffest belt I’ve found and a Glock 19 is still very much noticeably lighter than a 1911, especially after a long day on your feet, and especially if you’ve doing any amount of running.

Have you tried an Ares?

My Ares Ranger and Aegis Enhanced make my Wilderness belts look like the sort of flimsy nylon belts you might buy at REI purely for holding your pants up.

[jpmuscle]

@Fjallhrafn

Have you tried an Ares?

My Ares Ranger and Aegis Enhanced make my Wilderness belts look like the sort of flimsy nylon belts you might buy at REI purely for holding your pants up.

A wilderness with or without the internal stiffener?

[Firefly]

Perhaps not CCW but I have carried my Kimber a bit over the years. It does okay. Feeds Gold Dots which is most important. I’d always lube it before sauntering out my door.
If I simply knew I were going to get into a bitter shooting that day, I’d probably opt for a Glock or HK for no other reason than capacity. But casual carry the 1911 not so bad.

I agree that sometimes you do pay more for a guarantee. I just don’t see myself investing in a super grade 1911 at this point. Not saying I wouldn’t, just not right now.

The one thing about a 1911, for me, that keeps it viable is ergonomics. People elevate it to a mythical stature but all else being equal; I feel better point and contact shooting with a single stack handgun

[samuse]

@jpmuscle

A wilderness with or without the internal stiffener?

Definitely without the stiffener.

A Wilderness with the CSM is borderline too stiff. Quite a PITA to get it through a Raven holster.

[jpmuscle]

@samuse

Definitely without the stiffener.

A Wilderness with the CSM is borderline too stiff. Quite a PITA to get it through a Raven holster.

10-4… I asked because I love the few wilderness + CSM belts I’ve had over the years. After a couple months they wear in nicely. If the Ares belt was stiffer I was considering giving it a go. Just wish it came in 1.75".

[jonbondave]

I’ve bought some 10-8 parts over the years. My glock 17 wears some 10-8 sights with a brass bead. That’s the gun I carry the most anymore. Probably 95% of the time. I carried a 5 inch 1911 for the first 6 years I carried anything exclusively. Nothing wrong with it, if you carry IWB it can’t be beat IMHO. if you carry OWB then glock beats it.

[R0CKETMAN]

@WillBrink

We all know a good 1911 is a special and magic piece of steel. It’s art and function and gives warm and fuzzies as no handgun can, but it’s day as the preeminent combat handgun has seemingly past. When people such as Hilton Yam, who was a top tier 1911 smith and expert on all things 1911, came to that conclusion, it’s time to re consider. That’s not even the tip of the iceberg of teams and people who were die hard 1911 shooters who came to that same conclusion.

Hilton stopped shooting the 1911 due to physical reasons. I wouldn’t consider him a “top tier” smith either. However, one of the most knowledgeable on the 1911 as evidenced by his writings on MSW and the old 10-8 forum. Aside from his personal use, he has stated it’s not for most. This of course echos sentiments from LAV and other.

@Koshinn

I find it hard to take what’s supposedly an objective article seriously when it’s on the page of a company that sells a whole lot of the product that the article is pushing.

JB would have written the same thing on a paper napkin.

@Greg Bell

Does Hilton even work on 1911s anymore?

nope

@Gary1911A1

A hard fit barrel and other parts do tend to make the 1911 more durable and better able to hold accuracy over a longer period of time than pistols that just feel tight where the barrel is fitted up at high points. Bill Wilson has argued a tighter 1911 is also more reliable as it does the same thing every time it’s fired. This of course means a not to tight fit like a Baer.

I’ve never heard nor read of Bill Wilson making that argument. His 1911’s are far from tight in terms of the bbl/bushing fitment…

As for 1911 as EDC, I carry my Wilson, SA Pro, and Rogers on occasion. I find IWB in a MS SS to be just fine. However, when adding the weight of two weak side mags the “kit” does get a bit cumbersome.

In the end it’s a 19

[RVTMaverick]

@samuse

Definitely without the stiffener.

A Wilderness with the CSM is borderline too stiff. Quite a PITA to get it through a Raven holster.

Hey Sam,…

Since this thread started, you and I talked for a second about this too, I told you about Bull Hide belts vs the brand “Wilderness” you inspired me to look at… Thank You too by the way.

But:
I’m alittle confused now, in your reply #68 you said “With the internal stiffener” and your reply here to jp… you are saying “Definitely without”… did I miss a question in between or maybe I misread a question…?

Peace Jeff

[Ironbutt]

@RVTMaverick

But:
I’m alittle confused now, in your reply #68 you said “With the internal stiffener” and your reply here to jp… you are saying “Definitely without”… did I miss a question in between or maybe I misread a question…?

Peace Jeff

Not Sam, but WT used to have a Three Stitch, a Five Stitch (a bit stiffer), then one with a polymer insert, which is pretty rigid. I have two 5 Stitches that I’ve been wearing daily for about 6-7 years now & I see no need for a stiffer belt. Hope this helps.

[straitR]

@Ironbutt

Not Sam, but WT used to have a Three Stitch, a Five Stitch (a bit stiffer), then one with a polymer insert, which is pretty rigid. I have two 5 Stitches that I’ve been wearing daily for about 6-7 years now & I see no need for a stiffer belt. Hope this helps.

My experience with the Five Stitch has been similar, for about the same length of time, and I agree that it’s more than stiff enough. I have an Original Instructors as well as a frequent flyer, and highly recommend the latter.