Any reason for a 9mm 1911?

[steviesterno]

Hey all,

Recently I've been toying with the idea of getting a 9mm 1911 for shooting steel, fun matches, and why not. I'm wondering if there's a reason to even bother. I have a few 45s and I'm set up to load for it. Now is there a way to load 45 so it shoots like a 9mm or should I buy one, get a new caliber to load with dies and components?

I would still shoot SS with the Baer in 45. It just runs to well to not shoot major.

What do you all think?

[TCKev]

You will find lots of people here with a 9mm 1911. It's a great steel gun along with SS minor.

[PSSOH22]

9mm 1911's are a ton of fun. I use one for ESP in IDPA and it is a blast. I have a STI Trojan and its some great quality.

[steviesterno]

Hmm, but what if I dont shoot any idpa and have an open 22 1911 for steel challenge, too?

[DT Guy]

9mm 1911's are a ton of fun. I use one for ESP in IDPA and it is a blast. I have a STI Trojan and its some great quality.

After years of shooting 1911's in .45 and lots of other guns in 9mm, I got my first 9mm 1911, a Spartan. While it's headed back to STI to get it to run properly, it's already shown that 9mm in the 1911 platform is lots of fun. I think it's about the ultimate IDPA ESP gun, and if you are used to the controls and ergos of the 1911, it makes sense to have your 9mm in that format.

Larry

[n1guess]

I personaly just like the 1911 platform.I am working on getting every caliber in 1911. i do not have a 9 but that is next on the list.In my opinion there is no other pistol i will own other than a 1911.

[Jim Watson]

Hmm, but what if I dont shoot any idpa and have an open 22 1911 for steel challenge, too?

Then you are running short of excuses to buy a new gun.

Yes, you can download the .45 until it feels like a 9mm, or less.

About 3.5 gr of Bullseye and a 185-200 grain bullet is an old standard target load.

[a matt]

9 mm 1911 is what I shoot steel with. You don't need the kick of the 45 w steel. Get one, get set up to load it and go have fun.

Edited October 7, 2011 by a matt

[DWFAN]

I shot SS Minor for quite a while. Try it, its fun. (although I just picked up a .40 Single stack, I may do some testing between the two next spring.) Minor wont hurt if you get more points and are faster than the other guy.

[Lnxgeek]

Lots of good reasons to shot a 9mm 1911. I shoot SS Minor, years ago some IDPA ESP. Since I do not handload it is a great way to keep ammo costs down as opposed to .45 acp. You mention you already have a .45, so you will be able to use your existing holster and magazine pouches.

[bbbean]

Some folks shoot single stack in 9mm to improve accuracy. Some folks shoot single stack in 9mm to "manage" their classification. Personally, I bought mine to save on ammo and because you can never have too many 1911s.

BB

[steviesterno]

BB I can manage my classifications just fine without gear :-/. Haha but you're right, you can never have too many 1911s. I'm thinking I really have tok few! Been working on the ones I have with magwells and grips and stuff, but I do like the idea of no recoil

[ROY NEAL]

Single Stack is becoming the new growth Division in our area and ALL of the new pistols I have seen/been told about are in 9mm since many of the guys getting them are former Production shooters. They have a soft shooting load for thier production gun allready and the 1911 in 9mm are just plain fun to shoot. They also don't really have to change thier stage planning since minor gets 10+1 just like thier production setup. Scoring is the same, so they are used to shooting A's. Yes, they have to compete with some folks like me that shoot .40 major but depending on the stage setup, there can be an advantage sometimes due to capacity differences. Costs are less, brass is easy to find and load and you get to shoot the 1911 platform with better triggers with less recoil. If I wasn't loading the same for my widebody's and single stack, I would take a long hard look at the 9mm options that are out there. If you can shoot reasonably quick with good accuracy, chances are you will be very competitive with this platform.

