Thinking of selling my Defender

[Dan Adams]

When I first got my .45 Kimber Super Carry Ultra, I had a couple of FTFs and a few failures to go into battery. Like you and your Commander, I really love the feel of the gun. I didn't give up, made sure the gun was clean and properly oiled (about which I got a number of different opinions), and tried different factory ammo. Turns out the Kimber eats Hornady FTX without a hiccup. Hornady XTP, no. A few other quality defensive rounds did fine for 50-round samples (all with bullet profiles similar to FTX), but I don't have the money to try everything for 500+ rounds, so I stick with the FTX for EDC. That said, I'm not selling my Springfield XDs .45 because it's not picky at all, and if the time comes I need to scrounge for ammo, I know I will have at least one .45 that will do the job. (Just don't much like shooting more than 50 rounds in a practice session with the XDs, though!)

 

[Vendor Hidden]

I'm still working through the issue with my Defender, and I think I'm making progress.

At the same time I'm still thinking of buying a new Commander even if I solve my Defender problems. I've decided I'm doing this because I've got a fever, and the only cure is more 1911.

 

[Koda]

I'm still working through the issue with my Defender, and I think I'm making progress.

At the same time I'm still thinking of buying a new Commander even if I solve my Defender problems. I've decided I'm doing this because I've got a fever, and the only cure is more 1911.

I would keep the Defender, I think you got it figured out.

I would buy a new CCO size 1911... they are not common and deserve more love. I think you would like one and if I recall you already own a commander.

 

[Chaffee]

I really want to like the Colt Defender I bought in January, but if you've been following my tales of woe, you know that I can't bring myself to completely trust it with my life. It's been slightly finicky from the start. It has a current failure rate of about 4%, which I don't think is nearly good enough for EDC. I know others have had no problems with their Defenders, and some would bet their life on 'em, but that hasn't been my experience - at least so far.

So I'm thinking of selling it and moving to a Commander, either lightweight or combat. The Commander is a proven model that's not much bigger than the Defender, which I can easily switch to without much adjustment. Ideally, I want a gun that I can use both at the range and for self defense, and I don't want to clutter my safe with guns I'm not shooting, or feel guilty about ignoring, or am angry at for disappointing me.

I haven't made up my mind completely on this yet. I still want to try and save my relationship with the Defender, but I find myself increasingly toying with the thought of moving on.

I know some of you will say "Why a 1911? Get something cheaper and more reliable!" -- I get it. I know there are great firearms out there designed and built within the last 50 years that have great reputations. But the sad truth is that I've decided I'm a 1911 guy, and .45 is my caliber of choice. Don't try to talk me out of it because you can't. I've met the girl for me; sure, she's 106 years old but I'm stickin' with her.

I'm looking at perhaps a Sig, but I do like the Colt Combat Commander. Should I stick with Colt even in the wake of my disappointment? I don't know.

Also, I need to keep it under $1000.

Anyway, I'm just ruminating here. Any thoughts and discussion is welcome.

I too have a Colt Defender plus sitting in my safe. identify from that to a Kimber tactical ultra, and now can't help but carry my Walther PPQ 45. It was a penny auction on gunbroker, and I had a few drinks in me, ended up with it for 480 delivered! But after shooting it, like others have said, it's a trust thing.

 

[Boboclown]

I've met the girl for me; sure, she's 106 years old but I'm stickin' with her.

She may be 106, but she looks and runs like 20. The 1911 is the only handgun I ever enjoy shooting.

 

[titsonritz]

Unless you are throwing a lot on money at it, the further from 5" you get the less reliable a 1911 becomes.

 

[pigiron]

She may be 106, but she looks and runs like 20. The 1911 is the only handgun I ever enjoy shooting.

How strange. If you enjoy shooting a 1911 then the SIG P-210, Browning Hi-Power, and CZ-75 all have similar crisp single action triggers and are more comfortable in the hand due to their superior back strap shapes. Also any single action revolver of a reasonable caliber with the SAA Colt hogleg grip design are a real joy to fire and are wizard at re-cocking for multiple shots if you let them roll back in your hand after firing. Also L, K, and J frame Smith & Wesson revolvers, when with a well sorted double action, are capable of putting a cylinders worth of bullets into one jagged hole from 7 yards if you practice.

Have you ever shot any .22 target pistols? I think you need to get out and about a bit more. Try joining a decent gun club and you'll get to actually try some of these and other different guns.

 

[DeanfromOregon]

Just want to point out there is a vbob for sale in the classified for a very fair price.

I trust my life to one of these daily.

 

[Boboclown]

How strange. If you enjoy shooting a 1911 then the SIG P-210, Browning Hi-Power, and CZ-75 all have similar crisp single action triggers and are more comfortable in the hand due to their superior back strap shapes. Also any single action revolver of a reasonable caliber with the SAA Colt hogleg grip design are a real joy to fire and are wizard at re-cocking for multiple shots if you let them roll back in your hand after firing. Also L, K, and J frame Smith & Wesson revolvers, when with a well sorted double action, are capable of putting a cylinders worth of bullets into one jagged hole from 7 yards if you practice.

