.40 COAL in 1911 / 2011?s

[igolfat8]

Will a short 1.085" run in a STI .40 in 1911 or 2011? I see many people are loading STIs to much longer COAL's. Is this dictated by the bbl chamber length, magazine or OA design of the 1911 / 2011 platform? I am shooting LSWC in my Glock 35 now and it (LWD bbl) likes the 1.085" and won't run much over 1,100". I am considering a .40 in 1911/2011 and it would be nice if both would run the shorter COAL that the Glock runs so I don't have to load two different length .40s.

[Trent1k1]

I don't know of any STI 40 guns that will run with ammo shorter than 1.185. I load mine to 1.200, but have a friend running an STI Trojan in 40 at 1.185 with no problems.

Short ammo usually does not run well.

[JMike]

I have 2 different STI Edge 2011s in 40SW. One is an older blued 2011 from Dawson's & the other is a new Brazos HP Edge that is hard chromed. The Dawson pistol will feed anything. The Brazos pistol will reliably feed only ammo that is loaded to 1.19-1.20. Bob L. at Brazos recommends loading to 1.20 because of the magazine design.

I don't know why the difference.

Edited December 16, 2014 by JMike

[dkwatch]

I might be wrong on this. But a correctly set up 1911/2011 should be able to run long or short rounds. Many prefer longer rounds because of more reliable feeding and less pressure.

[Rob Tompkins]

I'm finding out it’s a combo of bullet shape and COL combined with how the mag presents the bullet. I have a 40 cal Kimber 1911 with a Kart barrel that runs conical flat point (typical lead and factory shape) loaded down to typical factory COL of about 1.12”. It also runs the rounded flat point from X-Treme at the same length. However the 2011 I’m having built, also with a Kart barrel will not run the conical flat points unless loaded out to >1.17” but runs the X-Treme ’s bullets loaded at ~1.12.

Bottom line is how the mag’s present the bullet is another factor as well as shape, it’s not just COL.

[earthshine402]

My CK Arms 2011 feeds short or long 40 ammo just fine.

edit: not sure about your ultra short SWC profile. I have loaded 180gr FP from 1.135 out to 1.20

Edited December 16, 2014 by earthshine402

[mugenr]

My edge will run 1.125" just fine. 1.085" seems pretty short though.

[Rob01]

I don't know of any STI 40 guns that will run with ammo shorter than 1.185.

I run my Eagle and Trojan with 1.145" ammo so i can also run it in my Glock and they run just fine. Factory 1.125" runs good too.

[Blue Jacket]

Rob01, same thing I load mine to 1.15 and it ran in the Glock and STI just fine.

[jcc7x7]

My 1911s like 1.185 to 1.200

2011 Akai will run anything both length or bullet shape

[nmbpman]

My Edge ran factory ammo fine. I don't shoot factory ammo generally, I just tried them one day just to see if it would run. They were Speer Lawman, somewhere around 1.130, if I recall. But, like everyone else, I run my reloads at 1.185-1.190.

[Dr Mitch]

My Edge runs everything. I have a friend with a Fat Free that also runs anything.

[jimbullet]

1.158 runs fine with mine.

[cheers623]

The 1911 was designed around a longer COAL round (.38 Super or .45 depending on who you talk to) and so the length of travel of the slide along with other physical dimensions are "too long" to accommodate shorter rounds. However, many work-arounds have been created to address the issue. One is longer feedlips on the magazine. Another is a spacer at the back of the magazine to position the shorter round closer to the feedramp.

On 1911/Single stack pistols chambered in .40, usually you'll see the factory send the gun with magazines that have the spacer at the back. Assuming the pistol is otherwise setup correctly you should have no problems running ammo that's within factory-spec lengths.

On the 2011/Double stack pistols chambered in .40, it has more to do with the length of the feedlips along with the angle of the feedramp on the barrel. Again, a properly setup gun and magazine should feed even relatively short .40 ammo. All of my 1911/2011 pistols will run any length and bullet shape reliably. However, "should" and "do" are often two separate things with regards to mass produced pistols.

My experience is that STI has made huge improvements in sending their pistols out with properly specced magazines and re-designed feedramps that'll feed most factory-length .40 ammo. I can't speak to the other manufacturers. The main reason most of us load long is for lower pressures achieved in reloaded cases along with a more forgiving operational envelope when running our gear at the ragged edge.

All of the above is to say....blah, blah, blah...that you'll have to try it and see! However, if you do have problems using the shorter ammo you shouldn't have much problem addressing and fixing the issue by adjusting feedlips, feedramp, or using spacers.

Hope that helps!

Cheers623

DVC

[GForceLizard]

My STI Eagle will not feed 40SW loaded to 1.135" It likes 1.185" to 1.200"

[JMike]

The 1911 was designed around a longer COAL round (.38 Super or .45 depending on who you talk to) and so the length of travel of the slide along with other physical dimensions are "too long" to accommodate shorter rounds. However, many work-arounds have been created to address the issue. One is longer feedlips on the magazine. Another is a spacer at the back of the magazine to position the shorter round closer to the feedramp.

On 1911/Single stack pistols chambered in .40, usually you'll see the factory send the gun with magazines that have the spacer at the back. Assuming the pistol is otherwise setup correctly you should have no problems running ammo that's within factory-spec lengths.

On the 2011/Double stack pistols chambered in .40, it has more to do with the length of the feedlips along with the angle of the feedramp on the barrel. Again, a properly setup gun and magazine should feed even relatively short .40 ammo. All of my 1911/2011 pistols will run any length and bullet shape reliably. However, "should" and "do" are often two separate things with regards to mass produced pistols.

My experience is that STI has made huge improvements in sending their pistols out with properly specced magazines and re-designed feedramps that'll feed most factory-length .40 ammo. I can't speak to the other manufacturers. The main reason most of us load long is for lower pressures achieved in reloaded cases along with a more forgiving operational envelope when running our gear at the ragged edge.

All of the above is to say....blah, blah, blah...that you'll have to try it and see! However, if you do have problems using the shorter ammo you shouldn't have much problem addressing and fixing the issue by adjusting feedlips, feedramp, or using spacers.

Hope that helps!

Cheers623

DVC

Excellent post!

[3djedi]

Mine uses the same OAL I use in my glocks. 1.135" I have never had a single malfunction in either platforms.

When I bought the STi from Dawson, I mentioned that on the internet people were saying you have to run them long. He said those people are full of crap. Sti's are tuned to run factory ammo. I think it's only after you start F'n with everything will you have a problem. Different base pads, springs, followers, etc......