From time to time I'll invite someone to shoot one of my 1911s at the range. Whenever I've do so with a person who has only handled striker fired poly handguns, they get very big eyes and rave on and on to me about how incredible the triggers are on my 1911s.
In my mind, that's what it's all about. The crisp, light "tink" felt when a well fitted mechanism trips the sear and releases the hammer, with very minimal take up and over travel. I make no claim to be the most experienced hand gunner out there, but I've fired my fair share of poly framed striker fired hand guns, to include: Rugers, HKs, XDs, Taurus (DAO & SA) and Kahrs, and while they are all decent weapons and serve their purpose well, their triggers are no comparison to my 1911s.
You get that with any precision firearm. There is a huge difference between a commodity duty gun and a high end 1911. When talking apples to apples..$500 striker vs $500 1911..I'll take the striker. Comparing a $500 striker to a $1500 1911...1911.
It all depends on your own preferences. The 1911 is far from the only hammer-fired gun. You can get a CZ 97 with hi cap, and keep the option of cocked/locked, and add doublestrike capacity.I would choose from between G30SF, G30S or Gen IV G30 whichever feels best in hands. For carry pistol I would skip on grip safety and slide lock or empty chamber carry, therefore, the 1911 should be eliminated from consideration.
As for the RAP9 I acquired one early in 2016 and have fired the it extensively. I liked it enough to also acquire a RAP45. The RAP series pistol is cost effective as most striker fired pistols are. My previous/current experience with striker fired pistols Glock and S&W MP. The 1911 series pistol I go back to 1964 introduction and ground combat experience in Viet-Nam thus up to this point as of this writing. With that said I'm no stranger to the 1911 series. My current EDC is either a S&W MP9 or MP9c. You may acquire a striker pistol in the five hundred dollar or less range and with the remainder $500.00 purchase ammunition on the other hand a 1911 series pistol of acceptable quality low end is $1000.00. Your money your choice.I had a look at the Ruger American pistol this weekend (didn't get to shoot it) and liked the trigger a lot. I will shoot before deciding so just looking for experience and information at this point, preferably from those familiar with both and not violently partisan.
RPRNY: said:I am looking for a somewhat compact semi-auto in 45 ACP. I may concealed carry it at times but this will by no means be a primary carry pistol, and will do duty as both a range gun and a woods carry.
Take look at the Ruger Light Weight Commander 1911. The lighter weight makes a big difference for Concealed Carry.I carry a Commander sized 1911.
I own several 1911 pistols. Colt New Agent, Colt SS Officers's Model, three Commander sized pistols and a few full sized.
I also have an XD 45 with a 4" barrel. It's my bedside firearm.
If I was going to carry a polymer mini .45 it would either be an S&W Shield or an XDs. I have no range time with either one. I will be getting some range time with the S&W soon.
That's the good news, the bad news is it also makes a difference for shooting. Especially in the Commander's and Officer's sizes.Take look at the Ruger Light Weight Commander 1911. The lighter weight makes a big difference for Concealed Carry.
Nice lookin, is that a steel or aluminum frame?Then... I went and purchased the RIA 1911 CS...
Steel.Nice lookin, is that a steel or aluminum frame?
I have the Citadel version. They way a ton, but they're very pleasant to shoot.Steel.
Why, sure, it's completely possible to have such a discussion!...is it possible to have a dispassionate, factual discussion of the pros and cons of a semi-compact (let's say 3.5"- 4" barrel) 45 ACP pistol of the 1911 variety vs a striker fired pistol? I am looking for education rather than affirmation.
The Glock, M1911 and M39/59 series trigger mechanisms are nothing like each other and carrying a cocked but unlocked S&W or M1911 is nothing like carrying a Glock.Why, sure, it's completely possible to have such a discussion!
You just have to realize that striker-fired pistols like Glocks, while very accurate and reliable, are much more dangerous and require a great deal more care than pistols that have good safeties.
S&W 659
I say this because putting a "safety" on a trigger really isn't a safety at all. These striker-fired pistols may be carried and shot safely, and I've said this before. If I were to take my S&W 659 9mm, cock it, then holster it cocked, I may be able to safely carry it that way if I keep my finger off the trigger. It does, after all, have enough take up in the trigger before it trips. I just wouldn't feel uncomfortable doing it. The same thing's true with jacking a round into the chamber of a striker-fired pistol and carrying it. Unless I have a side-mounted safety, I'm not carrying it that way. On my 659 I have plenty of take up. Not so on my Glock!
Perhaps, but I'm not sure carrying one is any safer than carrying the other. Neither one will discharge unless you pull the trigger. But that's of small consequence. One small nudge from a finger, holster or anything and either gun will go off.The Glock, M1911 and M39/59 series trigger mechanisms are nothing like each other and carrying a cocked but unlocked S&W or M1911 is nothing like carrying a Glock.
Well, this is something I would love to see tested in a real world setting. If I jack a round into the chamber of my S&W 659/5906, there's a fair amount of take up I have before the gun goes BANG! I don't have any take up before the Glock goes BANG! People always say, "Yeah, well, the gun won't go off if you keep your finger off the trigger," and that may be. But it will go off if anything his the trigger. That's not necessarily true of my S&W 659/5906 because of the take up. But again, there's no take up with the Glock.Firing the S&W requires no more than disengaging the hammer hooks, an infinitesimal movement. Firing the Glock requires actually first pulling the trigger to cock the striker, then far enough to release it.
It's wherever your comfortable with. I would no more jack a round into a Glock and carry it than I would jack a round into my S&W and carry it as is. And again, I'd love to see a study to see if either one is more or less likely to accidentally discharge under similar situations. It's a fact, however, that every police department and law enforcement agency that's gone from a revolver or a more conventional auto to a striker fired pistol has seen a significant increase in accidental discharges.I would never carry a Model 39, BHP or M1911 cocked and unlocked. I regularly carry my Glock 19 and Glock 22 with a round in the chamber.