a question for the 1911 fans

[Alpo]

If you like Mr Browning's most excellent design, do you prefer a flat mainspring housing or an arched mainspring housing?

 

Honestly, most of my 1911s have flat ones. That's because just about all of them made these days come with flat ones. But I like the arched ones better.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

I have one of each and can't decide. They're both highly customized, too.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I have used and carried both for years.  I can pick one up and my hands just adapt to it about 15 seconds.  I prefer the flat ones better though.

[Irish Pat]

I seem to remember reading in the early days of 1911  use the soldiers would shoot high. The arched main spring cover brought their shooting lower. that was one of the changes from 1911 to 1911-A1 after WWI.  

[Jimmy Reb, SASS #54804]

I like both.

[Blackwater 53393]

Mine are flat and double stacked. I’ve had both and really have no preference! My hands are large enough that the double stack grips are more comfortable and stable.

[Jack Spade]

I shoot traditional in Wild Bunch and use an original 1911 copy.  The flat main spring housing helps eliminate the hammer bite associated with the 1911 design.  On my 1911A1's I shoot the arched mainspring housing as they don't have the hammer bite problem.  

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

I have no real preference,  I have and shoot both interchangeably.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

I prefer the flat. It just fits my hand better.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

How about a flat mainspring housing with an arch in it?

My EDC 9mm carry gun.

 

Or a double stack magazine 1911 with flat mainspring?

One of my 9mm toys.

[DocWard]

Put me down as either-or. I have one of each. I enjoy shooting both.

[Silvertip]

Arched 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Alas, I have but one - a 1994 vintage Series 80.  Works well and I like it!  It came with a flat mainspring housing.  For some reason, I thought I'd prefer an arched housing, so I traded with a fella.  I do like it, but kinda wish I still had the flat.  

[ShadowCatcher]

On 7/12/2026 at 4:48 AM, Irish Pat said:

I seem to remember reading in the early days of 1911  use the soldiers would shoot high. The arched main spring cover brought their shooting lower. that was one of the changes from 1911 to 1911-A1 after WWI.  

Other way around.  They point shot low, so the arched mainspring housing was added to the A1 version to raise POI. They also cut little relief cuts behind the trigger guard to ease access to the shortened trigger.  There were a few other changes made as well (longer grip safety spur, straight not tapered front sight, etc..)

 

I used to prefer the straight mainspring housing but at present I've switched to arched housings on my Colts, they push my hand a bit higher on the grip, and feel like they give me a bit more contact area.  Not a big deal, just sits a bit better in the hand.

 

FWIW, I've gone through the whole bit of 9mm pistols, Hi-Power, Kahr, Glocks, and come full circle back to the 1911 in 9mm and .45 acp.  Almost only thing I carry anymore is my 1911, unless I'm going into Seattle or other big cities, and then the Beretta 92 is carried.  Too many feral humans in those places.

 

SC 

[Stump Water]

Flat.

[watab kid]

i have a traditional 1918 1911 flat mainspring and a traditional 1943 A! curved mainspring , as well as a number of others - i prefer the 1911 flat 

[John Kloehr]

Never knew or even noticed this, and I've been carrying 1911s for a few years. Went and looked. Flat (9mm), flat (.45), flat (45), and also counting my Sig P938 (basically like a Mustang, a 9mm 1911 without a grip safety), flat. All single stack guns, a double stack 1911 grip is too fat for me.

[watab kid]

12 hours ago, John Kloehr said:

Never knew or even noticed this, and I've been carrying 1911s for a few years. Went and looked. Flat (9mm), flat (.45), flat (45), and also counting my Sig P938 (basically like a Mustang, a 9mm 1911 without a grip safety), flat. All single stack guns, a double stack 1911 grip is too fat for me.

i carry a sig 938 legion , i have always preferred the flat backstrap , my previous carry was an EMP - it also was a flat backstrap , 

[Alpo]

I just went and checked mine.

Frankengun #1, an AMT Hardballer frame, GI parts kit, and a Colt Ace top half.

 

Frankengun #2, a Springfield 1911A1 bottom and an Auto Ordnance Pit Bull top.

 

And a Colt Officers (actually a 1991 compact). It came with a flat one, and it poked me in the heel of my hand every time I shot it, so I put an arched one on it. It still pokes me, but not like it did.

