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There are numerous options in the market for pistol-caliber carbines. Options upon options to choose from. But a big question remains on whether the PCC is practical or practically useless. John and Paul at Warrior Poet Society [YouTube channel] did some shooting of pistol caliber carbines and worked up a pro and cons list to help folks make up their minds.

John and Paul took four different PCCs out to the range and shot them and gave their review. Paul is the first to admit that he does not actually own any PCCs and doesn’t see the need for them.

The 4 PCCs they shot were:

• CMMG Banshee
• PC Charger with a suppressor
• PSA (Palmetto State Armory)
• Stribog

John notes that although they called those rifles PCCs, they are technically PCFs, or pistol caliber firearms because the barrel lengths are shorter than the 16” barrel length of PCCs. Both guys agree that shooting them is a good time and fun to do.

The guys state that when it comes down to the pros and cons of the PCC, there are more pros than cons. However, the cons they have are pretty big ones. With the weight of the cons taken into account, they outweighed the pros.

Points for the PCC 

John points out that the PCC shot faster and more accurately than the handgun, but you can’t compare a rifle to a pistol because it’s not an apple-to-apple comparison. The rifle is better performing than his handgun though.

The next pro they discuss is that they like the compatibility between calibers as far as ammunition is concerned. Specifically, the Banshee and the PC Charger run on Glock mags so they can use those magazines in both their handguns as well as in the PCC. The other two PCCs have proprietary magazines, unfortunately so that is a small drawback.

John states that generally, 9mm ammunition is less expensive and cheaper to find than rifle ammunition. As time goes on, that could change but as of the time of this video, 9mm is easier to obtain.

The next pro they discuss is that because there was less report with the PCC, you could use the firearm to train new shooters, and it is easier to suppress. The kick of a 9mm PCC allows for a new shooter to get used to shooting easier and when compared to a 5.56 rifle, the 9mm is extremely easy to suppress. The rifle wouldn’t need any adjustments to timing or the like to make it run with a suppressor. John does say that he would prefer a 300BLK with subsonic ammunition over a PCC, especially for the size.

The last pro for the guys is that it is safer to shoot steel and you can be closer to the target. This is especially handy at indoor ranges that don’t allow for rifle calibers, one could use a PCC for drills if necessary. The offset for shooting steel is a lot less than with a typical rifle caliber so the overall space required is less.

Negative Points about PCCs

The guys go on to talk about the cons of a PCC. The main overarching reason Paul doesn’t like the PCC is that it’s a rifle that eats pistol ammo. For him, if you’re going to shoot a rifle, why not get the perks of using the rifle caliber ammunition, such as stopping power and distance. He feels strongly that pistol calibers are far less “”killy” than a rifle caliber.  For both guys, the PCC is a solution seeking a problem. John likens the PCC to taking a jet engine and putting it in a Fiat frame.

Furthermore, the guys note that PCCs have a much smaller range than a typical rifle caliber. The PCC cannot shoot things at distance and are not as accurate at distances as a typical rifle is. Paul states that while they are fun to play with, they do not have a serious application in that regard.

Another drawback is that PCC rounds do not defeat body armor. Or even soft armor for that matter, thanks to the low terminal ballistic of the round at distance. They do mention that 5.7 from a P90 is not included in the PCC conversation.

The final strike against pistol caliber carbines is that they are not as reliable, in their experience, when compared to a typical rifle. They both experienced issues on the range, nothing major, but enough issues to make Paul nervous about the platform itself.

While reviewers of the video stated that they like PCC for home defense, both Paul and John agree that for them, it isn’t a serious contender for typical use. They say it is fun to run and is a neat toy, but Paul says he wouldn’t fill the last spot in his gun safe with one. They reiterat that the PCC has no stopping power and cannot fire at distance. John finishes out the conversation by saying that if you had all the guns you wanted, and were looking for something for a new shooter, a PCC would be a good fun option.

What do you think? Is a PCC something you’d rely on for personal defense? Sound off in the comments.

