Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Reason to choose a 1911 in 40 S&W over 45 ACP for USPSA?


BryceA

Recommended Posts

I have 2 Sig Max 1911’s, one in 40 and one in 45. I bought the 45 to shoot IDPA CDP and the 40 to shoot USPSA SS. Like mentioned above, 40 is cheaper and I already load it for LTD. Not sure I would download to minor for SS. If I wanted to shoot minor, I’d get a 9mm.

Now I will say the Sig in 40 is a little more finicky. 45 just runs. Could be mag issues but I have only had issues with the 40. Good guns for the money but they are Series 80’s. That may upset some people. You can replace the 80 parts with a spacer for USPSA but you can’t disengage safeties in IDPA.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 64
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

On 1/12/2020 at 1:49 PM, zzt said:

 

Nonsense.  I shot 40 minor for two seasons in Steel Challenge, and local outlaw matches.  I still shoot it for some outlaw matches.  When I was shooting Limited I shot major 172PF for USPSA and minor 140PF for everything else.  Didn't have to change springs or anything else.  If I thought there was any advantage to it I could have shot 40 minor in USPSA with 100% reliability and confidence.  Making a reliable 40 minor load only requires two working brain cells.

 

Nothing wrong with .40 minor.  I've shot tons of it.  .40 minor in 10-round 1911s.... that's when it gets twitchy and it doesn't take too many twitches at matches before shooters say 'screw it'.   There's a few that have persevered and made it work, but not many I've seen.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, shred said:

.40 minor in 10-round 1911s.... that's when it gets twitchy........

 

The same can be said for 10-round 9mm mags.  The only advantage there is a bunch of people make them, so you're bound to find one that works eventually.  I went through four brands before I got some that worked.  Even then I had to work them over first to get them to run 99.5%.  I'm still thinking of selling them all and getting good 9-round mags.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a .40 I built, uses normal length loads, feeds fine in Checkmate, Joemagmania.com, Tripp, some unknown brand and a Wilson. I had to add the spacer and Tripp follower to the Wilson to get it to work, but nothing else.

 

A 9mm Springfirld Loaded works fine with Metalform mags. Used them first, they work, they're affordable, so I felt no need to try others, though I have no doubt itll work with whichever mag I put in it.

 

The .40 took some tweaking to make it work but the 9mm was reliable out of the box.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, zzt said:

 

The same can be said for 10-round 9mm mags.  The only advantage there is a bunch of people make them, so you're bound to find one that works eventually.  I went through four brands before I got some that worked.  Even then I had to work them over first to get them to run 99.5%.

 

question: do you think 99.5% is good enough?  I don't. That's a malfunction in almost every match. It means multiple malfunctions likely in a major match. If someone means only running 99.5% when they say something works, that would explain the confusion on this thread. IMHO 99.5% is an abject failure, and something I would use for steel challenge, but not for uspsa.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, robertg5322 said:

I have a .40 I built, uses normal length loads, feeds fine in Checkmate, Joemagmania.com, Tripp, some unknown brand and a Wilson. I had to add the spacer and Tripp follower to the Wilson to get it to work, but nothing else.

 

Those are 10+1 rounds-fits-the-USPSA-box mags?   I'd only heard of the Tripp.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, motosapiens said:

question: do you think 99.5% is good enough?  I don't. That's a malfunction in almost every match. It means multiple malfunctions likely in a major match. If someone means only running 99.5% when they say something works, that would explain the confusion on this thread. IMHO 99.5% is an abject failure, and something I would use for steel challenge, but not for uspsa.

 

No it isn't good enough.  If I can't shortly get to 100%, I'm going to 9-round mags.  BTW, it is for Steel Challenge, not USPSA.  99.5% means two blips in each 8 stage match.  That's too many for a Level II or II match.  Since I've only needed 10 shots on a string once in the last four years, 9 in a mag is fine.

