1911's - 4.25 vs 5 inch for concealed carry

[Faulkner]

I've been carrying a 4 1/4 inch Commander sized 1911 concealed for a few months now and, as much as I like shooting it, I'm not seeing that much advantage of carrying it concealed compared to a 5 inch 1911. Seems 3/4 of an inch is not really making that much difference and I'm not seeing a disadvantage in carrying a full size 1911 especially with a jacket.

Of course, now that warmer weather is upon us which means lighter clothing, maybe that'll make a more obvious difference.

 

[pantannojack]

My Combat Commander fit in the back pocket much better than a 5". Never did function right so I got rid of it. I like the Shield .45 now, despite the horrible trigger.

 

[hyena]

Hats off to you guys willing to carry a 1911. I love my Shield .45 but rarely carry it because it's bigger than I want to conceal. Can't imagine CCW with my Colt 1911.

 

[ken158]

39 ounces for a full size 1911, 33 ounces for a Commander and 29 ounces for a Lightweight Commander. Lots of difference right there.

 

[Greyman50]

I carry a LW Commander in a Milt Sparks IWB, no problems. Depends on holster and ones body style.

 

[SAFireman]

I have been carrying a Commander for some time now....I shoot it better than anything else, and it is easy to cover with a fishing shirt or Hawaiian print (untucked of course).

I fell in love with the Bobtailed version of the Commander a few years back, they are like shooting a round butt S&W.

 

[Eric300]

Cocked, locked, and ready to rock is the only way to carry a 1911 pistol. Been carrying one since the 80's at one time or another. Started out with a Colt Officer Model, then toyed with Commander sized 1911 in Kimber and Sig. Eventually went back to a Colt Defender and staying there.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Along with the proper holster you also need a stiff gun belt to aid in carrying a 1911 comfortably. I'm not a big semi-auto guy but when I do carry one I like my 5" 1911. 8+1 of 45 ACP is very convincing...

 

[Marshal Tom]

I carried a 1911 almost exclusively for about 25 or my 36+years in LE. I found the Commander length a bit easier to conceal in certain circumstances and for me when carrying inside the waistband, strong side in a Milt Sparks Summer Special because of body shape. Really not all that much difference. The flatness is a help also.

 

[jimmyj]

I CCW a Commander size Model 1911 .45acp when working private security. I feel the Commander balance is better than the fiull size Model 1911.

 

[M29since14]

The advantage of the Commander is it’s lightweight, not so much it’s shorter slide, though the shorter slide does also save some weight.

That’s precisely why the Combat Commander never made a lick of sense to me. Likewise for the Officer’s ACP. If you’re not going to have the lightweight version, it’s just spinning your wheels.

For my purposes, the Commander is as close to perfect as it’s going to get, but I don’t care for IWB carry anymore, so nowadays I like the P365.

Well, that’s always been my opinion. I’m sure others will disagree, which is fine.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

53 years and counting. US Army M1911A-1, Colt Government Model, Colt Commander (LW and steel), Springfield Armory, Kimber, full-size and compacts, .45, .38 Super, .22LR.

I have always gone back to the full-size 5" and .45 caliber. There is not much difference in bulk or weight. The pistol design is remarkably low in profile and relatively easy to conceal when necessary.

Past 20-plus years I have been using a Kimber Custom CDP full-size 5" .45 ACP loaded with just about all the bells and whistles that custom shops developed for combat use over the years. Alloy frame shaves a few ounces off the total package, but not so much that it is really noticeable in daily use. 3/4" overall length means very little in comfort or concealment. Maybe it's only me, but the longer sight radius of the full-size model is a plus for accurate shooting. The higher profile sights are a great improvement over the original 1911 design.

It could be nothing more than familiarity starting out in the Army, through a couple of tours in Vietnam, and just about always having a full-size .45 ready for use. I always know exactly what to expect, exactly what to do. I suppose that the pistol has simply become an extension of my hands, arms, and mind.

For what it may be worth, I have similar feelings about the K-frame Smith & Wesson revolvers. Not much in the way of improvement is possible, and over a century of demonstrated excellence.

 

[Pig Hunter]

Before my back crapped out I carried a Ruger LW Commander. Way lighter than my Gov't model. More accurate than i can hold.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I used to carry a Series 80 Government Model in a single-strap Milt Sparks Summer Special. It was VERY comfortable, even for long periods. I liked it so much that I tried a Series 80 Lightweight Commander a number of times, but even in the same holster it was not as comfortable as the Government Model; because it was shorter, the muzzle tried to dig into my buttock, whereas with the Government Model, the flat slide hit the same spot. I eventually went to an excellent Mitch Rosen OWB for the LW CDR, but the Gov't Model remained my favorite auto.

 

[SuperMan]

Have been carrying a 1911 daily since the mid-1970s... First a 1917 vintage 1911 and in 1980 Commanders in .38 Super...and rarely a day goes by that one is not carried.

Have found that the slightly shorter barrel, whether an aluminum or steel frame, just comes out of the holster faster, balances and points better. For long range shooting the the 5 and 6" guns are better but up close and personal give me a Commander.

Bob

 

[Hair Trigger]

I've been carrying a 4 1/4 inch Commander sized 1911 concealed for a few months now and, as much as I like shooting it, I'm not seeing that much advantage of carrying it concealed compared to a 5 inch 1911. Seems 3/4 of an inch is not really making that much difference and I'm not seeing a disadvantage in carrying a full size 1911 especially with a jacket.

If it's still a full-size frame, just with 1/2-3/4" less barrel, I couldn't see much difference either, in concealability or weight. I assume you're still talking about .45 Auto in either one.

My carry is an EMP4, which is a smaller frame as well as the shorter barrel. Mine is a .40S&W, so I'm not giving up a whole lot from the .45, actually has a better magazine capacity (9+1), and even with the extra ammo, is still lighter than the full-size 1911 with full mag and one in the pipe. It's also just slightly narrower than the full-size, but still fits a full-size holster without being loose. I use an open bottom OWB holster.

 

[JH1951]

I have carried 1911's for years. I started with a full size Govt. Model, After years went by I converted to a Commander. The difference was noticeable and favored the Commander. Eventually my EDC was a SIG Ultra Compact 3.3" barrel. The SIG was sweet for a man getting a bit long in the tooth. That suddenly became unreliable, so it promptly retired. That lead me to a series of J-Frames. EDC is now a 649, and I am enjoying the reduced bulk. I am not anticipating any street wars, so I feel quite comfy with a lil ole .38 Spl. Interesting how requirements and comfort compromises change over the decades. Many folks I know have started big and tightened up a lot over the years.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I carry a lightweight Officers model, but am just about as happy with my alloy frame Commander. Both in . 45. I've always preferred the look and feel of the Commander size guns to the full size. Just a personal preference.

 

[chief38]

When I tried to CCW my full sized Colt 1911 40+ years ago, it lasted about a week. Not only was the weight a major issue but the size and bulk was just too much. Even if it were a lightweight version and an inch shorter I am not fond of totin' around such a large chunk of metal. That's when I gave up on trying to carry a 1911 and relegated 1911's to Range guns unless carried in a belt holster exposed which was not an option when I lived on Long Island. Today I am very happy with my Sig P365 at 17.8 oz's. and have no desire for anything larger or heavier - except maybe when in the woods. Then the 3" M65 357 magnum comes out of the safe.

 

[smoothshooter]

4” vs. 5” doesn’t matter much, but all-steel vs. lightweight frame does.
I will not carry anything but the LW models.