Being friends with several guys in our local "gun show crowd," I've had the opportunity to shoot a bunch of 1911's that I could never afford. Wilson, Nighthawk, Ed Brown, Dan Wesson, etc. Functionally, I can't really say that any one of them had an advantage over the others. Truly, don't you think you reach a point where a 1911 can't get any better?
That said, my buddy, Jimmy, carried a Springfield TRP for awhile that was simply perfect for me. I can't really even explain what it was that made me prefer it. I still wish I'd figured it out as the gun is gone now. I've never owned a Springfield 1911 myself, but that one was pretty much the bees knees for me.
I think when we talk 1911's, they must be single stack, .45 ACP guns. Otherwise you start down a slippery slope and the question becomes, "How much can you stray from the original design before it's not a 1911?" So my favorite from the "DQ List" would be a (don't laugh) Caspian 1911 .38 Super. That came through the local gun show and I got to shoot it one evening. I only got to run a couple mags through it, but wow...nice! It was so plain jane but just silky in every respect.
Yes, TRP's are an outstanding "off-the-shelf" pistol, in a similar class as Dan Wesson's......................When my son finished grad school, a TRP was his graduation present.
TRP's have a good feel, but personally, I really don't care for 1911's with an added magazine well................just don't quite feel right to me.
And yes, I should have clarified, we are only talking about single stack, 1911's in 45 ACP............the original JB design, obviously with some update.
Thanks for reminding me.
MM
