Colt 1911: The Incredible Gun in Service for Over 100 Years

Join me in Crossout for FREE on PC, PS®4 and Xbox One: xo.link/xosideprojects Follow my link to get the game as well as an exclusive bonus. See you in game!
This video is #sponsored by Crossout.
This video Biographics: / @biographics
Geographics: / @geographicstravel
Warographics: / @warographics643
MegaProjects: / @megaprojects9649
Into The Shadows: / intotheshadows
TopTenz: / toptenznet
Today I Found Out: / todayifoundout
Highlight History: / @highlighthistory
Business Blaze: / @brainblaze6526
Casual Criminalist: / thecasualcriminalist
Decoding the Unknown: / @decodingtheunknown2373

[@Sideprojects]

Join me in Crossout for FREE on PC, PS®4 and Xbox One: xo.link/xosideprojects Follow my link to get the game as well as an exclusive bonus. See you in game!

[@michaelmayhem350]

Can't believe you couldn't get the NRA to sponsor this

[@delfinenteddyson9865]

@@michaelmayhem350 🤣

[@truthseeker8123]

You are completely wrong about the Thompson and the BAR needing to be semi auto. The BAR only fired in full auto in 2 speeds, not even having the capability to fire semi auto. Even today, original pre 1985 production full auto weapons are available to Americans, if they can afford the high price tag. The permitting process takes a few months and a rigorous background check, and a $250 tax stamp. I must also point out for people fearing self protection, that the concealed carriers and tax stamp weapon bearing population has a lower crime rate per 100,000 than American police officers do. We keep ourselves and families safe. 🇺🇸

[@goofyfoot2001]

Fascinating eggskull

[@wt1370]

I’m an American, and I have been shooting/ hunting pretty much my entire life. I presume you can’t say the same Mr Whistler? That being the case I was impressed by your accuracy and knowledge on the topic. I was wondering, is there a reason this Brit knows so much about this topic? Considering firearms are heavily regulated in your country. Was there much research involved? If so did you find the topic tedious and somewhat boring? Are you one of the seemingly rare Brits that have found a way to enjoy shooting sports? Because if you found this topic uninteresting or boring, it sure didn’t show. I’ve been a sub on all of your channels for a while and thoroughly enjoy them. Thank you for your work and many hours of enjoyment. I do have to correct one thing you said. Fully automatic firearms such as a BAR or Thompson SMG weren’t made illegal to the general public until 1936. After that you needed a federal license to own one. Thanks again

[@Rocketsong]

One of the great unknown features of the M1911, and testament to Browning's genius, is that the M1911 is it's own tool box. The slotted screws on the 1911 have slightly concave slots, and are sized so one can use a .45 acp shell as a screwdriver. The hammer strut is sized to be a pin punch, and the dogleg on the sear spring is sized to remove the magazine release screw.

[@timengineman2nd714]

Yes, you can basically do a major disassembly, in the correct order, by using parts you've already removed!! (The 3 fingered mainspring can be used as a screwdriver, and also to remove the magazine release assembly!) If the next part is stuck, you often can use any Full Metal Jacketed (Spitzer) rifle cartridge as a punch to start. removing the pin that holds it in place!!! (I've had to do that a few times on the Pin that holds the Hammer Spring Assembly in place....)

[@AlphaJulietBravo1]

You can also pop out the barrel bushing with a casing

[@timengineman2nd714]

@@AlphaJulietBravo1 Most medium bore rifle casing rims are the same size as the .45 rim, or close enough that they work as well if not better than the .45 Auto Cartridge. (You can hold it better since you get more fingers on them). However, I never had a Bushing stuck that hard that I couldn't turn it with my hands! (Of course that's when I was having to torque certain diesel parts to 350 foot pounds and lifting 310 pound ALCO heads off of the deck and put them on a work stand by myself...)

[@randerson4124]

don't forget, if you manage to lose the plug that goes over the spring, you can use a spent shell casing

[@1lovesoni]

@@randerson4124 yep, though it might not necessarily pop into place quite as well. My grandfather taught me that trick.

[@WaltMartin]

I joined the Army in 1981. And used a 1911 for my entire 27 year career. They tried to give me the Barretta 9mm for a while, but luckily I was allowed to keep a .45 and I loved it. I actually fired my .45 in combat almost a dozen times. I retired in 2009, and still have a 1911 right here in my desk.

[@jackthorton10]

Never know when you’re gonna need it… pays to be safe:)

[@phillipstrait9387]

Thank you for your service

[@idontcare-ct7jm]

Why do ALL veterans spell Beretta wrong? It's literally written all over the gun

[@johnm249]

I was in Navy and I was taught about Colt 45 but in 1981 I saw Navy using the Beretta 9mm for submariners on guard duty

[@Dang_Near_Fed_Up]

@@idontcare-ct7jm It is a deliberate snub to the Baretta as those of us who were forced to switch to it from the 1911 were never happy with it, unlike the 1911. Especially those of us who got the original prototypes which were incredibly poor quality. I went from shooting expert with ease to having to take 2 attempts to even qualify with the 9mm, mainly due to the fact the targets on our pistol range often took multiple hits to get them to drop from the anemic 9mm ammo we were issued. It took 2 years before we got ammo I would trust for the 9mm.

[@alanpeterson4939]

I have a Colt 1911 that was made in 1919. Over 100 years old and it still shoots flawlessly.

[@user-nh5jv7tf6j]

U are most likely full of shit cause even the u.s army had them re machined and widened ejection ports to help reliability make them work better there is still surplus examples stored by the u.s army still I seen a vid where it's said so many got sent in for regular maintainance even once berreta was issued the army had so many come back from being upgraded that they just boxed them up and I'd love to have one of those examples just like new just sitting in a old armoury I know location but I ain't snitching U Americans already have enough guns

[@jonnywatts2970]

Jealous

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

Grandpa would agree, But I prefer the Browning HP

[@edthebumblingfool]

100% America had to wait until the Baretta 92 to get a gun as good as the Browning HP9mm despite it being available in ww2@@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg

[@tanjiro_kamadofr]

Jealous.

[@derekfoehr9264]

My uncle passed away a few years ago and I ended up inheriting my great grandpa's 1911 (made in 1913). Awesome pistol.

[@fiftycal1]

I’ve one with same year of mfg

[@fishheds]

Same here. It may be one of a lot of 1250 shipped to the USMC on July 9, 1913. Mine is, and I'm told it's been through both world wars. Sure looks like it.

[@randydiabolo]

I'll give you $50 for it.

[@oldsguy354]

​@@randydiaboloDoes the bidding start here? I'll give him $100 for it. ;)

[@aldousorwell3807]

​​​@@oldsguy354 *✋$100.01!!*

[@williamcostigan91]

A weapon designer so legendary that even a nuclear apocalypse and two hundred years couldn't erase him or his creations from history or Joshua Graham's personal respect.

[@broadkiid]

Can’t expect God to do all the work.

[@frankplissken143]

Definitely A light shining in darkness.

[@jerichofalls8236]

Even Follows Chalk uses one

[@RNemy509]

Well played FNV reference...outstanding

[@MB5rider81]

Hegelian Dialectics tells us that there needs to be an end to the pile of .45 pistols

[@jw8042]

Herbert W. McBride wrote in “a rifleman went to war” in the chapter of the pistol in war. “I don’t want this thing often, but when I do I want it real bad” Later in the chapter he wrote: “during my war experience from September 1915 to February 1917… I fired exactly 7 shots at the enemy… but brother those were seven badly needed shots”

[@davefellhoelter1343]

I remember this Book

[@bannedbycommieyoutube5time920]

7 shots = emptying the original magazine on a 1911 into someone. War is a wild thing.

[@jw8042]

@@bannedbycommieyoutube5time920 according to mcbride i think it was 3 differensiert occasions

[@bannedbycommieyoutube5time920]

@@jw8042 interesting. better than hand to hand or a 1917 or M1903 bolt action in a trench raid.

