9mm 1911. Worth the effort?

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Wee Hooker

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Been thinking about a better than average accuracy 9mm with a full 5" barrel lately. ( Not even sure why. It's an itch.) Can't get a M&P9 pro in state but might be able to get a proshop S&W1911 ( or other ) in this caliber. Wondering if any owners of 1911's in 9mm have any advice . Worth the cost and bother or should I just stick with my 45's and be happy?
 
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I love mine I have a Kimber Target II 9mm 1911 which is really accurate. If you like 1911s in general and want a 9mm why change to something that your not used to shooting stick with the 1911 frame.
 
Series 70

I can't speak to the Smith product, never having owned one, but I have had a Colt Series 70 Gov'mt for nearly 30 years. It is at Vandenburg Custom right now having the front sight replaced.

I looked up the round count before I took it in: 36,494. Most of that was domestic "white box". I bought the thing because this was before IDPA was a big factor (probably before there was an IDPA, period). 9x19 was minor in USPSA so there wasn't a lot of demand for 1911s in that chambering, making the gun cheaper than a 45. At that time, if you shopped around a little, 9mm ball could be had for $90-100 per K. Even two years ago, I was paying $120 per K.

Long winded way of saying that ammo was cheap and I shot the stuffing out it. It probably has twice the rounds of any of my 45 Gov'mts.

9mm 1911s at one time had a reputation for being a little cranky. This one required a little tweaking (little more tension on the extractor and a recoil buffer). It has run very well for many thousands of rounds. And if you go with the Smith, which has an external extractor, it ought to run well right out of the box.

If you do buy one, do your self a favor and order 4 or 5 Wilson mags. They are the best I've found, so far.

Hope you get one.

Charles
 
Springfield Armory

I have a 9MM Springfield "loaded" model. Accuracy is better than most of my other 9MM pistols at 25 yards, but not on par with my .45 ACP 1911s. It's a little cheaper to shoot and produces less recoil. Although I don't shoot it much, I wouldn't sell it.
Springfield.JPG
 
I have 2 STI 1911 in 9mm and they are far more accurate than my 1911 colt government model, and are a pleasure to shoot. I hardely recommend STI as well as 9mm. I really like the 1911 style of pistol. Good luck with whatever you get.
 
I HAVE 4 ROCK RIVER 1911'S IN 9MM. 3 FOR PPC AND ONE FOR A CENTERFIRE GUN IN BULLSEYE. ALL SHOOT UNDER 1.5 INCHES AT 50YDS. THERE WAS AN ONGOING DEBATE SEVERAL YEARS AGO AS TO ACCURACY OF THE 9MM. BUT GUN AND AMMUNITION CHANGES I BELIEVE HAVE ELIMINATED DIFFERENCE. I BELIEVE THAT A 9MM 1911 IS A MUST HAVE. JIM P
 
I have two 1911s in 9mm.
Both started life as .38 Supers. I had 9mm barrels (Kart) fitted. Both are accurate and fun to shoot. I use them for USPSA single stack (minor).

One is a Rock Island. It likely has 10,000 rounds through it without hitch.
The other is a Wilson CQB. I use it as a back up to the Rock. It's a great pistol.

Dave
 
I have both the Dan Wesson Pointman and Springfield Target 1911's in 9mm. The Dan Wesson is more accurate than the SA. My early pre-CZ Dan Wesson Pointman does not have a ramped barrel and sometimes has hiccupus with JHP's but has been totally reliable with FMJ's and RN bullets. The SA Target has a ramped barrel and has been totally reliable with a wide variety of bullet shapes.
They are fun to shoot particularly if you are not a reloader and want to use less expensive ammo.
 
9mm

I have a couple and love them.

45 is still the 'stopper gun' for the house, but the 9 is fun to shoot.
 
I built myself a 9mm off a spare frame and really enjoy shooting it like others have posted. I made a 6" long slide out of it and topped it with a Burris Fastfire reflex sight. Easy to shoot very accurately. I had trouble with the Wilson mags, but have had great reliable function from the Metalform 'Springfield' style mags.
 
I built myself a 9mm off a spare frame and really enjoy shooting it like others have posted. I made a 6" long slide out of it and topped it with a Burris Fastfire reflex sight. Easy to shoot very accurately. I had trouble with the Wilson mags, but have had great reliable function from the Metalform 'Springfield' ramp style mags.
 
I have an STI Trojan and a Springfield target in 9mm.You can't go wrong with either.
 
inboost said:
I built myself a 9mm off a spare frame and really enjoy shooting it like others have posted. I made a 6" long slide out of it and topped it with a Burris Fastfire reflex sight. Easy to shoot very accurately. I had trouble with the Wilson mags, but have had great reliable function from the Metalform 'Springfield' ramp style mags.
Click to expand...

First, Thanks all ( for helping spend my income tax return ).

Second, mind if I ask how much $$ it would take to build a decent 9mm conversion? I do have a spare built up S&W 1911 frame ( that has been reserved for a Marvel 22 conversion.) and have kicked around the idea of turning it into a 9 vs buy a whole gun. I figured around $500=$600 in parts then another couple hundred for a smith. Is that realistic?

Problem being I live in MA so my ability to get 1911 style handguns (especially in an "off" cal, is limited by some very restrictive legislature :-(
i.s. selection options for a whole gun is VERY limited.
 
