I've been lucky. Most handguns I've owned worked well...except for 1911s. 4 out of 5 just wouldn't run. Myriad of different malfunctions. This has been a consistent problem for me as a 1911 owner and on the range as I watch others shoot their own 1911s. If you own one that runs, I envy you.

1. Kimber Tactical 5" with aluminum frame and external extractor: Gorgeous. My first $1K pistol. Loaded the Kimber factory mag with Federal 230 ball. Failed to chamber the very first round from the very first mag. Tried 2 WC mags. Same thing. Two trips to Kimber and I never got through more than a few rounds without problems. Traded it to LGS with full disclosure. LGS sold it to a deputy who used to it to negligently cook off a round into a suspect's thigh while serving a warrant. My reaction? "At least he got the damned thing to shoot."

2. Rock Island Armory GI 5" 1911: You think Glock has fanboys? My goodness. RIA broke the mold. First trip to the range was a catastrophe. I found that the swinging barrel link had a severe burr, and even after that was removed, it just wouldn't run, even with WC mags. Sold it with full disclosure.

3. SA TRP: I know, right? The best of the best production 1911s. 35 failures to extract during my first 50 round box of Speer Lawman FMJ. A trip back to SA resulted in a new extractor. Got the gun back for qualifications on paper and it grouped 10" high from 25 yards. Another trip back to SA for different sights. By then, the damage was done. Sold it.

4. STI Trojan 1911 9mm: My second $1K 1911 worked like a charm for 600 rounds. Then, weak ejection. I called STI, and they said that I should watch a YouTube video on how to tune the extractor. I asked for a return to STI for warranty coverage by their gunsmiths since this was a duty gun. CS told me to try the YouTube fix first then call back. Nope. Sold it. Oh, before the extractor mess, I had also bought 3 WC mags and the Trojan wouldn't chamber a single FMJ round from any of them, regardless of how the mag was loaded. The Trojan only worked reliably in the first 600 rounds with Springfield/Metalform mags. Thank goodness Brownell's has a superb return policy!

The single 1911 which I've owned that did run? A blued S&W 1911 with external extractor. Go figure!

I love 1911s, but I'm also a realist. So, I did the right thing and bought a W. German P220 from our SF Classifieds!

The two that fall into this category for me are the NAA Guardian .32 and the P290RS.

The P290 trigger reach was too short for me. With the small frame and my pinky hanging off the bottom of the grip, I had to regrip the pistol frequently while shooting it.

The Guardian was even worse. The sights were so small as to be just about useless. My complaints about the P290 apply to this one also. And, I could not shoot it accurately beyond 5 yards. Even at those close ranges, it looked like I was shooting a shot gun with buckshot at 25 yards.

bought a derringer, (yes, I know) in 45acp for a pocket carry gun to use as a backup

cannot remember who made it, this was in the early 90's,

paid $100 for it,

took it to the range and put the first shot in the 10 ring of a target at about 15 paces

rest never hit the black,

moved the target closer and did not get much better, and by then, my hand was sore,

functioned fine, but unless I had the barrel in the bad guys belly, no way to know if I would hit them,

sold it a few months later for $100

The S&W Sigma had a lot going for it, but whoever let the gun out of the factory with that trigger, needed to be fired and jumped in the parking lot on the way home.
I also owned a Llama 1911 and a Steyr M9 that were essentially single shot pistols. Maybe I got lemons but I never got through a mag with either POS.

quote:

Originally posted by LtJL:
I know it's just me, but, much to my regret, when it comes to a Browning Hi Power, I could'nt hit a barn door.

Me too, it shot patterns, not groups. I'm not sure which thumb or finger was intended to operate the safety.

Kimber Solo. The LGS had a display piece and I fell in love. When the first production pistol arrived, the instructions said to break it in by firing a magazine or two. With the instructions was a list of 15 brands and type of ammunition that would work with it.
Immediately discovered that FTE would happen with each magazine. As reports came in, Kimber started to reduce the list of ammunition. Eventually, it was only the high end, self defense rounds. I had different people try the Solo. All had the same problem. Finally sent it into Kimber. It was returned with a note saying everything worked. Nope.
Kept try8ng to make it work. Then I notice the barrel and upper receiver were shedding metal. Then the upper receiver would not lock back. Lock it to the rear, give a little shake and it would go forward.
Back to the LGS. The gunsmith looked at it and asked how many rounds had been fired? I’d kept count, about 600. He estimated that, from the wear, it looked like a couple of thousand. He wrote a letter and back to Kimber. They sent a new gun. I looked, and promptly traded it for a Springfield EMP.

