This is my favorite of all pistols, the M1911, this particular one made by Taurus. Heavy, accurate and rugged, it is the successor to the thousands of M1911's  (WWI) and M1911A1's (WWII and on) used by the US military until the late '80s. Modified with an ambidextrous safety and tuned sights, this is a competition-ready pistol. Capacity is eight rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. Note this version has an ambidextrous safety - one on the left, one on the right, in addition to the tang safety under the web between the thumb and forefinger. Other versions of the M1911 have from seven to fourteen round capacity magazines.

This is a single action pistol. The hammer must be cocked to fire the pistol. If a loaded magazine is in the pistol, racking the slide back loads a round into the chamber and cocks back the hammer, ready to fire. The hammer can be manually lowered (very carefully) on to an unfired round, then manually cocked back to return the pistol to a "ready-to-fire" condition. The hammer can also be pulled back to a "half-cocked" position. It is alleged to be safer against the possibility of the weapon inadvertently firing if it is dropped but still must be fully cocked to be fired. Modern version have improved mechanisms that are designed to block the firing pin from striking a seated round if dropped, required in some States to be legally purchased.

The .45 caliber pistol in many forms is returning to favor after the realization that the 9mm pistol issued to the military since about 1986 trades ease of shooting for less stopping power. In selected organizations, such as Army Special Forces, where the operators have the skill and training to accurately fire the .45, this is not as much of an issue. In contrast to the Taurus shown above, the old issue M1911s (and current replicas) have looser tolerances, cruder sights, thumb safety only on the left side and a seven round magazine. The looser tolerances let it be more forgiving in dirt and dust, but sacrifices accuracy. This pistol was designed and issued to the military as a close in, self defense pistol, and therefore the tolerances and sights were not considered a shortfall. In recognition of the shortfalls, Army issued the M1 Carbine  to many to replace the M1911.

A good example of a ported pistol, this is a Mil Pro MP745 compact .45 caliber Taurus that can be concealed in a pocket, but is more comfortably carried in a small belt holster.

This pistol holds six rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, but has a single stack magazine, allowing for a small grip. This is a double action only pistol.

Advantage: stopping power of a .45 caliber round!

The view on the left shows the small round Allen screw knob on the right side of the slide that is an additional safety on the Taurus pistols.

The Mil Pro MP111 is another in the Taurus line of smaller pistols, this one chambered for the 9mm round and with a double stack magazine that holds twelve rounds, resulting in a "thicker" grip than the MP745 shown above. This pistol has a modified trigger that is double action, in that it requires the gun to cycle (slide pulled back and released) to load and cock, but then leaves the pistol cocked with a very short trigger pull to fire. In case of a misfire, the trigger can be pulled again without pulling back the slide, a modification to the older double action pistols. This feature is becoming common, but is called by different names by different manufacturers. Taurus and several other manufactures describes this feature as a "double action/single action" trigger. You have to shoot one on the range to fully appreciate the difference.

One of several Kel-Tec models, the 9mm PF9 is a small and light pistol in 9mm. Recoil is a bit hard to handle, but the pistol delivers a hefty punch with the hollow point bullets, seven in the magazine and one in the chamber, if you are so inclined. The aftermarket porting takes some of the bite out, but after about fifty rounds, the web of your hand starts getting a little tender.

The PF9 size and weight is even less than the Taurus Mil Pro pistols, and is intended as a "pocket pistol." With the leather holster shown, it fits neatly in a front pants pocket.

The PF9 has no separate safety and depends on the long double action trigger pull.

This .380 caliber P3AT ,also from Kel-Tec, is even smaller, is also ported (aftermarket), easily drops in a pocket or clips to a belt under a shirt, or can even be hung from a neck loop. The non-ported P3AT is also very manageable from a recoil point of view. Frames come in a variety of colors.

This model holds six rounds in the magazine plus one in the chamber, is double action only, but has NO safety, like the PF9. Safety depends on the relatively long and hard trigger pull.

Ammunition such as the Cor-Bon DPX rounds are specially designed hollow points that deliver shock and stopping power closer - but not completely equal to a .45 FMJ - according to some - another one of those areas where gun enthusiasts argue endlessly.

A comparison of two .45 caliber bullets: the one on the left is a hollow point (this particular one is actually a special round that consists of a metal casing filled with lead shot in an epoxy bed), the one on the right is a FMJ round,

This is a direct view of the ported single stack .45 caliber Taurus (A double stack version holds ten rounds but has a thicker grip). When the round is fired, the slide moves to the rear. You can see the ejector has snagged the case and is pulling it out of the chamber and is about to eject it out to the side. When the pistol fires, the empty case is ejected and the following round then is seated in the chamber as the slide moves back forward. In this design, similar to the others shown on this page and most modern guns, the barrel  does not move back and forth. It says in place and rotates around a pin as the receiver cycles. Note this pistol has been modified by porting the slide and barrel to reduce recoil, not a factory option.

One might ask - why all the Taurus and Kel-Tec's? Why no Colts, Springfields, Kimbers, Berettas, or Glocks. The simple answer - MUCH less expensive, reliable and simple operation with a lifetime warrantee.

Like cars, mates and other "things," people are sometimes more impressed by the label than the contents. Another issue to argue about.