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Are they just not up with the times or what. I happen to be a huge fan of their semi automatic hand guns but no one seems to stock very many of them.I am looking for one of the performance center 1911's. I see lots of s&w revolvers and plastic garbage. Am I the only one in houston that prefers a real metal gun?

The 1911 is not a gun that lends itself to a machine and assemble process, it requires skill and knowledge to build properly and this becomes even more important when you consider the performance center models. To produce more 1911s you must either hire more people or let quality slip. Some of their "plastic garbage" is the M&P series which happens to be one of the most reliable and best selling handgun lines on the market. Simply put not finding the S&W 1911 you want is nothing more than being a victim of supply and demand.

G.A. Heath wrote:The 1911 is not a gun that lends itself to a machine and assemble process, it requires skill and knowledge to build properly and this becomes even more important when you consider the performance center models. To produce more 1911s you must either hire more people or let quality slip. Some of their "plastic garbage" is the M&P series which happens to be one of the most reliable and best selling handgun lines on the market. Simply put not finding the S&W 1911 you want is nothing more than being a victim of supply and demand.

yea i see alot of m&p's, i put them in the same class as glock

I guess im just old fashoned and prefer somthing made out of metal.

i honestly dont think the plastic stuff will ever be as durable as a metal gun other then improper care and letting it rust.

What I do see is like a 4 to 500 dollar price point everyone wants; and they are not the same as a higher end gun.

but even smith and wesson in general seems under represented at gunshops and shows.

I do see tons of kimbre 1911s which i guess they make good guns but nothing im impressed with.

While I own both 1911s and the plastic stuff. The reliability argument is a 2 edged sword.

For the price of the performance center 1911 tricked up the way I like, I can buy 3 or 4 M&P Pros (or model of your choice). Which is more reliable? It depends on the situation.

jason237m wrote:While I own both 1911s and the plastic stuff. The reliability argument is a 2 edged sword.

For the price of the performance center 1911 tricked up the way I like, I can buy 3 or 4 M&P Pros (or model of your choice). Which is more reliable? It depends on the situation.

I see, I tend to buy with a purpose rather then just to have.

alvins wrote:yea i see alot of m&p's, i put them in the same class as glock

I guess im just old fashoned and prefer somthing made out of metal.

i honestly dont think the plastic stuff will ever be as durable as a metal gun other then improper care and letting it rust.

What I do see is like a 4 to 500 dollar price point everyone wants; and they are not the same as a higher end gun.

but even smith and wesson in general seems under represented at gunshops and shows.

I do see tons of kimbre 1911s which i guess they make good guns but nothing im impressed with.

You might add the Springfield XD / XDM to the same category of proven very well designed, extremely durable and functionally reliable mass manufactured guns at a very affordable price point.

These guns will all fire tens of thousands of rounds with almost no maintenance other than cleaning and an occasional recoil spring change, and they keep working with just average care and even despite some degree of neglect.

They'll never be family heirlooms in the sense that a fine custom gun might, but they're not made for that. What they do, they do really well, and you couldn't make a mistake by choosing any one of them as your personal defense weapon.

I like my 1911's, but I have deep respect for these other guns and wouldn't consider myself disadvantaged in any way with any of them.

alvins wrote:i honestly dont think the plastic stuff will ever be as durable as a metal gun other then improper care and letting it rust.

Just throwing this out there for your consumption, and as a general "heads-up" - make sure the "metal" you are getting is what you want/is needed for the application. I know that some folks (I know one personally) have had issues with metal sintered parts failing on their firearms.

alvins wrote:

jason237m wrote:While I own both 1911s and the plastic stuff. The reliability argument is a 2 edged sword.

For the price of the performance center 1911 tricked up the way I like, I can buy 3 or 4 M&P Pros (or model of your choice). Which is more reliable? It depends on the situation.

I see, I tend to buy with a purpose rather then just to have.

I wish I could do that. Then I would only need, a deer rifle, a dove gun, a duck gun, a hog eliminator, a squirrel .22, a squirrel shotgun, a beater shotgun for the ranch, a pistol for plinking, a rifle for plinking, a target pistol, an IWB carry piece, an OWB carry piece, a BUG, a truck gun, an HD shotgun, a bad to worse carbine, a bad to way worse carbine, and bedside handgun. That would cut my collection way down.

alvins wrote:I see, I tend to buy with a purpose rather then just to have.

Ha. Well said. Not a big fan of plastic either, but not saying they aren't great guns. I'm just snobby with my guns at times though :P

Carry-a-Kimber wrote:

alvins wrote:

jason237m wrote:While I own both 1911s and the plastic stuff. The reliability argument is a 2 edged sword.

For the price of the performance center 1911 tricked up the way I like, I can buy 3 or 4 M&P Pros (or model of your choice). Which is more reliable? It depends on the situation.

I see, I tend to buy with a purpose rather then just to have.

I wish I could do that. Then I would only need, a deer rifle, a dove gun, a duck gun, a hog eliminator, a squirrel .22, a squirrel shotgun, a beater shotgun for the ranch, a pistol for plinking, a rifle for plinking, a target pistol, an IWB carry piece, an OWB carry piece, a BUG, a truck gun, an HD shotgun, a bad to worse carbine, a bad to way worse carbine, and bedside handgun. That would cut my collection way down.

well the economy is lucky to have people like you because we would really be in the hole if we all relied on me to spend money.

I have 7 hand guns and a shotgun. nothing wrong with lots of guns I just cant buy one for just to have. or like my friend who buys because its a strange curiousity type gun.

alvins wrote:I guess im just old fashoned and prefer somthing made out of metal.

If you're really old fashion, then S&W PC 1911 may not be for you. All S&W 1911s have external extractors, and that in itself is not in JMB's original design. They (S&W) have gotten the external extractor design right though.
I guess I'm an ethusiast of all firearms in general. I like both plastic and metal.

Might try calling Collector's Firearms on Fondren/Richmond. They are a Performance Center dealer and have a stupid amount of 1911's in inventory.

I am a big 1911 fan, particularly the Colt variety, but the plastic guns are very good. I have an HK USP that is an absolute workhorse. It is not intended to be a family heirloom but I have carried it and fired it extensively and it is rock solid. I have a lot of friends who have Glocks and tell similar stories. I understand the appeal of a good steel pistol and would never fault anyone for carrying one, but in a real combat situation, HK/Glock/XD are very tough to top for both performance and durability IMO.