Here we go (again, and again, and again): the old Glock vs. 1911 argument.
And as a bonus: the opinions expressed are those of a gun “newbie” on the topic, and then those of Clint Smith (whose opinions on handguns I respect more than just about anyone’s on the planet).
As everyone in the frigging world knows, I am a 1911 man, period, end of statement, the end, th-th-th-that’s all, folks.
I’ve put more rounds through various 1911s (GI, Combat Commander, Officer’s whatever) than through any other gun that isn’t a .22. When I can be bothered, I can be extremely accurate with it — I’m a “90%”-type of guy, and refuse to let the perfect be the enemy of the good enough. The only malfunctions I’ve ever had were either because of cheapshit ammo (never again), bad magazines (ditto) or a physical breakage (e.g. of a slide stop, after well over 20,000 rounds) which, let’s be honest, could happen to any gun thus tortured. All other foolishness whereby a boolet doesn’t hit at least the 9-ring is absolutely 100% the fault of the idiot (me) pulling the trigger, whether it’s a flinch, a momentary lapse in concentration, a desire to finish the range session RIGHT NOW!… and I admit to those shortcomings candidly.
I hate Glocks because they’re fugly, plastic and designed (albeit no longer necessarily made) by furriners. I hate that spongy double-action trigger, the grip angle is just wrong, and so on.
But the gun that I shoot hands-down more accurately and consistently than any other is a Glock 19.
Once again, I admit that frankly, even though I hate to admit it.
And then there’s that “9mm vs .45ACP” argument, and on that, I will accept no substitutes for the .45 ACP. Something Clint Smith says in the video is quite telling: “If you’re talking just one bullet, it (the 9mm) just ain’t gonna get it done.”
“So why don’t you just shoot the Glock 21 (.45 ACP), Kim?”
Because I shoot a 1911 more accurately than I do the 21. When the boolets are the same, that shitty Glock trigger kneecaps me more frequently than a drunken IRA gunman with a .22. Once again, that’s not the experience of shooting only a box through the 21 — over four days of shooting during that long weekend so far back in the past, I must have popped well over 5,000 rounds of .45 ACP through the Glock, and my accuracy never improved.
Hell, when I set my mind to it, I can feel my accuracy improving with my old Springfield by about the third (8-round mag), and it only starts getting bad after about 200 rounds on the trot because my wrist starts to hurt.
Yeah, the 1911 is a heavy beast. Don’t care, I’m a strong and beefy guy, so it’s no big deal.
As Clint says towards the end: it’s all about the shooter and the confidence he has in his gear. As a thing, my 1911 is as much a part of me as my glasses or the shoes on my feet. I would have absolutely no problem getting into a gunfight with it because of my supreme confidence in the gun and its cartridge. To me, all other guns (with the exception of my .357 revolvers) are a compromise which I’m not prepared to make.
Your mileage may differ, and that’s just fine.
And by the way: that video is excellent.
I think 1911’s are nice but not for me.
When I used to be in the gun biz, while the 1911 were not total junk, they were the least reliable guns between revolvers and the fantastic plastic stuff. 1911’s were sometimes ammo sensitive, and had failures like broken slide stops, broken mag catches and worn out recoil springs way more often than plastic stuff.
That being said 1911 are nice guns and all guns like cars need regular maintenance. Buy and use what works best for you.
I like revolvers and fantastic plastic stuff myself. That’s me. Everyone likes something different.
I am a huge fan of Springfields plastic stuff. I’ve had great luck with their Glock knock off.
Clint is a living legend. His videos are excellent.
Like you, I’ve had a 40+ year love affair with Old Slabsides. We (son and I) still have three, high dollar versions between us.
But I admit to having shifted about 60% of my daily carry duty to the wonderful Wilson Combat SFX9 (4”) in 9mm stoked with Hornady Critical Duty 135 grain 9mm. The other 40% is still my highly modified Kimber Compact CDP in .45 or a 1980s vintage Taurus Model 85CH snubbie in my jeans pocket.
The 1911 is still my favorite handgun, by far. And I agree with Clint’s assessment about one bullet. However I don’t train to shoot once, it’s always a triple tap (belt and suspenders mindset) or, if I’m feeling leisurely about it, a Mozambique (two in the HVAC one in the CPU). The 9mm makes me feel adequately gunned.
But I stuck with St. JM browning’s ergos in the SFX9. I can shoot some Glocks accurately, but not as comfortably as a standard 1911 geometry and controls. The trigger has never, and never will be, surpassed, and I state that as a categorical. And though I love it, I do admit to a certain feeling of, I don’t know, deep satisfaction (the Germans probably have a word for what I’m trying to convey) when I strap on my carry .45. No other gun engenders that feeling, no, not even the SFX9.
