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

[Wickahoney]

I carried various S&W wheelguns on and off duty for nearly 30 years.

My plinking guns were a assortment of S&W 22LRs and up to the 3" sighted 36.

When in the field and I might actually want to kill a deer, bear or elk it's usually a 41 Mag or 44 Spec or a mag.

I have carried most of the usual S&W wheel guns used for CCW, 36s, 2 1/2 19s and 66s all the way up to the 696 44 Spec.

That being said None are easier to conceal and use and simply tuck into a Yaqui slide as the Ultra Carry Kimber 45 I bought myself Christmas 2 years ago. Since then I also bought an Colt Officers Model and a full sized 1911.

If I'm NOT out and about and big game isn't on the menu, I now almiost always pack one of the 1911 variations. The flatnes just makes them easier to conceal than even a 2 1/2 19 and still leave you with enough firepower to do the job of serious social work.

They are less an issue when bullet size and weight meens more, big game etc.

As crass as it may sound, people are pretty thin skinned and don't require the same levels of bullet preformance as a hunting revolver.

My 2 cents worth.

RWT

 

[beemerrider]

TO: G-MAC DanCash Bruce B Ron H Tom T

Emory Fizzman GM Cheney Jellybean Wyo

Grayfox Keith 44 Special 44 Fanatic

Stranglehold 11B Lifer Gator Farmer

29 aholic Wickahoney papalondog

Thank You all! You really show the quality of our membership, by taking your time to help a fellow member; sharing your experence and helping me arrive at a good decision. I'll stay with the 1911 for concealed carry and use the model 25 in 45LC, the Mod 29 and 57 for either hip our shoulder holster carry, concealed or open in remote areas. Thanks again, and please call on me when I can return the favor.

Lynn aka beemerrider

 

[David LaPell]

I have carried both 1911's and large N-frame revolvers. Personally I have always liked my N-frames for all around in the cooler weather months. That ends up being my 624 or 29-2 (I keep my .44 Magnum loads moderate at about 1150-1200 fps). I prefer revolvers, always have.

 

[old tanker]

I am a firm believer in the 1911. I own a crate full of handguns and can do a pretty fair job shooting any of them, but one of the reasons to stick with the Colt is it is second nature after 50 years to me. In an adrenaline charged moment a "1911 trained" thumb will not hit the hammer drop on the SIG out of habit. Or you won't sit there blindly pushing forward on the cylinder latch of the Dick Spec you had today insted of the Smith you're usually carrying trying to figure why you cand get the revolver open to reload.

You think that "do what you always done" isn't a big factor? For those of you who spent a weekend "bowling with bullets" how many times have you or someone on your squad received this admonition (or similar) from a range officer:

"You will engage targets T1 through T3 one round each, strong hand only, mandatory reload, engage targets T1 through T3 one round each, weak hand only. Are you ready?"

Only to have the buzzer go off, gun up in a good Weaver and Bang, bang; Bang, bang oh ****!

 

[Spotteddog]

Either or both are great!
But given your level of proficiency with a 1911', you'd be selling yourself short by not using a gun with the higher onboard round count of a known effective anti personnel caliber IMHO.

 

[Xfuzz]

Carried a 1911 rig many moons.
Colt Lightweight Commander is hard to beat for daily carry.

 

[DJINCO]

Friday I was out fishing and I had my 629 on my hip loaded with 305gr CorBon's ready for any varmint on 2 or 4 legs.

Then, as I was crossing a stream, I took a dunk. I was chest deep in very cold water. The log crossing worked for me once, but not twice.

Everything was fine, just wet. Well, the Nikon is toast, but I knew that my 629 was fine. I shook the water out of it and cleaned and oiled same that evening.

Just a thought... how well does a 1911 handle water?

BTW, I had plenty of ammo and three guns, high lift jack, food, water and blankets but I didn't bring a change of clothes. Next time I will.

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
I have carried "Wheelguns" and "Semis" "Off Duty" I prefer a "Wheelgun" but carry a "Semi" CCW. "2" "J" Frame as BUG (always).
In your shoes I would CCW the Commander.
Jimmy

 

[jimmyj]

Hi, DJINCO:
I don't know about a Model 1911 but a Glock handles water just fine. (even fires underwater)
Jimmy

 

[DJINCO]

True. But a Glock does not shoot a 305gr 44mag

Here's the data from the CorBon site:
44 Rem Mag 305gr FPPN 1250fps 1058ftlbs vs 10mm Auto 180gr BCSP 1300fps 676ftlbs

I like my G21, and I carry it also; however in the woods I carry a 44Mag.

 

[viceunit]

1911 or N frame?