[@bobsteadman9728]

I was issued it on a PD that fielded two of us cops and a Sgt so I felt it prudent to carry plenty of spare mags. I carried 6 mags along with all the other crap on my Batman utility belt. My dad advised me to not even fall in a gutter of water or I'd drown. I found out how much it weighed during a foot pursuit which I gave up 1/4 block into. My Sgt pointed out my stupidity as I had the guy's ID clipped to my pocket and of course, we picked him up later.

[@TheWhiteTrashPanda]

Simon, thank you for specifying the difference between semiautomatic and automatic. Far too many people these days don't know the difference.

[@nauticalwolf6649]

Yup I’ll never forget the fully semiautomatic comment by a fairly well known news reporter.

[@captainskippy6622]

Especially US law makers!

[@joelellis7035]

​@@nauticalwolf6649it wasn't a reporter, it was a military officer! 🤦‍♂️

[@RafaelBenedicto]

@@nauticalwolf6649 He might as well have said it was a fully semiautomatic drum-fed belt magazine assault gatling pistol.

[@NorthernNorthdude91749]

Semi-automatic is still automatic.

[@dexta32084]

My favorite is the M2 .50 BMG…invented in 1918 and the “B” standing for Browning. A machine gun the US military still uses with minimal design changes, and with no sign of getting rid of them. When I was in Iraq my M2 was almost 60 years old and still in service.

[@davidmclean357]

no question the M2 will hit the century in service mark

[@Tomyironmane]

Marine Corps? Also... they've TRIED to get rid of the Ma Deuce... they just haven't managed it.

[@johnstonkeyjr.6753]

The ma deuce's last operator has yet to be born is the motto

[@MUJUNKY]

In two hundred years there will be space marines on mars with an M2 that has "Guadal Canal" and "Khe Sanh" scratched into the receiver.

[@jasontheflyingfarrierhays1347]

Ma-deuce!!!!

[@earnestbrown6524]

When the USN was changing over to the M9 we had to do qualification on the new M9 and M1911. On the last day of shooting Quals after we were done the Gunner's Mates said that they had couple of 1000's rounds of 45ACP ammo that they were not going to be taking back to the ship. The only rule (other then don't be stupid with the guns) was we loaded our own mags. So like 30 of us blew through that ammo. That was a fun day. It was a outdoor range and the weather was nice.

[@rubiconnn]

I imagine your thumb was in a lot of pain from loading that many mags.

[@earnestbrown6524]

@@rubiconnn A price I was willing to pay.

[@lodownnogood]

That does sound like a good time. When I joined the Coast Guard in the late 90s we only had the m9. I did care for the 9 mm.

[@rubiconnn]

@@earnestbrown6524 I hate loading box magazines so much I don't even shoot mine anymore lol. I stick to my beloved tube magazine .22lr bolt action and my revolver. My AR and my semi auto pistol have been collecting dust for years now.

[@tynancravy5589]

I bet that there wasn’t a single issue with any of the guns the entire time.

[@josephmatuszak3855]

I have proof they work with 100+ year old barrels.... I have one as a family heirloom that has served in 2 world wars and Korea. Brought it out to a local PD's shooting range... and it made them question where I got it and how I learned to shoot (heriloom + Marines). Browning absolutely was a genius.

[@dorsk84]

I have one from 1912 (it has a 4 digit S/N) and it's still a tact driver.

[@trick4702]

Same here. My father has one from 1917. Fired 100 rounds through it and had to aim outside the bullseye because it was gone🤣

[@jasonm949]

Ok boomer

[@jmanj3917]

Absolutely, Brother. And Semper Fi!

[@jmanj3917]

My first .45 is not a 1911, but the barrel is the same...from the mid- to late eighties. At 3 meters (10 feet) that POS hits six inches Left and about 7 3/4 inches High. Lol. As long as I know how to use it, I'mgood with it. And, if You get your hands on it...not like that would ever happen...lolol...but if you tried to shoot me with it I would probably be okay once I was about 15 feet or so away from you....lol .. Man, I love that piece of sh't!!

[@jrremerable]

1911 is my EDC. First hand gun I bought, bounces around with me in my truck, goes out in the woods, gets covered in mud, grass, snow n ice during hunting season, and still runs flawless. Goes to show the simplistic functionality that John put into the design, and the credit to a philosophy of rugged dependability.

[@tidefanyankee2428]

1st pistol I qualified with in the military. Loved it. Wasn't as big a fan of the Beretta. I have a 1911 today and it's my go to if I hear a "bump in the night". Springfield Armory TRP. It's a classic that is still relevant today. John Moses Browning was a genius

[@tesmith47]

@in desperate need of a scotch you must be a mafia

[@donovanchilton5817]

I love the 1911 but a Glock will literally do all of that just as easily.

[@matthewpol7708]

Amen to that. I have the option to use other hand guns working armed security, but the 1911 is hands down the greatest of all time hence why I carry it every day. Wouldn't trust any other hand gun with my life. To paraphrase the government and this video "Nothing less than a .45 will do".

[@thatonescrambler]

Delta Elite for me

[@devkit0]

I fired one of these as a teenager and fell absolutely in love with it. Now, roughly ten years later, I have one of my own. It is and always has been my favorite pistol.

[@craigthescott5074]

John Moses Browning was the most prolific gun designer in history. Most gun inventors would be happy with one popular design like Luger, Thompson, Glock, Kalashnikov but Browning invented dozens designs many are still used today. Nobody comes close to Browning he’s the Einstein of gun designers.

[@ibbylancaster8981]

My dad just passed away a couple of months ago. Among his many talents he was a gunsmith and collector of guns. Shortly before he passed away, he wanted my sister and I to inventory his guns. He had 13 1911 frames in a few different calibers but mainly in .45. I went to the hospice to visit him after we did it, I jokingly asked him “ Dad , do you like 1911’s much?” His deadpan and immediate answer was “It’s the only automatic pistol that’s ever been built “. He loved them. They will forever remain in my collection as well. Set up correctly, they are as reliable as they come. Great video Simon.

[@klausschwabshubris]

Wonderful story that you can pass on, I’ll be the first to say thanks.

[@klausschwabshubris]

@Jared H 1911 is a pistol , not a year.

[@klausschwabshubris]

@Jared H it was made in 1911 and is called 1911. That’s my point. No one was saying it was the first of it’s kind goober.

[@klausschwabshubris]

@Jared H my apologies, I guess I glossed over that bit. Just went over the original comment.

[@davidmiller9485]

@Jared H To many that is a correct statement. It's not that other auto's weren't built. Its that the 1911 is the "ONLY" auto pistol built, ie. it's so much the best that the other guns might well not have even been. I understood his dad just fine.

[@jeffcooper7258]

I was trained in the 1911 in the US Army in 1986. Solid weapon.

[@ms.annthrope415]

Learned the 1911 in army officers training in 1980. Always had one since then. Have owned about 10 in my life and now own 5.

[@paulellington1505]

Browning was an engineering genius. He was the mind behind alot of classic American firearms. But people don't want to recognize the brilliance of a man who helped create masterpieces that just happened to fill whole graveyards alone. Great video Simon as always. Keep it up 👍

[@roberthayden5103]

What’s your opinion of Stoner?

[@1999fxdx]

Not in the same league as Browning or Maxim (the American who invented the belt fed machine guns used by all of WWI armies) If there’s a WW3 Stoner and Kalashnikov may catch them.

[@ottoklarn2014]

My first experience with a 1911 was as a 17 year old sailor who was taught by a very good USMC lance corporal. On Monday he took me from my first-ever shots any pistol to qualifying Expert the following Friday, just four points short of the course record. I never lost my interest and, after the Navy I owned many handguns, but always loved the 45 ACP. Fifty-six years later I still have two 1911's - one carefully massaged into an absolute tack driving target pistol. If I ever have to fire a shot in anger, I want it to be with that 1911. I have absolute confidence in it.

