Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Speaking of 1911's

Is there anything wrong with a 9 mm in a 1911 configuration? Stick with a 10 shot or how about a double stack 17 shot ?

Never owned a full size one. Had one of the Springfield EMP Models, which is a scaled down version.
Fine shooting little carry gun.


Although for the size and weight and bigger capacity, I much prefer my Sig P-365.

I’ve owed 1911’s in 38 super that were great carry guns.
Especially a 70’s Model Colt Lightweight Commander.

Nowadays, the only 1911’s I own are 45 acp’s and 10mm’s.

Thanks for the reply. I've got lots of good carry guns so that would be kind of a secondary used biggest reason would be because I don't have one😁. I always heard who dies with the most toys wins I'm thinking game on

You can buy one of those Tisa 1911’s in 9mm for just under $400. My 45 has been a great Gun for the money.

i have a star bm which is for all intents and purposes a mini 1911. great shooting little gn. 9mm

No - good practice caliber, easy to introduce to a novice shooter.

As far as double stack - IMHO, not much gained with the added weight - you're competing with the polys for the same carry capacity, but you have not stated what the intended use is.

I've got a SA Range Officer that I really like for general plinking.

I have a Springfield Range Officer Target in 9mm. It's a lot of fun to shoot. Practically no recoil, and it shoots reasonably well with throwaway Blazer aluminum 9mm ammo. It shoots a lot better with my own handloads with a 115 JHP, but with the current situation, I'm mostly shooting that throwaway 9mm ammo.

It came with a 9lb. recoil spring, which I changed out for a 12lb. spring, for increased reliability. And good brass just kinda rolls off my shoulder, so I don't have to chase it very far. When/if things ever get sane again, I'll have that good brass for reloading. As it is, it's still a lot of fun to shoot.
Since I'm getting older and arthritis is making my .45s a lot less fun to shoot, the 9mm is taking up the slack very nicely. 9mm ammo is also a lot easier/cheaper to find right now.

All my loading gear is still in storage, or I'd be using handloads for my fun. You can load a LOT of 9mm with a pound of powder.

All I had to this already have numerous carry guns that is a minor concern on this one. Still leaning more toward us traditional single stack 10 rounder. Springfield range officer is in the running of what I like along with the Rock Ultra , Tissa and bul armory, the Bul Armory really has my interest

Single stack magazines are a heckuva lot easier to find right now, than the others you mentioned, That shouldn't matter, but it IS a factor. Chip McCormick, Metalform, etc. are easy to get, the others, not so much. I hear much wailing and gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes, from those folks trying to find wide-body magazines for the RIAs, and probably the Buls are worse.

I happen to own two. A Colt commander Wiley Clapp model. And a Wilson Combat ACP model commander. Both are extremely fun to shoot. Both have very decent triggers. The Colt is the LW model. The Wilson is SS. Hasbeen

I have a 5" Kimber 1911 that I got for a range toy. The recoil is practically zilch, and the long sight radius helps a bunch with aiming. I use Tripp Research 10-round magazines. It's very accurate and reliable. For fun, I installed a Cylinder & Slide ultra light speed, 5 piece kit in it. Overall, I enjoy it immensely.

Mine is the top one. (My nephew has one too, so we took a pic of them side by side):

Found one that has my interest, very good shape, Crimson Trace lazer grips series 80 colt blued government model I think . Dealer thought it was made in the 1980's . I have a pic of serial # those history. I know this series 80 is a turn off for some. $ 1000 ,??

The Colt will usually have a good resale value if that's important.

Otherwise, just looking at Springfield Armory Range Officers on Gun Broker tells me that they are a better value as for as options & price at the present time. They were a good value before gun prices got crazy & still seem so.

Double stacks?... handle some, they don't feel good to me even though I've had a few. Had to have one to be competitive in the combat pistol games, but besides that, far from my choice.

If I felt strong need for high capacity handguns I'd move toward Glocks or the like & learn them.

There is absolutely a time and place for a full sized 1911 chambered for the 9mm Parabellum. I did not fully appreciate it until I was old enough to need reading glasses.

I grew up shooting the 1911 in Government and Commander guise. That, along with the K and N frame Smith and Wesson revolver were the leading handguns at the time. Lo, these many years later, following a career in law enforcement with the accompanying time spent running ranges and shooting to make sure I could live, I now shoot for fun.

Not counting time spent shooting 22 caliber handguns, a Government Model 1911 chambered for 9mm Parabellum is a peach to stand and shoot for an afternoon. Recoil is nil. Accuracy tends to be very good. The shooter can focus on sight picture and trigger squeeze. Pairs and triples can be practiced. Before long, even the arthritic shooter can find himself or herself to be proficient.

Magazines are the key. Good magazines will make your 9mm 1911 to run like a Singer sewing machine.

Sure do like my single stack Springfield 4 inch EMP.

Nothing wrong with a 1911 in 9mm, other than being an affront to all that is sacred, offending Jesus, John Wayne and John Moses Browning.

Plus 3 on the Springfield EMP

I've got the 4 inch, and it's my all time favorite 1911.

It's just enough smaller than a full size 1911, that it fits my hands "just right"

Plus it's still 10+1 rounds.

Virgil B.

Yes, but even John Taffin, Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn are shooting 9mms now. Age and arthritis take a lot of the fun of shooting a .45 away, shooting a 9mm 1911 brings the fun back into it.

I don't want to hear that.

If you just like the 9mm, maybe have other guns chambered for it, want (formerly) cheap ammo and increased capacity, I get that. But I have routinely gotten good function from 4.0 grains of W231 with a 200 grain H&G 68. If you can't handle the smidgen of recoil that generates, it's time for a 22.