Thank you for your inquiry. The folks you refer to may be cautioning you
not to fire the weapon for historical reasons, not mechanical reasons. The
Colt 1911 is an exceptionally rugged weapon. It is still in front line
service, in places where the boots-on-the-ground get their choice.
That said, please keep in mind that every weapon, and every part of every
weapon, has a finite service life. For guns, this is usually expressed in
the number of rounds fired. Except for the springs, there is little in the
1911 that is age sensitive, so most failures are the result of cumulative
stresses of firing the weapon. Anything mechanically made will eventually
break. Here at the museum, we are prohibited from firing any of our weapons
for that very reason, because it is our responsibility to preserve them for
posterity.
From the wording of your question, I assume you know how to maintain your
pistol in good working order. A well maintained 1911 should be good for
thousands of rounds. Keep in mind that the stress from each shot is
cumulative in the components of the gun. Also remember that without
x-raying the components for defects, it is impossible to know the actual
condition of the components. In all probability, you also do not have the
complete firing history of your weapon, so you cannot determine the precise
firing count. Your pistol could fail on the next round, or be good for
another 5,000 rounds or more, or anything in between.
The real life probability is that you can fire the 1911 as much as you wish,
so long as you maintain and inspect it properly, and that your 1911 has a
good chance of out-living you. Few handguns have ever had the life
expectancy of this weapon. In firing your weapon, though, you must accept
the risk that any given round may be its last.
Ask yourself, if the weapon does fail on you, worst case, can you still
mount it on the wall, say "well, it had a great run!", and still be proud to
have it in your collection? Your answer to this question pretty much
answers your email.
If we can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me
or any member of the staff.
Respectfully,
Jim Petrie
410-278-3602
For Ed Heasley
Roy E. (Ed) Heasley
Deputy Director/Curator
U.S. Army Ordnance Museum
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5201
