The tiny 1911

[hitman]

Colt LW Officer here, never a problem till I got stupid and traded it for a Glock.

[twodownzero]

Well, I couldn't help myself. EMP is on the way. Planning on VZ grips (my usual), 10-8 rear sight, 10-8 flat trigger, and some skate tape on the front strap until I can send it off to SA for checkering (unless someone knows of a better shop for that with decent turnaround).

Edited October 21, 2010 by twodownzero

[Mike21STI]

I've been interested in trying the Springfield EMP but haven't gotten around to it lately. My carry gun is a full size 5" 1911, I'm looking to get a nice carry gun one day and have also looked at the STI LS9 or LS40. Never fired either of those though, I wish there was a try it before you buy it program around here.

[Avezorak]

My very first 1911 was a 3" Colt Defender. Lots of recoil with factory ammo and mine stovepiped about every other round. I finally got it to run using factory ball ammo, a slightly lighter spring and Wilson mags. Then I sold it...

[twodownzero]

The defender is a sweet looking pistol for the price, no doubt. I'd love to make my own line of 1911s that people would actually carry. It's a shame that the 1911 is the "professional's" gun now that plastic fantastic has taken over.

I know when I started shooting, I had no use for the 1911 and I didn't understand why anyone would want an "antiquated" gun like that. Now it's basically all I own. Over 100 years since JMB designed his masterpiece, and surprisingly, no pistol design really has the popularity or ergonomics that the 1911 has.

The "tactical" people have tried to convince us that we need a double stack mag, or a longer, heavier trigger pull, or double action, or whatever, but it makes little sense to me.

Pull a pile of pistols out of the safe and put them in the hands of someone who knows nothing...and see which one they hit the best with. I bet it's the one with the lightest trigger.

You'd think this would be common sense by now...but common sense is not so common. Most would rather have double the capacity than the ergonomics it takes to make the shots accurate.

[pjb45]

Cylinder and Slide made a compact 45 that was totally reliable. Check their website or call Bill.

[BMartens]

Kimber ProElite .45ACP has worked well for me. May not be small enough for your requirements. Runs flawlessly with everything I have put through it.

[jaredr]

coolest cut-down pistol I ever saw was an aaron harris custom piece done on (I think) the STI VIP

i believe this was $3500 back in 2006, without the sight or lights.... how much more effective (or concealable) was it than a glock 30? I don't know, but I guess that wasn't really the point. did look like something out of a william gibson novel, and interesting to see that slide-mounted red-dots are becoming more and more common in production-type handguns.

[Tumbler]

Ihave a custom Caspian (Commander lenth slide on an officers frame). Myself and a friend who is a gunsmith bought the parts and assembled. This gun is scary accurate and has been reliable with WW White box, Speer Gold dot, and reloads with Hornady XTP,and lead wadcutters. It is everything that I had hoped for. My hats off to the quality of Caspian.

[buckaroo45]

I've carried a Colt Lightweight Officer's Model in 45 ACP for about 5 years. Blew the recoil spring plug out the first few months I had it. Replaced it with a reverse plug and polished the ramp. Runs factory ball and my IPSC 200 gr SWC's at 100%. 1 round added mags with a small extension make all the difference in grip. Mine has spit off 3 front sights so I left it off and practice point shooting when I take it to the range. Seems a swaged on front sight doesn't do well for me. In self defense situations there probably won't be time to get a sight picture anyway.

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Those who do not take an interest in public affairs are doomed to be ruled by evil men ~ PLATO, 300 BC

[GrumpyOne]

I had a Star PD in 45 once, many moons ago. Never had any issues with it, was accurate, light weight, loud and obnoxious. Got stolen about 8 years ago.....

[kl7883]

i have 2 caspian officers models,2 para p12s that are officers sized 3.5" barrel,a springer micro with a 3" barrel and several other 3"-3.5" 1911s.imho,most of the horror stories are due to the fact that most smiths are simply not nearly as familiar with the little 1911s as they are with the full size versions.someone replied here earlier and i agree,the most important things are the recoil spring and magazines.as far as reliability,i have 4 llama minimaxs that each have well over 1000 rds without a single hitch.they did require a bit of work,but my point is even the lowest quality 1911s can be very reliable.

[mgood]

I have a Kimber Ultra CDP II in .45 ACP that I've put about 1500-1600 rounds through, mostly in USPSA matches. (A 25-ounce, 3-inch-barrelled 1911 is not ideal for Singlestack Division, lol, but it works.)

I have a failure to feed maybe once every hundred rounds or so. Kimber says they'll fix that if I get around to sending it back to them. (Bullet nosedives into the ramp. Pulling the slide back and letting it go gets the thing running again every time.)

I broke the ejector by jamming 8-round mags in it during a slide-lock reload during a match. Kimber says they'll fix that under warranty too, even though Dennis @ Kimber knew darned good and well what I'd done when I said the ejector broke. I have fired several hundred rounds since I broke the ejector. Not once have I had a failure to eject.

Edited October 26, 2010 by mgood

[twodownzero]

Guys, please don't turn this into a conversation about self-defense. I've learned a lot from this thread and I'd like for it to benefit others in the future.

[ed_henry]

I have a Stainless SV TIKI and a Colt New Detective (sp?). They both work after the first 50-100 rounds. I have used both in PPC undercover and our annual undercover USPSA match. As long as I load the rounds correctly the guns work great. I did have a bad mag, I don't know what kind it was as I threw it over the berm after it jammed twice on the disappearing mover. Both are 45 and work great. I have changed the TIKI to 9mm and ran about 300 round through it then changed it back to 45.

[Duane Thomas]

"Load the rounds correctly"?

I like your solution to the mag problem. That's what we should do with equipment that doesn't work.

[Flexmoney]

"Load the rounds correctly"?

Pointy end facing forward, Duane.

Kinda like this:

[Wap wap]

Tried a lot of the small 1911s but, everytime it gives up one of the best features, the longer sight length. Great triggers also need good sights. And,- well with the reduction in fire power by 20-25% (mag cap).

[midget]

I just bought a RIA 3.5" 1911 last week... I put about 250 rounds through it so far and have to say that I am very impressed with it... With the exception of the sites, the gun has functioned perfectly and has shot well...

[twodownzero]

I was supposed to get my EMP when I was home last weekend, but my FFL dropped the ball and so I'll have to pick it up the next time I'm in Indiana, probably around Thanksgiving time. I've already got a 10-8 rear sight and flat trigger to install in it.

[T.McDevitt]

I have a Kimber 3" Ultra Covert 11 in 45ACP that I ran 350 white box through it to break it in then 10 or 20 Hornady Critical defense.

no failures of any kind, in the last two years I've put 200 more through in no problems.

[Gary H.]

I have an Ultra Raptor in Stainless and absolutely love it. I've ran about 600 rounds through it and have had no malfunctions from it. The little bugger is surprisingly accurate too!

[twodownzero]

[DCB12]

Another vote for the STI Escort!

Amazing gun!

Peace

[Iggy42]

From what I have been reading here some people have recoil issues with the 3" 1911 in 45ACP, what about putting a 1" comp on the front? Sure you effectively have a 4" gun, but wouldn't the comp give you that much more control? I have also considered taking a 3" model and porting the barrel/slide for a sort of built in comp, any thoughts?