1911 Accuracy

by
posted on September 11, 2013
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wiley-clapp.jpg

Since the advent of the centennial year of the 1911, and the several years preceding it, I have received quite an array of 1911 pistols for evaluation. New guns from all the major makers-Colt, S&W, Ruger, SIG Sauer, Kimber, Springfield and Taurus-offer fine examples of the classic service sidearm, and the high-end makers like Baer, Brown, Nighthawk and Wilson are excellent. Non-Colt 1911s have been around since sometime in the 60s. The earliest of that breed were not all that hot, but the bar is growing higher all the time.

With virtually no exceptions, I shoot these guns in the Ransom Rest, which some critics view as suspicious, if not downright unmanly. Still, I am confident that the results are quite even and consistent. This test also tells me that one characteristic of the 1911 breed is definitely changing. Simply stated, the 1911 pistol of today is more accurate than the guns of 40 to 50 years ago. I can only theorize as to why this is happening.

With every major handgun maker competing for a bigger slice of the pie, company engineers vie for any feature that will improve their product’s position in the marketplace. It looks like they have come to understand what it takes to make a 1911 accurate. Although other factors have a bearing on the accuracy equation, the most important thing is the fit of the barrel to the slide. If the barrel fits the slide properly at the muzzle end-underlugs, locking lugs and breech face-the gun is likely to be decently accurate. It is not a guarantee, but the really top-notch specimens usually have respectable barrel fit.

It is not so much a function of precise rifling in the barrel, either. I know of one experiment in a military shop, where a match-grade barrel was smooth-bored, then fitted to a pistol in a match configuration. The resulting handgun shot as accurately as other top grade pistols. Who benefits from all this attention to the performance of once-ordinary handguns? Why, the shooters do.

Latest

Stuart 45 Pistol Pre War Manuevers Web Main
Stuart 45 Pistol Pre War Manuevers Web Main

Guns Of The U.S. Tankers In World War II

Since the end of World War II, debates have raged about the effectiveness of American armored fighting vehicles in that conflict. Despite all the Monday morning armored quarterbacking, American AFVs were war-winners, driven to victory by some the finest fighting men our nation has ever produced.

MidwayUSA Foundation Awards Over $14 Million In Cash Grants In 2025

In honor of National Shooting Sports Month—held annually in August—along with the growing popularity of the sport with new participants, MidwayUSA Foundation announced it has distributed more than $14.2 million in cash grants to support youth shooting sports in 2025.

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.