I am thinking about getting either a Beretta 92 or a 9mm 1911. I had a Taurus PT92 that I was really good with so I have a pretty good idea about the Beretta and its capabilities. I have a 1911 in 45acp, but have no experience with a 9mm 1911. Those of you that have experience with the 9mm 1911 please advise me. I am not sure of what barrel length I would want because I am not sure if I would want to cc this gun. Please tell me about your experiences with various makes and models and particularly any cycling issues. Thanks.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Tell Me About 9mm 1911s
- Thread starter KMAX
- Start date
I own three 9mm 1911s. When 9mms were scarce I bought a used pre-Series 70 Colt Combat Commander that I bought more as a project gun for sometime in the future. It has an occasional feed issue but I've never even bothered to put new springs in it because right after I bought it, 9mms became more prevalent and . . .
I bought an STI Spartan with a five inch barrel which is a tack driver, though the finish is nothing to write home about. No problems with it ever. Maybe my favorite range gun. Then . . .
I bought a Dan Wesson 9mm Guardian. It has an alloy frame and bobtail grip frame. Very nicely finished. The only problem I had is when I placed my weak side (left) thumb on it because I use a thumbs forward grip. A slight adjustment in my grip and all has been well.
Throw my experience with the used Colt out the window. I have otherwise been pleased with my 9s.
BTW, I also have a Star Model B Super in 9mm Luger which is 1911ish. Good gun for the money.
I bought an STI Spartan with a five inch barrel which is a tack driver, though the finish is nothing to write home about. No problems with it ever. Maybe my favorite range gun. Then . . .
I bought a Dan Wesson 9mm Guardian. It has an alloy frame and bobtail grip frame. Very nicely finished. The only problem I had is when I placed my weak side (left) thumb on it because I use a thumbs forward grip. A slight adjustment in my grip and all has been well.
Throw my experience with the used Colt out the window. I have otherwise been pleased with my 9s.
BTW, I also have a Star Model B Super in 9mm Luger which is 1911ish. Good gun for the money.
I have 2 1911s in 9mm, STI Trojan 5" and Kimber Custom II Target 5".
STI was good out of the box.
Kimber had extractor tension issue which was an easy DIY fix. My kimber is several years old now. I would think that the issue has been resolved at the factory by now.
I am very happy with the reliability and accuracy of both pistols.
The fit on STI is just slightly tighter than the Kimber.
Accuracy is about equal but if forced to say which is more accurate, I would say the STI just a tad more accurate than the Kimber.
---------
Both the Kimber custom II and the STI Trojan have ramped barrels; ramp is supposed to help with feeding and supposedly they have better chamber support than most of the lesser priced non-ramped 9mm 1911. For my peace of mind, I spent more to get the ramped 1911s but it may truly be a non-issue.
---------
If I were in your shoes, I would go with a 5" 1911 primarily for range/target shooting instead of the Beretta 92. 1911 trigger is just so good and recoil is minimal in 9mm. Also, 1911 fit better in my hand than a Beretta 92.
If you plan to CC the pistol, I would pick neither the Beretta nor a 1911. Beretta is too big for comfortable CC and the 1911/9mm is big and heavy to hold only 9/10 rounds.
---------
For CC, I would go for a subcompact like a Glock 26 or similar or smaller like a Kahr K9 or similar.
STI was good out of the box.
Kimber had extractor tension issue which was an easy DIY fix. My kimber is several years old now. I would think that the issue has been resolved at the factory by now.
I am very happy with the reliability and accuracy of both pistols.
The fit on STI is just slightly tighter than the Kimber.
Accuracy is about equal but if forced to say which is more accurate, I would say the STI just a tad more accurate than the Kimber.
---------
Both the Kimber custom II and the STI Trojan have ramped barrels; ramp is supposed to help with feeding and supposedly they have better chamber support than most of the lesser priced non-ramped 9mm 1911. For my peace of mind, I spent more to get the ramped 1911s but it may truly be a non-issue.
---------
If I were in your shoes, I would go with a 5" 1911 primarily for range/target shooting instead of the Beretta 92. 1911 trigger is just so good and recoil is minimal in 9mm. Also, 1911 fit better in my hand than a Beretta 92.
If you plan to CC the pistol, I would pick neither the Beretta nor a 1911. Beretta is too big for comfortable CC and the 1911/9mm is big and heavy to hold only 9/10 rounds.
---------
For CC, I would go for a subcompact like a Glock 26 or similar or smaller like a Kahr K9 or similar.
Last edited:
triplebike
New member
I have many 9MM handguns, some are custom at over $1000. None of them are more accurate then my RIA 1911 tactical 9mm. It is by far my favorite range gun. Well over a 1000 rds fired, not a single issue & I use the stock mag! NIB at $479, lifetime warranty & Hi Point quality customer service. One of the best values out there.
Last edited:
@KMAX: There is some old shooting lore that the 1911 is sometimes not as reliable when chambered for the 9x19 mm. Whether true or not, I don't know. A couple of decades ago, a friend had a Colt Commander, chambered for 9x19mm, and we shot it a lot with absolutely no problems.
