GI M1911A1 & Today's Ammo

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usncorpsman

New member
Howdy All Hands,

Comments please on whether you think it would be safe to fire today's ammo, e.g., Winchester 185 gr Silvertip, H.P.
(not +P) in my old "slab sides."
I purchased my Remington Rand M1911A1 in 1962 through the NRA. (for $17.00 :-)
Through the past 38 years I have run a bunch of rounds through this pistol. They have all been either GI, 230 gr FMJ or Winchester, Remington, and Blazer brands in the same loading of 230 gr, FMJ "ball" with some 185 gr Federal semi-wadcutter type cartridges and other "target" .45 ACP loads.
I notice in Winchester's ballistic tables that their 230 gr FMJ load has a MV of 835 FPS with ME of 356 FP.
The Silvertip I mentioned above is listed with a MV of 1000 FPS and a ME of 411 FP. Doesn't sound like it would be too hot for my old pistol still I would like input from others.
No handloads have ever been run through it and other than the U.S. Army, I am the sole owner of this piece.
Thanks for your comments and Merry Christmas.

usncorpsman
 
Safety is not the problem, and that gun will take a lot more than today's cast clones ever will. With some ammo, feeding may be a problem without a change of magazines or a lot of work on the gun and often even with it. If the gun is in anything like good condition, though, any modifications will reduce its historical and collector value.

I wouldn't worry about changing springs or putting in a buffer. Installing a buffers may reduce impact on the frame, impact the gun is designed to take, while reducing reliability. Sparing a little wear on the frame at the expense of having a failure at the wrong time is the wrong order of priority. Heavier springs reduce impact on the frame in rearward slide motion, but increase impact on the slide stop and frame when the barrel returns to battery.

Jim
 
I've never had a problem with the buffers affecting reliability. Not saying they won't or can't, but I haven't experienced any.

Regarding the stiffer springs, dropping a slide on an unloaded 1911 with a standard spring will probably do more harm than continuous use of a slightly stiffer spring chambering rounds. The rounds loaded from a magazine buffer the slide as it goes into battery and significantly reduce the hammering. Just what I've been told from folks who should know. Right now, I only shoot standard factory ball ammo and use a standard spring and a shok-buff. Works fine.
 
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