What is the most dead solid reliable pistol (autoloader) design ever?

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I got a Glock to jam on the first box of ammo I fed it. It locked up so bad I could not cycle it or fire it. Took a gunsmith to clear it.

Add in the limp-wrist/reloads kB issue, and there is no way I could consider it. Gaston's got a pretty loose view of perfection.

I'd love to say 1911, but I bet that a SIG or CZ75/BHP might be a better choice.

It's all realative to the paticular handgun you are using, the maintenance and the ammo.

And for all the bad press the M9/model 92 gets, I never had any trouble with it.
 
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cant believe anyone would have the nads to sugest a 92f. our soldiers in iraq put the damn things in ziplocks bags and so they wont jam. that doesnt sound very reliable to me.
Click to expand...

No they don't.
 
Jakk,

I'm not sure of your experience or background, but I carried the same beat-up, issued M9 through tons of rough training, rough terrain, and 7 months in Fallujah. Not one problem to speak of with the Beretta M9. Rain, mud, salt water, sand, dust, dirt, you name it.

I will NOT however, give my signature of approval to the NATO 9mm ball ammunition.

The 1911 is my favorite of pistols, but I will have complete faith in my M9 the next time I deploy.

I also believe that your story of U.S. troops carrying their M9s in ziploc bags is unsupported at best. There are plenty of OIF/OEF vets on this forum to inform you correctly.
 
Bog standard, straight out of the box? Glock, H&K, Sig.

Modified and tuned? All of a sudden the old 1911 stands a chance.

As far as the cheapness of the Glock and the ultra reliability that comes with them, they have to be given extra points.

Want it to work under any conditions and not break the bank? No brainer, Glock!

I currently shoot a 38 Super Auto Colt Ser80 Govt and a Beretta 92FS.
 
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I personally like Sig the best, but that's cause I own one. :neener:

Seriously though, there are several (Sig, HK, Glock, XD, Beretta, etc) that are very reliable out of the box, HOWEVER if you don't handle it right, anything can happen. I have personally experienced a Glock limp wrist FTF, my buddy managed it 3 times during one magazine of a Glock and then again with an XD. It's not cause they're unreliable, he just has weak wrists and doesn't shoot a lot. Seen lots of 1911's with feeding problems, I think there's some that are very reliable, and others that fall short.

My personal favorites are the Sig and 1911, but I have a real hard time calling a box sotck 1911 ultra reliable.
 
"I'll go with the pistol that was tested in the Philippines in 1913, in Vera Cruz in 1914, in Haiti in 1915, in northern Mexico in 1916, in the trenches of France in 1917 and '18, in Archangel and along the Trans-Siberian Railway in '19, in the jungles of Central America during the '20s and '30s, carried through the surf at Guadalcanal, Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima, made the march out from the Chosen Reservoir in 1950, soldiered through the triple-canopy jungle of Viet Nam, and was carried by many units in Desert Storm."

Using your logic there is only ONE type of handgun to carry. That would be a flintlock.

They served the armies of the entire world for over 200 years before they were replaced by the caplock.

But since I don't like to trust my modern life with antique designs I do not carry a 1911 everyday.
 
It is a MYTH that the 1911 served without problems during all those years and in all those places.

There are US troops in foreign graves because their 1911 failed to work.

The 1911 may have been the best handgun design many years ago but one would have to be living in a fantasy world to believe there has not been improvements in handgun design since 1911.
 
In order of my preference and experience. I left out H&K, XD, Kahr and others I have no experience with.

Sig
Glock
Star Firestar
CZ75
Browning BHP
Sigma
Walther
Ruger
Amt automag
Jennings
Lorkin
Tec9
..
..
..
1911
 
How many are in graves because their underpowered round failed to kill a insurgent? Your plastic wonder guns are BASED on the 1911. Also the only thing any modern pistols have over the 1911 is heavier trigger pulls and larger capacity.
 
I see we have another MYTH. The myth that the .45acp round never fails to stop the bad guy.

In reality in the mud and dirt of a battlefield the 1911 can and will malfunction and unless the .45acp round hits the CNS the enemy will not be stoped.
 
"Also the only thing any modern pistols have over the 1911 is heavier trigger pulls and larger capacity."

Some modern handguns have a very important advantage over the 1911. Better reliability in bad conditions.
 
I love the 1911, it is the only large frame auto I own. But it's nuts to think better pistols aren't out there. In 96 years, there have been improvements, (Can anyone say 1911A1?)

My 1911 is a series 70 with mods that were in keeping with the time that it was 'smithed, (1978). But it still lacks features found on many weapons available today. (The Novaks on my wife's SIG P232 are much easier to use than the Bo-Mar blade on my govt model, and the lack of a beavertail means, my fat paws get bit every so often.)

I would not hesitate to buy another 1911, but for pure cost effectiveness, there are better options, (SIG P226 or CZ75 immediately come to mind.) And the really effective, useful 1911s cost about 4 figures, whereas you can get really decent large frame auto of another design for $500 or less brand new. I am truly touched that the 1911 has such a loyal following, but its not the penultimate pistol at all. Impressive? Absolutely. Ultimate? No.
 
Whatever you own...

Seems to be the answer. Everybody claims what they have is the best. Typical for an internet forum :)
 
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I see we have another MYTH. The myth that the .45acp round never fails to stop the bad guy.

In reality in the mud and dirt of a battlefield the 1911 can and will malfunction and unless the .45acp round hits the CNS the enemy will not be stoped.
Click to expand...

Oh no! Why you gotta go stating facts like that? The guys that have seen too many movies and read too many doctored, biased books about one shot stopping power will get mad!

Just give me a Ruger. The things work no matter what you do to them.
 
I responded to a myth with a myth. Find 1 single peice of evidence to support your claim of the 1911s unreliability in war.
 
The 1911 has full-length guide rails. Get that full of sand and watch what happens versus a gun that doesn't have them full-length.
 
"Find 1 single peice of evidence to support your claim of the 1911s unreliability in war."

I have found plenty of evidence. So could you IF you would bother to do a little research.

You are not going to bother because you have already made up your mind.

I am a big fan of WW-II weapons. The M1 Garand is by far my favorite rifle. I own several of them. I would rather shoot my Garands than anything I own.

Like the 1911 the Garand was the best in the world in it's day.

Those days are over. We may not like it or some may not believe it but so be it. the truth is the truth and we may as well learn to accept it.
 
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