"Air Force / Policeman / Fireman / Man of God / Friend of mine / R.I.P. Steve Lamy"
I began my serious shooting career with instruction at Gunsite, followed on at Thunder Ranch. I carried a Les Baer TRS nearly every day for a decade. I love 5", steel frame, .45 caliber 1911's.
BUT, what I will say is that they are not for the average shooter. While this gun has held up very well- it has done so through the ministrations of one of the finest custom 1911 smiths alive today. Most "users" do not have that level of skill at their disposal to keep their guns up and running. They are very lucky these days if the local "gunplumber" can spell Nineteen Eleven.....They are better served as much as I hate to say it with "plug and play plastic parts" guns.......Where even a monkey can change out the broken part with a little help from a Youtube video and a pliers....
You miss my point. Yes, a 1911 will run a long time IF you have good one AND a 1911 smith working on it...but decent, knowledgeable 1911 Smith's, locally, are damn few and far between these days.
Take this very gun for example- the first barrel was replaced early- Why? Because very likely the gunsmith who did the work did not have Neds skill....as Very Few do...and honestly, fewer all the time.
Take the issue with the frame battering- where Ned did his special relief cut- How many "Smiths" at Bubbas Bait and Guns know how to do that or even what the issue is? But, you give them a plastic gun where the only real fix is to swap some parts vs. Actual craftsmanship based gunsmithing.....that they can do.
It has more to do with the ever increasing dearth of quality craftsman than an issue with the design. Our society does not support true craftsman in a broad local economy anymore. Oh sure you can SEND your pistol halfway across the country, wait 4 months etc...and still get good service...paying $50 overnite shipping both ways...but good luck walking into a local gun shop whose armorer holds a Glock Armorers cert. and think hes going to custom fit a new safety on your 1911.
You're still missing the point.
If you start out with quality, everything on it will last at least as long as the barrel and all you'll have to do is track mags and spring changes. Same as with any pistol.
If it takes a gunsmith to keep it running, it's a POS.
Why do you come to this sub forum and this thread to lecture everyone on what is regurgitated all over the internet?
Current discussion aside - there’s literally countless 1911 vs everything else threads.
Both platforms have merits and issues. This discussion has also been played out a billion times.
I only jump in because I respect and follow Ned’s work and I don’t want to see the thread hijacked into yet another tired endless debate.
I mean this with all due respect.
God Bless,
Brandon
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