Does anyone here have any experience with the Dan Wesson CBOB? My dad is looking to get his carry license. He loves my 1911, but doesn't want to carry a fullsize. All I know about the CBOB is that it looks gorgeous.
Despite being owned by CZ, DW1911's are supposed to be pretty decent. But, I'll admit my bias. I'm not a fan of bobbed tails or "Commander" sized 1911's. The balance is off and regardless of manufacturer, they've all had extensive reliability problems. If he just can't stand a 5" 1911, I'd look very seriously at an Officer's model instead. But, he needs to buy the gun he wants, not the gun I want.
Yes, I have noticed that problems increase exponentially the further one gets from government size. Interestingly enough, Dan Wesson also has a model that is a commander sized barrel and slide on an officer sized frame. I'm like you, I don't know if I would ever own anything less than a full size. But, then again, I don't carry.
My advice on concealed carry has been the same since I first carried. Who cares how long the barrel is? The problem is not concealing the barrel. The problem is one of thickness. Think about what prints when you do carry. It's not the barrel. It's the butt. What you're trying to hide is the huge cylinder of a revolver or the thick butt of a semiauto. The thinner butt of the single-stack 1911, even a 5", is always going to conceal better than a full-size double-stack semi-auto from any manufacturer. The only problem with 1911's is one of weight. When you strap on a loaded 5" 1911, you're adding 3lbs that you're going to carry everywhere you go for the next 12-16 hours. 3lbs doesn't seem like much, but when you've worn it in the same spot for 12 hours, you notice it.
I've been carrying... I believe for two years. You're right, weight is a big issue. That said, I've found a good holster helps a lot. Milt-Sparks goes the extra mile with their holsters, it seems. I can hardly tell I'm carrying with my Milt Sparks Versa Max 2 - the best concealed holster for a 1911.