Back in the day the only AR-15 worth buying was a name-brand, big company-built weapon. If no one had ever heard of it, it was assumed to be lower quality. Today however, three are countless companies out there producing quality rifles that fit anyone’s fancy. Technology has made it easier for small companies to produce more precise parts and access to the global market allows them to obtain the materials they need for manufacturing. One of these smaller US made companies I have come to admire is HM Defense Technology from Mt. Orab Ohio. I have been impressed with their quality and ingenuity. 

I am asked quite often what the best AR-15 is to purchase. My answer is, there isn’t a “best” one. Every gun lover will have a model they prefer and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. When purchasing a gun made by a smaller company, its okay to be skeptical, but don’t write them off just because you haven’t heard of them. I have had high quality guns malfunction and low-end budget friendly guns shoot flawlessly. There are, however, plenty of low-quality guns that I would stay away from so you still want to do a little research before making a purchase.

Here are the quick specs of the Raider MC5 AR-15 pistol:

• Multi-caliber (.223/5.56)
• 12.5” barrel
• 8.5” free floating 1913 picatinny rail that is CNC machines from 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum
• Mil-spec forged upper and lower with type III class II hard coat black anodized finish
• Mil-spec components including the trigger and fire control group
• Shockwave 2.0 blade adjustable pistol stabilizer and enhanced grip

What’s different about the Raider MC5?

According to the company, the HMB battle ready bolt “eliminates the passthrough cam pin hole and replaces it with a cam pin socket and tapered cam pin design.” This eliminates the natural weak point of mil-spec bolts by significantly increasing the amount of metal at the cam pin location. The 12.5” Monobloc barrel contains a gas block that is integrally machined as part of the barrel. This eliminates the need for alignment of the gas block. The barrel is match grade, triple honed and button rifled.

Out of the box the Raider MC5 had a good feel and balance. I did change out the pistol stabilizer brace for the SB Tactical and the standard charging handle for the Strike Industries extended latch charging handle. 

On the range

My first day on the range was a delight and the Raider was an impressive weapon to shoot. I ran several drills during one of our Special Response Teams tactical training days and was able to complete the drills with ease. The trigger pull was smooth and didn’t have the springy feel like some do. With such a short barrel the rise can often cause more time in between follow-up shots. I had no issues however with the speed of follow-up shots as I made my way through the course. With the material the Raider is made of, it felt light to carry and was just the right length to be
comfortable with a two-point sling. For a pistol, the M LOK rail gave plenty of room to add your favorite accessories and was a comfortable size to get a good grip on.

The first day on the range, I started out with some speed drills and a variety of .223 ammo in a few different 30 round magazines. The Raider didn’t have any issues with spitting out shells even during the break-in period. I then backed out to 100 yards too see how it did on paper. For the first target group, I used a gun mount and was able to put 20 rounds into a hole about the size of a golf ball. When free standing using the Vortex Strike fire red dot, the grouping opened up to about a softball size group.

After a while, I forgot I was shooting an AR pistol because the MC5 handles about as well as any rifle I have. When chambering the first round, the Raider has a good smooth feel, and the bolt doesn’t have much friction as it slides through the upper. After the first 500 rounds, I pulled out the bolt and sprayed it down with some CLP. While it was shooting great for the first 500 rounds, it shot even smoother once the thicker oil it was packed in wore off. I have always had good luck with CLP and the Raider felt like it cycled even smoother once the bolt was sprayed down.

Customer Service

When you buy a product, it needs to be good quality, but that is not all that is important to me. Even the best made gun in the world could have some type of issue that needs correction because it is a machine after all. The customer service is just as important to me as the item I am purchasing. I have started to do a little more research into company’s customer service before I purchase new firearms and the responses can be very surprising.

HM Defense’s customer service is one of the best I have seen

I first started with looking up the number. Companies that make it hard to find their number, often have more frustrating customer service through and through. I found the number to HM Defense very quickly however and the most surprising part was the phone call. No answering machine with 20 choices, no music with 30 minutes of hold time. It rang two times and a voice answered saying, “HM Defense how may I help you?”

