BHP vs. 1911 Popularity

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sm

New member
Perhaps the 'wondernine' mad rush and all the offerings to shoot 9mm lessened the BHP in popularity for some.

I prefer single actions in a semi. I grew up with and still prefer the 1911 platform for .45ACP and the BHP for 9mm. I don't do .40 in anything, not even a consideration for me.
 
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mathman

New member
I think that there is just a lot more history and myth behind the 1911 45 ACP. I don't think its popularity is due to the platform alone or the caliber alone...I think it is a combination of platform, caliber, myth, legend, history, etc...(oh yeah and the fact that it is a single action with a real nice trigger pull compared to the DA)

BTW, I really like 1911's, but IMHO when compared to say a Sig P220, they fall quite a bit short...nothing wrong with 1911's (I have 3), but I just think that the more modern pistols offer so much more (accuracy, reliability, etc...) RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.

I think that I'll always keep at least one 1911, but for defense and shooting when it counts, I'll pull a Sig everytime.

OK, now I'm rambling...
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
I like my 1911.

I LOVE my High Power.

My 1911 would go before my High Power ever did.

I agree that the trigger isn't nearly as good, but I find that to be of absolutely NO hinderance.

I can shoot my High Power far better than I can my 1911. I attribute a large part of that simply to grip shape. The BHP grip fits my hand as if it was made for it.
 
H

Handy

Moderator
My hypothesis is that the lack of popularity of the BHP is evidence that 1911 fans tend not to be as open to the many options out there.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much what I was getting at. The love of the 1911 is more than the sum of its features.
 
B

butch50

New member
1911s have something that no other pistol has, or will have. I can not define that something any better than this:

Compare Angelina Jolie to the girl next door.

Now you see.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
"Compare Angelina Jolie to the girl next door."

A 1911 has big, ugly lips, and is so trashy I wouldn't even take it home for my mother to shoot?

Dang...
 
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IanS

New member
1911s have something that no other pistol has, or will have. I can not define that something any better than this:

Compare Angelina Jolie to the girl next door.

Now you see.
Click to expand...

Well not really. See that kind of thing confirms what I said about confirmed 1911 fanatics.

And unlike a marriage, with guns, monogamy is optional. You can bring home that skanky chick at the bar or innocent girl next door. :p
 
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crysour

New member
Concerning the supposed inferiority of the 1911 platform when compared to modern platforms (like the Sig), it is important to emphasize that this may or may not be true out of the box. The 1911 platform is the overwhelming choice when it comes to competition shooters. This suggests that there is a little more than simply "myth" associated with the platform and its characteristics.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
"The 1911 platform is the overwhelming choice when it comes to competition shooters. This suggests that there is a little more than simply "myth" associated with the platform and its characteristics."

I'd have to say that much of that reason is because the 1911 has been around for so long, and so much has been done with the design, that it's a completely known entity for someone wanting a competition handgun.

How many gunsmiths do you know of who will do work on a 1911 to prep it for competition? I know of dozens.

How many do you know of who do the same thing for a Beretta or a Sig?

I know of, at most, a handful, and they tend to be police or military.

Take a look in Brownell's at all the stuff designed to help make a "tricked out" competition 1911. Goes on for pages, while there's normally just a few entries for Beretta or Sig stuff.
 
M

mathman

New member
crysour,

Judging your wording, I think that you are talking about what I said...right?

I think the 1911 is a fine handgun...but competition shooters don't shoot out of the box 1911s. The Sig is an example of how modern engineering can produce a handgun that is very accurate (by defense standards) and very reliable (practically 100% unless you get a lemon, and there aren't too many of those) right out of the box. There are many other modern examples, but yes, I am partial to Sig.

I have shot 1911s my whole life and enjoy it very much, but when it really counts, I'm not going to grab my 1911 (which is 99.9% reliable, with some gunsmithing of course)...instead, I'm grabbing my Sig (which is 99.9999% reliable, with absolutely no modifications).

As far as the 'myth' aspect, I think more of that is associated with the 45 ACP than the 1911 platform. Don't get me wrong, I like 45 a lot, and have even argued in favor of it on this forum...but since then have learned that with today's ammo, it doesn't really matter what caliber (9mm, .40 or .45) you use (unless YOU really think it matters :) ).

I'm not bashing the 1911...I'm just trying to give a reason as to why it is more popular than the high power (which according to many is JMB's finest handgun ever).

cheers

...by the way, most gunsmiths don't work on Sigs because for most purposes they don't need any work!
 
G

gak

New member
Handy and Mathman have it down pat. It's more than the platform: 1) History/nostalgia + 2) myth + 3) oomph + 4) pretty decent ergos. The BHP on the other hand has maybe a smidgeon of 1) not much of 2) depending on caliber "ok/sufficient" to "very good" on 3) and tons of 4) (even with a lesser trigger o-o-t-b)...So even if you add a 5) capacity for the BHP it still means it can't make up for the deficits above and still comes up short in the "math"-- 3 check marks vs 2 but it often seems like the popularity is much more lopsided than that!
BHP fan (and also like the 1911s, just not as much)
 
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juliet charley

New member
Actually, if you take off your USA blinders and look at the rest world, the BHP is more popular than the 1911. I'll bet there have been more BHPs made and used world-wide than 1911s, and the 1911 had 25 year head start.
 
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jonathon

New member
I prefer the feel of a Hi-Power... slick action, good capacity, nice feeling rip.. 1911 doesn't do it for me.

P.S

The girl next door is quite cute :eek:
 
E

Eghad

New member
Its no wonder that the 1911 is a fav pistol. Think of all the people who were in the US Military who carried a 1911. This pistol has been through most of the major wars and actions in the 20th century. I imagine the 1911 was the favorite of thousands of GI returning home.....I imagine quite a few even carried them home. the 1911 is the Colt SAA of the 20th century. It was tested and proven on the battlefield. Not to mention the big hole at the end of the barrel which just oozes security....

The BHP was toted by a few armies too just didnt happen to be the US Army.

I own a BHP and a couple of 1911s if I had to choose just one the 1911 would win.

My 1911s have both had custom trigger jobs....nothing compares to them. I have often thought of giving the BHP a custom trigger job..but the 1911 would still be better :confused:
 
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itsmike762

New member
It's an American thing!

The 1911 just screams American! Its our first issue auto, it throws a big ole slug, and it has saved the ass of many a G.I. JMB got it right with the 1911.
Then again he did really well with the BHP. The Hi-power has seen more service world wide. And untill the DA auto hit the scene the Hi-power was the king of the non-American world.
Neither gun is perfect out of the box, but when tweaked out they both will give outstanding service to it's user.
With modern ammo I wouldnt feel under gunned with either one if I cant carry a rifle.
 
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