Why the 1911 Remains a Top Choice for Gun Owners

The firearms market is like many other product lines… it is constantly changing and evolving. What was popular a few years ago may or may not still be in vogue. The striker-fired pistol is a good example. When Gaston Glock unveiled his pistol in 1982, it didn’t attract a lot of attention except from the Austrian military and some law enforcement agencies. But, fast-forward about 20 years or so, and we see about 65% of law enforcement agencies here in the U.S. using Glock pistols. A trend was started, and the striker-fired pistol has garnered a huge chunk of the pistol market. Other pistols are sold, of course, but I think all of us who follow handgun trends have watched company after company release pistols patterned after Gaston’s wunderkind. Many were just variations on a theme, with too few being really innovative. 

So what does that say about one of the original trend-setting handguns, the ubiquitous 1911? After all, that pistol has been gracing holsters since that year. One-hundred and thirteen years later, we’re still oohing and ahhing over the latest 1911 release, in calibers from .22LR up through 10mm and further. Why? Many other guns that premiered around that date have long since disappeared. What makes the 1911 so popular? Why is it still a “thing”? What is there about this particular platform that drives sales? There is a mystique, for sure. But, even more than some nebulous mystique or whatever you want to call it, there are a few hard features to look at – things that make a 1911 a 1911.

Live Inventory Price Checker

	Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm Luger 4.25in Coyote Brown Cerakote Pistol - 20+1 Rounds - Brown Fullsize	Sportsman's Warehouse	$ 1449.99
	Springfield Armory 1911 Loaded Operator 5" 7rd .45acp Pistol - PX9109LCA	Palmetto State Armory	$ 1037.99 $ 937.99
	Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy AOS 9mm Pistol - 5"	Rainier Arms	$ 1449.95
	Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy AOS 9mm Luger 4.25in Black Cerakote Pistol - 20+1 Rounds	Bereli	$ 1235.00

1911 High Points

Let’s look at some of the features of this great pistol and maybe get a handle on why it’s still going strong.

• Size. The full-size, 5-inch-barreled 1911 is a great combination of good balance, muzzle-heaviness, and ergonomic styling. Its more modern versions like the 1911A1 go even further in the ergo department. It uses a single-stack magazine so its width is very small as well.
• Trigger. Being a single-action pistol, the 1911 trigger can be made to be very light and crisp. By not having to cock a hammer or a striker, the trigger pull weight can be adjusted or honed to be very precise.   
• Sights. Some of the best sights I’ve ever seen on a handgun were installed on 1911s. Longevity has its place, and after-marketers have been at it for over 100 years regarding replacement upgrade parts for this pistol. Sights are one of the recipients of those upgrades. Plus, modern versions will most likely be cut for a red dot. That’s the ultimate upgrade in the sights department, according to many shooters.
• Third-Party Parts. There are complete catalogs dedicated to 1911 parts, arguably more for this gun than any other. Whatever you want to do to your 1911, you most likely will be able to.
• Services. I would venture a guess that more gunsmiths specialize in modifying 1911s than any other model of pistol. I don’t have numbers, but I suspect I’m right. Many of these companies have been around for more than 50 years. Again, there’s not much you can’t do to customize your 1911.
• Calibers. In addition to the .45, popular calibers included .22LR, .38 Super, 9mm, .40 S&W, and 10mm. These are the major mainline calibers available. I didn’t count the more esoteric ones such as .400 Corbon. That opens up a huge barn door for those shooters who want a 1911 but don’t want it in .45.

These are a few reasons that 1911s are still so prevalent.

To Infinity And Beyond…

Just like your aged uncle who likes to keep up with the times  – the one who went out and bought a couple of Taylor Swift CDs – the 1911 has kept up. They can be newly-minted 1911s, or upgraded as a 2011. As an example, let’s use the new 9mm Springfield Armory Prodigy. I’m familiar with that because one of our sons just bought one to compete with. Springfield calls it a 1911, but I wonder if “2011” might not be a better name.

For one thing, capacity is better. Of course, 9mm is always going to have a capacity advantage over .45ACP, but this pistol goes one further – it uses a double-stack magazine. My son got a 17- and a 20-round mag with it, and there is even a 26-round mag available if you need it. It also adds an optics cut (and his came with the Springfield Dragonfly red dot) and a Picatinny rail on the dust cover. In my opinion, those three mods alone classify this pistol as a 2011. But they didn’t ask me. 

I believe this is the way of the future for the 1911. Don’t get me wrong – you will still be able to buy 8+1 .45ACP 1911s until the cows come home, but I think I have seen the future and I believe it is a 2011. Is that a bad thing? For a purist, yes. There’s something retro-cool about the 1911 as it was before the A1 mods happened, and then the 1911A1 is beautiful all on its own. But, I wouldn’t be averse to owning a 2011. Even with a double-stack magazine, it’s still pretty skinny. Add in the greater capacity, great SA trigger, upgraded optics and the ability to hang a light or laser off the dustcover and I think we have a winner. There is nothing that says you can’t own one or more of each. Like the Ford Mustang and Mercury Cougar, they’re the same but different – owning both a 1911 and a 2011 is desirable. 

Conclusion

The 1911 is still going strong and shows no sign of going away. Whether a true 1911 or a modernized 2011, the results are pretty much the same – you get a steel-framed semi-auto pistol with a great trigger. Add in the century-plus-old ergonomic modifications, good sights or a red dot, and the availability of zillions of aftermarket parts and you have a pistol that has only begun to shine. Heck… I could see us (well, maybe not me but another writer) talking about the new “2111 laser gun” in another hundred years!

About Mike Hardesty

With experience spanning over 45 years, Mike Hardesty has long enjoyed shooting and reloading. An inveterate reloader, he casts bullets and reloads for a diverse array of firearms, each handled with long-practiced precision. Living in rural Indiana, his homestead boasts a personal 100-yard range where he shares his love for guns to his four sons, their wives, and eleven grandchildren. As a recognized author, his writings have been featured in notable platforms like Sniper Country, Bear Creek Arsenal Blog, Pew Pew Tactical, TTAG, Dillon Precision’s Blue Press, and Gun Made, revealing his ongoing passion for firearms at the age of 72.