So I borrowed my Dad's STI Sentinel Premier 1911 and shot a hundred rounds thru it over about 40 minutes last week.  I asked to borrow it because I've really got almost no experience with a 1911.  I've shot maybe 5-10 rounds, in a couple of different range sessions, with someone else's gun, over the past 20 years.  I've also never dissassembled one for cleaning, and reassembled.  Now that I've done it, here's my thoughts:

1.  Don't like that thumb safety being there in the way.  My natural thumb placement is under the thumb safety, and about 3-4 times during the session, the recoil of the gun inadvertently cause me to flip the safety back on.  At first, I was at real loss as to why the trigger wasn't working anymore, then I figured out what was happening.  In a real gunfight, I'd probably be dead.  So I started keeping my thumb on top of the safety while I fired.  This solved the first problem, but now the back end of the safety was digging into my thumb webbing, and it got pretty uncomfortable after 100 rounds.  I really prefer a gun where I don't have to think at all about where my thumb is, it just falls naturally in place.  And I prefer no safety at all, it's just something else to get flipped on during action.

2.  It's a real pain to dissassemble and re-assemble.  I've been raised on the BHP/CZ/Glock/almost every other pistol-style that doesn't have that link and barrel bushing arrangement, which I see now is far superior.  This aspect of the 1911 just really makes it seem like dated technology.  I'm sure I could get used to it, like anything else.

Other than that, it is a really fine pistol, but I think the 1911 is just not my cup of tea.  They are beautiful works of machining, but I'm pretty amazed at the things that have been highlighted when shooting a gun, versus just holding it in your hand and dry-firing it.  I'm not trying to start a thread war about 1911s, if you love them, have at it, hoss.  They just lost their luster for me personally.

I ride the thumb safety too, and I find it a lot more comfortable on guns that don't have the STI thumb safety scallop.

Neither of those are issues with even a bare minimum of experience. 

If you can tie your shoes you can learn to field strip a 1911 in seconds.

How was your accuracy with it ?  I've shot a lot of different 1911s over the last 30 years. Never had the safety come on while firing it. Could it be you just don't use the right grip?

That's awful. None of the guns you're  used to can hold a candle to the accuracy of a finely crafted 1911.

Glocks and CZs are great pistols, but there is something very special about a fine 1911.

Accuracy was average for me.  I'm also not used to shooting .45s (lots of 9mm time), so I had to consciously force down flinching.  I have always heard great things about the accuracy of 1911s, so there was no surprises there.  I did like that single action trigger, people aren't lying about that for sure.

Got a STI Marauder last year. If your Dad's STI trigger is like the one in the Marauder,,. You should have been blown away by it.  I've got two Glocks a 34&27 and can't shoot them as accurately as a 1911. But that's on me.

Huh, I haven't really encountered any of those issues except for the barrel link (getting that sucker lined back up...grrrrr) being difficult. It must just be a personal preference thing- I can only afford one handgun for now (money better spent on ammunition, rifles, and other equipment), so went with a 1911 and do not regret my choice at all. To each their own- I'm sorry the 1911 master race didn't fit with your shooting style.

Paperclip.  Now... if you don't get it in there at all but think you did and rack it, boy, that sucks.

Bullshit 45 FMJ ammo isn't more powerful than bullshit 9mm FMJ ammo, so I'm not sure I agree with OPs recoil perception, especially in a heavier steel gun than polymer 9s.

A flinch with .45ACP? It seems that the issues you had could simply be solved with more training.

I would say he's right on that, I've shot a lot of "cheap" FMJ 9mm & .45 through both steel and polymer guns and the .45 is always a noticeable step up in recoil. 

This thread also reminds me that I miss my 1911 I sold to buy a FNX-45, I need another one, but with a threaded barrel and a rail this time!

Yes, I'm sure more training would equal more comfort shooting .45, and also faster takedown of the 1911.  That's a big duh.  Like I said, these are just my first thoughts shooting with a 1911 for my first time.  I had no similar thoughts shooting almost any other modern full size semi-auto pistol; they all seemed easier from the get-go.  I've always heard so many great things about 1911s, but wasn't that impressed on my first run-thru.  Just to put things in perspective, my main and only full size pistol is a CZ SP-01 Tactical.  I can dissassemble/reassemble that gun in seconds, need no tools other than the magazine to pop the slide release out, and the grip is super comfortable and doesn't rub anywhere, no matter how long I shoot it.  The venerable 1911 has fallen rather far down my Gun Wish List that I keep in my head.

First semi auto handgun I shot was a 1911A1 in the Army, back in 1978.  Fell in love with them.  Bought one (1911) shortly after that ($195 for a Colt 1911 made in 1917, no idea what it's worth today, but a lot more than what I paid for it).

Carried them for years.  Still have one in the bedroom.  Carry CZ's these days.  A good CZ is an awesome shooting machine.

So you're not looking for any input or to start a conversation, you just want to say "After shooting 100 rounds, 1911s aren't for me."?

1911s are complicated to field strip?

Go field strip a C96 and get back to me.

I guess I'm just used to pistols with frame-mounted safeties; the 1911's doesn't really bother me.

Oh man, this reminds me of how much I miss my 1911.  It felt like it was built just for my hand.

This is a GI thumb safety.  It's supposed to be unobtrusive and out-of-the-way.


Most STIs will be fitted with something bigger, ostensibly so you can deactivate it quicker -- which means it'll noticeable and in the way.

I have never had one issue with the thumb safety and in fact, I ride my thumb on top of it...so if I was in a real fight while you are going to be dead, I will not be. So what you prefer means nothing to me, because it is obvious that you do not know how to shoot properly given that a .45 ACP makes you flinch. And no, a safety is not something else to get flipped on during action. That myth needs to take a dirt nap. And it is not a pain to take apart or put back together. In fact, it is very simple.

And if you're not trying to start a thread war, then why are you here trying to stir the pot, hoss?

If I close my eyes and point a Glock they always seem to aim high, then I have to can't my wrists down a tad to get a proper sight picture. Just because of this small nuisance doesn't mean I'll give up on the Glock platform.

I don't know any gun which I have been able to just pick up and naturally has been perfect for me.