I spoke with the person on the other end and learned that any issues with their firearms result in immediate shipping labels being sent out to the customer so the gun can be sent back to them and returned as soon as possible back to the customer with an explanation of what needed corrected or what was done to resolve any issues. I have not heard of many issues with HM Defense but if there were, I feel very confident they would take care of it right away.

There are a lot of good gun companies out there, often making the selection process intimidating. I have several other brands and have no issues with those either, but if you want something from a smaller company that is still working to invent, improve, and create great looking reliable guns with excellent customer service, I don’t think you will be disappointed in the HM Defense Raider MC5 AR Pistol.

Allen from Olde English Outfitters is back with what looks to be a nice gun with an even nicer price tag. The Zigana PX9 is the latest from the Turkish gunmaker Tisas and it continues their combination of solid guns at entry level prices. They are usually based on proven designs, which doesn’t hurt.

When I first saw it, I was thinking Springfield XD, and Allen quickly notes that it looks like an XD but it’s not. Despite the XD-like frame, there’s no grip safety and the trigger safety blade is gone in favor of a smooth trigger face. The controls are similar, with a left side slide lock and reversible magazine release button. The PX9 does have an ambidextrous frame-mounted thumb safety, which Allen says is easily manipulated. The safety will not engage unless the gun is cocked, and it also locks the slide. Takedown is the same easy method as the XD.

Like the XD, the PX9 also has shallow front and rear cocking serrations and there is light checkering on the front of the trigger guard and the front of the grip. There is some texturing on the grip. Allen says he wouldn’t call it “slippery,” but it’s not very aggressive. The gun ships with two replacement backstraps and a tool to change them with. Allen likes the grip configuration as it allows a good trigger reach.

There is no loaded chamber indicator, but the back of the striker is painted red and protrudes from the back of the slide when the gun is cocked. There is a picatinny rail section forward of the trigger guard for accessories.

Tisas Zigana PX9 Specifications

• Caliber: 9x19mm
• Single Action Striker Fired
• Capacity: 15 + 1
• Barrel Length: 4 inches
• Weight: 27 ounces
• MSRP: $299

This particular PX9 is from a shipment of overruns made for the Philippine National Police, complete with “PNP Property” stamp, unit crest, and night sights. He has a limited shipment of those. But the regular PX9 is available with night sights.

The gun shot well on the range with 100 percent reliability, and it was accurate. No word on how many rounds were fired or what loads.

The PX9 ships with some nice extras too. You get two metal 15-round magazines and a magazine loader. And the PX9 takes Sig P226 mags, so getting more won’t be an issue. The gun also comes with an adjustable cant polymer retention holster. The holster is equipped with a release tab manipulated by the middle finger as the gun is drawn. Looks like it might take a little practice to get used to, but it’s a nice inclusion.

Allen says he likes the PX9. He says it’s “very comfortable to shoot” and that he “wouldn’t have any qualms at all about taking it and using it for serious business.”

What do you think of Tisas guns? I had one (though not a PX9) and I liked it. Let us know in the comments.

The Springfield Armory line-up of micro-compact pistols has grown in recent years, starting with the Hellcat 9mm pistol. From there they introduced the RDP and most recently the Hellcat PRO micro-compact. Feeling a bit confused on the differences or if the Hellcat PRO is worth a look? Michael Chiarappa and the other find gents at Hunt Fish Shoot Youtube channel did a review, and quick comparison of the models, to help clear up the air.

Michael is a big fan of micro-compacts, and there are many to choose from on the market. He’s shot and carried Glock 48s and Sig 365XL, Sig X Compact, and so on. But the Springfield Armory Hellcat PRO has taken his heart.

The Springfield Armory Hellcat PRO is essentially a full-sized micro-compact if that makes any sense. Michael said that it feels like a full-sized grip for full-sized hands. The PRO comes standard with two 15-round magazines with a 3.8” barrel and longer slide that the original Hellcat. For him, SA really has a sweet piece when they came out with the PRO.

