Posted: 4/2/2010 4:45:41 AM EDT
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Hey guys,
Like many before me Im interested in getting a 1911. I recently got a chance to shoot a buddy's pair of 1911s. One was a single stack thompson custom 1911 and the other was a double stack para-ordnance. I remember my first experience with a HK USP .45 back in 2001 and recall the amount of kick that handgun had, I did not like it at all. Surprisingly the Thompson was very smooth and had a much smaller kick that i felt was very nice and controllable. However the Paraordnance did not. It kicked a lot worse than the thompson. Can anyone tell me what i should look for in a 1911? what characteristics made the thompson better to shoot than the paraordnance? Was it weight that kept the thompson controllable? or was it due to being a single stack? I was looking into a used Spingfield Armory 1911 and was wondering if I would like it or not. I dont want a gun that kicks a whole lot. granted practice and proper technique will help mitigate the kick but im picky. It is like driving a sports car. they all go when you hit the gas but not all are equal. Im looking for a specific characteristic almost like the way a car handles, I want a 1911 that I am comfortable with. Of course I could get a thompson but Im not interested in spending $800+ Please advise Thank you. |
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Springfield Loaded would be a good choice for your price range. If you are worried about the "kick" recoil I would say do not get into any lightweight Al frames.
The 1911 platform does not have bad recoil because you are shooting and all steel gun. Glad you liked your first taste of many 1911's |
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Springfield Mil Spec. I own one and can confidently recommend it. Won't break the bank, reliable out of the box, and combat accurate. Can be upgraded as you see fit. I wasn't thrilled with the trigger pull on mine so I dropped in a C&S matched hammer set for $118 which made a dramatic difference. Rent one if you can and give it a try.
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Perhaps the Para being double-stack has something to do with your grip and a more ' percieved' recoil. Part of the allure to the 1911 for me is the way it feels in my hand. I don't care for the double-stack. It feels too much like a.................dare I say it  Glock.
For what it's worth, I've had a SA Mil-Spec for a couple of years and and a couple of thousand rounds and it's been 100%. a-bare |
| Recoil management in a 1911, or any handgun for that matter, is mostly in your grip and elbows. A beavertail grip safety will allow your hands to get higher on the bore axis, allowing the recoil impetus to come straight back into your arms. Shrink wrap both hands around the grip, strong side thumb rides the thumb safety, support side thumb pointing forward, just in front of the slide stop. |
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I got a RIA Tactical (under $500 most places) as my first 1911. I don't notice much kick, and feel it is a good deal for the money for a starter 1911. It is no Colt, but at half the price it would help you decide if you want to get into the platform more. You will probably want to replace the smooth grips to something textured if you do––SARCO has a nice (cheap) set of walnut or hard rubber that would work well in my opinion. Review: http://www.m1911.org/ezine/RIATactical.htm  |
| Don't forget that the choice of ammo also can make a big difference in perceived recoil. A light target load and one loaded up to spec or in the +P range will recoil far differently. Different barrel lengths and lighter [due to alloy frames] 1911s also recoil more. Just brand differences alone without anything else involved don;t make much of a difference in recoil unless the grip area is larger to the point where the grasp is incorrect for the hand size. |
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Did the grip safety have whats called a beavertail on the 1911s you shot? Its the safety on the back of the grip that gets pushed in when you grip the gun and has an up swept tail. Standard grip safeties have just a small thin tang on the back. Reason I'm asking is you might want to get a 1911 with a beavertail grip safety over any GI or Mil-Spec 1911 as you might get hammer bite. I did recently with my Regent in GI configuration but I already knew I might and have had it before. Might freak someone out if their not expecting it and will turn them off of 1911s or have them gripping the gun wrong to avoid it.
Most 1911s now come with the beavertail anyway unless your getting a GI/Mil-Spec model. 1911 with GI grip safety 
1911 with beavertail grip safety 
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Quoted: I got a RIA Tactical (under $500 most places) as my first 1911. I don't notice much kick, In spite of the 230 grain chunk of love being thrown, I feel that the .45ACP is not as "sharp" or "snappy" as a .40. It's more like a .45-70 rather than a 7mm mag. You can do a lot to reduce recoil and muzzle flip (mechanical advantages, lighter bullets, reduced powder charge), but the bottom line is a proper grip and stance.
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