The 1911: Tried and True - #2A
Why the 1911 Remains a Top Choice for Gun Owners
Why the 1911 Remains a Top Choice for Gun Owners
The firearms market is like many other product lines… it is constantly changing and evolving. What was popular a few years ago may or may not still be in vogue. The striker-fired pistol is a good example. When Gaston Glock unveiled his pistol in 1982, it didn’t attract a lot of attention except from the Austrian military and some law enforcement agencies. But, fast-forward about 20 years or so, and we see about 65% of law enforcement agencies here in the U.S. using Glock pistols. A trend was started, and the striker-fired pistol has garnered a huge chunk of the pistol market. Other pistols are sold, of course, but I think all of us who follow handgun trends have watched company after company release pistols patterned after Gaston’s wunderkind. Many were just variations on a theme, with too few being really innovative.
So what does that say about one of the original trend-setting handguns, the ubiquitous 1911? After all, that pistol has been gracing holsters since that year. One-hundred and thirteen years later, we’re still oohing and ahhing over the latest 1911 release, in calibers from .22LR up through 10mm and further. Why? Many other guns that premiered around that date have long since disappeared. What makes the 1911 so popular? Why is it still a “thing”? What is there about this particular platform that drives sales?…
Many years ago I had a stainless colt combat commander with the pebble wrap around grips. Honestly I couldn’t hit shit with it but to this day it’s the most beautiful pistol I’ve ever owned.
It’s iconic, it’s a beautiful piece of Americana and it is just plain badass!!