Have you ever shot any .22 target pistols? I think you need to get out and about a bit more. Try joining a decent gun club and you'll get to actually try some of these and other different guns.

Handguns in general aren't my interest, so of all the ones I tried only the 1911 got me interested in having one. I like Glocks enough, but no plans to buy another handgun until my rifle collection is done.

Rifles are where I get interested, and none are .22 LR.

 

[Alexx1401]

I'm still working through the issue with my Defender, and I think I'm making progress.

At the same time I'm still thinking of buying a new Commander even if I solve my Defender problems. I've decided I'm doing this because I've got a fever, and the only cure is more 1911.

The way the price on 1911's is right now even I keep looking at another. Nothing wrong with that. If you like the Commander size one of the lightweight would be a great addition. I often wish I would have kept one of the ones I have had over the years.

 

[pigiron]

Rifles are where I get interested, and none are .22 LR.

I can't imagine being a shooter and not having a .22 rifle. I've owned one or another for 60 odd years now. I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't learn to shoot using it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Handguns in general aren't my interest, so of all the ones I tried only the 1911 got me interested in having one. I like Glocks enough, but no plans to buy another handgun until my rifle collection is done.

Rifles are where I get interested, and none are .22 LR.

I'm just the opposite. A good handgun is the queen of the modern day battlefield, not the rifle. Plus, many are more accurate than most using a rifle.
win

 

[Koda]

Ive heard it mention above a few times, that the shorter (smaller) you make a 1911 the more unreliable it becomes.

What is the reason for this mechanically?

It doesn't make sense to me that you cant fit the 45acp in a smaller package reliably, its done all the time with other recoil based guns in 45.

 

[pigiron]

The way the price on 1911's is right now even I keep looking at another. Nothing wrong with that. If you like the Commander size one of the lightweight would be a great addition. I often wish I would have kept one of the ones I have had over the years.

Commanders are definitely nifty although I myself could never 100% absolutely trust a 1911 to cycle properly after the first shot. What I have never understood though is the attraction of a Commander length 1911 with a steel frame. Almost all the weight and length of a full size 5 inch gun with more difficult cartridge feeding and lower bullet velocity due to that shorter barrel. Why not go with the 28 ounce model which was specifically designed to be lighter to lug around all day?

 

[Boboclown]

I'm just the opposite. A good handgun is the queen of the modern day battlefield, not the rifle. Plus, many are more accurate than most using a rifle.
win

And for me, my good handgun is my Colt. Never let me down so far.

I can't imagine being a shooter and not having a .22 rifle. I've owned one or another for 60 odd years now. I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't learn to shoot using it.

When I got my first rifle, a Mosin Nagant was all I was able to afford. Parents were antigun, so obviously shooting guns didn't happen in my childhood.

 

[Koda]

Commanders are definitely nifty although I myself could never 100% absolutely trust a 1911 to cycle properly after the first shot. What I have never understood though is the attraction of a Commander length 1911 with a steel frame. Almost all the weight and length of a full size 5 inch gun with more difficult cartridge feeding due to that shorter barrel. Why not go with the 28 ounce model which was specifically designed to be lighter to lug around all day?

this is why I went with a CCO size.

but I disagree about the more difficult feeding in the Commander, the Commander is only 3/4" shorter than the govt. Never had an issue with my commander, 2-400 rds per range session, since 97.

 

[pigiron]

Ive heard it mention above a few times, that the shorter (smaller) you make a 1911 the more unreliable it becomes.

What is the reason for this mechanically?

It doesn't make sense to me that you cant fit the 45acp in a smaller package reliably, its done all the time with other recoil based guns in 45.

The main reason is that nose of the bullet and cartridge enters the chamber at a different angle than on the five inch gun. I've owned a few including an Officer's length Colt and very experienced pistolsmiths who work their throating and other magic on them have all told me this. All longterm reliability tests on the 1911 have more than confirmed this. Glocks have gone 10,000 plus rounds without a hiccup. No 1911 of any barrel length has ever even remotely approached this level of reliability. Not that I would ever own a plastic fantastic Glock with its ridiculous squishy trigger and propensity to fire if not holstered in a proper manner.

PS - I take full shameful responsibility for turning this thread into yet another discussion of Glocks! LOL

 

[Boboclown]

Ive heard it mention above a few times, that the shorter (smaller) you make a 1911 the more unreliable it becomes.

What is the reason for this mechanically?

It doesn't make sense to me that you cant fit the 45acp in a smaller package reliably, its done all the time with other recoil based guns in 45.

Because the barrel has to go an even sharper angle with a shorter frame, which isn't the easiest thing to overcome in the 1911 apparently. The smaller 1911s have less room for error than the full sized ones.

 

[Koda]

ok so this is inherent to its swing link design?
So thats why all those plastic guns barrels are so obviously slanted upwards at sllidelock (by comparison)?

but what about 1911s with a ramped barrel?

 

[pigiron]

A good handgun is the queen of the modern day battlefield, not the rifle.

You obviously don't know WTF you are talking about.