[@papasmurf5925]

Agree 💯

[@markgunn6454]

The 1911A1 was sidearm but definitely not a side project. It is too good.

[@knurlgnar24]

It is THE project. All others since have been side projects, tweaking and slightly improving an already masterpiece of a design.

[@steveskouson9620]

Would ANYTHING John Moses Browning designed, be a side project? steve

[@worstchoresmadesimple6259]

@@steveskouson9620 😊😊😊

[@gordonlawrence1448]

It was a side project for Browning as he was already working on the BAR and several other weapons.

[@davidmiller9485]

@@gordonlawrence1448 Yes and U.S. military really screwed the pooch with the BAR. They tried to use it as a machine gun. It's a Rifle. It's not meant to be use as a machine gun. It was so stupid they designed a "cup" that fits on your hip that the butt stock fits into so you walk and shoot on auto. Just so dumb.

[@SevenSixTwo2012]

An M1911 is not only a pistol, it is also a work of art. If you ever held one in your hands, you'll understand. There are hundreds of different pistol designs in the world, but none of them come close to the M1911 handling, feel and looks.

[@flacjacket]

The weight may be an issue when it comes to carrying, but when it comes to shooting I am far more accurate with my great grandfather's WW2 issue 1911 than I am with any modern 9mm I have used. The extra weight stabilizes the gun and reduces kickback. I love shooting that thing, it makes me feel connected to a piece of my heritage, a man I never met but whom I am certain was a greater man than I.

[@Razor-gx2dq]

The 1911 has a fantastic trigger

[@jamespell8091]

Yes the weight's advantage is a thing that wasn't noted in this video. People have become lightweights through modern technology. Back in the day truck tires were ply there was no power steering no air conditioning. Pallets were made of actual hardwood and wouldn't parch a termite. The weight of the 1911 definitely works to one's advantage. Perhaps the 9mm is smaller and therefore can afford to be lighter.

[@misledprops]

When I think of a handgun, I think of the 1911. And I’m not a gun person in any way. It’s just iconic as all hell

[@TheSoonToBePurgedJackMeHoff55]

Its a beautiful piece of American engineering

[@speedy01247]

its a trend setter and history maker.

[@richiehoyt8487]

Absolutely! Going on looks (hardly the best way to choose a handgun, of course) while it's not my favourite,× it is as the London Routemaster is to buses, or the Empire State Building is to skyscrapers... It is what you _think of_ when someone says 'pistol'. It is, quite simply, the pistol~iest looking of pistols! ×If anyone's asking - the Ortgies, or the Walther PPK. Or in wheelguns, the S&W J~frame .38 detective special.

[@ericthompson3982]

Had the pleasure of firing my grandfather's 1911 from his military competition days. He had kept it in immaculate shape. It was awesome. He was a champion shooter in competition and combat, and I never got to meet him, but I got to connect with him in that moment.

[@KathrynLiz1]

Of such men are great nations made...

[@LewisSkeeter]

He made the High Wall for Winchester in the 1870s and later made the Browning Machine Gun which is still occasionally being used today. An astonishing genius.

[@jimbob465]

You mean the 1885 highwall?

[@thebiguglyredneck]

To my thinking the most impressive thing about the 1911 is the way it feels and handles. The perceived recoil is much less than it has any right to be, and the way it's proportioned makes it almost as instinctive to point as your finger. My daughter, who inherited her petite size from her Korean mom, usually uses a .380 caliber Walther PPK at her father-in-law's frequent shooting parties, because she's not usually comfortable with a larger gun. One weekend a neighbor suggested she try his 1911. She accepted, though obviously expecting it to be a barely controllable beast. To everyone's surprise, she shot better with it than she ever had with the PPK, even out-shooting everyone in the "ring the bells" game. (The losers afterward jokingly requesting that the neighbor not let her use it any more.) The 1911 is just a marvellous handgun.

[@MythicFool]

I do appreciate how Simon is able to take these subjects, on all of his channels, and cover them in as close to unbiased and impartially as humanly possible, thanks in no small part to the efforts of his writers.

[@Mikebumpful]

We also tend to instinctively believe anything being said with that posh accent 😅

[@man_skills]

Simon, I always enjoy your content. I will note that there was an incorrect statement made. A civilian could buy a new thompson, BAR, or any other fully automatic weapon until May of 1986. These are referred to as preban weapons and are transferable still between private citizens so long as they pay for their "Tax Stamp". The ban limited the sale of New Automatic weapons to Police, Military, Other Government Agencies, and Weapons dealers/manufacturers with the proper paperwork. This limited the supply of transferable automatic weapons and caused the prices to reflect the scarcity. The prices run from in the tens of thousands to well into six figures.

[@leetrotboswell6273]

I think before 1932 anyone could easily buy one just like a 22 rifle, but the gangsters of the time got them outlawed from common purchase.

[@233kosta]

@@leetrotboswell6273 Just goes to show that reactionary legislation and media sensationalism are nothing new. In reality most gangsters committed their murders using their trusty 1911s and revolvers. Same as today.

[@donnkelley6823]

Yes there's a lot of holes in this story.... He really screws up the history of our patron saint John Moses Browning (angelic music plays)......

[@robertsmith2811]

I thought it was the Fed firearms act in the30s that changed that

[@williamrekow7513]

@@robertsmith2811: 1934.

[@EloquentTroll]

I'm a proud M-1911 fangirl and still own one. It's so comfortable to use and the higher recoil is more reassuring than an impediment.

[@gameragodzilla]

Honestly, given the weight of the all steel frame, I found the recoil on my 1911 in .45ACP to be similar to my Walther P99 in 9mm with a polymer frame. Given most people use polymer framed pistols these days, I'd say practically the recoil is the same. lol

[@EloquentTroll]

@@gameragodzilla my point of comparison is the Baretta 9mm pistol that the military and police currently use, so that's where I'm coming from. You are probably spitting truths that I don't have experience of.

[@gameragodzilla]

@@EloquentTroll Fair, and that is a metal framed gun. But compared to a polymer framed 9mm that’s more common these days, the sheer weight difference does mean recoil impulse feels similar in my experience.

[@ms.annthrope415]

As Clinton Smith said....the 1911 is supposed to be comforting, not comfortable.

[@EloquentTroll]

@@ms.annthrope415 I've never been more comforted by a weapon than when I had Browning .50 caliber M-2 machinegun in my hands in the coupala of a Humvee. Spelling might be off I'm drunk

[@christopherherndon41]

A beautiful gun I actually have my grandfathers WWII issued 1911 (he served as one of Gen Patton's drivers and as a tank mechanic) i also have all the paperwork with it as well it still shoots like a brand new gun today

[@cole4537]

15:30 Actually you CAN own fully automatic weapons like the Thomson here in America. The catch is that it would have to have been legally owned by another private citizen prior to 1986, and then that owner would have to sell it to you (you'd also need a background check and pay a $200 tax stamp to the Gov). Also good luck finding one for less than like $30,000 lol. There's also a finite number of legal machine guns in circulation and as they age, that number decreases every year, so they are also very rare even if you do have the money for one.

[@pbandj37]

Unless you have a SOT 02 or 07....if you did you could manufacture, sell and buy new select fire weapons (but not all SF weapons).

[@JulianEckstein]

Some states alow you to form 1 a NFA class 3.

[@John1911]

@@pbandj37 any fully automatic weapon newly manufactured after May of 1986 would be registered as a NFA dealer sample, thus not available for sale or trade on the open market.

[@actionjksn]

But what about a fully semi-automatic firearm? With a high capacity magazine clip and a super dangerous flash hider attachment?

[@John1911]

@@actionjksn That would be a prop for gun-grabbing politicians, obviously.

[@BrendanW0214]

I have a 1943 production 1911A1 and admittedly, it’s probably my favorite handgun to shoot.

