BHP vs. 1911 Popularity

[Handy]

I'm sure they were worn out - the last 1911A1s were produced in 1945.

But high volume IPSC shooters have pretty much demonstrated that even with the recoil of .45 ACP and the pressure of .38 Super, the 1911s will do over 100,000 rounds pretty easily. As will several other old world guns.

I don't want to start a bruhaha over pistol longevity, but I've never gotten the impression that it is considered a BHP strength.

 

[juliet charley]

I've seen cautions about late WW2 era P35s--usually those that came out of occupied Belgium--but that holds true for many of handguns manufactured 1944-45.

 

[Handy]

Slave labor and occuppied produced guns from WWII were frequently sabotaged with poor heat treatment and the like. This is the main reason that SAAMI standard 9mm is lower in pressure than the European standard - to be safe in the wider variety of bring-back weapons.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Handy,

I think what the high volume IPSC shooters demonstrate is that they very effectively pair their springs with their ammo so as not to beat the hell out of their guns, not to mention other add ons, like Shokbuffs, etc. I know more than one IPCS shooter who replaces springs every 1,000 rounds, religiously.

I really have to wonder just how many of the military HPs over the years (and these guns have to be the origin of "the BHP doesn't last" rumor) had regular spring maintenance (or regular maintenance of any kind).

What we don't have is any kind of effective baseline that would compare a properly maintained, high volume BHP with a similar .45 or .38 Super.

 

[Handy]

True enough.