 

 

Everything else is flat. 1918 Black Army, Series 70 Gold Cup, Kimber CDP, Springfield, AMT. Everybody seems to like that damn flat back.

[watab kid]

i also like JMB later version the M1935 hi power , i have a few of those as well , they fit my hand better but the 9mm was not my preferred cartridge - i like the 45 acp - i have over the years overcome that a bit as i carry 9mm most of the time these days 

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

15 minutes ago, watab kid said:

i also like JMB later version the M1935 hi power , i have a few of those as well , they fit my hand better but the 9mm was not my preferred cartridge - i like the 45 acp - i have over the years overcome that a bit as i carry 9mm most of the time these days 

With modern, quality self defense ammo - the actual measurable differences (not legend and hyperbole) between 9mm, 40smith and 45acp are so insignificant as to be meaningless.

 

So I err on the side of cheaper practice ammo and (even in my Fudd 1911 platform) an extra round or two of ammo.

 

If the Stealth was a little cheaper - I would purchase another one to use as a carry gun and have my 1911 platform with 18 rounds of 9mm.

And sadly - none of the cheaper entry priced 1911 double stacks/ 2011 platforms has yet impressed me with their quality or reliability.

[watab kid]

7 minutes ago, Creeker, SASS #43022 said:

With modern, quality self defense ammo - the actual measurable differences (not legend and hyperbole) between 9mm, 40smith and 45acp are so insignificant as to be meaningless.

 

So I err on the side of cheaper practice ammo and (even in my Fudd 1911 platform) an extra round or two of ammo.

 

If the Stealth was a little cheaper - I would purchase another one to use as a carry gun and have my 1911 platform with 18 rounds of 9mm.

And sadly - none of the cheaper entry priced 1911 double stacks/ 2011 platforms has yet impressed me with their quality or reliability.

i agree , all of mine are older - ive found nothing new that caught my eye enough to buy , 

im confident carrying the 9mm , or the 45 acp both suite me well , i have multiple of each to choose from and the holsters to accommodate any type of carry i choose from concealed well to tactical open 

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I like them both .

I have 1911's and 1911A1's 

If I had to choose one .

I would probably take the 1911 over the A1 .

Rooster 

[El Chapo]

I use flat MSHs on all of my 1911s.  For 2011s I use a very short trigger along with flat MSHs.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

All mine are FLAT.   

 

JEDI CREEKER:  you oughta be ashamed of yeowndangself for tempting me with that picture of your EDC.

That is a real nice pistol.

All mine are either 5 or 6 inch.   My EDC is a 5" in .45, stuck in the small of my back.

 

..........Widder

 

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

2 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

All mine are FLAT.   

 

JEDI CREEKER:  you oughta be ashamed of yeowndangself for tempting me with that picture of your EDC.

That is a real nice pistol.

All mine are either 5 or 6 inch.   My EDC is a 5" in .45, stuck in the small of my back.

 

..........Widder

 

I like a 4 inch 1911 platform. 

I like shooting the 3 inch ones as well - but have had some reliability issues with the 3's.

 

I wasn't sure about the Ed Brown grip angle cut until I shot one - but I liked it and it does conceal better.

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

My 1911s are full size, flat mainspring housing. 45acp. I used to carry one but  now have primarily settled on a CZ Compact 9mm. All steel, not a lightweight. I've never had a 9mm 1911 but do my steel gun 9mm shooting with various CZs. I've always liked 45acp but as mentioned 9mm, 40 S&W or 45acp are all good to go. Sometimes carry a Shield if I want something a little lighter.

[watab kid]

mosat of mine are traditional 1911 straigh grip but i have a few A1s beyond my original post , i have a few M1935s s well , i like them all this has always been my choicein handgun 

 

i do have and have had a number of CZ platforms , from the 82 to the 75 as well as the jerico , its a great handgun , 

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

I have little bitty woman hands and I prefer the flat ones. Fits my hand a bit better, but an arched one is no major headache. My first .45 was a Govt. Model and it didn't give me heartburn.

JHC

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

Both, flat on my concealment gun, curved on my full sized.  seems to work well on each.  

 don't ask on my 2011 its got a Mech Tec Upper on it at the moment  10mm

[Rip Snorter]

Owned, shot considerably, carried both.  Prefer flat, but it wouldn't change anything if I had to carry curved.  Average sized hands