[@kevmoful]

I’ve had a 1911 since I was 21 . They are pretty guns . All steel, heavy and feel worth the money no matter the price you pay. The more you pay the better they are and that’s just a fact. They all mostly work these days but a 2000$ one and 500$ have many differences even to the un knowledgeable. I have one in 10mm colt delta elite and I love it . Accurate , great trigger ,works well, and it takes know how to clean and re assemble . I’m an engineer and I just appreciate them . I have 2 auto 5s passed down to me from my grandparents. One in 12 gauge and one in 16 both from the mid 40s . They still work and and I prefer them over my expensive berettas . Just nostalgic I guess . The 12 gauge I have my grand mother fired at an intruder in the 70s while my grand father was at work . She won and that guy had an ass full of buckshot .

[@brianwright9514]

Love the 1911. My shotgun of choice is a Browning design... Winchester Model 1912. It was marketed as The Perfect Repeater. I don't know about all that, but it is an absolutely beautiful gun and it fits so nice in my shoulder. If you'd ever taken apart a 1911 and a 1912, you'd see the similarities right away. Beautifully designed and precisely machined. No way you'd design a gun like that today... Just too expensive and complicated. But back in the early 1900's, the design was perfect for the manufacturing technology available.

[@donna30044]

An M1911 pistol was my issued sidearm during my 3-year enlistment as an Army MP in the late 1960s, including a year in Vietnam; I never doubted its reliability and was always glad that it was the backup to my M16. There is still an M1911 in my gun locker at home.

[@bradmugleston3285]

As far as accuracy the military required a 5” group at 25 yards or 10” at 50 yards. Under the hands of a good gunsmith the accuracy can be improved to about 1.5” at 50 yards. Not bad for a 100+ year old design.

[@bradmugleston3285]

@little drane I shoot bullseye but the point I was trying to make was that simple old gun still has great capabilities..

[@taraswertelecki3786]

Tightening up the tolerances is how to get that kind of accuracy.

[@fryzvova]

@@taraswertelecki3786 for sure, but that introduces lots of reliability problems. Tight tolerances = more jams, if weapon is not perfectly clean. That is literally roots of "1911 always jams" myth popular in modern gun enthusiast circles. Definitely not a problem of original design. GI models jam far less that modern high-end tight tolerances custom guns, which is pretty ironic.

[@AeroGuy07]

My brother has the 1911 our grandfather was issued in WW2. I've got the M1 carbine my grandfather's brother carried in WW2.

[@Naraku150]

You did a very good job explaining the difference between semi-automatic and automatic firing. Thank you for explaining it very well so many people get confused

[@fjborg6978]

Not a gun enthusiast but I can appreciate good engineering when I see it, especially the fact that the gun is it's own tool kit as @Rocketsong noted in his comment. Brilliant!

[@threeriversforge1997]

This is something that I point out when talking to people about art and design. Forget that the 1911 is a firearm for a minute, and just sit back and think about the elegance of the design, the lines and angles, how one part is used for three purposes instead of trying to fit three little bits in there..... Everything about the 1911 is simply iconic, and that's largely due to how it looks and functions. There's a spirit about it.

[@JFSmith-nb8hf]

I have my grandfather's service sidearm ( WW1 ), still works as good as the day it was issued.

[@your_royal_highness]

Cool

[@bannedbycommieyoutube5time920]

I have the same one, only for whatever reason it wasn’t updated to an A1 (made in 1919). My grandpa carried it in WWII.

[@JFSmith-nb8hf]

@@bannedbycommieyoutube5time920 I have no idea if anything was done to this one. Just that he carried it in the trenches in France. When he passed it went to my mom, she went a few years ago and it came to me. My stepson will likely end up with it, as my Daughter isn't into " Material things".

[@bannedbycommieyoutube5time920]

@little drane that is what people always say, but with normal sized hands and a high thumbs forward grip, it’s never bit me (I’ve probably put 250 Rounds through it over the years).

[@ocelblack9823]

@little drane I don't recall it being touted as an EDC gun for any but the few who have the need for a "Service Weapon". There will never be a 100 year old "polymer" pistol that hasn't been completely rebuilt, just like there will not be any "Classic" 2022 Chevys in 50 years, The "polymers" and planned obsolesce will ensure that. With reasonable care an original 1911 will still be safely useable in another 111 years. How long will anything you own now be able to make that claim? The 1911 is one of the only things ever produced for the government that was worth what the people paid for it.

[@bradykusch8336]

My grandfather used to say the 1911 was the only handgun worth carrying . He got his when he was in WW2 and carried it until the day he passed, then it was given to my brother who was later laid to rest with it . I carry one myself and so does my wife

[@harryjoe860]

Your brother got buried with your grandfathers pistol? Seems a bit disrespectful to its legacy but I’m sure it must have meant the world to him if he wanted to be buried with it

[@jethroneemo2150]

Buried with it? Where? Now the cemetery AND the headstone please

[@stephenwilliamson8012]

I've owned two 1911s. One I still own and will never sell, the other I sold during financial hardship. It is one of my favorite firearms and has the perfect grip angle to naturally be on target. Plus, the weight of the all metal frame helps if drop back on target fast after it recoils.

[@BeansAndBullets1391]

As a kid growing up my dad was a police officer who carried a stainless Beretta 92 and it's what he taught me how to shoot with before my 10th birthday. Even still I always loved the 1911, I remember watching old movies and shows with my dad and saying "one day I want that Army gun". Now as an adult I'm still a Beretta fan, I carry one almost every day but when I go to the range I always bring my 1911, it's a stainless Dan Wesson Pointman 45 and boy is it ever a tack driver!

[@Sgt_SealCluber]

15:28 Correction: Newly manufactured Tommy Guns and BARs were legal to purchase after WWII though they required a Federal extor...ahem tax stamp, whereas you could just walk into a store and buy a 1911 no paperwork required. It is still legal to purchase a full auto firearm manufactured pre-1986, though the process is long and the firearms themselves range from $15-50k.

[@VennyTheJet]

Came here to say this 👍🏻

[@mt11235]

And no background check or anything back then. It really was just like a sales-tax (although $200 was a lot of money back then). To be fair though, US gun laws, esp around the NFA, confuse the crap out of Americans with most not knowing how many, or how confusing and contradictory, regulations there are. Lol, could make a trivia game where someone is shown pictures and they have to guess if it is a pistol, rifle, or AOW and bet even most gun people wouldn't score well :).

[@TheLoneDragoon]

@Robert Sears have you seen how they drive sports cars? Most of them have never touched a be-be gun, lot alone a full auto gun. Those aren't the type of people that are responsible for something that can be used to commit acts of evil. If they don't feel bad about running over somebody in $100,000 car, they probably shouldn't have a 15-50 grand machine gun.

[@garretth8224]

@Robert Sears That is bs.

[@anan0moose]

@@garretth8224 He is mocking the how the NFA controls NFA items. If you've got the money to bribe, I meant if you can afford to pay the tax you are trustworthy enough to possess a machine gun.

[@mwhitelaw8569]

I have one made in 1941 Was quite used when my uncle passed it to me. It was his during the battle in the pacific. Works well to this day.

[@nascarmadman]

Good job on the research. The hopped up Philippinos was EXACTLY why the 1911 was designed and built.

[@goinhot9133]

The 1911 has been so modified & updated they now have what’s referred to as “2011’s “. They feature double stack mags, whatever caliber you want, slide riding red dot optics, flared mag wells, etc. they are mostly used for competition shooting. The 1911 has the best trigger still to this day.

[@CeltKnight]

Back in my law enforcement days, my department acquired some 1911A1 pistols from the US Army through their DRMO 1033 program. I carried one for quite a while as the .45 acp caliber H&K I had been carrying chose about then to stop working. That WWII made Remington-Rand produced old war horse pistol shot every bit as well as that expensive H&K USP and ran beautifully with either ball or our issued JHP rounds. Even years later when we went to issued-only guns for duty carry, I kept that 1911 as an easy to conceal if quite heavy off-duty piece. I HATED turning that gun in when I retired, LOL.