The SA Hellcat PRO comes from the factory with the optics cut on the slide for all the usual red dot options. Additionally, the sights co-witness with the rear notch that Michael loves and the tritium fiber optic front sight. He says it is essentially an elongated Hellcat with a full-sized grip, but still in that slim profile. The slim profile, while like other micro-compacts, is very comfortable.

Michael also does a quick comparison video on the Hellcat, RDP, and Hellcat PRO. The original Hellcat has a shorter barrel and an 11-round magazine, but you can purchase aftermarket options if you need the round count. The Hellcat, like all SA pistols, have been nothing but reliable for Michael and his crew. While it is one of his favorite pistols, he also likes the RDP which has the compensator affixed to the barrel and has a similar barrel length to the PRO. Where they differ is the grip in that the RDP has a rougher grip and will start to get uncomfortable for your knuckles and pinky after a bit of shooting.

The PRO, Michael points out, is very comfortable to shoot and is really nice with the full grip on it. The PRO has the Gen 3 Hellcat trigger group that has a nice defined wall and a crisp and clean break with no creep.

Michael says that it, along with all the Springfield Armory micro-compact options, is an awesome package with two steel magazines. The PRO also boasts a lower Picatinny rail for mounting options.

Michael’s big takeaway from the video, as far as I could tell, is that he really loves the SA Hellcat PRO. He likes the way it feels in his hand and how it shoots compared to his previous carries of the Glock 48, Sig X Compact, and Sig 365XL. He thinks the SA pistols are hard to beat at their price point and they get the seal of approval from him.

When Colion Noir says that there is a gun that everyone should own, that statement tends to pique my curiosity and catch my attention. As he says in the intro to the video, it is click bait. And rightfully so. He makes no apologies, and does not need to. If you join us in watching along, you’ll see why.

Colion is great at adding humor to his videos, and I always enjoy listening for his funny anecdotes and exaggerations, they’re often very witty. Additionally, he’s well spoken and draws my attention to what he’s saying. The camera work is also top notch. Aside from all of that, he’s very knowledgeable about weapons and is candid with his reviews in a way that makes the viewer feel as if he’s talking just to us.

Why does Colion think everyone should own a 22/45? Because it’s a .22 Long Rifle (.22LR). As he says, he could “End the video right there.” I concur that every shooter should own at least one .22LR firearm in his or her collection.

Another reason, is that it shoots like a “pussycat”, but is still very much lethal. He likes the fact that the .22 shoots as softly as a paintball or airsoft gun, but is still lethal. At this point in the video, he adds an image of a pussy cat to illustrate his point.

Also, 22LR is generally cheap and easy to find, except, “When the country is dealing with one of the worst ammo shortages in the history of man.”

Colion points out that, in an age where almost every pistol looks like a Glock, the Mark IV 22/45 Lite looks more like something we’d see on the set of The Mandalorian. He loves the color combo of the 22/45 that he was using for the video; black and gold! The perfect balance of it, according to Colion. He describes the pistol as “futuristically retro,” and that it is refreshing for those people who have “Glock Fatigue”, i.e., those who are tired of plain-looking, all-black pistols.

Note that Colion is reviewing the 22/45 Lite version of the Ruger in this video.

It has a fixed front sight with an adjustable rear iron sight. That said, Colion elected to mount a red dot sight (a Leupold Delta Point Pro) on the Picatinny Rail that the pistol comes equipped with. He states that shooting a red-dot-equipped handgun is fun!

The threaded barrel allows you to put a suppressor on the 22/45, which Colion has done. He mentions that it is the smallest suppressor that he could find, produced by Bowers. He points out that adding a suppressor adds “ten more points to its fun factor.” And from what we see in the video, I’d say he’s spot on. The damn thing just looks like fun! Colion elaborates that, when you suppress a .22, you “start encroaching on paintball and airsoft territory” as far as sound is concerned. Shooting subsonic ammunition certainly makes it quieter.

