Originally Posted by diskgolfer109

Would someone please explain the differences between a striker fired weapon like a glock or xd, and a 1911 style pistol. Is it just hammer or no hammer. pros and cons for each, why 1911s are more expensive, and is one safer to carry than the other. Thank you for taking time to look at this as you can see i am new to this

In a nutshell, yes, the biggest and most noticable difference is that striker fired weapons have no hammers.

1911's, in general, cost more than mainstream polymer handguns mostly due to material cost. However, that's not to say a good 1911 can't be had for the same price. High Standard makes a commander-sized 1911 for $500ish. No bells or whistles, but it's a solid, bare-bones 1911.

[Edit] As far as carrying goes, it's really a matter of personal preference. DAO/decocker users typically say safeties are just an additional point of failure and will cost you valuable time if you forget to disengage it. SAO/cocked-and-locked users typically say having lacking a safety is uncomfortable and dangerous. The truth is, either of these methods work. You should choose which one better suits you.

Also, striker fired guns are fired in more or less the same manner as a DA revolver, which is appealing to anyone who is shy about carrying a cocked and locked 1911. They don't need flip type safeties because the long trigger pull simulates a double-action trigger pull.