For sheer shooting pleasure nothing beats a good quality 1911 Government model and for inspiring confidence, nothing does it for me like my Compact CDP. Like you and Clint, those are at the top of the heap for me.
For newer shooters, however, and I do quite a lot of coaching, I recommend any number of newer 9mm offerings. They are adequate, and the 1911 is, IMNSHO, and aficionado’s gun, and most new shooters would find them too complex to own. Me? I actually enjoy the cleaning and lubricating of a quality 1911, call me crazy. But I look forward to the field strip, clean, lube process after a range trip almost as much as I do the shooting itself. Not so much with a Glock.
My carry guns and house guns are all 1911A1’s in 45 ACP. On the rare occasion that I don’t feel like carrying a pistol we’ve got a Ruger LC9 that I can slip into a pocket holster.
I cannot stand trying to shoot a Glock. Not only is the grip angle on every one I’ve tried terrible for me, they have (out of the box)the single worst trigger in existence. I tried a Glock 30S (slim-slide, 10-round, .45) for a few months. You literally could NOT load a 10-round magazine for the thing without using the loading tool, so it was effectively a 7+1 pistol. With modern (Wilson Combat) 8-round magazines for standard-size 1911’s there was no advantage. The trigger-from-hell prevented any possibility of me hitting the broad side of a barn (unless I was inside) at more than about 20 feet. Fortunately I had gotten the POS on an incredible discount, so I was able to sell it for essentially what I paid for it.
There may come a day when the gout-induced arthritis forces me to give up shooting .45’s, but if I keep exercising regularly and doing my hand-strength stuff I hope that’s a long way off. In the meantime, my “CCO”-style (Officer’s-size aluminum grip frame with Commander-length 4-1/4″ stainless-steel slide and barrel) Sig C3 will be on my hip.
I have shot both in competition over the last 20+ years. Two different 1911s in CDP and G19 in SSP classifications of IDPA. I have taken defensive pistol classes with both.
I am more accurate with a 1911.
I have faster split times and quicker reloading with the Glock.
I generally carry the Glock.
Hunh. I did not know this.
https://thetacticalhermit.com/index.php/2024/11/18/know-your-weapons-1911-facts/
I am a die-hard 1911 fan. My first hands-on introduction was at Small Arms Repair School at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in ’74. I have never cared for Glocks for all the reasons mentioned. That said, I can shoot them just fine. Glock was the first, and IMHO, in many ways stayed there. My go to Tactical Tupperware is a CANIK TP9SF, what Glock should have evolved to 20 years ago.
Seeing as this is Texas and most days I wear a T-shirt and cargo shorts, my EDC is a PA-63 in 9mm Makarov loaded with Hornady Critical Defense.
Nothing wrong at all with a good quality 1911 handgun for self and home protection. They are accurate and enjoyable to shoot. Know that you have about nine cartridges to solve your problem before you need to reload another magazine.
A couple of articles I read several years ago made an impact on me. Both articles said that gun owners don’t need another gun as much as we need more training and more practice. Just as a samurai mastered the katana and the English long bowmen mastered the long bow, we must pick a modern firearm and master it.
I used to carry my 1911 in a Galco KingTuck holster and it carried just fine. I use a belt from http://www.thebeltman.net. I think that’s his website.
Since August I have changed to a Sig 320 Carry model in 9mm. It gives me a couple of more cartridges in the magazine and is lighter to carry. I shoot that pistol just as well if not better than the 1911. I use a Crossbreed holster to carry it.
On days when I can’t carry those pistols, I pocket carry a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield in 9mm. This gives me faster reloads than my past pocket carry, a S&W model 442. When Ant Teefa and Burn Loot Mayhem started operating in crowds, I figured I might need more than five cartridges of “you picked the worng person to be your victim Mother Fuckers!” and a semi automatic pistol is faster to reload than a revolver.
As I tell people on a regular basis, get the gun that fits your hand the best and that you can conceal. 9mm far better than harsh words and .380, .32 and .25 etc.
A GLOCK is a souless, reliable shooting appliance that just always works.
It is like the Toyota Camry of pistols.
Honda Civic, base model.
While I love the 1911 and the .45 ACP, I’m not a big guy and with recurring de Quervain’s tenosynovitis, I’m sticking to 9mm. Glock isn’t the only game in town. My Walther PPQ has a trigger that’s just about as good as any stock 1911, and for slimmer carry in our wretchedly hot and humid summers, a SiG P365XL. That trigger is not so good, but is still way better than any Glock’s stock trigger.
Sheesh, sorry to hear about that owie. And I thought my mild arthritis was inconvenient.