11 Comments

  1. I think you’re wrong. Not far wrong though. The issue is sweat. Salt water. Aluminum on steel in a salt water bath produces galvanic corrosion. If a concealed carrier sweats, aluminum disolves (slowly, granted) into aluminum salts if the metal coatings wear through, as they will with any serious shooting.

    After carrying a personal Commander (those were all aluminum-framed back then) in lieu of the issue 1911A1 in the Marines, the aluminum started turning into white goop. That particular salt water was mostly sea water. The SIG CCO I used for a year of IDPA was also carried for that year and white goop grew first behind the slide stop, then around the safety. Same story with an Ultra Carry II that I packed as a spook.

    Sweat corrodes everything eventually, but it hits aluminum in contact with steel fast. I could also quibble with the .45/9mm issue, but won’t. 1911 frames in stainless steel (coated or not) corrode slowest and are most appropriate for a concealed carry gun. (Unless you never sweat.)

    DW is a fine brand, Commander is a fine size. I totally agree on those choices.

    1. Now, just back from hiking Black Elk (Harney) Peak with the V-Bob next to skin, I’ve got some cleaning to do.

  2. I agree with the commander version. Prefer 9mm for my wife for shootability reasons, however I prefer my Kimber Super carry Pro HD in 45acp. I can handle the recoil and did not run into reliability problems until recoil spring wore out. Replaced factory spring with wilson combat flat coil springs and reliability has returned. Plus it does have the bobbed grip. And I also agree that mags play an important roll. I also use the wilson combat elite mags.

  3. Second Don; it’s hardly a 1911-specific issue, but perhaps a more pressing one because polymer 1911s aren’t common (but would break the use-a-real-1911 rule anyway). If sweat is a possibility, everything that sweat can get to needs to be stainless steel, polymers, rubber (grips), composites or even wood. Aluminum (any alloy) and carbon steels (any coating) will otherwise foul or fail sooner than one might guess.

    Caleb’s discussion of 1911 CC did not address Readiness Condition. I presume it’s Condition One, in which case some advice on thumb safeties is warranted. It’s a big issue for left hip/back carry, and ditto for right-side hip/back carry with an ambidextrous safety, as car seats etc. can knock an outside safety out of safe.

    If someone plans to carry in Condition 2, stick with Springfield Armory (Caleb can email if he wants to know why).

  4. Caleb, totally agree with you on the lightweight cmdr in 9mm. Great work on the 1911 t&e. Any thought on one of the new Colt Defenders in 9mm? I would love to see that review. Also the new Ruger lightweight cmdr in 9mm.

  5. No 1911 is the best for carry for 99% of citizens. Too complicated and too expensive. Most people won’t spend the ridiculous money needed to get a reliable, with duty ammo, 1911.

    I agree caliber, in handguns, doesn’t really matter between 9mm, 40 and 45.

  6. CZ 75D PCR . . . oh shoot (bang) it’s not a 1911; but they’re awesome, reliable, inexpensive and just darn right fabulous (14+1).

  7. I thought the Rock Island Armory worked well for you, why was it not mentioned in the brands you recommend? I personally don’t have one because of the California rules, but I do have a Sprongfield and a Colt combat commander that I love to shoot. I’ll be carrying the Colt pretty soon.

    1. I’m on the cusp of adding Rock Island to my list of guns that are “good to go” but I want to test another couple of samples first.

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