[J-Ho]

Whoa hold on a minute. Why do you need a reason to buy a new gun? And one that you want, to top it off? I have some guns that serve no competition purpose. But they are either fun it I wanted to get them and was able to at the time. I say, go for it! If you find a use for it all the better :-)

[TonyT]

About the lightest loads which were accurate and reliable in my 45's were 185 gr. LSWC at ca 710-725 fps. That provides approximately the same PF as the 9mm 147 gr. at 900 fps. I enjoy shooting 9mm 1911's since the brass is much less expensive. I owned a SA 1911 Target in 9mm which was reliable but would not group much beter that 5+ inches at 50 ft. After two trips to the factory I sold it and purchased a Dan Wesson PM-9 which provides nice tight one inch ten shot groups at that distance.

[Mike21STI]

if you have any interest in IDPA, I'd say definitely go for the 1911 in 9mm for ESP, it is the gun to use. I tell all my shooting friends to switch to one. Two of them have already made the switch and one more is on his way to doing so.

[twodownzero]

I have beaten plenty of people in Single Stack with a minor gun. Is it a disadvantage? I suppose it is. I do usually shoot major. But I LOVE shooting a 9mm single stack. I've shot it more than anything else this year! In fact, I shot 1,500 rounds in a 4 day period once!

My mags are off at Tripp to fix some minor issues, but my Spartan (which I got from a member on this board) has proven to be a really fun gun!

Edited October 7, 2011 by twodownzero

[Pezco]

I have 2 9mm SS and just love the way they shoot. Primary shoot Steel, but will be shooting SS minor next year for fun.

[steel1212]

My first 1911 I ever purchased was a SA 9mm. I started shooting L10 minor with it in USPSA in 06. I have sold lots of guns between then and now and I still have that one! There are lots of things you can do with a 9mm SS. I personally don't think its competitive in USPSA but it sure is fun to shoot! In IDPA I think its the ESP gun to have. Its a awesome trainer and Steel gun, which I'll be using tomorrow as a matter of fact!

[hiker88]

I bought my STI Spartan 9 because they were cheaper to shoot than my 45acp single stacks. Plus, I keep reading here that these Spartans are great guns for the money. Okay... I admit. I'm cheap :roflol:

[Bob DuBois]

One of my favorite pistols is an STI Trojan in 9mm. Fun little gun to shoot. Use it in IDPA ESP some steel shooting.

[Biloxi23]

The first 1911 I shot a lot was my uncle's Colt Satin Nickle Combat Commander. I later inherited that gun and in a jam sold it. That is one of the ones I wish I had not let get away.

[chirpy]

I have a 38 Super SS which originally was an open gun (before Hi-caps). Not quite as cheap as a 9mm but fun just the same (cause I had the brass and other stuff and some of it a purchased cheaper than 9mm stuff costs today).

Richard

PS: If I had it to do all over again I wouldn't have had the super open gun built.

Edited October 8, 2011 by chirpy

[ck1]

While I really like and have owned a few very nice 9mm 1911's, since you already are loading .45, guess I'll have to be the first to say "don't bother".

Here's the thing with 9mm 1911's (really .40's too): the cartridge has a short OAL which can cause problems and be tricky in a 1911 platform that in it's usual dimensions has been designed around, intended, and still works best with longer OAL cartridges (.45, .38S, 10mm).

They can be a headache, even the best ones still have inherent physical problems that cannot be fixed or eliminated 100%, good mags help a lot, an Aftec or perfectly tuned extractor helps, ramped barrels help, a properly sprung (light, like 7-12lbs max) gun helps, sticking with rounder ogive bullets over hollow-points helps, but still they can and usually will get moody at some point. Don't think well running 2011's in 9/40 prove it can be the same story in the single-stack configuration either, I don't know if it's the bigger mag springs in the 2011's that make them easier to get to run or exactly what it is, but the single-stacks are different animals.

Sevigny won SSTK this year shooting a .45 so that says to me that they're still very much in play, and while winning was mostly, if not all, because of his skills, I'd bet his gun was far less drama to get to run well then the other guys who were running .40's and that might've been part of the difference... couldn't have hurt him.

That said, they're fun as hell to shoot though when they are working well.

Edited October 8, 2011 by ck1

[EkuJustice]

Have a spartan 9mm and love it. Recoil is almost none. I also feel I shoot it better than the 45. The main reason for the 40 cal 1911 is shooting the same ammo in SS and limited. The brass is also about half the cost of 45 brass and much easier to find