[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=2P0edDYdqXU&feature=fvwp[/video]

Wow. That's an eye opener.

I don't have a compact 1911 anymore, but I do have a full size that I absolutely love.

That being said, I rely on my H&K USP and my Springfield XDm's. They just work. All the time.

Interesting

Kimber.

Enough said.

Now if it was a "custom shop" kimber.........



Shane

Very interesting, he is pretty passionate about it offering to pay for the course

Super glad I saw this before I put money on one of those baby 1911's

Did he say in writing that he did not recommend a 1911 for personal defense?

Wow, what an in depth review, that showed all the problems of the sub compact 1911. I mean look at the sample size they had, and how they really laid it down w/ different kinds of ammo. It was nice of them to run 500 rounds though it first, and then check the extractor, and other parts of the gun.

If you can't tell that's extreme sarcasm. I don't own a .45 sub compact. I do have a sub compact 1911 9mm that was built from the ground up to be a 9mm 1911, and it's the bees. It runs w/o any issues.

If he will stand behind his word, I will venture to guess he's paid out more than a few tuitions.

I'm curious how many of those students were using new 1911s or ammo they had not tested.

I don't doubt that he see's a lot of failures as I've read many similar accounts of subcompact 1911's, but I've also heard of just as many who have 0 issues.

All that said, not sure I'd want to rely on a subcompact 1911.

I would bet he has paid a few. I know of three guns that either I own or friends own that I would give it a go with.

Any gun can and will have issues I know 1911's seem to have more than most. In fact thinking about it I have a cop friend that stopped carrying his colt because of it. He could only get about 200 rounds through it at a time before it wouldn't cycle

I know some of the smaller 1911s can be less than perfectly reliable. I had a Norinco compact (Commander-sized) that just couldn't go 50 rounds without at least one failure to feed. On the other hand, I've had several full-size 1911s that were as reliable as stones. I have had a P13 that was 100% reliable. I had a pair of Norinco 1911A1s that would cycle entire magazines of empty cases time after time. Shoulda kept both of those!

I fully understand and agree with the comments about the safety on 1911s and I believe that his meaning is that without intensive training with the pistol, there is a very good chance that the operator will forget to disengage the safety which could have catastrophic consequences. For the average shooter, something like an M&P, a Glock, or an XD makes far more sense. I think a whole slew of guys out there are carrying 1911s when they really shouldn't be, and it's because they can't be honest with themselves. I've been shooting 1911s for decades but I only carry one in the console occasionally, and never concealed on my person. If you're carrying something that requires only that you remember to pull the trigger, your chances of deploying the weapon successfully in self defense have got to be much better.

I find the guy's assertion that 90% of the 1911s can't get through the course without a mechanical malfunction to be ludicrous---until he throws operator error into the equation...maybe that's not so unbelievable.

I just hit the 500 mark today with my kimber ultra carry cdpII with no issues what so ever. Has ate every round That i put through it.
Im not sure if its because its a custom shop kimber or what but i wouldn't hesitate to trust my life with mine.

Sounds like that guy just dont like 1911 pistols.

My RIA compact (officer's size) 1911 is 100% reliable with ball ammo. It simply won't feed any hollow points that I've tried. The feed ramp angle isn't correct and the tip hangs up. Considering that hollow points really didn't exist in 1911, I'm not really surprised.

But if it's the end of the world... I want a 1911. Even after a month or two of not shooting it, I can pick it up and hit steel from 25y. It's just a natural shooter.

I really enjoy my cheap 1911. But the truth is 1911's the he only class of gun people tolerate so much malfunctioning.

Spend $700 and up on a gun, you expect it to run out of the box.

1) 3 shots, 2) 3 seconds, 3) 3 yds. The mystique, the myth, the history of the 1911 will not help you. You have to do it on your own.

If you can, good to go. If not, get a glock.

My wife's 9mm Kimber Ultra CDP II never misses a beat. Period.

I don't trust my full size 1911 for personal defense but it's my absolute favorite at the range. I've had too many failures to feed with ball ammo and as much as I like the trigger for target shooting, I prefer double action for defense and carry. I treat the 1911 like a hunting rifle or shotgun...it gets loaded (ie round chambered) when I'm about to use it, its always pointed in a safe direction when loaded, and it gets unloaded when I'm done. It lives in the safe between range trips. It is a sweet shooter though.

My Colt Defender has never had even 1 ftf, and I shoot the snot out of it

My Kimber crimson carry has been awesome so far. Hundreds of round down range with FTF whatsoever.

I have the same gun and it just rolled over 2,000 rounds and still using the factory "crappy" Kimber may with no hiccups. My wife even shoots it just fine. I would venture to say that most people in his "class" we're probably limp writing it, or some other user error.

I had a Kimber custom mid size, as bad as I wanted it to shoot reliably it just wouldn't, I tried different mags, cleaning the chit out of it, nothing worked. I'll stick w/ my M&Ps

Wow. 1911's don't work. Who woulda thunk it? I guess that's why no professionals whose life depends on their weapon use them.

I was waiting for him to tell us which magic pistols never jam, even when the noob shooting them leaves them dirty and not lubed, runs crap ammo, limp-wrists it, short strokes the slide, etc. But hey, he is obviously a guru, cause he teaches shooting classes. And he made a video.

I have had Colt 1911's I depended on and I have had some Colts I would have not given to the Devil himself. I sold them to my enemies!
I currently own my first LW Commander I have not shot yet. I owned several Combat Commanders back before Colt did any enhancing to them. No throating, ejection port not lowered or flaired like the Govt models. There was no extended grip safeties. Guys put Commander hammers on a Govt model and worked on the standard Govt grip safety so the commander hammer would work properly. All of them had small sights, MMC & Millet was some of the first aftermarket sights. Some used S&W adjustable rear sights milled into place or the Big Bomar's. King Tappen Sights were there also. Then slides and frames were cut down to make smaller 45's. The rest is history after lots of trial and errors.