1911 in 9MM

4

45Gunner

New member
If you have been following me for any length of time, you know that I am a 1911 guy. Yup, I have a few other types of guns such as some HK's, Glocks, Revolvers, etc. I have even been known to fire off a few .22LR's every now and again.

One morning I was having a cup of coffee, sitting at my computer, and got the idea that I may want a 1911 chambered in 9mm. Why would I want to do that, you may ask? Shooting .45ACP can get costly with the amount of ammo I consume on a regular basis. I decided that my buddies seem to be getting smoking deals on 9mm and I wanted to take advantage of that.

I train with and carry a .1911 so it makes sense to carry on with the same platform. I found an auction on Gunbroker.com and got what I thought was a decent deal for a Kimber 1911 Custom II (all steel) in 9mm. I have one of those in .45ACP. The gun looks and feels just like the .45. The only tell tale difference is that the boom is not quite as loud and the recoil is less that its counterpart. I shot it for the first time today and was happy with the accuracy and there was not one hiccup with the gun, not that I expected one. This makes the 8th Kimber I have added to my stable and I am extremely happy with it and the fact that I can continue to train at a cost savings with the 9mm. Only thing that annoyed me was the cost of extra magazines.
 
Congratulation on the new kimber. I have been tempted to get the kimber two tone commander in 9mm. As for mags I have been using metalform 10 rounders with great success. They feed well and lock the slide back. You can get them here. http://gregcotellc.com/cart/1911-metalform-magazines-c-182/metalform-1911-government-9mm-10-rd-stainless-steel-9743-p-1541.html
Let's see some pics of your kimber. Here's my sig 1911 in 9mm.

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The purists may not like them but I do. I have a Smith and Wesson, Springfield, Dan Wesson and Sig 1911 in 9mm. They are an absolute joy to shoot. I also have several in .45 but I really like the 9s better.
 
Have Dan Wesson, Colt, and Ruger 1911s in 9mm. The DW Guardian is my favorite but they're all darn nice to shoot. Ammo is quite a bit cheaper and the lower recol makes them easier to handle IMO.
 
45Gunner: said:
Why would I want to do that, you may ask?
Click to expand...

My 9mm STI Trojan 1911 is the best pistol to have when I get a group of people together to shoot, and some of these folks don't shoot a lot. This gun is accurate, and it's reliable if we keep the round count down to 100 or less during a range session. The trigger and sights are both nice and the recoil is negligible. Everybody usually shoots pretty well with this gun and they have fun, any more you can't ask for!
 
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Yes, I like a 1911 in 9mm as well.

My primary carry and range gun is a Wilson 5" all stainless Protector model. I put 7 or 8 boxes a week thru it with some tactical drills..-- most weeks still ...and it's been a great gun for the last 10 yrs or so. It has around 140,000 Rds thru it now...

https://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=90272&d=1372200117

I like the Wilson 10 rd, ETM base pad 9mm mag...and you might try one in your new kimber.

I have a Wilson CQB in .45acp .../ but with some arthritis now in my hands, the 9mm is just a better choice for me.

Good luck with the new 9mm !
 
A 9mm 1911 is probably one of my most favorite guns to shoot. A bunny fart 9mm load through an all-steel full size 1911 is a hoot. I can feel the barrel unlocking and all the different feelings of the slide going back and locking back up again.

My biggest complaint? The mags don't last long enough. :)
 
Spend the money on handloading equipment, and you'll have cheap ammo for all of your guns.
I still don't like 9mm in the 1911; the gun was designed around a cartridge ~1.25" in length, and it runs better with rounds of that length - .38 Super, 10mm, .45 - than it does with shorter rounds like 9 and .40.
 