[@233kosta]

For sheer power/volume of fire I tend to favour the Glock 20 (15 rounds of 10mm is a very enticing proposition!), but you can't argue with the ergonomics of a 1911, it just feels right in the hand and everything else falls in line because of that.

[@johnjohnmcclane1818]

How'd your USP quit working?

[@Motor-City-Mike]

When it comes to ending a conflict, the .45acp is arguably still the King of the one-shot STOP.

[@CeltKnight]

@@johnjohnmcclane1818 - I thought the firing pin was broken. Embarrassingly, it was just stuck. Gunk in the channel. Though I cleaned it regularly, I didn't clean that b/c unlike every other service pistol I ever used, getting the firing pin out was .... well, H&K did all they could to ensure we plebes wouldn't dare to violate their precious pistol. Anyway, after thousands of rounds, FBI Basic SWAT, etc. it just gunked up in there. Later, I was able to better diagnose it and sort the problem.

[@CeltKnight]

@@233kosta - I've had more shooters, from very petite ladies well under 5' to former football linebackers enjoy the 1911 and comment how well it fits the hand. Also, fun fact: NEVER suggest to a petite, sub 5' lady on her first outing to a gun range that ANY pistol is "a little much" for her right now. heh-heh

[@donwilbanks2226]

I have my dad's WWII 1911 that he carried in the Pacific theater. The serial number dates it to 1915. It is 100% original with the wood grips and all the patina. I shoot it occasionally. Shoots like butter and is very accurate.

[@dwatts64]

My first experience I put two rounds back to back literally through the same hole at 10 yards. Couldn't even tell a second round had hit hardly except for the being a bit more blackening on the paper there. Obviously no matter how good my aim, doing this was dumb luck to a certain extent, but the fact the gun was even capable of it meant I was sold. I absolutely refuse to sell that gun ever since. Mine was a 1991A1 to be clear, but other than some safety features and small changes it's the same thing.

[@jedpratte]

Browning was a genius. Imagine all the things he could have designed if not been so busy with firearms. Every gun person i know has at least 1 1911. Myself and my wife included both own one.

[@terryhill545]

I have a 1911. I have always called it the Colt 45.I am 78 yrs old and can bullseye with it almost every time.Love it.

[@worstchoresmadesimple6259]

you damn right and you keep going to the range, and shoot that 1911 all the time, every time.

[@Pantheragem]

I've got a Colt that was made in 1918, so started out as just a 1911, it was probably re-arsenaled at some point because some A1 revisions were added. I have shot it a few times, but it's mostly just something I like to look at and admire occasionally. What stories it could probably tell.

[@Vox-Populi]

Still the best shooting handgun ever made. I carried one as an Infantry Officer in the 80's and early 90's. Kept me alive.

[@ms.annthrope415]

As an admin army officer, my 1911 kept me alive while stationed in southern New Mexico.

[@fudgerounds91]

"A century of service, and ready for a hundred years more." -Stuart "Ahoy" Brown, "M1911."

[@carlosdonestevez7532]

Two things left out the 1911 to this day holds the record for fastest draw to fire rate. Also luger made two semi auto 45 acp pistols to compete in military trials against the 1911 at the end of the trials one was so worn it was thrown away the other is worth over 1 million dollars.

[@MrPh30]

There were more made , at least 6 ,but 2 of them got worn out in tests, a custom shop made some .45 Lugers some years ago.

[@johnjohnmcclane1818]

What the hell is 'draw to fire rate'? The time it takes to draw from a holster and fire? That would be entirely shooter dependent...

[@carlosdonestevez7532]

@@johnjohnmcclane1818 it also has to do with how quickly the weapon clears the holster and how quickly th trigger hammer mechanism operates. For quick dra were talking .25 to .45 seconds here.

[@speedy01247]

@@johnjohnmcclane1818 skill definitely plays a part, but there are other factors involved.

[@wes11bravo]

@@MrPh30 - I seem to remember an article in Guns and Ammo back in the 80s that featured a custom built .45 Luger.

[@montanamountainmen6104]

My dad and granddads carried 1911's in WWII and Vietnam. They said of them, " The Army 45 was reliable and deadly at close range, never used them much in combat per say but when we did they killed the enemy very dead."

[@euj0]

"per say" pathetic. Your dad and grandfather should have invested in your education

[@Spaceghost5446]

@@euj0 this is what no friends and bitches do to a guy, don't be as pathetically sad or lonely as euj0 get some friends or bitches.

[@marcushursl2931]

@@euj0 They should have invested in your manners.

[@tunguskalumberjack9987]

Between 2002 and 2005, my ex-wife and I lived in the old Colt Firearms Factory in Hartford, Connecticut. One wing of it was converted to artist studios/ studio apartments- it was the coolest apartment I ever had. Lots of artists of all types, from painters to sculptors to chefs to hairdressers to bands- it was fantastic. And we used to walk around the rest of the buildings (frequently into spaces that were supposed to be restricted) and there were still a ton of the original machines and their related debris. They attempted to gentrify it around 2005 and were renovating and offering the studios at much higher prices than we could afford, so we ended up moving across the country to California. I have a lot of fond memories of the open studio weekends and parties that took place all the time- and the building itself is a beautiful historic site, well known for it’s blue onion dome that’s visible from the local highways and is a feature of the extended Hartford skyline. Love your videos, mate!

[@JohnSmith-xv2ob]

I grew up Mormon, but my dad wasn't a member so every Tuesday we used to have the missionaries over (officially they were ministering to him, but really we would just play pool for hours). One missionary we met was an Elder Browning. We made a comment about John M. Browning and he mentioned that he was his great great uncle. So we took the opportunity, we handed him my dad's customized Colt 1911 Series 70 and took a picture, then put that next to a picture of JM Browning and... The resemblance was STRIKING. Just thought that was a cool thing that happened to me someone might get a kick out of.

[@michaelconran5252]

I am a retired Marine. Most of my career it was the M9. Never really liked it. I still carry a 1911A1 for concealed or open carry.

[@taraswertelecki3786]

You're in good company. I find many but not all double-stack automatic pistols to be like gripping an 2X4 in my hand, but the 1911 on the other hand is a perfect fit. It takes practice to master one, but well worth the effort.

[@Ingeb91]

That's a big gun to concealed carry, but you gotta go with what you like. And the 1911A1 is a fantastic gun.

[@michaelconran5252]

@@Ingeb91 officers model is smaller, that is what I carry

[@kevmoful]

I also carried an m9 for 10 years as an MA in the navy . But since I left the navy I have carried a commander sized 1911 and a spare mag . I just shoot it the best

[@john-paulsilke893]

If you can’t solve the problem in 7, (or 10 if in 9mm) then there is always a reload or simply use the club in your hand.

[@gdolson9419]

When I entered the service in 1974 the M1911 was the standard sidearm, when I retired in 1994 the Beretta was, officially. Having carried and used both for years I'll take the M1911 any day.

[@jamesfairmind2247]

Simon you are correct to say fully automatic weapons were unavailable to US civilians at that particular time. However earlier between the two wars they were. Thompson sub machine guns started out as a civilian "ranch defence rifle" that anyone could buy via mail offer for instance. I believe automatic weapons were only regulated in 1934 and even then could be still purchased by civilians via the payment of an ATF tax.

[@Dank-gb6jn]

The Mosin Nagant deserves a side projects video at least. The most mass produced military bolt action rifle in history, a supremely accurate rifle for its day, (and even now with trained marksmen), and highly versatile.

[@atriyawadhwani5980]

For sure, surplus is still available for less than a new cheap ruger

[@Dank-gb6jn]

@@atriyawadhwani5980 if you’re shopping the right places. I paid a bit over $600 for my hex receiver Izhevsk. Lots of people like to say you can still find them under $300, but those are likely in crap condition, or you’ve got someone who’s just trying to clear space and doesn’t care much for what they can get.

