forindooruseonly
Member
So a thread earlier had a couple of comments wondering why someone would buy a 1911 in a caliber smaller than .45, like a 9mm, and I immediately thought about my own small caliber 1911.
This Colt has a special place in my heart. My father gave it to me when I was youngster, and even though it was not my first handgun, it was with this gun that I learned defensive handgun techniques. Later on, it served well as a carry piece, all stories for another day.
it's a Colt Series 80, factory chambered in .40 S&W. These are a bit of a rarity, as Colt only made them for a couple of years before discontinuing the model. It looks like a normal .45, with the same rollmarks and stampings as any other Series 80, but the barrel is marked .40 S&W and the magazine floorplate is also appropriately marked. Had I known it would be rare, I might not have used it in the utilitarian manner I did. It's in good shape, but does show the use and wear that I put it through.
I put this gun through it's paces when I was younger. The .40, with it's reputation for snappy recoil in small guns, is much more tame in a full size 1911. It is very pleasant to shoot, much more so than a ball .45 round out of the same gun. I can just imagine how smooth and easy a 9mm 1911 would shoot. The magazine holds one more than the old .45 mags at eight, or nine with modern magazines, but this gain in capacity is hardly worth noting.
Even today, it still shoots brilliantly. It has, hands down, the best Series 80 trigger I've ever felt. I don't take it out very often anymore, as I get hammer bite now that I'm older and fatter. My big mitts just don't fit it as they used to. In my youth, it was never a problem. The sights are three dot, but very basic and not fully adjustable. Even then, the sight picture is good, and it is a breeze to shoot accurately with it.
I never knew if my father chose a .40 caliber 1911 for me to learn on because he thought it would be easier and prevent bad habits, or if he simply thought it was a neat idea to chamber a 1911 in a caliber that was still relatively new. Either way, I'm still very attached to this gun and wouldn't trade it for anything.
This Colt has a special place in my heart. My father gave it to me when I was youngster, and even though it was not my first handgun, it was with this gun that I learned defensive handgun techniques. Later on, it served well as a carry piece, all stories for another day.
it's a Colt Series 80, factory chambered in .40 S&W. These are a bit of a rarity, as Colt only made them for a couple of years before discontinuing the model. It looks like a normal .45, with the same rollmarks and stampings as any other Series 80, but the barrel is marked .40 S&W and the magazine floorplate is also appropriately marked. Had I known it would be rare, I might not have used it in the utilitarian manner I did. It's in good shape, but does show the use and wear that I put it through.
I put this gun through it's paces when I was younger. The .40, with it's reputation for snappy recoil in small guns, is much more tame in a full size 1911. It is very pleasant to shoot, much more so than a ball .45 round out of the same gun. I can just imagine how smooth and easy a 9mm 1911 would shoot. The magazine holds one more than the old .45 mags at eight, or nine with modern magazines, but this gain in capacity is hardly worth noting.
Even today, it still shoots brilliantly. It has, hands down, the best Series 80 trigger I've ever felt. I don't take it out very often anymore, as I get hammer bite now that I'm older and fatter. My big mitts just don't fit it as they used to. In my youth, it was never a problem. The sights are three dot, but very basic and not fully adjustable. Even then, the sight picture is good, and it is a breeze to shoot accurately with it.
I never knew if my father chose a .40 caliber 1911 for me to learn on because he thought it would be easier and prevent bad habits, or if he simply thought it was a neat idea to chamber a 1911 in a caliber that was still relatively new. Either way, I'm still very attached to this gun and wouldn't trade it for anything.