 

BTW I shoot Open major in USPSA and the gun runs 100%.  Not a single failure of any kind gun, ammo or mag related last year.  My DPP decided to crap out, but that's not the gun's fault.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, cheby said:

Is SS in 45ACP generally more reliable than in 40sw? I am talking major only

 

The answer is yes.  40 isn't a problem in 8-round mags if your OAL is correct for your gun.  Both of my 40s would feed anything between 1.126" and 1.180".  Others say they had to load to 1.150", and some to 1.120".  As I mentioned earlier in this thread, if you can afford to lose the brass, shoot 45.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

USPSA isnt a  vacuum,,, pretty much every game you can think of can be played with a SS 40,, LOad it major or 10 rd minor with Trip mags for USPSA,, load it 9+1 for IDPA and watch the math challenged folks swear it isnt better,, even though it is,,   shoot steel challenge minor, long load 200 gr bullets for pins..

Beware the guy with one gun,,, he might know how to use it.

40 1911 SS gun is the ultimate gamer gun for a guy with one gun... If USPSA would stop their nonsense fear of single actions , would be a good production gun as well

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/12/2020 at 5:49 AM, zzt said:

 

Nonsense.  I shot 40 minor for two seasons in Steel Challenge, and local outlaw matches.  I still shoot it for some outlaw matches.  When I was shooting Limited I shot major 172PF for USPSA and minor 140PF for everything else.  Didn't have to change springs or anything else.  If I thought there was any advantage to it I could have shot 40 minor in USPSA with 100% reliability and confidence.  Making a reliable 40 minor load only requires two working brain cells.

The challenge to making 40 minor work, is due to SINGLE STACK mag/box restrictions, something you shooting 40 in Limited cannot help with. See bold below

 

On 1/13/2020 at 7:12 AM, shred said:

 

Nothing wrong with .40 minor.  I've shot tons of it.  .40 minor in 10-round 1911s.... that's when it gets twitchy and it doesn't take too many twitches at matches before shooters say 'screw it'.   There's a few that have persevered and made it work, but not many I've seen.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, TrackCage said:

The challenge to making 40 minor work, is due to SINGLE STACK mag/box restrictions, something you shooting 40 in Limited cannot help with. See bold below

 

 

 

I also shoot single stacks.  There is no problem with either 9mm or 40 sw with 8-round mags.  When you go to ten with either, you run into problems.  40 is easier, because there is only one mag that holds ten and fits in the box.  So you experiment with mag catch shelf heights and OAL until you find the right combo.  Then it will run 100%.  Hint:  you need higher than standard with Tripp mags.

 

9mm is much harder to get to 100% with 10-round mags, because the mags are all different.  As far as I know there are only four different mag catch heights you can buy.  If you want to use a certain mag and can't find a catch to match, you must modify the catch or the mags.  Then there is the problem with the springs.  They are too strong when new.  If you don't condition them for weeks you are going to get nose dives.  The problem is the 9mm tapered case.  The top round is angled correctly for feeding, but is not supported in the front by the round underneath because of the taper.  The rounds do not stack the way they do in 40 and 45.  If you don't believe me, look at a fully loaded translucent carbine mag.  The problem with 10-round mag springs is excessive pressure on the top round when fully loaded.  Cutting a coil or two off the bottom of the spring can help, but reduces spring life.  IMO that is an acceptable trade off.

 

The next problem with 9mm (and to a lesser extend 40sw) is barrel link.  If your barrel is fit with a #3 (slightly elongated to allow the barrel to sit on the barrel rest) or a #4, the integral feed ramp sits at the correct angle.  With a #1 or #2 you have your work cut out for you.  Although I've never tried it, I'd bet it impossible with a #1.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have zero problems with brand new 9mm mag springs and the Dawson mags (while they look like all the other metalform mags out there, they do tweak them).  Took them to the World Shoot, IPSC Pan Ams and Nationals with new springs in them, no conditioning or cutting coils and whatnot. 

 

I have a couple 40s as well that I shoot Major with but there's zero point in .40 minor single-stack if you also have 9's and are setup to load it. Bring 2 guns to the match if you want to decide there and hope you pick the one you've been training with, or just pick one and practice which is probably the better option long-term.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just shoot my Tripp 40 SS with Tripp 9 rd mags, shoot 180 grain bullets loaded to 1.185 major and let er RIP. 

Been working very well. When I give myself to many options is when I crash and burn. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...