9mm 1911 experiences wanted...

**clb** · 07-04-16, 19:39

Originally Posted by Mr_Happy1

I find it interesting 9mm 1911s are used heavily in competition, where guns are run hard and with much higher round counts than 99.999999% of all CCW weapons would be. I think the largest reasons you don't see them carried as much is their more intense maintenance requirements, and their size to capacity ratio. I carry my 1911s because I enjoy them. When I went camping over Father's Day, I took my G19. It was simply an issue of capacity and not want to have to do a detail strip of a 1911 if it got dropped in the sand, or the lake.

I have recently started shooting USPSA to help reignite my interest in shooting sports. There are still a lot of single stack shooters out there, shooting a lot of different manufacturers guns, in all of the major calibers. Most of the guns that I see are running very well. When I do see someone struggling with a gun that's not running, it is usually because they have questionable ammo.

Having owned a variety of 1911 and, at one time in life, shooting around 20-30k rounds a year, I still never had very significant maintenance issues. Change the springs every few thousand rounds, keep up on the magazines, and all will probably be good. I think the biggest reason a lot of people don't like to carry them is because of the trade offs in size, weight, and capacity.

Willie,
Try shooting a railed 9mm with a light mounted. Talk about soft shooting...

**293sheepdog** · 08-03-16, 22:36

Glad you started this thread. I just bought my first 1911 a SA TRP and I'm hooked. Was thinking about getting one in 9mm too.

**netsecsys** · 08-22-16, 21:00

I can only talk about where I am at in my 1911 life-cycle..having decided to switch to 9mm after 15+yrs shooting/carrying 45acp, I went with Guncrafter No Name Cmdr 9mm. Love it. Love to carry it and shoots better than I do. Amazing craftsmanship/fit/finish. It is my EDC in a Milt Sparks VMII. Can wear all day driving a 2500 5speed diesel and forget I am carrying. Melonite finish allows me to not worry as much about finish. It even beat out an Ed Brown Executive Carry for the spot on my hip which says a lot (for me at least). Carry loaded with Metalform and Tripp Cobramag loaded in mag carrier. Am sure that I am not John Wick so having the extra rounds and faster target acquisition is ok in my book. Pretty sure center mass with the round I carry will do it's job... GL and good shooting to you!

**Skyviking** · 08-30-16, 00:03

I have a Wilson CQB Elite that runs flawlessly with any load I put into the magazines. I believe that here are 3 Generations of Wilson Combat 9mm magazines. mine had the original, which screwed up the ejector a bit by bending it upwards since the tubes were too long, making reassembly problematic. Wilson fixed the pistol and replaced all of the mags with Gen 2s. I think that they have tweaked those now, too (Gen 3?), and since then, come out with the Vickers ETM variant.

My other is an old 9mm S70 Colt Combat Commander that Jim Hoag (not Garthwaite) built for me. Sweet shooting, and he also fit a Barstow 9x23mm Win. barrel and bushing. Accurate and 100% reliable.

Now I hear Springer has come out with a Range Officer Operator in Stun... Beat softly now, my heart.

**soulezoo** · 08-30-16, 14:10

My experience was limited, a long time ago, and to be taken with a grain of salt.

I must have gotten a "Monday" gun.

I had a S70 Colt Commander in 9mm with the bright nickel finish. It was picky with the HP rounds it would feed reliably. Silvertips seemed to work best aside from ball ammo.

Accuracy was so dreadful that I used to joke that the safest place to be was in front of the muzzle.

It was a beautiful gun to look at. Terrible to shoot.

A new P226 changed my mind on 9mm.

**ExplorinInTheWoods** · 08-30-16, 20:41

I wish they had the colt competition 9mm in a double stack.

**badness** · 09-04-16, 02:12

i've only had one. And it was not reliable enough for defense use.

I have a springfield emp and it's even worse in the reliability dept. But it's also in .40.

**Kyohte** · 09-04-16, 09:46

The Colt Commander I had on layaway has proven to be utterly reliable. Despite the slide being a rattle trap, the bushing and barrel fit is good and accuracy is also good. The trigger, for a factory series 80, is surprisingly good. It is not quite as pleasant to shoot as a 5", but still a wonderful pistol (especially for under $700). It's now waiting for me to get the money to send it off to Mars Armament for some custom work and a good finish.

On magazines I have found any magazine with the "ramp" works for hollow points. GI-type magazines work for round nose. The first Wilson 9mm magazines I had were TERRIBLE. They would not feed hollow points as well as GI-style magazines and did not have the ramp. The new Wilsons I picked up are perfect and do have a ramp. Just be aware that some vendors have the older product still in stock. Chip McCormick magazines are #2 on my list. They work, and have a ramp. However instead of a spacer in the back, they have a crimp in the fromt. The result is the magazine is a pain to unload. The rounds nose-dive before hitting the ramp, and become difficult to push further. I was very glad when Wilson fixed their 500Ds (the 9mm ETM).

I saw Colt is now making a 9mm rail gun and combat unit. I know where my pennies are going next.