Bought myself a 1911

[gorcorps]

It's a Para Ordnance 1911. Local gunshop got a bunch of Paras in that were lightly used and gun show guns. Price was right and condition was fine for used so I jumped on this. Put 100 rounds of fairly cheap target ammo through it and it had no issues at all. It was one of the smoother shooting guns I've used. Despite firing .45 it was very well balanced and the recoil wasn't nearly what I expected. I've fired 9mm that kicked more.

Where are the other 1911 owners out there?

 

[olds]

Don't own a .45 but wouldn't kick one out of bed.

 

[sourceninja]

I have a S&W 1911 and I love it. The 1911 is the greatest pistol ever made imho. And you are right, the weight of the gun and the slower speed of the 45 make it more controllable than say a XD 40.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

I have a S&W 1911 and I love it. The 1911 is the greatest pistol ever made imho. And you are right, the weight of the gun and the slower speed of the 45 make it more controllable than say a XD 40.

:thumbsup:

To OP, that is a great looking gun.

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

I have a couple Colt .45s that are about the same length and the guns are great. The reason they kick less then some 9mms is because they are quite heavy being made of steel.

The .45 ACP is about as powerful as the .357 Mag.

 

[Fritzo]

I thought you meant a 911 and got all happy.

Stupid guns that sound like cars.

 

[irishScott]

I've got a Springfield Armory Lightweight Champion Operator (4" barrel, railed, alloy frame) that has operated without a hitch with all manner of ammo. Long live the 1911!

I discovered the same thing about the .45 as well. My friend's ancient .38 kicks more.

 

[IcePickFreak]

I have a Taurus 1911, have had it for 5 years or so, never any issues with it.

 

[boomhower]

Good lock. Good looking gun and made in the USA to boot. If you don't have any issues you probably got it at a bargain. Bad side is Para isn't known for the best quality. CS when you have issues is kinda middle of the road. Not great but not horrible either. They are made just a little way up the road from me, I've been very tempted to pick one up.

 

[shortylickens]

Good lock. Good looking gun and made in the USA to boot. If you don't have any issues you probably got it at a bargain. Bad side is Para isn't known for the best quality. CS when you have issues is kinda middle of the road. Not great but not horrible either. They are made just a little way up the road from me, I've been very tempted to pick one up.

Para Ordnance not Canadian?

:hmm:

 

[gorcorps]

Para Ordnance not Canadian?

:hmm:

They moved to NC not too long ago.

 

[JDMnAR1]

I thought you meant a 911 and got all happy.

Stupid cars that sound like guns.

Fixed that for you - the gun has been around far longer.

I have a Colt Series 80 Government model

 

[JulesMaximus]

Noice! :thumbsup:

I have a series 80 Colt Officer's Model and a ParaOrdnance LDA-7.45.

Get some Wilson Combat magazines for it. I have a pair for both of my 1911 pistols. I leave them loaded all the time and never had a problem with spring fatigue or any feed issues.

 

[HAL9000]

Yay I can join in with this one! [DEACTIVATED]

Cool gun OP.

 

[boomhower]

Para Ordnance not Canadian?

:hmm:

No, they are made in Charlotte, NC.

 

[fatpat268]

Yay I can join in with this one! [DEACTIVATED]

Cool gun OP.

LMAO

 

[HAL9000]

lmao

hahahahahaha :biggrin:

 

[gorcorps]

Noice! :thumbsup:

I have a series 80 Colt Officer's Model and a ParaOrdnance LDA-7.45.

Get some Wilson's magazines for it. I have a pair for both of my 1911 pistols. I leave them loaded all the time and never had a problem with spring fatigue or any feed issues.

Where did you buy the mags and what did you pay for them? My gun shop was out of the 7 round Wilson's but he recommended them as well. The in-store price was around $30 which makes me think I can get them online for $20ish easily. I just haven't looked around too much as to where.

 

[clamum]

LMAO

:awe:

 

[pontifex]

Where did you buy the mags and what did you pay for them? My gun shop was out of the 7 round Wilson's but he recommended them as well. The in-store price was around $30 which makes me think I can get them online for $20ish easily. I just haven't looked around too much as to where.

dunno about that. I get dealer pricing from Midway USA and the cheapest ones I can find are $29.99.

You might be able to find them elsewhere for cheaper but not sure.

I use CMC Power mags and they are about $23-24 with dealer pricing.

 

[BillGates]

Can someone explain the allure/popularity of the 1911?

 

[irishScott]

Can someone explain the allure/popularity of the 1911?

1. Very short single action trigger typically enables greater accuracy, Accurized 1911s are arguably the most accurate handguns in existence.

2. Traditionally made of steel and operating on a relatively low-pressure cartridge like the .45 ACP, many 1911s have outlived their owners.

3. The ergonomics are among the best, with a wide variety of grips and mainspring housings being available to compensate for hand size.

4. The dual safeties (triple on some modern designs) make it one of the safest handguns ever made.

5. The weight dampens recoil considerably, enabling fast followup shots and comfortable shooting.

6. It served as the US Military sidearm from 1911 through the 1980s. Has a very rich and storied heritage.

7. It's lines/aesthetics are extremely smooth. A well made 1911 is a work of art.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Can someone explain the allure/popularity of the 1911?

Even a basic trigger is better than most factory DA/SA. While 9mm and .40SW tend to flip when fired, the .45, especially in a 1911 tends to push back into your hand making for an easier return on target.
For those that carry them, they are slimmer and thus a bit easier to conceal.
And most importantly, they're not Glocks.

 

[gorcorps]

Can someone explain the allure/popularity of the 1911?

A few things:
-The body styles across the brands are all very similar, so you have 3rd party accessories that should work in nearly any gun (assuming same ammo capacity, etc). Magazines, holsters, sights, grips, lasers, etc
-Full metal construction gives enough weight to last, and help recoil. Until you shoot a light polymer gun and a full metal 1911 you just don't know.
-Available in multiple calibers, so if you want/need to shoot multiple calibers it'll always feel the same. Once your mechanics are down with one gun they should apply to all of them.
-Lots of competition across the brands, so you can find one to suit almost any budget. Start with a Taurus and if you get further into shooting you can save up for a top end one and you'll already be familiar.

 

[shortylickens]

For reference I still think Kimber makes the best production models.
Not sure about custom.