He points out that “knowing that the .22LR is a real bullet, yet shoots as soft as it does, it now being really quiet, puts it in a class of guns that are just fun to shoot.”

The .22LR is a dirty round that will make a firearm filthy very quickly. Colion captures this by explaining, “Add a suppressor to the mix, and the inside of your gun will start looking like the bottom of the feet of a group of girls drunk walking down downtown after the club lets out.” I’ll refrain from adding a photo of such festivities, but will allow the gentle reader to formulate his very own mental images. The suppressor causes additional pressure inside the mechanism, which accounts for the extra crud. Quite simply, gasses that otherwise would have flowed out of the end of the barrel as muzzle flash and noise are captured by said suppressor (or, “Silencer”).

Because of the filth, the pistol will need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Normally, that can be unpleasant, except for the fact that Ruger has added a magical addition to their Mark IV lineup: a takedown button! We no longer “Need a degree in mechanical engineering” to field strip these pistols.

The bolt operates similarly to that of an AR-15, in that it is cylindrical and fits into a circular receiver. Upon takedown, the bolt is merely withdrawn from the receiver as that magical button is pushed. That’s it, you just field-stripped the pistol! It literally takes longer to read this than to field strip it.

Because the bolt is cylindrical and contained within the receiver, the cocking mechanism is different than almost every other pistol on the market, in that it is cocked using a set of “ears” at the rear of the receiver. It’s different than most of us are used to, but it works.

Another aspect of the pistol is that there is no slide to move back and forth during firing, so there is less mass moving, which contributes to the soft shooting nature of this pistol.

Colion points out one of the advantages of the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite. When he went to the range, he was stressed out and suffering from allergies, and generally not in a great mood. The more he shot, the more he forgot about the things that were bothering him. The little .22 just takes our mind off the nasties and allows us to have a bit of fun in a world that has shown us it’s dour side of late. I will interject here and agree wholeheartedly with him; I own a Mark IV 22/45, and shooting it truly does put me in a better mood! There is no denying it.

Colion’s opinion (shared by millions of others) is that the 1911 is one of the most ergonomic handguns on the planet, and in turn, the 22/45 is one of the most ergonomic handguns on the planet because the grip and the grip angle are very much like a 1911. He mentions that sometimes, “less is more, and here, less is a lot more.” Despite the lack of recoil from the .22, the ergonomics of the grip still stand out to Colion. Not only is the grip similar to a 1911, but so are the other controls, i.e., the safety and slide release.

His opinion of the trigger is that it’s not the “best in the world, but it’s really good because it is so predictable. Sometimes, light triggers can surprise you, and overly heavy, gritty triggers are just a pain. The trigger on a Mark IV has a smooth takeup and the pressure required to break the shot requires a deliberate press and it breaks clean. The reset is just like the takeup and break; predictable. Not too light, and not too strong. We’re talking Goldi-Locks type trigger.” I’d say that assessment is spot on. The Mark IV’s trigger is a cut above most others on the market, and Ruger really got this aspect of the pistol dialed in.

Colion declares, “There’s no way your mood doesn’t improve while you’re shooting the Mark IV, especially when it’s suppressed and has a red dot on it…it’s the way the Mark IV makes you happy. It sneaks up on you; one minute you’re plinking away and the next you’re grinning from ear to ear because the gun feels so great in your hands. The trigger pull is smooth and predictable, the suppressor mitigates all the concussion and noise so you can clearly hear the bullets career against the steel targets and it’s low recoil, coupled with the red dot, just make it feel like you’re playing a first-person shooter with ‘auto-aim’.”

Yep, he is spot on with that assessment. Compared to other pistols, they are inexpensive to shoot and the characteristics of the pistol make it a real joy to experience.

I recommend this video highly, even if you don’t think that you’re interested in this .22 LR pistol, because you most likely are interested in it…you just don’t realize it yet. Check the video out and prove me wrong.

