1911 .45 acp with ramped barrel?

[ebg3]

Are there any full size 1911's (.45) that come with ramped bushing barrels?

I know ramped barrels are common in 9mm, 38 Super, and .40.  I don't see many in .45.

[TimBoettcher]

Yes, you can find them but not common due to unreliability in the .45acp.... 

 

TB 

[johnmyster]

Two I've had: 

 

Dan Wesson Wraith...which is odd because the Valor isn't.

 

A really early STI Trojan...which was odd because I had another that was a serialed a few hundred guns later, that wasn't.

Edited July 13, 2021 by johnmyster

[Gary1911A1]

I think Para did, but I don't have any more in .45ACP to check.

[Gary1911A1]

I think Para did, but I don't have any more in .45ACP to check.

[Danywill]

There are just so hard to find.

[Steve in Allentown PA]

On 7/11/2021 at 8:22 AM, TimBoettcher said:

Yes, you can find them but not common due to unreliability in the .45acp.... 

I agree.  

 

The biggest problem is the fact that the feed ramp doesn't extend down into the frame far enough to prevent nose dive feed ramp failures especially on the first round out of a fully loaded mag.  An ideal .45 frame ramp extends .400" down from the top of the frame rails.  The ramp on a supported  barrel can only extend about .300" down from the top of the rails.

 

Even if you get them to work, the feeding is not as smooth as a non-ramped pistol.

 

Ramped barrels work fine for the smaller calibers because the bullet impact from their nose dives isn't as low as a .45.  Still, I know 'smiths who do some fancy work to machine a "mini-ramp" just below the end of the barrel's feed ramp just in case a freak round does impact below the barrel ramp.

[matteekay]

On 7/12/2021 at 6:20 AM, Gary1911A1 said:

I think Para did, but I don't have any more in .45ACP to check.

 

Yes, Para used ramped .45 bushing barrels.

 

I've built two 2011's using Para top ends and they worked well once I had a load dialed in. Not sure that I'd say they're any better than a standard barrel for .45, though.

[motosapiens]

On 7/14/2021 at 7:49 AM, Steve in Allentown PA said:

 

The biggest problem is the fact that the feed ramp doesn't extend down into the frame far enough to prevent nose dive feed ramp failures especially on the first round out of a fully loaded mag.  An ideal .45 frame ramp extends .400" down from the top of the frame rails.  The ramp on a supported  barrel can only extend about .300" down from the top of the rails.

 

Even if you get them to work, the feeding is not as smooth as a non-ramped pistol.

 

this makes some sense to me. fwiw I have 2 sti trojans with ramped barrels that fed flawlessly for years, but the barrel ramp was nicely matched to the frame ramp. I recently replaced the barrel on one of them (due to a double-charge, doh!) and the gunsmith didn't really pay any attention to matching the frame and barrel ramps, so now hollow-points nose-dive and stick at the bottom of the barrel ramp (first round from a full mag). the same rounds from the same mags feed flawlessly in the other sti and in my ruger and sig 1911's with unramped barrels.

 

 

[RePete]

My STI Trojan (45)and my STI Ranger II (9mm) both have ramped barrels. The 45 never had first round feed issues but the 9mm's feed issued were magazine related.

[hgr2]

I now have 3 1911 45s with ramped barrels. No complaints. 

[RangerTrace]

On 7/20/2021 at 4:36 PM, motosapiens said:

 

this makes some sense to me. fwiw I have 2 sti trojans with ramped barrels that fed flawlessly for years, but the barrel ramp was nicely matched to the frame ramp. I recently replaced the barrel on one of them (due to a double-charge, doh!) and the gunsmith didn't really pay any attention to matching the frame and barrel ramps, so now hollow-points nose-dive and stick at the bottom of the barrel ramp (first round from a full mag). the same rounds from the same mags feed flawlessly in the other sti and in my ruger and sig 1911's with unramped barrels.

 

 

Yep, I had an single stack Infinity that would not feed the first round of a full mag with hollow point duty ammo unless I used an extra power mag spring.  Of course that dropped capacity down to 7, which was a no go for me.  In it's defense, it would feel ball ammo with no issues.  Has one of their 40s that did the same thing.

[twodownzero]

STIs had them, but they don't make 1911s anymore and they're not called STI.  Sadly.

[troupe]

Para's had them. Why not add a ramped barrel of your choice.

[Trini]

Had a SS built a few back.  Haven't had any problems with it.  Has about 4-5 K thru it..