[@ZXaber78]

I’m no expert, but my impression was that the Mosin Nagant had kind of an over hyped reputation due largely to its low price and high availability. Not saying it doesn’t deserve it’s own video cause it’s still a hugely important rifle; but I don’t think it was ever a performance match for a Kraft, Mauser, or SMLE.

[@atriyawadhwani5980]

@@Dank-gb6jn you’re right, I didn’t factor in the internet bullshit tax adjustment. Maybe people aren’t seeing them as cheap as they say

[@atriyawadhwani5980]

@@ZXaber78 nah but the project isn’t the individual rifle, it’s the collective of all the damn rifles

[@SteveMoore530]

I was an FBI Agent, SWAT operator and sniper for 25 years. Your explanation of semi-automatic vs. fully-automatic vs. double-action was one of the most succinct and accurate I have heard. And I was issued, carried (and loved my) 1911.

[@CorporalDan2312]

I was a space shuttle door gunner since 1937, and this video is so full of firearm fallacies that I'm hereby granting you one shaming for only calling attention to the one thing he got right.

[@BBEEAATTNNGGUU]

@@CorporalDan2312 He's a fed. They only know how to burn kids, oppress free people, and break the law. Nice roast though😂

[@alecubudulecu]

2 notes for added context. 1- the accuracy stems from the trigger function and mechanism. 90% of shooting accuracy is on how the shooter pulls the trigger small micro movements can sway a bullet inches if not feet off target. The 1911 trigger mechanism is VERY forgiving and “supports” users movement to go straight back. 2- on the viability of the platform for the future. You touched on competition. The modern version of this pistol is the 2011 (or double stack 1911). They are basically 1911’s in 9mm and using double stack magazines (for 15-18 rounds). They have all the features of the original with added ammo capacity. While not ideal for carry duty - due to weight- they are EXCELLENT for competition. And are VERY heavily used in IPSC / IDPA events

[@classicgunstoday1972]

I once refurbished a Remington Rand 1911A1 for an extended family member that he carried during the Korean War. It has been on a sack for decades, rust all over it, pitting and crud in the barrel that frightened me even thinking about the gun going off. I think the slide was even rusted to where it was stuck. Long story short: after I got through with it with my cleaning equipment, cold blue and a couple of fresh magazine; it still had a good bit of pitting in the barrel but it looked safe to shoot. The pitting may have been bad but the bullets didn’t seem to notice because that old warhorse was spot in and seemed to shoot even tighter groupings than my 2004 Springfield Armory 1911A1

[@densealloy]

The first 7 or so years I was a Deputy, I carried a series 1 Kimber 1911. People were constantly pointing to it on my hip and apprehensively say something along the lines of "uh your gun is cocked" or "the hammer on your gun." It got old so I would occasionally jump a foot or so up & say " I don't think it will go off" as I landed. I would chuckle and reassure them it was okay, that is how to carry it safely. Someone even complained, not that I was a bit of a smart-ass but that I was unsafe. The Dunning-Kruger effect is strong on the subject of firearms.

[@diegolp5323]

Public fear like that is why I think all the double action/single action pistols became the preferred choice of law enforcement even though the 1911 was superior in many ways.

[@thespacedpirate]

It's a kimber, I wouldn't expect it to go off if you wanted it too.

[@cavalieroutdoors6036]

@Jay Bee you didn't get one slapped together last minute oj a Friday, or first thing on a Monday while the 'Smith was nursing a hangover.

[@monteharrison1478]

"The Dunning-Kruger effect is strong on the subject of firearms." That might be the most true thing I have read all day

[@Full_Otto_Bismarck]

@@diegolp5323 to paraphrase Jeff Cooper, the DA/SA autoloader was a solution in search of a problem

[@thekeytoairpower]

Couple points... the M16 does not use Banana Clips, it uses a Box Magazine. A clip is a device used to hold rounds together, for ease of storage transportation and loading of magazines. They are typically a strip of metal folded to form a channel down their length with the rounds slipped into it. The ends of the channel often have tabs bent up to stop the rounds falling out. The action of loading the rounds into a firearm or magazine damages the clip rendering it basically unusable. Magazines are reloaded. Also as far as I can tell the current version of the M1911, designated the M45 CQB (sometimes CQBP) is still in limited service with the Marines. 1911s were definitely used in Gulf War 2 and Afghanistan, well after Kuwait. Ref: Me... MSgt (R) USAF

[@tomjackson4374]

Well Master Sergeant, language evolves. I understand that you are technically right but if somebody tells me he has a ten round clip I know what he is talking about.

[@Echristoffe]

@@tomjackson4374 the evolution of language came from video games because those who made weapons in video games doesn’t understand shit to weapons … And yes a clip is used to reload a fixed magazine … By using the right term we improve people knowledge… I used to do this mistake too. But I learned.

[@c1ph3rpunk]

@@tomjackson4374 this evolution isn’t guaranteed to be good, correct or right. Example: the recent change of the word literally, they literally changed it to literally not mean literally. “Just because” isn’t a great reason.

[@lennyjay8390]

@Tom Jackson Without nerding out like the Sergeant: A banana clip refers strictly to an AK-pattern magazine so it‘s still wrong to call an M16 mag a banana clip

[@salty_honky]

He said magazine

[@dlbracer56]

Proud owner of a CMP acquired service grade 1943 Remington Rand M1911A1 in Nov 2022. A GREAT shooter and an excellent piece of military history. Yes, a bit of a "mix master" of replacement parts, thumb safety, grip safety, and hammer as well as an '85 chrome lined barrel. All provenance indicators and inspection initials are clearly legible.

[@daviswall3319]

I grew up shooting 1911 and Browning Hi Power pistols. One of my dad’s 1911’s was a gold cup competition match and that was one fine shooting pistol. I wish it was still in the family but things happen. I do still have the Browning A-5 light 20 gauge shotgun I got for Christmas in the 70’s. Another John Browning design and a gun that I’ll never sell.

[@paulsimmons5726]

Having used Sigs and Glocks as duty sidearms, when I retired, my grey hair screamed for a 1911! I have two now and don’t miss the polymer pistols a bit. Aside from the smooth mechanics, Browning’s pistol has the best feeling grip of any semiautomatic I’ve ever held and shot! Heavy? Yes, but I’ve never felt a loaded 1911 to be a burden! Great video, thanks for posting! 👍

[@wes11bravo]

Paul - I carry an M18 every day. Honestly, the weight difference is negligible between it and a M1911A1, which has the added benefit of being slimmer.

[@justalurker3489]

​@@wes11bravo ...and the disadvantage of holding less than half as many rounds, which is why the weights will be closer. Unloaded the M17 or M18 are much lighter

[@initial_C]

Anyone that would choose a 1911 over a P220 is mentally incompetent.

[@SkunkApe407]

I inherited my great uncle's Colt 1911 service pistol that he carried as a WW2 M1 "Long Tom" artillery gunner. It still shoots as crisp and tight as anything modern, and is far more reliable.

[@samizdat113]

Did he serve in the European theater?

[@SkunkApe407]

@@samizdat113 he sure did. With the 190th, if I remember correctly. I know he was at Normandy on D-Day.

[@samizdat113]

@@SkunkApe407 Poor guy. He got forced/tricked into a brother war against the men trying to prevent this hedonist dystopia we live in.

[@SkunkApe407]

@@samizdat113 you can keep that kind of BS to yourself.

[@samizdat113]

@@SkunkApe407 It's the truth.

[@StayMadLmfao]

One of my dream guns. When I heard that smooth metal sliding against itself when I was 8 in COD Black Ops 1 I knew I needed one

[@mikekuczynski1552]

I purchased a Colt 1911 from the original owners family over 40 years ago , It came with the original cavalry holster and two extra magazines and was issued in 1915 . It’s pretty cool, I’ve modified it with Wilson combat parts but kept all the original components . It’s one of my favorite guns to go out and shoot. Thanks for sharing

[@DrivingGod21]

A few days ago I spent almost 5 hours reading and researching the M1911. An absolutely beautiful piece of industrial design, sleek elegant and timeless. Most importantly functional.