You said that you were unsure if you wanted the gun for concealed carry. If you are considering concealed carry and are partial to the 1911 platform, then I would look hard at the springfield armory EMP. I believe springfield armory shortened the EMP's magazine well and magazine, measured from front to back, in order to preclude any feeding problems with the shorter 9mm luger cartridge.
If you want a full size 1911, you may want to consider getting one chambered for .38 super auto. It's the classic cartridge for the 1911 platform (and yes, I know the original cartridge was the .38 ACP, but the geometry is the same), more powerful than the 9mm luger, and you will have something different. My .38 super, springfield armory 1911 with a Wilson ramped barrel works flawlessly. The downside is that practicality makes the .38 super auto a handloading proposition because factory ammunition can be hard to find and expensive.
You said that you were unsure if you wanted the gun for concealed carry. If you are considering concealed carry and are partial to the 1911 platform, then I would look hard at the springfield armory EMP. I believe springfield armory shortened the EMP's magazine well and magazine, measured from front to back, in order to preclude any feeding problems with the shorter 9mm luger cartridge.
If you want a full size 1911, you may want to consider getting one chambered for .38 super auto. It's the classic cartridge for the 1911 platform (and yes, I know the original cartridge was the .38 ACP, but the geometry is the same), more powerful than the 9mm luger, and you will have something different. My .38 super, springfield armory 1911 with a Wilson ramped barrel works flawlessly. The downside is that practicality makes the .38 super auto a handloading proposition because factory ammunition can be hard to find and expensive.
Last edited:
In my experience, 1911s chambered in 9 and .40 are not as reliable as those chambered in .38 Super/10mm/.45. The gun was designed around a cartridge ~1.25" in length, and shorter rounds don't work as well.
I owned one, a Springfield Loaded Target, only very briefly - it was a nice gun - but I see them in IDPA competition all the time.
As a "fun gun", to stay current on the 1911 while paying for cheap 9mm ammo, it might be worthwhile, but I wouldn't choose such a large gun as a vehicle for such a small cartridge.
I owned one, a Springfield Loaded Target, only very briefly - it was a nice gun - but I see them in IDPA competition all the time.
As a "fun gun", to stay current on the 1911 while paying for cheap 9mm ammo, it might be worthwhile, but I wouldn't choose such a large gun as a vehicle for such a small cartridge.
The first center fire handgun I ever shot was my dads Colt Combat Commander in 9mm. I liked it so much that I bought a Springfield 9mm 1911 when I got old enough. It is a great shooter and 9mm ammo is mostly cheaper, I never have any problems with it and it should be shot more...I just dont get to the range as much as I would like. They make a great addition to any collection.
Read all of this. Todd Green covers mags, reliability, etc
(starts at the end)
http://pistol-training.com/archives/category/range-reports/springfield-1911-9mm
(starts at the end)
http://pistol-training.com/archives/category/range-reports/springfield-1911-9mm
In my experience, 1911s chambered in 9 and .40 are not as reliable as those chambered in .38 Super/10mm/.45. The gun was designed around a cartridge ~1.25" in length, and shorter rounds don't work as well.
Springer EMP was designed around the .45GAP.... same length as the 9 and .40S&W .... mine (9) works pretty well .....
KMAX - I have owned several 1911s thru the years, I quickly found a 1911 9mm to be much more enjoyable than the .45 caliber. I now own only 1911 9mm's and have never had any issues with any of them. TRIPLEBIKE is correct IMO - if you are looking for a good quality, low cost 1911 9mm it's hard to beat a RIA Tactical, mine also has been flawless. If you want to step up to the $1k range I would get the S&W Pro Series, I prefer the first generation with Novak rear sight vs. the adjustable rear sight of the second generation. Just me. I shoot it at my local gun range in target competition and have won the class for the last 2 years using it. My Colt Gov't 1911 9mm doesn't get shot much, more of a safe queen. That's not to say Springfield Range Master or Dan Wesson PM9 won't get the job done either, they certianly will. Lastly, if Ruger ever makes their SR 1911 in a 9mm I will pick one of those up quickly. I owned the SR1911 .45, it was a great piece for the money. Hopefully Ruger will soon make the 9mm available. I hope that helps. Good Luck.
Just curious, why did you get rid of the Taurus PT92?
@ DaleA: I was stupid and let Taurus bashers and naysayers convince me that Taurus was junk. It was a hard lesson to evaluate for yourself what you like and not let other people talk you into things you should not do. I am still kicking myself for trading away the best handgun I ever shot, including BHP, Glock, and Ruger. It worked for me. This is why I am looking also at the Beretta 92. It is supposedly better, but I have decided that better is up to the individual shooter. If I find a Taurus 92 at the right price I won't hesitate to buy it but I don't want to buy online because I like to inspect guns before any transaction. I don't want to have to send something back.
9mm 1911s a great and more and more are coming to market all the time. I have found them to be a ton of fun, very fast shooting and accurate, my favorite gun for IDPA.
