ORIGINAL: Soilarch
If you want the highest accuracy or any nostalgia/collectability or just a 'full size' gun, the 1911 are what you want to look at. If you want the absolute best in dependability, and indestructability you should look elsewhere. And I don't think a 1911 would fair too poorly in a straight endurance test *unless* the number of jams was part of it. Why? Well, probably because I'm a fan and admirer of anything that isA. Browning designed and partly because expensive-to-manufactor designs don't stay around for no reason.
I've got thousands and thousands of rounds through my 2 1911's, both ParaOrdnance P14-45's. The only time I had a jamming problem was when I first acquired my 2nd P14 and itdidn't want to feed the reloads frommy first P14. I adjusted the OAL of my reloads from 1.25" to 1.246" and, voila, no more jams. After adjusting it, I literally haven't had a single jam in many many thousands of rounds.