Dan Bone Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 I was eyeing another 1911 for the collection and noticed that many are going for the 40 S&W vice the 45 ACP. Aside from the magazine problems which I have read about already. What are the pro's and con's of the 40 in a single stack. I'll only use it for Lim-10 so capacity isn't a selling point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Capizzo Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 The selling point of the .40 over the .45 is that there is less rotational torque with the smaller caliber spinning down the barrel. I haven't shot enough .40 in a single stack to have an opinion on whether this is a real or theoretical advantage. Also .40 brass is incredibly cheap. The advantage of .45 is real 10 round mags are easily available, and um, maybe thats it. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBoyle Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 There is another slight advantage of the 45 That extra .052" of width can mean the differrence between an A zone hit and a C or a C and a D. The 40 also seems to cylce and recover faster but even though the 45 cylces slower you will never be able to pull the trigger faster than it cycles. I still use a 45. I use 178 and 185 grain semi wad cutters over VV N320. They seem to make the gun shoot like most 40s that I have shot as far as cylcing and recovery. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 BBoyle, sure, and the extra .05" can also mean the difference between an Alpha and an Alpha + No Shoot. C'mon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 For me, the big selling point on the .40 over the .45 is the ".45 twist". And yes, it is noticable, to me at least! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted July 11, 2002 Share Posted July 11, 2002 Bravo Eric! I agree, if the extra diameter give you advantage, it also has a drawback. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. No question, go with the 40. Less expensive all the way around. (Edited by warpspeed at 5:02 pm on July 10, 2002) (Edited by warpspeed at 10:24 pm on July 11, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ankeny Posted July 11, 2002 Share Posted July 11, 2002 Hmmm...I wonder why guys like Ron Avery (and he ain't the only one) strongly recommend and shoot the .45 in their single stacks? I had the opportunity to shoot Avery's .45 and it is sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBoyle Posted July 17, 2002 Share Posted July 17, 2002 Quote: from Erik Warren on 1:43 pm on July 9, 2002 BBoyle, sure, and the extra .05" can also mean the difference between an Alpha and an Alpha + No Shoot. C'mon... That is true as well. In reality there is more twist to a 45 which is slightly noticable. With a proper grip and the gun tuned (correct spring and load) the 45 will shoot almost as easily as a 40. Shoot both and get what you feel most comfortable with. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted July 17, 2002 Share Posted July 17, 2002 ??? why not shoot a left hand twist 45 barrel and have it twist into you grip instead of away??? Just a thought Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted July 17, 2002 Share Posted July 17, 2002 A big advantage of the .40 for me is that I can get very good reload ammo in .40 (180 gr, FMJ) for $120/case from Home Ammo Direct. .45 ammo is ridiculously expensive. I happen to prefer the .40 over the .45 for recoil. The .40 feels quicker and lighter to me and I can follow up faster. Any body who hasn't tried a good 1911 in .40 should do it, don't take anybody's word for it how "bad" the recoil of the .40 is. I like it a lot better than the .45ACP in the same gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Boit Posted July 18, 2002 Share Posted July 18, 2002 Maybe i'm old fashioned (despite my age of 25) but for me, a single stack pistol is a .45 ACP I love that caliber , and i love the .40 too but i choose to shot the 45 in a SS gun and the .40 in my competition gun (standard Hicap). But this is just MY opinion DVC Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dame Posted July 28, 2002 Share Posted July 28, 2002 what brands/models of .40cal 1911 do you recommend. Or would i be better off buying a used 45 and converting it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Capizzo Posted July 28, 2002 Share Posted July 28, 2002 The SV (Infinity) single stacks are gorgeous. The only one I've actually shot was in .40, and all I can say is I wish I could afford one, 'cause I'd own it! Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted July 28, 2002 Share Posted July 28, 2002 Aside from the SV's and the STI guns, call Wilson , Baer, Colt and Springfield and ask what % of sales of 1911 pistols are chambered for .40S&W. Answer...not many. The difference in torque, felt recoil etc. in 45 vs 40 isn't enough to worry about. Assuming both pistols are set up alike and each has tweeked the recoil spring to suit the shooter, the differences are within 5" of each other; the distance between your ears. If you think there will be a difference there will be one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted July 29, 2002 Share Posted July 29, 2002 I would say try the .40 in your favorite gun and then decide. There are big differences in felt recoil depending on gun. In two "identical" full size 5" 1911's I shoot 180-gr .40 (factory FMJ) and 230 .45 ACP. To me the .45 recoil feelds about 30% more in peak push but about 3X longer in time. The .45 feels like somebody is pushing the muzzle with a broom handle and I have to wait for it to stop. In .40, it's a quick pop and go. I believe the muzzle rise on the .40 is about 1" or less. As I said, the difference is not imaginary. Some people hate the pop of the .40 and some people like it. But, there is a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Bone Posted July 30, 2002 Author Share Posted July 30, 2002 You're comparing apples and oranges. Different barrels with different tollerances. 180gr vs 230 gr. Probably different powders. Definitely different primers. I don't know that you can make that comparison. If you wanted your .45 to shoot snapier. Wouldn't going with a lighter bullet (possibly LSWC) give you the same feel. How about trying your two guns with both using 180gr bullets, same powder (of appropriate quantities) and see how they compare. There's still a lot of differences but now you're narrowing it down to tangerines and oranges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted August 1, 2002 Share Posted August 1, 2002 Well there is the difference in mag capacity (no .40 10-rounders), and let's not kid ourselves, when we're talking shooting in double taps, which we are most of the time, that's a significant concern. Even if we did have 10-shot .40 mags I'd still shoot .45. I like having the MUCH lower pressure .45 versus the high intensity .40. Brass lasts longer, you've got a much more generous safety margin pressure-wise. And, according to BE, in his experience (which is immense, I might add) the .40 has a serious edge in feed reliability in a single stack. BE says that in his experience there are certain cartridge/magazine combinations that are easier to make feed 100 percent of the time in a 1911 than others. From most reliable to least, it goes: Single-stack .45 Double-stack .40 Single-stack .40 Double-stack .45 Sound like a single-stack .45 kinda day to me! I mean, that's the bottom line as far as I'm concerned: for defense or competition, the gun must go bang every time you pull the trigger. All other concerns are secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted August 1, 2002 Share Posted August 1, 2002 Duane: there are 12-shot .40 mags legally available. They are 10 - shot .45 mags which feed .40 without modification. It's covered on another thread somewhere in this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted August 2, 2002 Share Posted August 2, 2002 "there are 12-shot .40 mags legally available." Do they work? I'm not trying to be smartass, I'm truly curious. How large is the potential supply? Quality? Maker(s)? "They are 10 - shot .45 mags which feed .40 without modification. It's covered on another thread somewhere in this forum." I've read the thread. I'm just not sure it's worth it. My prejudice, I'll be the first to admit. (Edited by Duane Thomas at 5:17 pm on Aug. 1, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted August 2, 2002 Share Posted August 2, 2002 According to the guys on this forum, they definitely work. And, from what I read, everybody uses them to get 10-round capacity in their SS .40 guns. I know what you mean about not being sure, but I'm breaking in a .40 STI Trojan right now and the standard 8-round .40SW MecGars don't work without severe beatings. I believe the .45 mags listed in the thread would probably be less trouble than I've had with the MecGars. I guess I've gotten used to the idea that SS 1911 mags are just problematic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Benzick Posted August 2, 2002 Share Posted August 2, 2002 Bounty Hunter, In my experience it's the MecGars which are problematic. Top end McCormick mags are trouble free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted August 2, 2002 Share Posted August 2, 2002 I echo David's post, problem is probably with your mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted August 3, 2002 Share Posted August 3, 2002 Strange. I've got a 9mm Officer's "ACP" built around Mec-Gar single-stacks, and they've always worked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 I agree MecGars suck. I have a Trojan in 9mm and one in .40 and had to dial in the Mecgars for both to get them to feed correctly. If I was smarter I should have bought a different brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Kline Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Anyone know where the thread is that talks about the .45 single stack 10 round mags that they load with 40's and work? couldnt' find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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