Currently I have two, a custom Colt 1991A1 .38 Super that has been fitted with 9mm and 9x23 Winchester barrels and a Springfield 9mm LW Ultra Compact (3.5"). Used to have a S&W 1911 9mm Pro Series also. No troubles with them, they feed, fire, and eject 100% reliably, they are accurate, and fun. I have a number of .45acp 1911s as well and wouldn't be without them, but I love the my 9s.
Currently I have two, a custom Colt 1991A1 .38 Super that has been fitted with 9mm and 9x23 Winchester barrels and a Springfield 9mm LW Ultra Compact (3.5"). Used to have a S&W 1911 9mm Pro Series also. No troubles with them, they feed, fire, and eject 100% reliably, they are accurate, and fun. I have a number of .45acp 1911s as well and wouldn't be without them, but I love the my 9s.
KMAX, I bought a polished blue Italian manufactured Beretta soon after the US adopted the pistol. Over the last 35 years or so, I also had Colt, Kimber, Springfield, STI and Dan Wesson 1911 type 9MMs at one time or another. I can't knock the Beretta at all. Great fit, finish, literally 100% reliable, accurate, etc. The only thing I didn't care for was the slide width necessary for the falling block type locking system. If current production 92 Berettas are built as well as my early one, fine pistols IMHO.
I've found most 9MM 1911s, with the ramped type barrels, to be reliable, accurate, trouble free pistols. You'll see a fair amont of stuff on the internet about how problematic it is to achieve reliable function with the 9MM 1911 pistols. I can say that the 3 Kmbers, 2 Dan Wessons and an STI in 9MM I owned and operated were all reliable with 115 - 147 grain standard pressure, +P and +P+ ammo from day one. They just worked. No "tuning" of recoil spring rates, extractors, ejectors, magazines, etc,etc. The Colts, and a Springfield I had, did require a bit of effort to achieve functional reliability. Recoil with even the most energetic factory or reloaded 9MM ammo is less than the same pistol with common 230 grain ball. In short, I enjoy the 9MM 1911s, and apparently other shooters do too. It seems that more manufacturers of 1911 type pistols now days offer one or more versions of their pistols chambered in 9MM......
Ps, other than a couple of the Colts, all my 9MM 1911 type pistols were full size steel framed guns with 5" barrels.
I've found most 9MM 1911s, with the ramped type barrels, to be reliable, accurate, trouble free pistols. You'll see a fair amont of stuff on the internet about how problematic it is to achieve reliable function with the 9MM 1911 pistols. I can say that the 3 Kmbers, 2 Dan Wessons and an STI in 9MM I owned and operated were all reliable with 115 - 147 grain standard pressure, +P and +P+ ammo from day one. They just worked. No "tuning" of recoil spring rates, extractors, ejectors, magazines, etc,etc. The Colts, and a Springfield I had, did require a bit of effort to achieve functional reliability. Recoil with even the most energetic factory or reloaded 9MM ammo is less than the same pistol with common 230 grain ball. In short, I enjoy the 9MM 1911s, and apparently other shooters do too. It seems that more manufacturers of 1911 type pistols now days offer one or more versions of their pistols chambered in 9MM......
Ps, other than a couple of the Colts, all my 9MM 1911 type pistols were full size steel framed guns with 5" barrels.
Last edited:
I'd read about possible feed problems with 9mm 1911s when I got my RIA. Supposedly the shorter 9mm in a pistol designed for longer 45 acp was the problem. Metalform mags with the front ramp were designed to deal with issue. So I ordered some and have had no problems even with HPs with big openings like Speer Gold Dots. FR-794 is the pn for the mags IIRC.
edit: I was close on the pn, read here for more details:
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=359322&page=2.
edit: I was close on the pn, read here for more details:
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=359322&page=2.
Last edited:
The Star that I just picked up is a 1911 style 9mm. I picked up an IWB holster from Bulldog Cases it is made with beltloops on both sides and so you can change ithe IWB from right to left. Works slick. I also picked up a Michaels shoulder rig for it and I carried it all day and I felt naked because I have not decided yet which auto I will carry on my right side yet.
The great thing about 1911 type 9mms is that recoil is nothing.
The great thing about 1911 type 9mms is that recoil is nothing.
I own a Norinco NP29, a full-sized 1911A1 in 9mm, single-stack.
When I bought it years ago, it had problems in extracting, failures to feed and failure to lock back at the last round.
Changing the Chinese-made extractor to an Armscor brand fixed the extraction and feeding problems. The failure to lock back, however, persisted off and on.
I replaced the slide stop with an EGW purposely designed for 9MMs. And I started to use MecGar, Metalform, Chip Macormicks mags. No more such failures.
It's now a sweet (but not entirely accurate) shooter. It's my beater gun and has logged 1,715 rounds so far ( I keep a log of my shooting).
When I bought it years ago, it had problems in extracting, failures to feed and failure to lock back at the last round.
Changing the Chinese-made extractor to an Armscor brand fixed the extraction and feeding problems. The failure to lock back, however, persisted off and on.
I replaced the slide stop with an EGW purposely designed for 9MMs. And I started to use MecGar, Metalform, Chip Macormicks mags. No more such failures.
It's now a sweet (but not entirely accurate) shooter. It's my beater gun and has logged 1,715 rounds so far ( I keep a log of my shooting).