Monday, March 14, 2022

Why, T-Bolt?

"Why are 1911s superior?"

Huh, what?  I just woke up.  Where did that come from?

"You said it last post."

I did?  Lemme check.  Oh, that was just a throwaway line.

"So you didn't mean it?"

Oh no, I MEANT it.  But not like you think.  They are superior for ME.

I did all that gunsmithing.  I know the design inside and out.  If I munged up the sear somehow, for example, I could have a chance at replacing it and not making an unsafe condition.  I'm not that good with a sear stone.  I'd probably ruin half a dozen $20 sears before figure out how to finesse that tiny little facet into something satisfactory.  And I can test a sear and no if it is any good right now, with one hand tied behind my back.  And if it breaks is it trivial to get one of the only 50-some parts for it, and that will be true for years years to come.  And much of the rest is easier to fit compared to harmony in the hammer-sear engagment.

What I am saying is that I have the working of a 1911 down, pretty good. 

My pistol training was 80% Glock platform and 15% 1911 and 5% revolver.  100% pistol.  And it was hours and hours.  I, of course, would welcome more.  And refreshers.  Etc.  Training is good.  But one thing I sorta worked through is pistols are pistols.  Like "shoot/no-shoot" is the same with a M&P as it is with an M&P (semi/revolver).  I have no bias on that, and I have a bit of work inside the guts of a revolvers, just nothing like a 1911.  I can now run a Glock, when before the training that, for some reason, was my worst personally-performing platform.  

"So why not a Glock?"

Well, I don't OWN a Glock.  Nor have I taken a Glock Armorers class (though that takes a weekend, not weeks)

The 1911 is superior because it is the gun I know, the gun I have, and the gun I like.  It's my solution for me.  Not the solution for everyone.  The 1911 is superior in this very specific use-case.  Me.  And it works ok.  It has limitations, and I am aware of them,

I'm not here to argue with you over your SIG P369 or 302 (or whatever) selection or make fun of you for it or try to convert you to my preference.  I might look down on your for a Taurus Judge selection a little bit.  But for wholly different reasons.  "Revolver, fine. THAT revolver?  Meh...." I used to be that arguing guy.  I've gotten much better

If I signed up for training I'd prolly have to borrow a black plastic service pistol.  Range up a few times ahead of the class.  And that is fine.  But that's because the trainers say to bring a black plastic service pistol to a lot of these.

3 comments:

Mike V said...

Modern guns, like the Sig P series and Glock can be taken apart with a minimal amount of tools and training; but there is something about the feel and heft of a 1911 that speaks to me.

Mark O said...

Been there done that.

Will said...

The extent of training problems I've seen at, or heard directly about for the 1911 was a total of two. Both were sight failures. One launched a front sight, the other had a nightsight capsule come loose in the rear sight. Both would still fire. I glued it back for that guy, and dug out my backup to loan to my friend for the other, since I didn't have any front sights with me. Had the installation tool, though!
Encountered two Glocks that failed in one 40 student class, and both were function failures. The husband's pistol broke the slide retainer spring, and the wife's gun broke the trigger spring, IIRC. Hmmm, there was a third Glock failure that class, but I don't recall what it was.