Carry Gun: 1911 Commander vs 3" or 4" .41mag /.44mag S&W: Your Experience & Thouthts

beemerrider

beemerrider

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I am trained & experienced with the 1911 and now carry primarily a commander length Ed Brown, which I shoot pretty well. I also own and have been shooting S&W's for 40 some years; Im no Jerry M. and my double action at speed would impress few. That being said, I've considered and compared handgun weight & condealability, speed on target for first & follow-up shots, capacity, ease & speed of reloading, reliability, carrying spares, double-taps & follow-up shots comfort & practicality of IWB carry without wearing striped clown pants, etc, etc, etc. Being about 15 miles out of Portland Or. the Grizzly Bear threat subsided when Lewis and Clark made their trip thru the area, so I have no four-legged threats necessitating the larger calibers. Nevertheless, I'm still toying with the idea and I've read many of your guys' posts since being a member. I would be very appreciateve of you sharing your experience and thoughts.

Thanks....Beemerrider
 
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Originally posted by beemerrider:I am trained & experienced with the 1911 and now carry primarily a commander length Ed Brown, which I shoot pretty well...
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If you can comfortably carry a Commander size 1911, why not go with what you know?

Perhaps have something like a Model 66 snubby for when you need a slightly smaller carry gun.
 
I have a variety of big Smiths in the calibers you mention and more. For serious personal work, I go back to my 1911. Have packed one most of my adult life (go with what you know) and find that that is the largest caliber I can use effectively in a combat situation. The 1911 is so easily concealed and comfortable to carry it is hard to improve upon.

There is also a 642 or 66 in a pocket somewhere and I have nothing aginst a 4 or 6 in N frame in my belt.
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"Horses for courses..."

...meaning, outfit yourself for the expected problem(s).

When we lived in the far North of Canada, the threat was bears and perhaps simple survival if things went badly. My carry gun (ALWAYS hidden and illegal, because this was in anti-gun country) was the '89-vintage .44 Mountain Revolver with full-power heavy-bullet handloads. It served admirably and I love it dearly. It occasionally gets fresh air here in Nevada with moderate handloads as a field gun, as do my Models 19, 27, and 57. These are generally used in open-carry mode, but once in while they end up hidden. I HAVE carried the 629 downtown under just an un-tucked T-shirt, and apparently it went un-noticed.

For in-town concealed carry, I lean strongly to the 1911 pattern and my SIG 220, both in .45, as well as a Firestar 9mm (also "1911 pattern" but smaller). A 642 works well as a pocket gun. This attraction to autoloaders for hidden carry is something that just grew on me, as I accumulated more years and experience. I've been toting covert guns for about forty years, and I'm comfortable with my choices. I'd still be very content with that 4" M19 undercover, though.

For "social purposes", in your shoes, I'd carry that nice Ed Brown Commander.
 
Sir, for concealed carry around town, the only advantage the N-frame has over a good 1911 is the ability to run heavy loads or bullet shapes that won't feed well in an auto. Out in the boonies, brass retrieval is easier with the sixgun. Beyond that, it's just a matter of preference.

FWIW, my carry gun is a 1911. My N-frames are mainly woods guns.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.
 
As an Highway Patrolman I carried a .41 mag to punch holes in cars if needed. When the 10mm came along I jumped on it.

Now I live in town and I trade off between a CCO sized 1911 in 10mm and a Model 19 S&W snubby in the winter and when out on the ranch, and a Mdl 640-1 when in town and "fashion" prevents something bigger.

Experience has convinced me that big and powerful is important. So I carry the biggest and meanest I can under any given circumstances.

I find the 1911 platform to be the most comfortable to carry and conceal in most cases, but that old Mdl 19 has a lot of sentimental value to me too.

You would be hard pressed to find a better sidearm to carry than your Commander.
You can find many effective holsters in which to conceal your Commander, but a nice J-frame revolver can be a handy and trusted friend.

Truth is you really need both!!!
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If you trust it, pack it!!
 
For many years I carried a full size 45 acp Govt Model 1911 in the winter, and a 40 cal Glock 27 in the summer. I can carry the 27 with an untucked t-shirt and no one notices.

I carry the 1911 in a Gunsite Galco Training Holster, the Glock in M. Sparks 55BN. I've also carried 4" N-frames in a Milt Sparks PMK when feeling sexy. The autos are by far easier to conceal and carry. Obviously leather and how you need or like to dress are very important factors.

I've carried a Glock 23 all this winter. Quite a change from a Wilson Combat 1911 (head hung in shame). The Glock sure packs easy. 13-14 rounds of 40 seems close to 8-9 rounds of 45 to me.

I was never a Glock fan until issued one in 1998. Then I thought they were "ok". Now after my non gunny wife and I have done two Clint Smith handgun classes together, with both of us shooting Glock 22's, and no malfs in the mud and rain I'm a bigger fan.

If you can't go tupperware I think you'll find the 1911 easier to carry.

Emory
 
I was a LEO and have carried a handgun daily for 30 years. I have carried nearly every type of handgun one can imagine. I dearly love S&W N frames and have carried 2.5" M-629 and 6.5" M29 and M625's, etc. I have also carried a variety of 1911's. I believe the alloy framed Commander sized 1911 in .45 acp to be an excellent carry gun in the hands of someone well trained in the carry and use of a 1911. As much as I love the N frame Smiths, or any S&W and Colt and Ruger revolver, I wouldn't have to think twice on this...the Commander is a superior self-defense handgun when dealing with two legged and most 4 legged pests.
 
