If it's strictly for target and competition, 9mm would be a lot cheaper to shoot, with less recoil. Keep in mind, though, that certain kinds of competitive shooting requires .40 caliber or larger (major power factor calibers) to avoid a penalty.
I keep seeing reports of reliability problems with 9mm 1911's. Could be something simple, but with .45acp, reliability issues have been well sorted out (usually attributable to out of spec). There is no standard spec for a 9mm 1911. Personally, if it's your first 1911, I think it should be a .45. Especially if you're going to reload for it.
I keep seeing reports of reliability problems with 9mm 1911's. Could be something simple, but with .45acp, reliability issues have been well sorted out (usually attributable to out of spec). There is no standard spec for a 9mm 1911. Personally, if it's your first 1911, I think it should be a .45. Especially if you're going to reload for it.
[quote=The_Real_Hawkeye...9mm would be a lot cheaper to shoot, with less recoil[/quote]
I'm a 45 acp guy, but if I was buying a 1911 just for plinking & training I would seriously consider a 9mm. As 9mm is significantly cheaper whether you reload or buy factory ammo.
Perhaps all of the reports of 1911's not being reliable in 9mm are true, I don't know===> But the only 1911 9mm I had was totally reliable. An RIA of all things.
I don't know where all these 9mm reliability issues come from but I have been shooting 9mm in Commanders and GMs since the 1980s and have had zero problems with any of my guns... I've had both dedicated original 9mm 1911s and .38 Supers that had 9mm barrels fitted to them and no problem with any of them...
Bob
If you can not deal with reality, reality will deal with you....
My answer would be from a bullseye competition perspective. Most will agree the 9mm is more accurate than a 45acp in the 1911, however, in order to achieve the most accurate loads in the 9mm, you have to run them hot. That cancels out the less recoil argument since a 45 acp can be loaded down considerably and still achieve excellent accuracy. Another aspect is that running a 9mm hot can crack the frames. The military pistol teams experience this from time to time. Its no big deal for them since they travel with their own gunsmiths and their portable shops. However, it would be a big deal to me. I have 45's that probably had 100,000 rounds thru them and they are still going strong with some minor tightening up from time to time. Phil
So a steel frame 9mm suffers frame damage and has a fairly limited life span but a plastic Glock can manage hundreds of thousands of 9mm without cracking the frame?
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
Shot and owned a bunch of 9's still have a pair of CZ-75's like them but... Never forgot what Jefe Cooper said about 9mm in a 1911 platform, asked about it he replied "You would be better off to save the money and have your testosterone level checked" still laughing. from some issue of G&A Coopers corner.MB
" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
I really enjoyed what these two guys from Federal had to say. They start talking about wound channels at about the 5:00 minute mark. A discussion on calibers follows that. Watch the video to the very end--their closing thoughts are spot on.
