"Passion of the Gun" - what platform next?

[JTQ]

Just mentioning this without interpretation...

Not many 1911 makers make or made 4" models
Idpa made CCP a 4" division which excluded regular commander 1911's
WC then has 4" 1911's

Wilson's had 4" 1911 for a long time.

Springfield and Kimber don't make a 4.25" Commander, their's have always been a 4" gun. It may not be a lot of makers, but between those two companies, you have an awful lot of options.

[Trooper224]

Does the superior reliability of 5" 1911s apply to 9mm guns in the same way it does to .45s?

Regardless of caliber, 5" 1911's always run more reliably,as a whole, than the retro engineered shorter models. Someone will always chime in about their sample of one that is or isn't reliable, but the fact remains, the 1911 is at it's best as originally designed.

[GJM]

Regardless of caliber, 5" 1911's always run more reliably,as a whole, than the retro engineered shorter models. Someone will always chime in about their sample of one that is or isn't reliable, but the fact remains, the 1911 is at it's best as originally designed.

Does this apply to 9mm -- I thought TLG/SLG/Heirloom specified a shorter than five inch slide for Todd's custom 9mm 1911, as they thought shorter was more reliable in 9mm?

[WilsonCombatRep]

The 9mm Commanders are running great. Bill really likes the coned barrel guns as there is a little more mass up front and he feels they are softer shooting. I actually prefer the bushing barrel guns and what I am shooting these days. Its basically a cosmetic choice in my opinion.

[Trooper224]

Does this apply to 9mm -- I thought TLG/SLG/Heirloom specified a shorter than five inch slide for Todd's custom 9mm 1911, as they thought shorter was more reliable in 9mm?

That just hasn't been my experience over the years. I'm not talking about only high end custom of semi-custom guns, but rather the whole 1911 field. Taken as a whole, the full size five inch guns are far more trouble free over the long haul. I know the 9mm 1911 is the current hotness and a lot of folks seem to have them running well. I have a Springfield RO in 9mm that I bought for use as a training weapon a few months ago. It's been used quite a bit, mainly by my wife who's designated it "hers". However, a 1911 in any other chambering than .45acp is going to present issues, great or small, simply because the design can be a problem child when it comes to retro engineering. In the case of the 9mm pistols, everything works in a much tighter range of tolerances than the .45. This includes recoil springs, magazine spring, extractor tension, on and on. By comparison, the tolerance range in which the .45 will operate is almost AK47-like by comparison. Combine the shorter slide assembly and the 9mm and you're looking at a possible perfect storm of issues. This isn't a big deal to someone like Bill Wilson, who knows the design backwards and forwards and has access to lots of tools and parts. However, the average guy, who probably shouldn't be going down the 1911 rabbit hole anyway, is setting themselves up for frustration. I think a lot of folks are going to find this out when their 9mm 1911's start to get some mileage on them. It's always been my opinion that,if the 1911 is the gun for you, it's best to stick with the five inch example with the GI barrel, bushing, recoil spring assembly, etc. The more you deviate from that the more headaches you invite upon yourself.

A lot of the semi-custom and custom builders used to say the same thing. Now that they've realized there's a market for such a beast their opinions have changed. Strange that.

[HCM]

Wilson's had 4" 1911 for a long time.

Springfield and Kimber don't make a 4.25" Commander, their's have always been a 4" gun. It may not be a lot of makers, but between those two companies, you have an awful lot of options.

Friends don't let friends Kimber.

[WilsonCombatRep]

That just hasn't been my experience over the years. I'm not talking about only high end custom of semi-custom guns, but rather the whole 1911 field. Taken as a whole, the full size five inch guns are far more trouble free over the long haul. I know the 9mm 1911 is the current hotness and a lot of folks seem to have them running well. I have a Springfield RO in 9mm that I bought for use as a training weapon a few months ago. It's been used quite a bit, mainly by my wife who's designated it "hers". However, a 1911 in any other chambering than .45acp is going to present issues, great or small, simply because the design can be a problem child when it comes to retro engineering. In the case of the 9mm pistols, everything works in a much tighter range of tolerances than the .45. This includes recoil springs, magazine spring, extractor tension, on and on. By comparison, the tolerance range in which the .45 will operate is almost AK47-like by comparison. Combine the shorter slide assembly and the 9mm and you're looking at a possible perfect storm of issues. This isn't a big deal to someone like Bill Wilson, who knows the design backwards and forwards and has access to lots of tools and parts. However, the average guy, who probably shouldn't be going down the 1911 rabbit hole anyway, is setting themselves up for frustration. I think a lot of folks are going to find this out when their 9mm 1911's start to get some mileage on them. It's always been my opinion that,if the 1911 is the gun for you, it's best to stick with the five inch example with the GI barrel, bushing, recoil spring assembly, etc. The more you deviate from that the more headaches you invite upon yourself.

A lot of the semi-custom and custom builders used to say the same thing. Now that they've realized there's a market for such a beast their opinions have changed. Strange that.

The variable you are leaving out is the magazines. Far better 9mm mags, like our new ETM, have greatly improved 9mm 1911 reliability with service ammo. The current breed of semi-custom 1911 is a viable carry piece. And 9mm's are probably more feed reliable in lighter slide guns, especially with non+P ammo. 9mm 1911's seem to have their sweet spot at 4"-4.25"..

[Tamara]

The 9mm Commanders are running great. Bill really likes the coned barrel guns as there is a little more mass up front and he feels they are softer shooting. I actually prefer the bushing barrel guns and what I am shooting these days. Its basically a cosmetic choice in my opinion.

That steel 9mm 4" test gun hasn't bobbled yet (950 rounds). I'm madly in love.

[StraitR]

Very nice, Tam. I'm king of jealous you get to shoot one for the cost of ammo. (Please don't tell me if the ammo is free, I really don't want to know that). Thoughts on the Burnt Bronze in person? I look forward to your write-up.

I almost went steel frame, but after talking to Steve about the success Bill is having with his aluminum 9mm's, and reading Bill's comments on durability HERE, I went the lighter route. I plan on putting a bunch through mine on the first trip and see if anything shakes out.

[GJM]

That steel 9mm 4" test gun hasn't bobbled yet (950 rounds). I'm madly in love.

Looks like that friends with benefits thing, or whatever the gun bigwig corollary is, is working! Let's hear some details, looks like what I am getting, minus the light rail.