Shorty Single Stack

[FF112173]

Has anyone owned, built or seen a single stack shorty?

[jkrispies]

By shorty do you mean something with a less than 5” barrel?  I don’t have a set of rules in front of me, but I’d recommend verifying the rule set not only for barrel length but also weight and frame material requirements.  Your typical sub-gov’t sized 1911 will have a lightweight alloy frame which will run afoul of the rules, me thinks.  Of course if you’re building your own, that could change. 

 

I’m very interested in someday building an all steel bobtail 4.25”ish 9mm single stack for occasional carry.  Will just have to wait for when I retire and move to a state that supports the US Constitution.  

 

As far as using my dream carry gun in SC, it wouldn’t be my first choice.  Yet, it’s not out of the question either when you figure that some of the Production guys are shooting 4” and 4.5” guns.  I’d definitely limit the caliber to 9mm if it’s an SC gun.  

[FF112173]

Yes, less then 5” and I should have stated an “Open Division” gun

[jkrispies]

Ah yes.  That’s a bit different than Single Stack.  The senior world champion uses one that be built himself at Pace Setting Design. It works well for him. .  The short slide allows it to cycle faster.  He custom builds for other too.  If you’d like his contact info, PM me. (He also built my RFPO and Single Stack.)

Edited September 29, 2018 by jkrispies

[perttime]

A gun with, single stack frame, Commander length slide, compensator, and red dot would be cool - whether it gives a competitive advantage or not.

[FF112173]

8 hours ago, jkrispies said:

Ah yes.  That’s a bit different than Single Stack.  The senior world champion uses one that be built himself at Pace Setting Design. It works well for him. .  The short slide allows it to cycle faster.  He custom builds for other too.  If you’d like his contact info, PM me. (He also built my RFPO and Single Stack.)

 

Thanks!

[pskys2]

For an Open Gun back in the late 1980's it was common to go with a commander length slide, 5 1/2" barrel with comp.  Cycled well, flat shooting and no more trouble than usual.

Until IPSC deleted Modified Division the gun most used was a double stack frame with a short slide, barrel and comp with/without a dot, and all had to fit in a standard box, one a standard 5" 1911 would fit in.

Now nobody uses a single stack frame for competition, but for a carry gun a single stack based on the modified format would be a very good idea.  

All must be fit together to run well, but they are effective.

One of the advantages of using  a comp with the shortened slide vs a commander slide is you can use a normal sized recoil spring if you use a coned comp (eliminates the bushing) and a full length reverse recoil spring plug.  The shortened slide then has less mass coming back at the shooter and yet has the full normal cycling stroke.  This helps make the pistol shoot flatter, softer and cycles more reliably.  

We started with 45 acp's and went through 9mm and ended with 38 super (and its copies).  The best would be a .355 +/- 125 +/- jhp at 1450 f/s (matches legendary 357 magnum loads) for a pf of 180+.  Easily done with a 38 super and one of the issues with 9mm's was always the 1911 frame was designed for a longer oal.  

Of course one built on one of the new 9mm specific 1911 frames might be a grand idea, maybe on a lw frame, steel slide...Wow maybe a project for down the road???

Edited October 6, 2018 by pskys2
added info

[FF112173]

This would be for steel challenge. 

[zzt]

I'm in the process of building a 1911 Open gun specifically for Steel Challenge.  Why?  I had a beautiful, new 1911 45 frame lying around and I don't need any more 45s.  So I had a W/N ramp cut and went 9mm.  There is no competitive disadvantage for it in Steel Challenge, so why not.  I went with a 5" slide.  I'll have Gans lighten it to 10 oz, or maybe even lighter, since this gun will never see major PF loads.  I'll also have the barrel fluted.  The barrel I chose was a Trubore blank, with custom comp cuts.  So a 5" slide was required.

 

I'm not so worried about reciprocating mass, since I can tune the load to make it shoot flat.  There is no rule that says you have to stay below 135PF.  I had one gun that shot flat at 155PF, so that's what I used.  BTW, if you do go for a 'shorty' plan on stroking it.

[pskys2]

On 10/6/2018 at 11:55 AM, FF112173 said:

This would be for steel challenge. 

Sorry Igot off on a tangent.

 I frequently shoot a ss in Ltd/steel challenge.  Only difference though is you can go to aluminum slide or comp or frame.

Try a search on-line at american handgunner and/or front sight there's been several articles years past on steel guns.

Edited October 7, 2018 by pskys2