Glock vs M1911: Difference and Comparison

What are the common differences between a Glock vs M1911?

If you intend to purchase a handgun, there are several types of handgun to choose from. But the question is, which handgun will suit your personal preference?

Glock and M1911 are two different pistols that one can choose from. Now if you are looking for a pistol with a higher magazine capacity and a more lightweight polymer pistol, then a Glock is a better option.

However, if you want a pistol with a light and crisp trigger pull, with a heavier steel frame, then you should go for the M1911.

We have discussed more about the differences between Glock vs M1911 in this article.

What Is a Glock?

A Glock is often mistaken to be a model of pistol. Glock is a brand of polymer-framed lock-breached semi-automatic pistol produced by an Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H in the early 1980s.

The firearm was introduced to the Austrian military and police service in 1982. In the early 1980s, the polymer-framed pistol became the brand’s top performer in reliability and safety tests.

Since it was first introduced over four decades ago, Glock pistols have become the company’s most profitable product. Glock pistols have been supplied to the national armed forces, police forces, and security agencies in different countries worldwide.

Glock pistols are used by firearm instructors who educate civilians on gun usage and safety. They are also popular among civilians who engage in competitive shooting as well as home and self-defence.

Glock currently manufactures more than 50 different pistols in different sizes and chambered for a variety of types of ammunition such as 9mm, 10mm, 380 ACP, and 22 LR.

The G17, G19, and G26 Glock pistols are all chambered for the 9mm cartridge. The G21, G30, and G41 Glock pistols are chambered for .45 ACP.

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What Is an M1911?

The Colt M1911, also known as Colt 1911, Colt Government or 1911 is a single-action, recoil-operated pistol that was developed by John Browning. The pistol is manufactured by Colt and was adopted by the U.S. Armed Forces in 1911.

The M1911 was the U.S. Armed Force’s first semi-automatic pistol. It remained in service from World War I before it was replaced by the Baretta M9 in 1985.

The M1911 is a semi-automatic pistol chambered or the .45 ACP cartridge. The modern 1911 can also be chambered for other cartridges like the 9mm, 10mm, .380 ACP, and .22 LR.

The M1911 is the best-known of John Browning’s designs to use the short recoil principle in its design. The design of the M1911 pistol was widely copied by others.

The U.S. Armed Forces acquired about 2.7 million M1911 and M1911A1 pistols during its service life. The U.S. military used the pistol as the standard-issue sidearm from 1911 to 1985.

The pistol was used by the U.S. military during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War.

Although the M191A1 was replaced by the 9mm Baretta M9 pistol in 1985, the U.S. military did not officially replace it with the Baretta M9 until October the following year.

The 1911A1 pistol is still in use to this day as modernized derivate variants of the M1911 are still been used by some units of the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Special Forces.

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Glock vs M1911: Key Differences between Glock and M1911

Glock is a brand of polymer-framed lock-breached semi-automatic pistol produced by an Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H in the early 1980s.

The firearm was introduced to the Austrian military and police service in 1982. In the early 1980s, the polymer-framed pistol became the brand’s top performer in reliability and safety tests.

On the other hand, the M1911 is an older model of pistol that was developed by John Browning and manufactured by Colt.

The M1911 was the U.S. Armed Force’s first semi-automatic pistol. It remained in service from World War I before it was replaced by the Baretta M9 in 1985.

The M1911 is a semi-automatic pistol chambered or the .45 ACP cartridge. The modern 1911 can also be chambered for other cartridges like the 9mm, 10mm, .380 ACP, and .22 LR.

The pistol was used by the U.S. military during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War.

Although the M191A1 was replaced by the 9mm Baretta M9 pistol in 1985, the U.S. military did not officially replace it with the Baretta M9 until October the following year.

Glock’s modular design can be customized with different accessories. The M1911 has more of a traditional design, with a distinct grip angle.

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Glock vs M1911: Comparison Chart

	Glock	M1911
History	Introduced in 1982	Designed in 1911
Design	Polymer-framed, modern	All metal, classic
Trigger	Striker fired	Single action
Capacity	High, varying by model	Typically lower 7 to 8 rounds
Safety	Integrated trigger safety	Manual safety, grip safety

Glock vs M1911: Dimensions

Model	Barrel length	Overall length	Width
Glock G21	4.61 inches	8.07 inches	1.34 inches
RIA TAC 1911	5 inches	8.74 inches	1.3 inches

Glock vs M1911: Capacity

The M1911 pistol only has 7-8 rounds magazines, which is a small number of rounds compared to the Glock G21. The 1911 is designed to be carried with one round in the chamber- with the thumb safety engaged.

This makes it easier for one to carry at least 8 or 9 rounds depending on the magazine.

Unlike the M1911, the G21 has a standard 13-round magazine. The G21 is your best option if you are looking for a firearm with more rounds in the magazine.

Knowing you have a firearm that holds more rounds gives confidence in situations when you have to defend yourself with it.

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Glock vs M1911: Weight

A TAC normally weighs about 1.2 kilograms (2.7 pounds) when it’s unloaded. A G21 on the other hand weighs less at 816 grams (1.8 pounds) unloaded.

This shows why most people would prefer a pistol with a polymer frame instead of one made with steel.

Glock vs M1911: Action

Another difference between the Glock vs M1911 is the action of the pistols. The M1911 is a single-action pistol, whereas the Glock is a striker-fired pistol.

When a firearm instructor racks the slide of a striker-fired Glock to chamber a round, it partially cocks an internal spring in the pistol. This causes the striker pin to hit the cartridge to fire the round.

In contrast, a single-action pistol like the M1911 will only fire when the pistol’s hammer is cocked. By pulling the trigger, the hammer drops onto the firing pin, which ignites the round.

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References

Wikipedia: Glock
Wikipedia: M1911 pistol
Targetbarn: Glock vs. 1911