Quoted: "At least my M1911A1s don't explode in my hand when using cast bullets or blast half the slide into my cheek with hot loads."
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Not entirely true. I was with my dad at the range when his prized Colt Series 70 Gold cup blew up! What happened was the new, factory load blew back the slide so hard, that a crack formed on the bolt face, and the pressure from the load forced all of the remaining bullets in the magazine to blow out the bottom. The slide was jammed in the open position and had to be struck with a mallet in order to close.
Sadly, that gun is now just a coffe table conversation piece.
I spoke with a 1911 gun smith named Terry Tussey, who has had articles written about him in various magazines. He used to to work here in Orange, CA, but he moved to NV. He said that he's seen several Colt 1911's and clones crack in the same manner.
With your comment about "hot loads"....The loads used in the .45 were factory 185gr +P's. Hardly a "hot load" as the Beretta 92F series used a "proof" load, which is like a ++++P load, not commercially available to civilians. Plus, that slide incident you mention, (I'm guessing you're refering to the Berettas) only occurred during testing of the weapon for the Army and it was only with one slide where the failure occurred. Any gun loaded with "rocket" fuel (proof loads) will eventually fail after numerous rounds.
No gun is made to last FOREVER. Eventually, everything dies, breaks and erodes!