9mm 1911. What do you all say?

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wild cat mccane

New member
I cant find Bac's famous 1911 Buyers Guide...but maybe want an updated opinion
from him/you all.

Thinking i want a 9mm 1911. But know not what to get. Price is up to $1,500. Fine if lower. Purpose is pure range target shooting. Not going to do any work on it. Maybe want a sharp looker in stainless just for care ease. 5" assumed, but would take feedback on why not smaller.

The Spingfield Range Officer got replaced by the Roni and Garrison.

Colt, S&W? RIA currently is too high for their normally priced tactical-so not wanting that.

best value for the dollar while being a non comp but shot pretty often. What do you all recommend to this neophyte? Thank you!
 
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Blue Duck

New member
The only 9mm 1911's that I have had any real experience with, are Colts. I owned a no frills Lightweight Commander in 9mm and shot it some but not a lot. It never jammed and had very light recoil, I thought. But then again, I had shot 1911's extensively in 45acp for many years. This particular gun shot ok, but I did not find it to super accurate. I bought it for a lightweight carry gun, but in the end I never carried it much, perferring the 45acp, and the 9mm really only held maybe 3 more rounds being a single stack. So, I eventually sold it.

I still own a 5 inch 9mm Colt which was marketed as the Competition Model. It's never jammed either, and I shot it in some IDPA matches. It is more accurate than the Lightweight Commander was. It's an OK gun, and I saw no reason yet, to get rid of it.

Personally, I pefer 45acp in 1911's. If I was going to buy a 9mm for the range, I would probably pass on the 1911, and get a Beretta 92 instead. Or even a Browning High Power. I recently purchased a Beretta M9A4 and I enjoy shooting it. I am currently having some mods done to it though. I don't like or need the threaded barrel and I am having it cut off and recrowned. And I am also having a bunch of Wilson Combat trigger and hammer parts installed, along with a single sided decocker lever. This gun is quite accurate and will be one of my carry guns afterwards, but it would also make a find range gun.

Just my two cents worth. If I was to get another 9mm 1911 it would be a commander sized Wilson Combat with double stack magazine for carry. And they have a good reputation for reliability and accuracy, but that would be out of you price range, indicated.
 
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wild cat mccane

New member
Thank you for the thoughts! I admit i am trying to figure oup the 92x Performance too. Normal or Defense. But need to read up more to know about it. Could go there instead of a 9mm 1911.
 
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hammie

New member
@WildCat: I've never thought of you as a neophyte.

If I had to have a 1911 platform which shoots a 9mm diameter bullet, then I would choose a .38 super auto chambering, preferably with a ramped barrel. And that's what I did, by the way. It's 100% reliable.

If you didn't want the super auto and just had to have a 9X19mm, then I would look at the Springfield Armory EMP, with a 4 inch barrel. Springfield has modified the 1911 platform to better fit the 9x19 cartridge. The downside, is that standard 1911 magazines, and some standard 1911 parts won't fit it.

Had a beretta 92. Didn't like it because I always got bulged cases due to minimal case support on the bottom of the chamber. I have big hands, but the grip still felt like holding a 2 x 4.
 
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jetinteriorguy

New member
I know this was on your no no list, but I have an RIA 1911 in 9mm with the .22TCM conversion and it’s an excellent pistol. Accurate,reliable, and pretty well made considering the price. It has as good a trigger as any pistol I’ve ever had and excellent sights. Now granted, it’s my first and only experience with a 1911 so take this with a grain of salt. Plus RIA has as good a warranty as anyone and excellent customer service. I had issues with the TCM setup and even though I purchased it used, which I informed them of, they issued me a shipping label, fixed the gun, and had it back to me in less than two weeks at no cost. They absolutely took care of the problem with the TCM and no issues since.
 
S

Shadow9mm

New member
Sacrilege IMHO. But beyond that, I have been able to shoot a few over the years, all of which have been fickly both with ammo and magazines. Unless it was the ONLY option I had, I would not touch one.
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
The Colt Commander (4-1/4" barrel) was originally introduced as a 9mm chambering. I have a fairly early Combat Commander (all steel) in 9mm. I would say it's my favorite 1911.
 
