The discussion puts these two specific pistols on the kitchen table, with their mags, your preferred ammo and your chosen carry method, and gives a choice as to which would you pick to head out into the unknown.
Scenerio is, you find yourself unarmed... (Me? Never! LOL!) and at a friend/family member/associate's home. Something REALLY bad has happened and you have to choose from a firearm being offered from his/her collection. Even just for temporary use. I doubt anyone will simply say "no thanks" and get a knife from the kitchen butcher block and call it good.
Oh, so that's it. A hypothetical.....
Well, hypothetically...I would turn my nose up at the Smith and quickly disassemble the Ruger to check for any signs that it's been boogered on that kitchen table or any other. I'd put it back together and function test it - even manually cycle a couple of mags of rounds through it (assuming I have no opportunity to shoot it). Assuming I find nothing wrong with it (as I would expect if it is unmolested), I'd then load it up and get on about my business.
I'd bet even odds or better that the Ruger is as likely to run right as that old Smith. And with the 1911, at least I know what to look for and what to expect when checking it out. Besides...I'm going to shoot better with the 1911 anyway.