If the 1911 is mfg'd properly ....it will run 100% in 9mm or .40 S&W.../ its a matter of it being done properly ( good mags, the right springs, feed ramp done properly, etc...) ...and my primary gun, the Wilson Protector model in 5" in 9mm ...is just one example of a gun that has run 100% right out of the box for over 10 yrs now - and my buddies have plenty more of them...and Springfields and Sigs etc...in 9mm that have all run very well - in 4" and 5" guns.

There are 1911's out there ...that have trouble running in .45 acp also .../ but its not a caliber issue, its a mfg issue in my view.
 
Who, me?

I shoot 9mm 1911oids to keep the recoil down. But then I also shoot .45 Minor to keep the recoil down. I reload for both so the added cost of a .45 bullet vs 9mm is the only real difference in expense. The main advantage of the 9mm for me is the available extra shot. (I have 9 shot single stack .45 magazines that fit The Box for IDPA.)

The main disadvantage is that you may have to do some tuning and tinkering to get that extra shot.
I have found the original Colt NATO and Mf/SA Front Ramp 9 shot magazines to be quite reliable.
I have several brands of 10 shot magazine and they have to be matched with gun and ammo.
My Colt with plain barrel is the most finicky, I have reluctantly concluded that the integral ramp barrel like my SA is better for the smallbore.
 
I've given up .45ACP because of my arthritis. Hasn't bothered me because the first 1911 I bought was a 9mm. Since then, I've purchased several other 1911's, both in .45ACP and 9mm. I found I like the 9mm better anyway. Though, I'll admit a SIG .45ACP 1911 Target was a dream to shoot.

Today, I was shooting my STI Target Master 9mm. It is an interesting gun. It seems like I can feel everything that moves in it when it fires. It just sort of rumbles along. It's a tight gun, but I feel the movement. The other STI 1911 I have, with a five inch barrel, the Range Master, feels completely different.

For a really different feel, the STI Match Master 2011 9mm has it.

Yes, I like STI's. And, 1911's by any mfg., if they are accurate and reliable.
 
Mine shoots like a champ and doesn't malfunction. In a full-sized steel 1911 it is an absurdly easy caliber to shoot.
 
I've been lusting for a 1911 in 9mm for awhile. Honestly, I prefer the crack of a 9mm to the boom of a 45. Plus I have a couple of other 9mm pistols.

A couple of weeks ago I bit the bullet, so to speak, and picked up a new Ruger SR1911 in 9mm. It's a Commander sized - standard grip with a 4.25" barrel. Very ice balance and easy to get back on target.

Bottom line, it's accurate with FMJ and JHPs and a pure joy to shoot. So far, not a single hiccup. Trigger is immaculate. But you 1911 guys know that.
 
I love my RIA full size tactical I (now called the Rock). It is very accurate and has never malfunctioned in any way and was under $500 out the door. It's my favorite gun to shoot of the 14 I have.
 
I got a hankering for a 1911 not long ago, and since I already loaded for 9mm, I figured I might as well get a 9mm 1911 (I've since started to load for 45 acp, so that logic didn't work out).

It wasn't real high on my "I want" list, but when I saw this one for $400.00 I figured it was a good place to start. I'd never heard of the company, but I figured it would do for a range toy, and it had all the stuff the "cool kids" had on their 1911's back in my IPSC days.

Metro Arms American Classic II.






I don't know if that price was high, low, or in-between, but I figured you can't buy much of anything for less than $400.00 these days.

In my limited shooting, about 100 rounds of my reloads, and 50 rounds of Blazer Brass 115's, it's preformed perfectly. The slide feels like it's on bearings or something it's so smooth. The trigger is really nice, and it hits where I'm looking.

I can't ask for much more really.
 
Good choice I think. Over a period of several years years I owned and operated three Kimbers in 9mm. They were all excellent from day one. Good fit, finish,accuracy, triggers, and most importantly: flawless reliability. I've also had Dan Wesson and STI 9mms. Both first rate. The 9mm Colts I've had required a bit of effort to achieve reliabilty with the different 9mm bullet types......ymmv
 
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