1911 revival

[Aguila Blanca]

Looked at a LLama, it is a filipino pistol. Same as the Rock Island, just different safety, sights, trigger, trim. The Llama was very tight, the trigger was not as good as my Rock Island. No doubt same manufacturer, different brand name.

No, not the same manufacturer. There are three major 1911 manufacturers in the Philippines: Armscor (Rock Island), Shooters Arms Manufacturing (S.A.M.), and Metro Arms (American Classic). Metro Arms are imported to the U.S. by Eagle Imports, the same company that used to handle the Firestorm brand when Firestorm 1911s were made by Llama in Spain. Eagle and Metro Arms have brought back the Llama name (for reasons not disclosed).

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2016/01/robert-farago/new-from-eagle-imports/

It gets murkier because Armscor's new Baby Rock .380 ACP pistol is a direct clone of the Llama MicroMax 380 -- but with no claim to the Llama name, which is perhaps now controlled by Eagle Imports.

 

[BigJimP]

Yes, there are more options available...and from more mfg's...but I think there is also some " marginal guns" out there feeding on the ever increasing push for a low cost market combining it with the desire for 1911's ...and many of them will not be the guns of your grandfather's era.../ ..they may look similar - but some of them are junk internally ( but that goes for guns from companies like Kimber too, that put some real junk out there / ...then dress it up to look good - but many of their guns don't perform even in short term let alone for 100,000 rds...which should be a cakewalk for a well made 1911 ).

.....but time will sort out the junk...and what's left will hopefully be decent guns...

The creme of the crop will continue to be from Wilson Combat & Ed Brown in my view....and both of those mfg's have many models with a number of innovations - backed up with very good internal components & high quality.

 

[Koda94]

There's no question that more companies are making 1911s than probably ever before, but the title of the thread was "1911 revival." "Revival" connotes a resurrection of interest that had died off. I don't think interest in the 1911 ever died off. The market for the 1911 has always been strong, and that's what continues to attract new (and established, such as SIG and S&W) companies to make them.

your probably correct, I guess its subjective but what I'm wondering is if this small uptick in 1911 options is a result of the plastic wondergun trend wearing off? This is just my observation and probably wrong but Glock came out and changed the market and for years it was all people recommended. Their first real competition failed (e.g.: Sigma) so that helped Glocks reputation but eventually now everyone makes a quality polymer guns like XD, M&P, Walther etc. then I notice that many of those are offering single stack options as well as the "ever forbidden" thumb safety. In short, things are going full circle and I think people are realizing the 1911 is not just a worthy handgun but way more attractive too and sales are in demand. I also think Glocks success may have stifled all new metal handgun innovation but thats where the 1911 has stood its ground. I just suspect that people are getting tired of plastic guns or the fad is (finally) wearing off, thus a "revival" in 1911s.

 

[DukeConnor]

Lots of people do and that is too bad. It is one of the better versions for the money. Lots of folks don't like the external extractor, but it just plain works.

The smith was my first stainless handgun. It has become my favorite.

 

[DukeConnor]

I think The uptick of cheap 1911's that work, have gotten people interested in the platform. I know a few people that bought cheap ones and moved on to higher quality 1911's.

 

[SIGSHR]

The M1911 has been very fashionable for the last 50 years or so. I credit Jeff Cooper, IPSC, Gunsite, proper training that shows may people they can
control one and shoot it accurately.

 

[vba]

Aquila Blanca:

There's no question that more companies are making 1911s than probably ever before, but the title of the thread was "1911 revival." "Revival" connotes a resurrection of interest that had died off. I don't think interest in the 1911 ever died off. The market for the 1911 has always been strong, and that's what continues to attract new (and established, such as SIG and S&W) companies to make them.

Could not have stated this any better myself, concur.

 

[rshaw]

Hi all!
1911's are popular here in the Netherlands as a reliable match gun or a good range gun. I have always liked the 1911- my father had a 45 from WWI but he sold it a few years back...

So I finally found my own
a Colt 9 mm Combat Elite which is one out of 500 made for Franconia in the 90's. The sights are wonderful, it fits well in the hand, and eats any ammo I feed it (only SV- no hot loads)

The 1911 is a classic... sales may fluctuate, but most of us here know that very few constructions have the lengthy history and proven reliability of the 1911. AND.. the story isn't over yet...

 

[lee n. field]

I was appalled to when some years ago S&W announced they were introducing a 1911. I love my S&Ws and Colts, but a S&W branded 1911 just seemed so wrong. I'm over it now. Still haven't bought one tho.