MOSQUITO!

My Kimber TLE. It was a beautiful paperweight that was not reliable. The company's customer service was abysmal at the time.

Any 1911 I have ever owned, and I have probably owned almost a dozen different ones. 1911, Combat Commander, Colt Gold Cup...etc..etc.

Each and everyone one of them ended up a jammo special, unreliable crap, and I carried a pistol on the job as a Homicide Detective in Chicago for 31 years.

A close second at top trash is anything I owned from Taurus, those are complete crap as well.

Pistols I have owned/own that have never failed, Browning Highpower, anything from Ruger, anything from Glock and anything from Walther including 2 PPKs and my current PPQ!

As far as 1911s goes, as qouteth the Raven, "Never More!"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Chazman1946,

Walther PPKS. Cute but blowback bruised the webbing on my hand something awful. Plus, the extractor broke twice on it. Decided just not for me, traded it for a colt officers in 45 acp. Then, since the officers was a bit short and had a tendency to twist on me, traded that for a commander size and have been happy with that size ever since. Truthfully, I was just starting out at that time too, so needed practice and to build up hand strength some.
I still love that commander though.

I have an M&P 9C that I just can't find any love for. Every time I shoot it I dislike it more. It looks OK and has awesome Green/Yellow TFO sights but I just can't shoot it. I've been told by a few good shooters that if I ditch the factory articulating trigger I'll probably do better with it.

Ruger new model Blackhawk. Every trigger pull is like a kid hitting my knuckle with a tack hammer. If I’m honest I can’t hit shit with it.

When I think I traded a P-232 for it I get nauseous.

Wilson Combat EDC X9. I bought it, waited months for them to build it. Even ordered it in the color I wanted. It worked flawlessly. Couldn't shoot the damn thing. If I really really concentrated I could shoot it. Ish. Lets say I wouldn't want to be on the hostage end of a hostage rescue shot under stress. Sold it, don't miss it.

A couple of HKs. I really wanted to like the P30 LEM, bot nope. It's been a while, but I just remember the experience being decidedly meh. The other was a USP tactical. Just seemed awkward to handle / shoot.

There are some HKs I like, mainly the P2000

Sig P232. First time I shot it it cut the hell out of my hand.

The HK USP .45 Compact.

It worked- I will give it that. Yet, I could NOT get past the trigger. It felt slightly gritty and mushy- even after a trigger upgrade. Never felt right.

And I couldn't get 7 yard groups to group smaller than 5" circles.

My Ruger P97 had a trigger I liked more and my groups were closer to 2.5" at 7 yards.

Of course, I LOVED my 1911 trigger, and it grouped about 1.5" at 7 yards for me.


All groups were a full magazine worth: 7 or 8 rounds.


I sold the HK and never looked back. Too many cool options out there.

Hi Power. Works, just not all its cracked up to be.

I would say 1911 and Walther PPK/PPKs are highly over rated despite the universal praise heaped upon them by gun rags I read as a kid in the 70s and 80s.

Python....early 90’s bright stainless that would not shoot for shit. 3 to 4 inch groups at 25. My Dan Wesson would embarrass it at the range, and less than half the cost. Realize now that I probably just needed to ream the cylinder throats.

Hi Power.... I was heavier then, but took a couple bites out of the web of my hand. Late 60’s “T” series... again, mediocre accuracy.

Desert Eagle .50. Shot 3” right,and 4” high, on average with 4 different types of ammo. The final straw was a piece of brass came back square into my forehead, drew blood...left a crescent moon cut.

Bernadelli....it was cheap, I found out why.

I owned 3 Glocks and I couldn't warm up to them. So I sold them and I bought Sig P series in 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP and I have been happy ever since. My carry pistol is a Sig P228.