The Colt Government Model of 1911 ranks with the Colt Peacemaker, Winchester 1873, and M-1 Garand as possibly the most iconic firearms in American history. The 1911 served as the standard US military sidearm for an astonishing 74 years. It saw combat in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and other smaller wars until its eventual retirement in 1985. America’s most famous World War I hero, Medal of Honor winner Alvin York, used his 1911 to help him and his squad capture 132 German soldiers in a single day. York killed 25 more Germans in the process, several with his trusty Colt.

But the 1911 took a longer path to immortality than the other guns on the list. In fact, the gun isn’t as universally loved as you might think. In the excellent video linked below, Chris Baker delves into the reasons for that and discusses the 1911’s decline and resurgence to the status it enjoys in today’s American gun culture.

A Browning Masterpiece but Mostly Ignored by Civilians

As most gun folks probably know, the 1911 was designed by John Moses Browning around the .45 ACP cartridge. It was a direct response to the poor performance of the Colt New Army revolver that was produced from 1892 to 1903. That revolver was chambered in the comparatively anemic .38 Long Colt, which proved less than effective in the Philippine Insurrection. The US Army wanted to return to the .45, and Browning’s answer was the 1911.

Chris notes that, while the 1911 was America’s military sidearm, the civilian gun world was dominated by revolvers. The police used revolvers, as did civilian competition shooters. When gun magazines wrote about handguns, they almost always wrote about revolvers. The real civilian shift away from revolvers only began in the 1980s and continued into the next decade. By then double stack 9mm guns were widely available, the so-called “Wonder Nines.” The 1911 was “sort of a dinosaur at that point.”

Cooper Plants the Seed

When the US military switched to the Beretta M9 in 1985, the 1911 was in danger of fading from the view of all but military surplus collectors and a few dedicated defensive shooters being trained by retired Marine Lt. Colonel Jeff Cooper. Cooper was a prolific gun writer in the 1970s and 1980s. Focusing on defensive handgun shooting, he was also a strong advocate for the 1911.

In 1976, Cooper established a scenario-based competition pistol league that eventually became the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). That same year Cooper founded Gunsite Academy in Arizona, where he began training defensive shooting skills to civilians. The 1911 featured heavily both at Gunsite and in USPSA competitions. But, at that point, there wasn’t much to choose from when it came to 1911s. Colt was the only manufacturer, with the Gold Cup National Match being the top of the line.

As competitive shooters began looking for ways to improve their guns, a new industry emerged offering custom upgrades, like an extended beavertail, beveled mag well, or an enhanced hammer spur for a competitive edge. Many of those companies began making their own 1911s with those upgrades as standard features. The popularity of those guns eventually spread to firearms enthusiasts in general.

But, by the early 1990s, the 1911 was in decline thanks to the popularity of the double stack 9mm guns. Companies like Beretta, Sig Sauer, and Glock were offering high quality products with higher capacity and better ergonomics. It didn’t help that the Beretta 92, in particular, was featured prominently in hit movie franchises like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon (we will not discuss the infamous “Glock 7”). It seemed the 1911 really might fade away this time…until The Man stepped in.

Clinton, Biden, and Feinstein Save the 1911

1994 saw the passage of the infamous Crime Bill pushed by then-President Bill Clinton, then-Senator Joe Biden, and gun grabber extraordinaire Senator Dianne Feinstein. Included in that onerous piece of legislation was the “Assault Weapons” Ban, which limited magazine capacity across the board to ten rounds. Suddenly, the 9mm guns didn’t carry that much more ammo and many gun owners decided that, if they were limited in capacity, they would carry bigger rounds. The .45 ACP 1911 was back, baby.

Popularity soared and continues to this day. Dozens of companies now make 1911s in all sizes from full to subcompact, single and double stack, and in multiple calibers. Chris—fairly, I think—points out that some of these guns are barely 1911s due to their size and features. He mentions the diminutive Sig Sauer P238, the Wilson Combat EDC-9, and some double stack 2011 guns. Not that those are bad guns or anything. But they have clearly veered off the main 1911 path. Even though the .45 ACP’s popularity has waned thanks to cost and the increased performance of the 9mm cartridge, the sheer variety of 1911s has kept John Browning’s design in the game.

