Among the biggest surprises of the thread Sig vs. Glock was the number of people who prefer model 1911 pistols. Tonight I finally fired one, a Kimber Classic Custom .45, and I was impressed.
It was not at all like the old Air Force .45s with their hard trigger pulls. Somehow even the Kimber recoil seems much more pleasant.
Before with a .45 I always wound up getting tired and starting to flinch, but the smooth Kimber action and trigger made the 50-round box disappear all too quickly. The ammo was Atlanta Arms & Ammo 45 ACP .230 grain TCJ.
When I fire a rental gun, I always follow up with my own Ruger Security-Six .357/.38 revolver for comparison, usually just with .38s. This time I was surprised that the Kimber .45 1911 outshot my .38 in comparable single action trigger pull. Never thought that could happen.
What got me interested in Kimber was several of the range guys carrying Kimber .45s as their personal weapons. One told me he thought the Kimbers were better shooters because of the way the grip safety encouraged a better hold.
The range guys continue the debate of Sig vs. Glock and add Kimber and Springfield to the equation.
I particularly like the total single-action trigger pull of the Kimber 1911 version. Some people like the DA/SA of Sigs, some like the uber safe total DA of Glocks, and some prefer the total SA of Kimbers. Count me among the latter.
The 1911 safeties also seem logical and doable for me. Traditional slide safety and grip safety. In home defense use, I'd go that extra step and not put a shell in the chamber.
But even with carry use like range personnel, I'll never get used to seeing loaded holstered semiautomatics with their hammer cocked, no matter what kind of safeties they have.
So in my personal large caliber handgun recent firings, I score best and feel best using single action in my own Ruger Security-Six .357 Magnum revolver, the Kimber Classic Custom .45, and the Sig P229 .40. I did not shoot as accurately with any of the totally double action Glocks: the 21 .45 caliber, the 22 40-caliber, or the 31 357 Sig.
And what's puzzling, my own .38 revolver accuracy is erratic, sometimes good and sometimes mediocre. I've usually fired the .38 after testing one of the pistols, so maybe that's a factor.
Non 1911ers need not reply, but how about a quick roll call of you shooters who prefer 1911 models over all other handguns and which brand you recommend.
