The Slab Sides deal?

[P95Carry]

I am one who greatly appreciates the 1911 platform - and have two but - it is not my primary carry choice. That in no way demeans the venerable child of JMB.

Predictably I guess we have a great many afficionados here who make this their carry choice.

I am just curious as to how the 1911 carry fans explain their choice - leaving aside tradition, and maybe even caliber - as there are plenty of .45acp options these days.

Let's hear the ''why'' in your own words. Let this be ''salute JMB'' if you wish!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[firefighter4884]

Chris,

From what I've seen (and keeping in mind I don't own a 1911...YET)... I think the big appeal of 1911's is their long tradition of working reliably, and the fact that they're as thin as they are.

The only issue I have w/ carrying around my USPc, is the grip is a little wid and the holster prints (this is probably solvable by buying good leather, but I haven't gotten there yet)...

Anyway, just chiming in :)

--Jim

[Bud White]

Just seems to carry the best for me.. Conceals the easyest out of what ive tried in a fullsize ive been though a Glock 17,Hk usp,Ruger p-90, others i cant even think of and it ust seems the best to me.

Plus caliber sorry had to say it ..

Also ya got to rember if you run out of ammo you can always beat the bad guy :chairshot with it and its gonna hurt.. Try that with Tactile tupperware

hard to pistol whip a guy with plastic :outtahere

[Bruces45]

I personaly think it is the best looking handgun ever produced. Plus it just "fits". I only have the full size 5" models now, but am working on a Colt combat commander and a Colt defender. With what I do its hard to conceal the full size, but when I get tat defender my SP101 will be retired. Plus like Bud said the caliber is somewhat of a legend.

[P95Carry]

Thx already for replies - great - good to know the thinking behind this legend.

Of course, I not only like the ''legend'' but also the BHP I have - ''only'' 9mm but still a superb piece IMO.

[Euclidean]

I'd venture a guess, I don't prefer 1911s for carry but here is why I want one:

#1. It's flat, very flat

#2. Ergonomics

#3. Long sight radius

#4. Trigger

#5. If some thug somehow gets it away from you, he won't know how to work its controls

#6. Lots of aftermarket support for any 1911

#7. Arguably, the 1911 is the only truly custom platform many people can really afford because you can upgrade parts one at a time so to speak and a lot of them can be done by one's self. Think about it... don't like your grip safety? Order a new one. I can't do that with any other gun without a lot more hassle and expense.

#8. If you had the money, some of the best guns out there are 1911s. If quality was your only criteria you'd be likely to wind up with this platform.

#9. Incredible versatility in the platform... can be anything from a BUG to something comparable to a carbine, offers you all sorts of calibers. They do make 1911 pattern pistols in other calibers you know. A 1911 can be fitted with a conversion kit allowing you to shoot .22 LR, something else other guns don't do. You could conceivably master this one platform and have access to a huge array of possibilities.

#10. Not applicable to me, but I think there was a time not so long ago and not so far away we didn't have so many choices and people just used what there was to be had. If you've been on a 1911 for 30 years or longer there's no reason to change now in all honesty. It still works. I do find it kind of odd I think of the 1911 as an expensive high end niche pistol only a firearms enthusiast appreciates, and it was originally meant to be a down and dirty service pistol for the common soldier/officer/man.

[P95Carry]

Euc - you have just sold me to the 1911 cause

But the SIG still stays put for now!

[Bud White]

man Euc thats a Great post

[Euclidean]

Aw shucks. I don't even own one and there are things about it I really, really don't like. But I try to know the upsides of everything.

My favorite platform is the double action revolver and it's maligned unfairly much of the time because people don't take the time to think about it.

[rfurtkamp]

What sells them at retail is twofold: tradition (including all the gun rag myth and fact) + the grip. A lot of folks have problems (or perceived issues) with the wider hi-cap grips on modern guns.

[P95Carry]

A lot of folks have problems (or perceived issues) with the wider hi-cap grips on modern guns.

They just need to grow bigger hands Robert - then they'd be happy as pigs in s**t

[rfurtkamp]

I just wish we could let them shoot when they were considering different guns.

I suspect the marketplace would be substantially different if that was the case.

I've been the victim myself of what feels good from the case doesn't feel so hot when I'm shooting it myself.

[P95Carry]

True enough - actual testing - ''hands on'' is really only way to go.

I have been lucky with fellow club members and tried all sorts - helps a lot. Tried another guy's Springer Micro recently - and was very pleasantly surprised.

One guy last year tried several guns I brought along - Ruger, BHP, SIG, SW99 and others - plus Glocks from other folks - and he went for SIG - that test for him made all difference. He really knew what he wanted.

[Brian45]

The 1911 is the first large caliber handgun I learned to shoot. I also shoot better with it than most other handguns. I have found I can carry it very well, so it seems to work for me.

[rfurtkamp]

I have been lucky with fellow club members and tried all sorts - helps a lot. Tried another guy's Springer Micro recently - and was very pleasantly surprised.

My luck has been moonlighting at the shop - I can shoot any used gun that comes in. It's easier to sell it if I've actually shot it. :)