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bobn

New member
nobody is gonna believe me but the best 1911 i have ever had is a ria gi copy in 9mm. that includes springfeld, colts, auto ordance, kimber..... no matter if 45, 9 or 10mm. toss in berratta 92s (plural), canicks, sw metal frame guns or ruger plastic ones.
...the only semi pistol to ever come close or even was a hkp9s.
...the darn thing shoots where the sights point is one of the most accurate hand guns including revolvers i have ever had. laugh if you want but years of being a carpenter doesnt lend easily to handling a 45 auto anymore....bobn
 
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44caliberkid

New member
In the current American Handgunner, Mas Ayoob had a Ruger SR 1911 and a Springfield Ronin, both 9mm. In the end he picked the Springfield by a narrow margin (better sights). You might want to check that out. That said, I’m also in the “a 1911 should be 45 ACP (or 10mm)” camp. That’s why they make Hi Powers.
 
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wild cat mccane

New member
Totally new to the 1911. I am pretty set on a 9mm, so i am not ignoring the suggestion to avoid them in a 9mm.

I would would love the ria 9mm tcm combo but i dont think they are being made? I looked at the Tac yesterday and $700? Maybe in the past at 500 but that is too much of a price jump with no changes.

I assume the Roni is a Range Officer now? Garrison kinda looks...too many lines? Emp...thought it was just carry. I will look at those more.

Colt gold cup vs Lite, big price dif but not seeing the parts dif that adds up...

I am willing to admit the 1911 business is more serious than I assumed...

Thank you all so far!
 
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gwpercle

New member
1911's need to be in 45 acp ...that's the way John M. Browning designed them .
You want a 9mm Luger ... for that he designed the Browninh Hi-Power .

Life's too short to put up with ugly plastic Glock's ... get a gun that looks good .
Gary
 
T

TunnelRat

New member
sevt_chevelle said:
Dan Wesson is the answer.
Click to expand...


If you find a new production Dan Wesson in stock for below the $1500 price given here please let us all know. I like Dan Wessons, but the prices of them that I’ve seen lately would seem to suggest they’re not the best kept secret anymore.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
If you are considering a Springfield EMP and you aren't familiar with it -- BEWARE!

I've tested the EMP. It's a very nice 9mm carry gun. HOWEVER -- be aware that the EMP is not a standard 1911. It's a "short action" 1911. Essentially, Springfield chopped a vertical slice of about 3/16 of an inch up through the magazine well. This means that grips are not standard 1911, extractors are not standard 1911, magazines are not standard 1911, firing pins are not standard 1911 ...

At one time I had a complete list of the parts that had to be modified to create the EMP. It's a lot. If you're willing to accept sole source for virtually ALL parts for the pistol, by all means go for it. I don't know of anyone who has an EMP who doesn't like it. Personally, I think it's a good pistol but over-priced, and I'm not willing to spend that kind of money on a pistol that won't share parts with my other 1911s.
 
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rc

New member
Consider 38 super with a spare 9mm barrel. 9mm will work but cheap ball is a bit finicky in 1911s. Stout 38 super and 45 run the 1911 platform very well. Commander sized 1911s in 9mm run better than full size. The best 9mm 1911 is a Hi Power:) The best 9mm has a CZ on the slide:rolleyes:
 
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wild cat mccane

New member
Ok. This has been fast, but I asked for help and I think I'm reading the tea leaves that I might not be getting what I am hoping to get. Maybe wait and see what everyone thinks of the new FN High Power.

I have 20hrs left and I'll hopefully to something 9mm fun to show as appreciation. Not 1911, but fun regardless.

Thank you all. I really appreciate your experiences and relating them back!
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
wild cat mccane said:
Ok. This has been fast, but I asked for help and I think I'm reading the tea leaves that I might not be getting what I am hoping to get. Maybe wait and see what everyone thinks of the new FN High Power.
Click to expand...
Reports I have seen so far have not been favorable. Personally, if I were looking for a new Hi-Power I'd buy one of the Turkish clones. (Don't remember if it's Tisas or Girsan.)
 
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