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.