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9mm 1911s?
- Thread starter JayFramer
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Locally a few people who are not in law enforcement carry them but that does not mean much. If you think that you need to be able to lay down a base of fire for a longer time period than all the other ninja turtles in the shopping mall than you need something else. You have to decide for yourself. I'm happy with a six shooter or even a five shooter.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
Of course you could use one for self defense. Why not?
LVSteve
Member
Don't see why not, especially if you got the Rock island double stack model. 
Only problem might be with department policy when it comes to duty. Many jurisdictions are not comfortable with single action autos.
Only problem might be with department policy when it comes to duty. Many jurisdictions are not comfortable with single action autos.
merl67
SWCA Member
I don't know about duty, as I have never done that, but any gun could, and probably has been used for defense. As for the 1911 9mm I must confess I never really understood the why, especially if the same size as a standard 45acp 1911. If someone has a valid why I am all ears even if the valid is I just want one, as I have bought more than a few guns with no better excuse than I just wanted it lol.
I only owned one 1911 in 9mm. I had a new Colt Commander. It was dependable but at same time I had Brn HP and a S&W 39. All three were new. I didn't keep it very long because I could shot the 39 much better because of sights. When I think about it the only reason I bought it was that I was playing with 9mms at the time. This was before 9mms were tacticool and wasn't long before I traded the others off too.
I don't see anything wrong with a single stack 1911. The 9 m/m is a different game. Larry
Valmet
Member
Colt has mfg’d the Commander in 9mm for a long time as Drm50 alluded to. IIRC when Colt developed/introduced the Commander in 1949-50 their original intent was a smaller 1911 in 9mm for reserve troops, air crews, etc but since the military never went away from the .45, it never caught on like the .45 Commander did commercially.
Lots of folks like 9mm 1911s but they aren’t for me.
Lots of folks like 9mm 1911s but they aren’t for me.
Kronos
Member
What I don't get is why not more 1911's in .40 S&W? I would think the 1911 frame would be a better fit to that cartridge then trying to shove a 9mm into it.
Not any sort of an engineer just seems the smaller 9mm in the larger .45 mag is asking for feeding issues,the .40 would do better to me.
Not any sort of an engineer just seems the smaller 9mm in the larger .45 mag is asking for feeding issues,the .40 would do better to me.
StrawHat
SWCA Member
My eldest cousin went to a 9mm 1911 because he was more accurate with it and the 45ACP 1911 hurt his arthritic joints when he fired it.
Kevin
Kevin
misswired
Absent Comrade
Mine is functional with hardball ammo but not accurate. Have never fired hollow points thru it. The gunsmith says a barrel bushing and re-crowning will tighten up the groups. Wants $50 for a trigger job and $80 for the bushing/crowning.......Can't decide if its worth it.
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I have the Colt Competition model and will be carrying for defensive purposes today, mostly because I already have a range trip planned. It's a nice shooter, and a good bit cheaper to shoot than it's counterpart in .45.
Lots of folks carry a full-size 1911. No reason a 9mm model wouldn't work if that's the gun you shoot best.
The smaller pistols (Sig 938, Springfield EMP, etc.) probably make a little more sense. And yes, I know the 938 isn't a "true" 1911...
Lots of folks carry a full-size 1911. No reason a 9mm model wouldn't work if that's the gun you shoot best.
The smaller pistols (Sig 938, Springfield EMP, etc.) probably make a little more sense. And yes, I know the 938 isn't a "true" 1911...
Alpo
Member
It was 1999. Y2K was coming. Computers were going to stop working. Airplanes would fall out of the skies. You would not be able to get your money out of the bank. Mutant Zombie Bikers and Blue Helmets would be everywhere.
I must prepare.
New ammunition might be hard to come by. I must be ready to resupply from dead enemies.
I have rifles in 223, 308 and 30/06. I have my Mini 30 in case the Russians show up. I have pistols in 45, 38 and 357. OH NO!!! I have no 9 mm. Whatever shall I do if all of the dead enemies have nothing but 9 mm ammunition??
So I buy a Commander size top half in 9 mm. Now I'm ready.
Weeellll, Y2K didn't happen. But I've still got my 9mm 1911.
I must prepare.
New ammunition might be hard to come by. I must be ready to resupply from dead enemies.
I have rifles in 223, 308 and 30/06. I have my Mini 30 in case the Russians show up. I have pistols in 45, 38 and 357. OH NO!!! I have no 9 mm. Whatever shall I do if all of the dead enemies have nothing but 9 mm ammunition??
So I buy a Commander size top half in 9 mm. Now I'm ready.
Weeellll, Y2K didn't happen. But I've still got my 9mm 1911.
Rayfan87
Member
I've been thinking about dipping my toe into the 1911 pool and 9mm is the way I've been thinking. The biggest reason for me is I already stock 9mm for my other handguns, .45 would mean buying and storing another caliber, plus .45 is more expensive than 9mm. Both are big considerations when money is tight.
I love my Kimber and Springfield single stack 9mm. The 1911 platform in 9mm is a joy to shoot.
I have a 9mm commander-sized 1911 on the way. I purchased it with the intent of converting it to a switch barrel 9mm/38 Super. Whether I would carry it for self-defense depended on how reliable it proved to be.
I have a S&W Model 439 which I enjoy and I used at the Adaptive Defensive Shooting Summit at the Sig Academy. At the Summit, we fired an IDPA style match to demonstrate what was learned. In addition to what was taught, I learned a bit more about my 439.
I found that with the first shot out of the holster being DA, it also cost me time. I also had sight picture issues due to the worn finish on my front sight. (Nail polish will address the sight issue.) I learned the value of a consistent trigger. As a result, when I carry, it will not be the 439 unless it is a desperate situation. True, a match isn't real life, but I view a match like a military FTX, it trains you for the mission.
As a result, I will either carry a 1911 or a striker fired semi-auto pistol. The 1911 will either be in 45 or 9mm. Since the CMP now allows the use of a 1911 in 9mm for Leg matches, I may pick up a full size 1911 9mm target pistol, which could have me carrying a 9mm for self-defense. It never hurts to carry what you train with. Since life comes with few guarantees (beyond death and taxes), the 9mm can provide faster recovery and follow up shots.
From my perspective, the 9mm 1911 does have it's merits as a carry/duty arm.
Marshal Tom
Member
why wouldn't you be able to? Years ago they were not all that popular for a number of reasons and the short 3" guns never ran all that well. Wilson and others have perfected the 9mm in a 1911 and they have become quite popular now. Wilson, Vickers, Hackenthorn among other old time .45 1911 shooters now shoot .9mm 1911's more often than .45. They are accurate, recoil less and are cheaper to shoot. Look at the Springfield EMP 4", designed around the 9mm. Slightly shrunk down in size.
I switched to a 9mm 1911 because I can get three A zone hits with a 9mm 1911 in the same period of time it takes me to get just two A zone hits with a .45 ACP 1911. With modern hollow points, three 9mm wound tracks are more likely to create more wound volume and result in more blood loss and more compromised systems than two .45 wound tracks.
Why a 1911? The short reset and single action design make it much faster for me to get those rounds on target than a DA/SA, DA only, or striker fired pistol.
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