So, Why Do Some People Dislike the 1911?

Great question, and Chris has some answers. Let’s hit those real quick:

• 1911s are big and heavy in relation to their limited capacity (standard 7 or 8 plus 1)
• Some people don’t like the grip and/or the thumb safeties
• Even a cheap 1911 costs about the same as a basic polymer striker fired gun
• They generally aren’t as reliable as those polymer guns
• The more affordable 1911s generally aren’t as reliable as expensive ones

Now, I’ll admit that the last one shouldn’t necessarily count. It’s normal for more expensive guns to work better than budget guns. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. But there are striker fired polymer guns available at competitive prices that will go bang every time with just a little maintenance. Chris points out that, if you plan to use a 1911 in a defensive capacity, you better spend at least $1000 to $1500. There are quality polymer guns available for half that. And that $1500 gun only gets you a mid-range 1911.

Not to mention that your money doesn’t always guarantee quality. Some manufacturers make pretty guns and sell them for a premium, but they aren’t that great on the inside. Even top shelf 1911s require more maintenance than a basic Glock or Sig. Chris notes that, the further you get from the original 1911 size and caliber, the truer that becomes. He advises sticking with a five-inch barreled 1911 chambered in .45 ACP or a Commander size, which is good in .45 or 9mm. When the barrel length drops below four inches, that’s where reliability really drops off and you have to start paying attention to things like recoil spring weight and ammo compatibility.

1911s can be very reliable and they can be affordable, but they are rarely both. For people used to paying 500 bucks for a polymer gun that can go 5,000 rounds between cleanings, you can see where the 1911’s fussiness can be a downside.

Why Do Some People Like, or Even Love the 1911?

Compared to the 1970s, we have an almost unlimited options for quality handguns. Chris believes modern handguns can do everything better and less expensively than the 1911, with two exceptions. First, the 1911 is still the gold standard for a nice trigger on a handgun. 1911 triggers tend to be light with a very short length of travel. They also slide directly to the rear with no levering or pivot motion, so the trigger stays in contact with the same part of the finger throughout the entire trigger press.

To be fair, there are some cheap 1911s with terrible triggers, but they are a distinct minority. Most are at least pretty good. The trigger makes the 1911 easy to shoot quickly and effectively and it’s extremely forgiving of imperfect trigger control technique.

The trigger does, however, come with some liability. A light trigger is not always desirable, and Chris believes that only experienced shooters who practice a lot and know how to manage the trigger should choose a 1911 as a carry gun. They are very unforgiving of even small mistakes in safe gun handling.

The other advantage of the 1911 is pride of ownership. Chris says, “It’s really gratifying to own a well-made machine that also looks like a really well-made machine.” That’s especially true if it’s been in the hands of a highly skilled craftsman or gunsmith who has customized it to your exact specifications. “A gun like that just compels you to take it out to the range and shoot it, and carry it, and show it to your friends.”

There are very few new semi-automatic pistols you can buy today that evoke that kind of pride of ownership that you get from a well made 1911. The industry has responded to that lack by offering ways to individualize polymer pistols, but Chris thinks most of those mods are “pretty lame.” No matter what you do with it, a Glock still looks like a Glock. As Chris says, “It’s just not the same as a shiny chunk of polished steel and wood.”

Even an off-the-shelf 1911 can have that “wow factor” that you can’t get from a more modern pistol. Chris notes that if you think of your gun primarily as a tool, you might think such things are frivolous, and you’re likely correct to a certain extent. But most folks aren’t driven by pure logic.

It can be a good thing to get some enjoyment from your defensive firearms because it can help motivate you to practice with it more. It can, however, go the other way. We can like it so much that we can get delusional about its capabilities but it’s good to have some level of affection for your defensive gun for whatever reason. A nice 1911 lends itself to that admirably.

So, what do you think? Love the 1911? Hate it? Don’t care? Let us know why in the comments.