1911 9mm V 45 ACP

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Mikef262

New member
I have been looking around at 1911's recently, trying to find a Colt Lightweight commander in 45 specifically. I stumbled across Fusion Firearms and decided I would also accept their version, the Freedom 1911 CCO in 45.


Now, the issue comes into play that both of these companies are completely dried out of 45's to sell, yet their 9mm counterparts are widely available. Which got me thinking and wondering why this is? Why is the 9mm version of these guns so much easier to get your hands on? If you saw a large sales success on one model, then saw the other just collecting dust on the shelf, why would you not focus production efforts onto the success?

What do you guys think? I do know Colt was bought out by CZ, so I assume that is the reasoning behind Colt becoming virtually nonexistent. Though I have found numerous of their 9mm commanders locally.
 
That's quite strange. I'd have expected 9mm 1911s to be the hottest versions on the market, with .45s languishing.
Be aware that a "CCO" has a short, Officers-length frame, and is not a Commander.
 
My own personal take is the price of 9mm ammo creeped up, and in some places, surpassed, .45ACP ammo. People dumped off their 9mm firearms in favor of others in different cartridge options.
 
Just my opinion. In almost any other pistol I'd rather have 9mm. But to me a 1911 just isn't a 1911 in any other cartridge than 45. With the possible exception of 38 Super.

My GUESS is that most people feel the same as me and 45's sell as soon as they come in while 9mm versions sit on the shelves waiting on a buyer. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to buy a 9 round mag capacity 9mm 1911 when 17-21 round mag capacity is available in smaller, lighter guns designed around 9mm.
 
I agree with everyone above in that 1911 just screams 45. I was just caught off guard with how hard it is to find one in stock now.

RickB, yes, I did realize that as my search for one continued and I actually like the sound of an officer frame with a slightly longer slide. The only one I found in stock was a Rock Island. While I know they are typically good shooters, I've made the mistake before of buying something similar to what I want. It always ended in regret.
 
jmr40 said:
Just my opinion. In almost any other pistol I'd rather have 9mm. But to me a 1911 just isn't a 1911 in any other cartridge than 45. With the possible exception of 38 Super.

My GUESS is that most people feel the same as me and 45's sell as soon as they come in while 9mm versions sit on the shelves waiting on a buyer.
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I suspect that's probably the answer. Which just shows us that even most 1911 owners don't know the Commander came out as a 9mm. The .45 ACP versions followed later.
 
fwiw, I don't know why anyone would want a 1911 that wasn't .45.

Every pistol I own is 9mm, except for my one pretty 1911. It's the only "fun gun" I own, everything else has a purpose. I have no interest in one chambered in 9mm.

That's my opinion, but it seems to be in-line with the OPs observation.
 
I've got several 1911s in .45acp and at the end of the day they are one of the classic American handguns. I wonder if that is what you really want would you be happy with something else. There are several other really nice brands out there, so you might expand your search a little. Now, having said all of that, I'm not so sure my next 1911 might be a 9mm for various reasons like ammo cost/availability and the best of all - I just wnat one.
 
I own the 1911 platform in 45acp, 40 S&W, and 9mm and they are all fun to shoot. I do agree that a lot of people associate the 1911 as a 45acp gun so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. If you want a 191 in 45 then keep up the hunt, there are millions of 1911 45acp guns out there. I would not settle unless a 9mm 1911 is something you really wanted anyway. I love mine and it is a smooth shooter.
 
The 1911 is historically a .45 ACP Pistol, with the term "Colt .45" being synonymous with both the Single Action Army Revolver and the 1911. As such most folks prefer the 1911 chambered in .45 ACP.

That being said, I've also read that 9mm 1911s just aren't as reliable as those chambered in .45 ACP in general, although there are exceptions.

Personally, if I were going to buy a 1911, then it would be chambered in .45 ACP, if not 10mm Auto, and if I were going to get a 1911 chambered in a 9mm cartridge, then it would either be chambered in .38 Super or .380 ACP.
 
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Other than an Imbel-made, high-cap model that was never imported into the U.S., where do you find a .380 1911?
 
Just my opinion, but there are many better 9mm handguns than a 9mm 1911. The CZ comes to mind.

The whole experience of the 1911 is the big subsonic .45 acp BOOM and PUSH feeling of recoil. It's an experience, part of the whole package. A perfected 1911 is a treasure.

Browning and I think Rock Island makes a little sort-of scale model of a 1911 in .380. Unfortunately, the reputations I read online are not stellar. No one makes a full size .380 anymore that I know of. It was good enough for Franz Ferdinand. But they are not "real" 1911s.
 
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I am of the same philosophy as others have posted. When I hear 1911 only one caliber comes to mind the .45 acp as John Browning designed it. I have other guns in 9mm like Walther and Taurus and Beretta. I do own a couple of 1911 style guns that are not .45 acp, one is a 10mm and .380 configurations made by Springfield.
 
I’ve always figure if I’m going to get a 1911 it could only be a .45. But, I didn’t want to add another caliber to my loading bench so always held off. Then a couple years ago got a deal I couldn’t resist on an RIA in both 9mm and .22TCM, I figured that could be interesting. It’s a fantastic gun, shoots great in 9mm and the .22TCM is a hoot. It’s very accurate, 100% reliable and I love shooting it. No regrets whatsoever.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Commander

The pistol that would eventually be named the Colt Commander was Colt's Manufacturing Company's candidate in a U.S. government post-World War II trial to find a lighter replacement for the M1911 pistol that would be issued to officers. Requirements were issued in 1949 that the pistol had to be chambered for 9 mm Parabellum and could not exceed 7 inches in length or weigh more than 25 ounces.
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stinkeypete said:
Just my opinion, but there are many better 9mm handguns than a 9mm 1911. The CZ comes to mind.

The whole experience of the 1911 is the big subsonic .45 acp BOOM and PUSH feeling of recoil. It's an experience, part of the whole package. A perfected 1911 is a treasure.

Browning and I think Rock Island makes a little sort-of scale model of a 1911 in .380. Unfortunately, the reputations I read online are not stellar. No one makes a full size .380 anymore that I know of. It was good enough for Franz Ferdinand. But they are not "real" 1911s.
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The Rock Island Baby Rock has a 3.75" barrel and weighs in at 25.92 ounces loaded. The Browning weighs in at 17 1/2 ounces empty and is 15% smaller than a full size 1911. I can't speak for the Rock Island .380 or the Browning .380 but my Browning .22 has been trouble free. As has been my full size Rock island in .45 ACP.
 
The pistol that would eventually be named the Colt Commander
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In print advertising, it was initially called the Zephyr Commander, but that may have been pre-production.
One artifact of the Commander's 9mm origins, is that all Commanders have (had?) wide, 9mm/.38 Super ejectors, even when chambered in .45 ACP.
 
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