[@timengineman2nd714]

I remember a Gunner's Mate telling me that after ensuring I had an unloaded pistol was to close the slide, grab the pistol by the slide and shake it! If it didn't have at least some rattle don't carry it!! The idea is that little bit of gap between the slide and the frame allows for dirt, lint, or anything else get pushed out by the first shot and it won't jam the pistol!!! (PS the barrel is locked to the slide for accuracy, not to the frame. The swiveling Link Pin under it just makes sure everything stays together as you shoot!) Also, just remembered he also told me to push down on the barrel through the ejection pore of the slide... make sure it was tight enough that the locking lug on top of barrel was engaging the slots in the slide properly!

[@ms.annthrope415]

@@timengineman2nd714 actually, a gun with large enough space to allow. Dirt to push th4ougb would let dirt and grit to push in. So that's a myth. Tight tolerances woukd be able to keep mud and grit from coming in. As long as the parts are fitted correctly, tight parts work well and not affect reliability. Sig Saur P226 is an example. The loose fit and rattling was engineered into thr specifications so that all the difference manufacturers using very crude milling machines can make parts that can be dropped in without hand fitting. An essential requirement for military equipment. So better to drop and fire than match grade tight fit. The barrel is locked to the slide as it move backwards during recoil to allow the internal pressure to drop to a safe level before u locking to extract the spent case. All semi auto pistols use some sort of mechanism to lock the barrel and slide together for that purpose. The Walther falling block method used in the Beretta locks the barrel to th4 slide with "wings" that fit I to recesses in thr slide to lock thr barrel. It is not for accuracy.

[@timengineman2nd714]

@@ms.annthrope415 Fine sand and dust can and will affect any moving part. The idea of the M-1911 & M-1911A1 (and all of their derivatives) along with several other firearm makers all over the world, is that where proper lock up is necessary tight fit, where it isn't allow flex so that crud gets forced out! (Read 3 men in a raft to get the idea of how much bad treatment a WW2 M-1911A1 can take and still function to some degree!!! A tight fitting pistol would work better as a boat anchor than as a pistol half way through their survival journey.... Yes, the tolerances are loose compared to some of today's less than half a micron machining techniques. (And yes, I have a few jams of such parts while I was in the US Navy were a very small speck of carbon got where it shouldn't have gotten to (needed a jeweler's loop (magnifying glass) to see it!) But compared to a lot of country's tolerances for various firearms, the US had above average quality control pretty much across the board.

[@davidmiller9485]

not to advertise but... C&Rsenal have a channel where they started with WWI firearms. (Yes for the most part all of them) these days they are doing other guns but they are working through the to the 1911. If you like guns it's worth the watch. you get history as well as seeing the weapon fired.

[@cavalieroutdoors6036]

@@ms.annthrope415 not true. With tighter tolerances, it takes less grit to gum up the works. Rattle-trap 1911s have less drag as there's less surface to surface contact across the friction surfaces and it takes far more crud accumulated to cause any real problems. What he just said about the 1911 also applies to other platforms - tighter tolerances, more problems. Meanwhile with tighter tolerances, sure it keeps large particulate out, but it takes very little grit to cause friction problems and no matter how tight you make the tolerances at some point *something* will find a way in there.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

I have a Western Auto 1955-56 catalog and it has a ".45 Cal. U.S. Army Official" selling for $74.50." Not exactly a low price when factoring in the time.

[@jiveturkey9993]

That's probably still a week's wage at a halfway decent paying job.

[@mfree80286]

Inflation puts it around the $800 mark, which is about the going price for middle of the road new ones nowadays.

[@onway5406]

MY Father in law was able to pick up a surplus WW II era .45 for ......get this 5 dollars in 1964

[@christophergraham3160]

I have one example as my EDC: Springfield Armory 1911A1. The modifications I've made or have had made are a slightly lighter recoil spring, match-grade trigger assembly, enlarged beaver tail, wrap-around grips, magwell ramp, compensator/muzzle brake, and a polished feed ramp. Tack-driver. Browning truly was a firearms genius. He made his weapons user-friendly. My wife has another 1911-esc sidearm: American Tactical FXT Moxie. It's a polymer-framed 1911

[@ljphoenix4341]

2:35 link to the M2 machine gun video mentioned: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHiWfq2JZq6afbc

[@TakeDeadAim]

A few weeks ago I shot my great uncle's issued 1914 1911 he carried with him in WWI. At 40' I can still hold a fist sized group! Still functions and fires as it did 100 years ago. First time it's been shot since the mid 50's as well! Still in excellent condition with the original holster.

[@francesfuego6950]

Please....please for the love of research record this and upload to youtube. Please.

[@georgemcmillan9172]

You should also cover the M1935, a.k.a. the Browning Hi Power. It was his last design, and while not as prolific as the M1911, it is still in production and carried all over the world. If you want the perfect 9mm handgun, look no further...

[@arnefines2356]

Sig P210 has entered the chat...

[@shooter7734]

@@arnefines2356 does that Sig model also have a reputation of firing itself while in a holster like the P320?

[@stevenserna910]

"I don't know what that was, but its dead now and its gonna stay that way." An M1911 user.

[@arnefines2356]

@@shooter7734 No, its a Petter-Browning desging licensed model from 1948...

[@kharnthebetrayer1575]

@@shooter7734 just that one . I had older p230 45 , not one issue and I even butterfinger it a few time Loaded and nothing happened.

[@blackstone1a]

Interestingly, this gun pops up in Fallout: New Vegas as the signature weapon of Joshua Graham, who’s effectively a post apocalyptic Mormon. When you first meet him you can talk to him about his gun and he talks about it as a weapon designed by a member of his tribe/faith centuries ago, which is incredibly accurate as Browning was a Mormon. Pretty neat little detail.

[@gothnate]

I have a 1911 Colt Lightweight Commander chambered in Super .38, built in 1952 (according to the serial number). My grandpa bought it from the Naval supply depot before he left Korea to come home. I would LOVE to shoot it, but it needs professional maintenance before doing so. I've kept it oiled since I've had it, but I'm weary of old springs and how stiff it is.

[@leemyrick4416]

My Colt 1911 has held up to the reputation for almost 50 years now. I will continue to carry it for the rest of my life.

[@GeorgeSemel]

For almost 3 decades I carried John Browning's last handgun design, The Browning Hi-Power Or the P-35, for its time you could put a lot of rounds down range- 13 shots. I like 1911, I got one, the main problem is trying to make it into something it's not. A smaller lighter weapon to carry and conceal. The gun is heavy but it also has maybe the best trigger ever put into a handgun. But not everybody can shoot one well, you need good-sized hands. I retired my Hi-Power for a Glock 19 with some upgrades, a Better trigger, and good night sights. It's a lighter gun with 15+1, we live in a 9mm world now. For a non-gun guy, you did a pretty good job on the subject. There is a whole industry that makes aftermarket parts and stuff for the Glocks. A gun is just an inanimate object it takes a person to do either good or ill will with one. The thing with handguns is that they are a pain to carry, it tasks a lot of range time to shoot one well and even more range time to maintain good shooting skills. For the most part, you never will need one, but when you do, you need one badly.

[@criseist9786]

I disagree with the 9mm part, but you do you. That said, check out the FNX-45 if you get the chance. My current carry, and in my opinion the best handgun since the M1911

[@ephennell4ever]

@@criseist9786 ... "best handgun since the M1911" - not surprising, seeing as how it's essentially 80% 1911, the other 20% is basically all the parts that enable it to use a double-column .45 magazine, in a frame that is primarily polymer. Have to say that it is a very cool-looking piece ... just what you would hope for from a '1911 for the 21st century!'. Only possible improvement I can suggest is chambering it in 10mm Auto!

