9mm 1911 questions

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kdmoore

New member
I'm sure that I could find the answer to some questions I have if the search engine was up. Sorry if this is duplicated.

I'm starting to get the itch for a 1911 style pistol. Ok maybe it's a full blown rash. I'm wondering about 9mm, because of ammo costs and simplify what I need to keep around. (recoil isn't the issue). I'm aware of springfields' models.

May well go with the .45 (lotsa good guns for sale on these boards!), but wanted to research out the 9mm option.

So my questions are this:
How many .45 parts would interchange with a 9mm version. bbl and mags wouldn't but how bout the rest?
Are there other 1911 9mm's that are out there?
I think that the dimensions on the gun are exactly the same. Is this right?
Am I cheating myself out of the whole experience by "downsizing" to a 9mm?
 
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tfljlc

New member
I've owned the Springfield 9mm. Had extraction problems. That is probably a part that is not interchangable due to case diameter of the 9 being smaller that a "normal" extractor and would probably not have the right reach. The slide might be compensated at the breach face for the same reason. I wouldn't count on the springs being the same either. Since the 9mm has less recoil the recoil spring would probably be different. That could also propogate to the hammer spring since the slide's recoil cocks the hammer - depressing the hammer spring. I'm just speculating - I'd call springfield and they could probably tell you.

If recoil isn't an issue than I'd say go with the 45. In my opinion you will be missing out on the experience otherwise.
 
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Rocklobster

New member
Very few parts will interchange.The frame and slide,and all internals are different.Exceptions:trigger,hammer,sear,thumb safety,grip safety,mainspring housing(but not mainspring),disconnector,sights.

One advantage to choosing a 9mm is that you can interchange among 9mm,.38 Super,and 9mmx23 easily.
 
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Danny45

New member
My brother has a 1911 style 9mm that he doesn't take very good care of. I can't recall it's name brand but I'm glad it's not mine. Anyway, I would figure that the only thing you could use would be the frame. Kind of like a .22 conversion, you'd need slide, barrel, and recoil spring/rod to change out.

I agree with tfljlc, get the .45. Ammo cost is not that much more in my opnion and you can't beat the .45acp for a personal defense round. Plenty of knockdown without overpenetrating.
 
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Rovert

New member
kd, I'm a newbie, but here are my thoughts.

If you want a 1911, buy it in its native .45 caliber design.
If you want a 9mm that looks like a 1911, buy a HighPower.

Call me old fashioned, or even a purist, but I tend to believe that guns are designed the way they are with as much energy going to the bullet as possible, with only enough remaining engergy left over to work the mechanism as necessary... no more, no less.

This is all based on intuition, mind you, and I'm completely talking out of my butt here, but let me throw an example out, that's going through my mind. I'd appreciate it if those of you who are 'in the know' would let me know if my 'common sense' is sensible.

If you were to take a stock 1911, replacing the barrel and magazine will leave you with a round that might not have enough 'oomph' to overcome the spring weight and slide mass, resulting in FTF and FTE, proably stove piping also, because of the limited slide travel.

Conversely, if you were to just slap a larger bore barrel in there, the added powder charge might break the spring, snap the locking block, and/or cause other catastrophic failures.

IMO, varying too greatly from intended design parameters, and fiddling with a gun to make it something way further than it was intended to be, invites disaster.
 
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Jim Watson

New member
I have a Colt 1991A1 9mm with better sights and trigger work, but the stock barrel and Colt, Metalform, and CMC magazines. It shoots like a champ with 9mm ball or rounded ogive JHP like Remington or Federal. It is my IDPA ESP gun. I also have a .38 Super with 9mm barrel because I can buy or reload 9mm cheaper. It is hard to make up a convertible gun because the slide, barrel, and all upper internals are specific to 9mm, plus the ejector. Some say the frame feed ramps are caliber specific, but I know of one .38 Super on a Gold Cup .45 frame and also a .45 on a .38 frame that shoot ok.

That said, I can shoot better with a .45.
 
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shucks

Moderator
i dont see why the recoil spring guide or plug

would be different, either. The 9mm slide wont clear the frame mounted .45 ejector and vice versa. Guns and ammo and other mags have in the past shown one frame, many caliber "kits", .22, 9mm, 38 super, .45, etc, but the 1911 is a pretty big, heavy gun to use such a dimunitive caliber in. The alloy compacts, perhaps, but the full size? a bit much. Ha ha on the .45 ammo not costing much more. The shipping costs on the 2x as heavy .45 ammo make quite a diff, and so does the fact that little mil surplus .45 is available anymore. .45 BRASS is 6-7c apiece, 9mm brass is less than 2c apiece. so the .45 ammo is usually nearly 2x as espensive, when you seek out the cheapest in both calibers for practice. 9mm mags are considerably more expensive than "surplus" .45 mags, tho. While I favor Wilson mags for carry, the match and practice mags are $5 ones, from Sarco, worked over by me, as needed. Dropping them, slamming them up into the gun, etc is HARD on mags, so I wouldnt treat my "duty" mags in that fashion, nor am I going to spend an extra $150 on mags, when it's not necessary.
 
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Danny45

New member
shucks,

I don't mail order ammo. I buy it from dealers where I live, occasionally picking up some good deals at gun shows, but more often than not, they aren't much cheaper. I buy .45 fmj ammo for 11.99 a box of 50. I can buy 9mm ammo for 10.99 for a box of 50. Not much difference, is there?
 
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Leafy

New member
My local Wal Mart sells Remington UMC and Winchester USA 9mm ammo (115gr FMJ) for 5.89 box of 50. I'm seriously considering a Para LDA in 9mm: advantages of a 1911 type while still being in the SSP division for IDPA if I'm not mistaken.
 
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Auggie

New member
None of my business but, I think you're gettin ripped on the 9mm ammo at $10.99 a box. If your just talkin FMJ I get mine for $6.99 or less at several different places. :)
 
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TMC

New member
In 1911 pattern guns the frame and its internals are the same no matter what caliber it is. Barrels come in ramped or unramped so you can deal with which ever applies to your frame. The only part on the frame that is different is the ejector which is held in place by a roll pin and can be changed. On the top end the only parts you would want to reuse would be the guiderod and plug. The barrel and bushing (you want to keep them together), slide (due to breech face size), extractor, firing pin (two different sizes) are all caliber specific.

Now with that said, SV www.SVIguns.com has a slide with an interchangable breech face so you can use the same slide and sights. You would only need a different breechface, firing pin, extractor, and barrel/bushing and appropriate weight recoil spring to change caliber.
 
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GunLieber

New member
I went through the same dilemma and decided on the 9mm. I bought a used 1991A1 9mm and the previous owner threw in a .38 super barrel and a 9x23 barrel and the mags in all three calibers. I can shoot three different calibers just by switching out the barrels and mags.

Here in the Dallas area, I can get Blazer 9mm for $3.99 a box at Academy Sports while Blazer in .45 ACP from the same store costs $9.99...3x as much. I don't reload and like to shoot alot so I chose to go with the lower cost ammo option.

That being said, I have on order a Springfield Professional Model but I know I won't shoot that nearly as much as my 9mm.
 
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