Carried my 1911SC until I came across the Glock 36. The 36 fits my hand better than any other Glock that I've tried. It's about as thin as the 1911, but lighter, and is 6+1 of .45 ACP.

If it were me, I'd stick with the thinner 1911 for every day carry comfort and concealment. For 2 legged wolves, the .45 ACP is hard to improve upon.
 
I'm going to go with the revolver. With the thorough comparison you did as far as size, concealability, speed on target, reloading, capacity and etc. and you still can't decide it sounds like you really want an excuse to carry an N frame. Go ahead and blame it on me, I know how you feel.

I've carried quite a few of both, in duty holsters, and the revolvers always won out. However I've never been able to comfortably conceal one and usually carried an auto, or at least a k frame, in plain clothes. I had an IWB holster for the Ns, but every time I pulled my gun my pants fell down. If you've got it solved and want to carry a big revolver, by all means go ahead.
 
+1 on Iggy's comments. The only thing I would add is that I like the lightweight Commander for concealed carry and prefer it for daily use over the steel-framed pistol. I have two, one in 45 ACP and one in 38 Super, and I tend to carry one or the other as the mood strikes. The 38 Super loads are +P+, a 124 gr. bullet at 1325 fps, so I'm comfortable that either load would work just fine. I prefer these to the revolvers because of the weight issue and because they're so much flatter. On the other hand, if you don't mind the bulk of the revolver, I say go for it. My first preference, though, is the 1911-type.
 
Being about 15 miles out of Portland Or. the Grizzly Bear threat subsided when Lewis and Clark made their trip thru the area
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Mostly.

I saw a grizzly bear on the Rogue River near Battle Bar in the fall of 1995. The bear was casually strolling on a grassy hillside and paid us little attention.

He or she, I don't remember, had escaped some weeks or months earlier from Wildlife Images near Merlin Oregon. The bear was shot a few weeks later near Riddle Or.

We were floating outside of the permit season, and in 1995 we may not have registered or checked in with BLM/USFS in Rand at all. I'm not sure now. I do know I thought it was kind of odd that the bear was known to be in the area and there were no warnings to hikers or rafters. Local media had done a few low key stories, but nothing much. The BLM/USFS goes to the usual government great lengths to warn and people recreating of the black bear population and associated problems. I don't recall any dire warnings concerning this grizz though.

Emory
 
I have several 3 or 4" N-frames and do occasionally carry them when the mood strikes. With proper holsters and dress I find I can conceal them just as easily as any other handgun.
I've also carried both full size and Commander 1911s. I have to give the advantage to the 1911s. The flat profile simply makes them more comfortable for all day carry.
The 1911 also has the advantage when it comes to spare ammo. A nice flat spare magazine is easier to deal with than a speed loader.

Having said all that, my normal carry gun these days is a 3" K-frame.
Go with what feels right to you.
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My wheelguns are used more now for sport & pleasure shooting.
The 1911 platform for business, most always two at a time if working. Maybe just one if'n it's an ice cream social or BBQ, ect...Five inch Gov't, Commander length or 3" compact as a BUG works for me.

This is just me talkin' here. I never felt
less that well heeled with a good revolver.

Lightweight Commander & 3" Defender

Colt45ACPX2005.jpg


Su Amigo,
Dave

(edited for language, English)
 
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As a retired LEO, I carried many semi autos and revolvers over the 25 years in the business, including 1911's and a 4" 629 mountain gun. Standardized the department with the Glock .40 when they first arrived on the scene. These days however, I carry either a S&W 296 or a 329PD. For me the weight of either makes for effortless all day carry and both conceal effectively in a strong side belt holster under Hawaian shirts. Both shoot comfortably with .44 special ammo and the ability to drop a speedloader of magnums into the 329pd when in the woods is very comforting to me. Shooting them, not so pleasant but I figure I can deal with the blisters on my fingers if I ever need them. A few 44 shot loads in the pocket makes for versatility I can't get in an auto. I'll probably carry the 329 exclusively when I find the right holster. I have a DeSantis but it drags and makes for a difficult and slow draw.
 
Love my Commander, but I don't want to carry it concealed for 10 hours at a pop. It stays in the night stand-I carry my M1903/08 Colts (.380 or .32). I have some nice pocket holsters. For fishing or camping where the dominant danger comprises drunks, and thieves-I carry my 586.
 
I carried a Kimber CDP for a few years, that was approximately Commander sized. It was an easy gun to carry. Later, I spent a stint carrying a Model 58 (IWB no less). More recently, I obtained a 4" 629.

The nice thing about N frame Smiths in calibers that start with a "4" is that they make versatile back up guns. I'm not joking. I'd carry a Glock 27 in my pocket when I had the 58. A .41 or .44 Magnum is actually potentially handy if you're shooting at someone in car or need to shoot someone at contact distance.
 
If you place a Commander next to a 2 1/2" K frame you'll find they are the same overall size, but the flatter auto is easier to CCW
 
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