Every now and then I tire of plastic, single-stack nines and go for this aluminum alloy-framed Colt Defender. It’s 1911 thin — always has been — and weighs only 24 ounces unloaded. Loading it with 7+1 of .45 ACP will make it a little heavier, yes. But it has never been difficult to carry or shoot. And it has never given me any trouble at the range. Oh, it barks, yes. But that’s one of the reasons why you carry and shoot .45 ACP.
Now don’t get me wrong. Many of today’s slim nines are fine concealed carry guns — and I carry my share of them. They’re lightweight, reliable and easy to shoot. Some of them seem just a bit too plasticky and, as such, the metal of the Colt Defender often beckons to me. The Defender has heft — but not too much — and feels very robust. And there’s just something about a 1911 in hand that exudes confidence. Feelings aside, if you’re going to carry a 1911, then train with a 1911.
One of my favorite attributes of the Colt Defender is the Hogue Wraparound Grip that came with it. Made of rubber and offering near-perfect finger-groove size and placement, I get excellent purchase of the Defender. But the rubber grip doesn’t cause any of my covering garments to hang up or catch. And the gun is easy to grab out of a holster and deploy.
My other favorite attribute of this Defender is the Tritium night sight I put on the front sight only. The rears are still the Novak Low Mount Carry Sights that came with it. As you know, part of the 1911 persona is its natural point-ability. Now there’s a night sight beckoning to me as I focus on the front sight and aim.
If 1911s are known for anything, it’s the distinctive upswept beavertail, such as the one found on current Defenders. Since mine is an older model, it has the shorter, flatter beavertail. Either way, the gun sits in my strong hand with the beavertail doing the job of keeping my hand in perfect position — and out of the way of the cycling slide. With my hand in this position, my thumb falls naturally to the manual safety — a shortened nub compared to those found on larger 1911s. But the ergonomics are perfect and the safety has just the right amount of tension and a distinctive click when moving up/on or down/off. Again, other guns are fine and do their jobs well. The Defender is just easy to love … because it is easy to use.
More reasons to love the Defender: A bazillion holsters and accessories exist that have been perfected over 100 years of service. I can find dozens of excellent holsters — although I primarily use only two or three — and spare magazine options galore.
The Defender’s not perfect. It sports some sharp edges that will eat your hands up after a couple hundred rounds. But it is a fantastic all-around carry gun that, despite its 100+ year heritage, will remind you why you should love a gun that’s not only survived, but thrived, for that long.