I think the resurgence in 1911 popularity goes back to the mid-90s when it seemed every other gun rag in the magazine rack featured a 1911 on the cover. I think Kimber can be credited with proving that nice semi-custom production line 1911s could be viably marketed as a real alternative to the dominant Colts.

Mid-90s was the time of the Brady Bill magazine capacity limits. If you can't get more than 10 rounds, may as well go with a single stack 1911.

Philipino 1911s

I do like my Rock Island GI.

 

[BigJimP]

I agree vba and Aquila Blanca....

The demand, or interest, for 1911's has never dropped...

 

[Hawg]

I do like my Rock Island GI.

I like my tactical but want a G.I. Inexpensive but not cheap.

 

[shep854]

I've wondered about this myself. I have two, a stainless Colt (the first gun I ever bought, back in '89) and an Auto Ordnance GI clone and I don't have an itch to buy any more. If someone gave me a smokin' deal on a lightweight Commander or a double-stack, I would consider them, though.

 

[Seamus Mc]

1911s just got a boost by the new Defense budget which now states that surplus military handguns must be offered for sale to civilians via the CMP program. It will probably be a couple more years but these old vets will eventually become available.

 

[shep854]

http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/1911-information/

 

[James K]

I would not spend a lot of money for a new "1911" pistol without a thorough checkout, "in person". A piece of junk made with soft parts and poor quality is still a piece of junk and stamping "1911" on it doesn't magically make it any better. I would like to see a high quality .45 pistol similar to the 1911 but with all the old flaws corrected. But then it wouldn't be a "1911" and a product of "the master's hand", would it?

Jim

 

[Jim Watson]

I think the 1911 market is getting saturated.
The makers are bringing out all manner of slightly different models to fill every niche.
The custom shops are applying frills and furbelows to the point of bizarrity.
Wilson is in cahoots with Beretta and Nighthawk is importing Korths and tarting up Brownings. A little misjudgment there, BHP discontinued, inventory exhausted.

 

[P-990]

I agree with many here, interest in the 1911 never truly goes away. BUT!

The thing is, having spent some time working behind the gun counter, 1911s are not a gun that sells to the general Joe Q consumer just looking for a handgun. Joe Q wants something simple, inexpensive and reliable. Thirty years ago, that was a S&W, Colt or Ruger 4" medium-frame .38 or .357 revolver. Today those guns are Glocks, S&W M&Ps (the polymer pistols) and H&K VPs.

People who want a 1911, or sometimes simply "a .45", will always gravitate toward them, no matter the prevailing market trends.

 

[jr24]

I think the 1911 production has always been there and you just weren't paying attention. There's very little new in the 1911 universe if you've been following it. Even Remington's "new" double stacks aren't new. Remington bought ParaUSA a few years ago, killed off the double stacks, and now they're bringing them (a few of them) back. Sadly, they're not bringing back any models I'd be interested in, and the quality seems to be inferior to Para-Ordnance and ParaUSA, but at least they are making double stacks again.

Hogwash. I just picked up a Remington R1 Enhanced doublestack and it actually seems better quality than Paras I have looked at in the past, shoots extremely axcurate (best trigger I have below the DW line) and has been dead nuts reliable out of the box (something Para doublestacks failed to do all too often) with both the newer design Remington mags and mec gar 14.45 mags.

I think we are in a boom 1911 and AR market that is going to shrink some soon as the market is saturated, I love em and will keep buying/shooting/carrying them.

 

[RickB]

The makers are bringing out all manner of slightly different models to fill every niche.

What surprises me, is the extent to which this isn't the case.
Wow, did you see the new Ruger? It's all but exactly like fifteen other 1911s that have been on the market for years. Oh, wow, you mean they added a Commander and a 9mm?
And Remington, with their G.I. style pistol that from ten feet looks just like a G.I. pistol . . . or Colt, or RIA, or Springfield, or . . .

Then, I'll read a comment like, "I've always wanted a 10mm, and now that XYZ is making one . . ."
Deny yourself something for thirty years because of a rollmark?

I refuse to buy a 1911 until John Deere makes one, because green is my favorite color, and gramps always swore by Deere when he plowed the back forty. I mean, if anyone could make a reliable, durable 1911, it would be Deere! Beavertail, 3-dot Novak sights, and a flat mainspring housing, of course.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

... but with all the old flaws corrected

The way you phrased that means there must be multiple flaws in the original design. I've been shooting the 1911 for 50 years and I'm not aware of any flaws in the original design. What all do you consider to be the flaws?