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I mostly carry 9x23 1911-types that started out as 9x19s or .38 Supers. Can you do that in MA? Makes quite the defensive carry piece, and most of mine will still shoot 9x19 for cheaper practice. My 5" Aegis 9x23 gets ballistics that more than equal 4" .357 magnum/125gr. JHP, shooting either WW white box 9x23 or Silvertips, but with a fraction of the felt recoil.
 
Wee Hooker said:
First, Thanks all ( for helping spend my income tax return ).

Second, mind if I ask how much $$ it would take to build a decent 9mm conversion? I do have a spare built up frame and have kicked around the idea of turning it into a 9 vs buy a whole gun. ( that has been reserved for a Marvel 22 conversion.) I figured around $500=$600 in parts then another couple hundred for a smith. Is that realistic?

Problem being I live in MA so my ability to get 1911 style handguns (especially in an "off" cal, is limited by some very restrictive legislature :-(
i.s. selection options for a whole gun is VERY limited.
Click to expand...


Thats the problem around here (MA)... So many choices, but we have so very few.... :(
 
Wee Hooker said:
First, Thanks all ( for helping spend my income tax return ).

Second, mind if I ask how much $$ it would take to build a decent 9mm conversion? I do have a spare built up S&W 1911 frame ( that has been reserved for a Marvel 22 conversion.) and have kicked around the idea of turning it into a 9 vs buy a whole gun. I figured around $500=$600 in parts then another couple hundred for a smith. Is that realistic?

Problem being I live in MA so my ability to get 1911 style handguns (especially in an "off" cal, is limited by some very restrictive legislature :-(
i.s. selection options for a whole gun is VERY limited.
Click to expand...

I think I put about $700 into the top of my gun, but $200 was the Fastfire and mount. I did my own work which saves me money but it wasn't easy to get the gun to feed. I spent a lot of time working and re-working the ramp & thorat on the linked barrel to get it to feed reliably. I started with Fusion Firearms parts as the price was attractive and the quality was good. Bob Serva was also willing to help via email when I was going through a rough patch here or there. It was a fun challenge to me and in the end my patience was paid off with this, my Colt LS-9

LS9-02.jpg


LS9-04.jpg
 
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Wow, sweet project! I'm green. I don't think my 1911 smithing skills are up to doing my own though. Not yet anyway.
I'm thinking that if I'm going to drop $700 on top end, I migth as well drop $1200 on a new pro series. Leaning that way tonight anyway.
Thanks
 
Just go with the Pro in 9mm versus trying to save money by having an upper smithed. You will either spend more money than the pro with a quality build or have more headaches with a cheap build. The 9mm's I have been playing with seem to get extremly accurate with the 147 hp's. Rock River is no longer making 1911's but their 9mm's sing.
 
Wee Hooker said:
Wow, sweet project! I'm green. I don't think my 1911 smithing skills are up to doing my own though. Not yet anyway.
I'm thinking that if I'm going to drop $700 on top end, I migth as well drop $1200 on a new pro series. Leaning that way tonight anyway.
Thanks
Click to expand...

I was coming from a completely different direction, seeking a project and not wanting something off the shelf. The Fusion Firearms parts are pretty middle of the road in price, you can spend a lot more or a lot less. You see new Wilson or other high-line brand name guns going for $2500+ and at the same time Kimber is turning out very nice stuff for half the price. This makes it not necessarily an easy decision. I own Kimbers for work & play, but build my own 'Wilsons' to fit my limited budget while exercising my amateur gunsmithing itch. If they don't go bang I just grind a little more off until it's right. If I end up with a pile of shavings, no more gun, and some good lessons learned I'm happy. If I end up with a good running shooter like my "LS9" then I'm stoked!
 
inboost said:
I was coming from a completely different direction, seeking a project and not wanting something off the shelf. The Fusion Firearms parts are pretty middle of the road in price, you can spend a lot more or a lot less. You see new Wilson or other high-line brand name guns going for $2500+ and at the same time Kimber is turning out very nice stuff for half the price. This makes it not necessarily an easy decision. I own Kimbers for work & play, but build my own 'Wilsons' to fit my limited budget while exercising my amateur gunsmithing itch. If they don't go bang I just grind a little more off until it's right. If I end up with a pile of shavings, no more gun, and some good lessons learned I'm happy. If I end up with a good running shooter like my "LS9" then I'm stoked!
Click to expand...

I understand your angle completely, Inboost. IT's also one of the reasons I'm considering a build myself. I like to tinker. It's not so much as a cost saver . ( Although it seems like the Fusion slide/barrel/components have gone up since you purchased them.) Additionally,I live in MA and we are EXTREEMLY limited to what 1911's we can buy. I'd really like to build something unique like a long slide as i just don't have the option of buying one at ANY cost. I've got some good basic mechanical and gunsmithing skills( and a mechanical engineering degree) but admittedly don't know much on how a 1911 is fitted togeather. They seem to require handfitting of EVERYTHING. For now, I think I need to a) get a good DVD on 1911 customization/ workings, b) figure out if the cost of special tooling, jigs, etc is prohibitive before I take this tempting plunge into the project. In the short term I'm going to get a 1911 9mm pro ( Which is the only 9mm 1911 I know of that we can get instate.) . In the long term, I think I need to start my info /knowledge quest to figure out how best to put my spare S&W 1911 to best use.
Dave
 
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