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

I'll add my $.02 here. I have done the same comparison with my 2 1/2" 19 and a Glock 23. About the same overall size, but the Glock is thinner and holds double the ammo +2. While I would not feel under-gunned with the 19, the extra ammo margin of the G23 cannot be ignored. A Commander sized 1911 is certainly more concealable than any N-frame and is thinner than a Glock. While we still were issued revolvers in the late 70's and early 80's I carried a Lightweight Commander off-duty. I no longer have it and desire for another. Being a lefty meant having an ambi safety installed. Today, many customs come with that option. I guess the point here Beemer is that you are obviously competent with that 1911. The choice is clear. Maybe a 442 BUG will satisfy your S&W loyalty while equipping you with a reliable back up. I'll probably stick to the Glock. I've trained heavily with that since 1989, however a nice Kimber (they're all nice) could persuade me to focus on practice in the 1911 discipline.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

If you don't need anything more powerful than a .45ACP, I can't imagine not sticking with a 1911 that works. It's probably easier to carry than most revolvers (certainly is for me), you're used to it, and you can carry a fair amount of ammo pretty easily. I don't know what the terrain is like where you are, but if I had to pick up and use or even just clean a weapon I had dropped in fine dirt like that found in some parts of NC, I would much rather that weapon be a 1911 than a revolver. Experience.

I would still carry some kind of aluminum J-frame, also.

 

[hiredhand]

My 2 cents

My comment is that you need to carry a caliber that is more than "innocent bystander" safe. The big magnum calibers are fine in the woods but not in a city situation. If, and God forbid, you are ever forced to use your gun, you want a round that will stay in the bad guy. Not one that passes through and hits the proverable "pregnant lady". No matter your original justification, you WILL go to jail if an innocent bystander is hit by one of your rounds.Whatever pistol you have the most confidence in is the one you need to carry. Nothing adds to a successful encounter than having confidence in yourself and your weapon.Me, I carry either a 640 loaded with Federal low-recoil hollow points developed for short barrels. If not the 640, then a plain old Combat Masterpiece in 38 speical works just fine for me. The CM is loaded with Corbon +P. And I have never felt under gunned or outdated.

 

[GatorFarmer]

My comment is that you need to carry a caliber that is more than "innocent bystander" safe. The big magnum calibers are fine in the woods but not in a city situation. If, and God forbid, you are ever forced to use your gun, you want a round that will stay in the bad guy. Not one that passes through and hits the proverable "pregnant lady". No matter your original justification, you WILL go to jail if an innocent bystander is hit by one of your rounds.Whatever pistol you have the most confidence in is the one you need to carry. Nothing adds to a successful encounter than having confidence in yourself and your weapon.Me, I carry either a 640 loaded with Federal low-recoil hollow points developed for short barrels. If not the 640, then a plain old Combat Masterpiece in 38 speical works just fine for me. The CM is loaded with Corbon +P. And I have never felt under gunned or outdated.

Someone won't necessarily face prison if a round penetrates and kills a bystander. There's a bunch of legalese that'll come into play about was it foreseeable, the doctrine of competing harms, etc. Civil liability would be more of an issue.

Anyway, there are loads for the .41 Mag that control penetration, the most commonly encounted being the classic (and relatively light) Silvertips. Gold Dot JHPs for the .44 Mag, more or less specifically designed for "social" purposes are also to be had. By some reckonings, at least in jello, they deliver a nastier wound than does an AR.

The original IWBA penetration standard was 18" or more of penetration. People tend to forget the "or more" part of penetration standards. When loaded with FMJ ammunition, the .45 ACP tends to penetrate about 18" when shot into jello.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

My comment is that you need to carry a caliber that is more than "innocent bystander" safe. The big magnum calibers are fine in the woods but not in a city situation. If, and God forbid, you are ever forced to use your gun, you want a round that will stay in the bad guy. Not one that passes through and hits the proverable "pregnant lady". No matter your original justification, you WILL go to jail if an innocent bystander is hit by one of your rounds.Whatever pistol you have the most confidence in is the one you need to carry. Nothing adds to a successful encounter than having confidence in yourself and your weapon.Me, I carry either a 640 loaded with Federal low-recoil hollow points developed for short barrels. If not the 640, then a plain old Combat Masterpiece in 38 speical works just fine for me. The CM is loaded with Corbon +P. And I have never felt under gunned or outdated.

I'd refer you to one of the more recent Mas Ayoob articles from American Handgunner, in which a jewelry store owner is robbed. He grabs his own weapon after being pistolwhipped and follows the bad guy outside, interrrupting the bad guy in the commission of a carjacking. The victim empties the magazine in his Glock, hitting both the carjacker and the carjackee. Not only was he not arrested, but he was also found not liable in the following civil suit brought by the other victim.

I'd say that making such blanket comments will make sure that you're wrong, nearly every time.

 

[Crazy K38]

I think that the 1911 is one of the best guns ever built and if you want to pack something a wee bit smaller go for the compact versions if you want to pack a smith revolver go with a snub pocket carry or possibly belt carry in 357, they are also great rounds, just my 2 cents