[@criseist9786]

@@ephennell4ever I haven't actually tried a 10mm, so I can't comment there. I get a lot of fudd comments due to my love of the .45 (ironic, since I'm 22) but it really comes down to personal preference. The ballistic profiles are similar enough between it and 9mm, and .45 is easier for me to shoot. 9mm feels oddly snappy. But yeah, I love that gun. Completely ambidextrous too, so my left handed family can handle it just fine. Plus, it avoids the in trigger safety that I dislike. Would absolutely recommend if you can find one

[@ephennell4ever]

@@criseist9786 ... since I first saw an article about it (followed by another a couple months later, and then a review on a gun-site) I've been keeping an eye out. But in two gun-shows and plenty of visits to gun-stores, I have yet to see one! (And if the folks at a store don't recognize the model-name, I don't go back to that store!) Probably gonna have to settle for a plain-jane 1911-A1, but EAA does make a polymer-framed 1911, with a piccatinny rail ... maybe ...

[@reddune6185]

10mm is best mm, I love all my 19's, but the 20 and 40 are my favorites, so much power in one hand..

[@robertwest7633]

Excellent right up to comparing them to the P38 and the Desert Eagle. Most semi-auto handguns to use the tilting barrel delayed blowback very similar to JMB's design, the two you mentioned do not. The Desert Eagle is actually gas operated; more comparable to a rifle than a pistol really.

[@infidel1993]

The influence of the 1911 goes far beyond whether or not the firearm uses a tilting barrel. The ergonomics, grip angle, and external reciprocating slide action with an exposed hammer are all Browning innovations that the P38 and Desert Eagle share. And claiming the Deagle is more comparable to a rifle because it’s gas-operated is like saying the M1 Abrams is more comparable to a helicopter because it uses a gas turbine.

[@xwhogafx815]

Well that's just like, your opinion man.... Lol jk

[@GrumpyGenXGramps]

In Desert Storm I was the M2 machine gunner. I loved that friggin thing! Yet ANOTHER Browning designed gun that is STILL in service. Even after the 1911 was replaced!

[@Sommertest]

Thank you for recognizing John Browning as one of the great inventors. Well deserved.

[@douglinn5824]

Could you do a side project video on Gaston Glock? Rather the Glock pistol that was made by Gaston who started out as a furniture builder. Fun fact, Heckler & Koch made the first polymer pistol in the 1970s.

[@FATMAN_tactical]

The Browning M2 might be even more incredible, with it still in wide use today and will be for the foreseeable future.

[@colbeausabre8842]

You should mention that Colt sold commercial model Forty-Fives to both Britain and France in the Kaiser War. The British round was even bigger than the US one, the .455 Webley Auto. They were bought for the Royal Flying Corps and served in the RAF into WW2 with most being passed on to various special forces. People like the SAS are very tight lipped about their weaponry, but it is rumored to still be in use by elements of UK's elite troops - although probably more recent purchases with Great War veterans still in their arms rooms. Back in the Eighties I was lucky enough to stumble across one at a firearms dealer. He had no idea what he had and it was labeled and priced as a used 45 caliber example. The only reason I looked it at it was that I had never seen a M1911 - which was replaced in the Twenties by the modified M1911A1 which I carried in the Army - outside of a museum. I immediately purchased it. A genuine M1911 in .455! And stamped with the Broad Arrow and for the RAF!! I would never get that chance again!

[@waynecornwell3998]

Like you said in the video that this gun's fingerprint is on practically all semi-auto pistols nowadays. Not only that but they use the same 1911 design for different calibers of cartridges you can get it in 9 mm 308 and various other different calibers.

[@BoomerZ.artist]

The thompson and BAR were not illegal to own at the time. You could buy them from the sears catalogue and sent to your home. That is a modern thing of automatics being illegal.

[@12floz67]

You can own them now with the right permits and cash.

[@BoomerZ.artist]

@@12floz67 yeah I know that, but its way more a pain in the ass compared to then.

[@jerrydickerson1111]

And so many machine guns where brought back home without a tax stamp some checks guys even brought back grew sever ones like 34s and 42s that Congress had to pass a amnesty in 63 waving the fee

[@davidszakacs6888]

This was the first gun I ever shot at age 16. What a kickback! Not to mention the ear-shattering sound!

[@dane0phelps]

My grandfather stole a 1911 from a POG prior to his 2nd combat jump during WWII. He kept the pistol until I returned from my 1st of 5 combat tours back in 2003 while I was serving in the 82nd Airborne. He passed it on to me as a Paratrooper family heirloom once I’d experienced combat. It was made by Underwood Typewriter Co and is in great condition now. I had it restored since it’ll hopefully never leave the family. I hope to pass it on to my son or daughter if one of them becomes a Paratrooper.

[@erggml1887]

It was mentioned that the 1911 and Browning's work were very influential on the firearm world. In fact the 1911 and Browning's work are so influential that it is uncommon to find a centerfire pistol for sale today that does not use one or more concepts from Browning's work. For instance, the vast majority of centerfire semi auto pistols use a tilting barrel lockup, descended from the lockup that the 1911 uses (see Glock, Smith and Wesson, Springfield, a lot of HK pistols, all of the FN pistols I have seen, Walthers (modern), Sig Sauers (modern) and some Rugers to name a few). The Beretta PX4 Storm is one of the very few that does not use that lockup.

[@dorsk84]

Ah the 1911 in god's caliber, the 45 ACP. That's why EDC one of the many variants on the 1911.

[@zethloveless7238]

10mm>.45

[@MrWildbill]

I was first introduced to the 1911 in Navy boot camp, I had never shot any type of handgun prior to the first day on the range in boot camp and took to it like a duck in water, at least that is what the drill instructor told me, I was clearly the best shot in my company. For the 6 years I was in I never touched a handgun again, just never had an call to. When I got out I bought one for myself and still have it to this day. I am not a weapons expert and the 45 is the only handgun I own, I keep it at home for for self defense but have never had a need for it but still feel safer with it in my home and it was the first gun both of my sons and my daughter ever shot, none of them are much into guns but both of my sons have a 1911, my daughter opted for a .38, she did not like the kick from the 45.

[@paulcontursi5982]

Robert Heinlein described innovations like the 1911 best. He said that some things are so well designed that only a radical change would make any improvement at all.

[@izzyguy6158]

Hey Simon just so you're aware, it is called a 30 round magazine. Clips are the things that put bullets into magazine.

[@HClaurance]

Literally the most douchey correction a gun guy can slide at somebody without any real gun knowledge. For shame.

[@FeedMeSalt]

Funny thing about that, given modern language and how official words change or come to be it's likely clip will someday become the actual word for it. Kinda like how coke means Soda in some places. You are absolutely correct though

[@IzzyTheEditor]

@@HClaurance Typical leftist lashing out at facts they do not understand. For shame.

[@ajm2872]

Magazines feed rifles and are sometimes removable. Clips feed magazines and are always carried separately.

[@shaun7142]

@@HClaurance If no one corrected anyone on their mistakes then they would just keep getting made. This comment is hardly worth calling "douchey".

[@khadijagwen]

I carried the 1911 ACP .45 for years. The kick is easily ignored if you hold it correctly. These days ammo is expensive.

[@kenbrown2808]

I picked up an Auto Ordnance M1911A1 years ago at a gun show. it feels better to shoot than the S&W .22 caliber pistol it replaced.

[@TheFlutecart]

I stood watch in the Navy with the 1911. When I got out, I bought a used one, it looked like the pistol at video time 15:45! It had been shot a lot. Loose grouping, inaccurate. I swapped out the barrel for a stainless one with new link, shoots like new. It's much better cared for now. Extremely reliable + with proper maintenance, mags and ammo. I keep a Wilson Combat spring kit in the ammo box just in case it get's any older. Yes, they make all the parts like they did in the day.

[@jasonjohnsonHVAC]

The 1911 is simply the greatest handgun ever designed, made and implemented. A true beauty and a merchant of death. It is by far my favorite in my collection. John Browning was an absolute genius at his craft.