Tell me about your experiences with small 1911's and 1911 based pistols, good, bad, or indifferent. Please be specific as to brand, caliber, barrel length, frame size etc. Also please specify failure type (if any), I'd love to get a feel for the most common failures.
Leetle 1911's
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skinewmexico
Member
All I know is my gunsmith said to never get a 3". I figure he trained at Clark's to build 1911 race guns, he must know something. Although 3,000 people who have baby Kimbers will jump in here any minute having fired millions of rounds without a hiccup.
skinewmexico you hit the nail on the head; that is exactly why I'm asking. I keep hearing about the unreliability of smaller 1911's but it is always "friend of a friend" reports. I want the straight dope from THR alumni.
BTW the Brand Evangelicals can be sniffed out pretty quickly IME, so I'm not too worried about that aspect...
BTW the Brand Evangelicals can be sniffed out pretty quickly IME, so I'm not too worried about that aspect...
donjulio
Member
After about 300 rounds, I've got nothing bad to say about mine.
Para-Ordnance .45 C6 carry model. The LDA trigger pull is superb. It has a 3 inch barrel and a 6+1 magazine capacity. It is VERY controllable. My wife enjoys shooting it so much that it is now living in the glove box of her SUV for protection.
Para-Ordnance .45 C6 carry model. The LDA trigger pull is superb. It has a 3 inch barrel and a 6+1 magazine capacity. It is VERY controllable. My wife enjoys shooting it so much that it is now living in the glove box of her SUV for protection.
wally
Member
Its a crap shoot, they work for some folks, not not others. I'm sure the recoil has a lot to do with it. I've a Charles Daly CS, Kimber Ultra Carry, Kimber BP Ultra, and Colt Officers ACP (I like guns that are small for their caliber). All work well, but need more maintainence than the 4 or 5 inch guns. Recoil spring life tends to be a little short (you'll get failures to go fully into battery), mag springs need to be kept fresh to keep up with the fast cycling slide, and extractor tension is more critical.
None will go nearly as many rounds without cleaning compared to the bigger guns. Downside for reloaders is the brass ejection pattern is generally erratic compared to my bigger 1911s meaning more brass lossage or much more time looking for it.
I don't carry them anymore because the Kahr PM40 is smaller, much lighter, and delivers more penetration with a bit higher muzzle energy than can the 3" 45s.
I'll still use one again to shoot my CHL qualifier renewal next week as I do like making holes in the target I can easily see
--wally.
None will go nearly as many rounds without cleaning compared to the bigger guns. Downside for reloaders is the brass ejection pattern is generally erratic compared to my bigger 1911s meaning more brass lossage or much more time looking for it.
I don't carry them anymore because the Kahr PM40 is smaller, much lighter, and delivers more penetration with a bit higher muzzle energy than can the 3" 45s.
I'll still use one again to shoot my CHL qualifier renewal next week as I do like making holes in the target I can easily see
--wally.
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kentucky_smith
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I've had several work fine for me, Colt Officer's, 1991 compact, Kimber Ultra CDP.
The Kimber is tight and almost as accurate as my Gold Cup.
:shrug:
The Kimber is tight and almost as accurate as my Gold Cup.
:shrug:
Tom Fury
Member
Short changed
Have owned Detonics Mk VII, several Colt (including LW) OM's and one Novak custom OM; LW and all steel P-12, and Springfield Compact. I am one who has never had any problems with short lengths. Usually go to WC mags and Wolff springs as standard immediately tho, and tend to install reverse plug and match bushing.
I think the short guns get short changed.
Cheers, TF
Have owned Detonics Mk VII, several Colt (including LW) OM's and one Novak custom OM; LW and all steel P-12, and Springfield Compact. I am one who has never had any problems with short lengths. Usually go to WC mags and Wolff springs as standard immediately tho, and tend to install reverse plug and match bushing.
I think the short guns get short changed.
Cheers, TF
critter
Member
Colt SS Combat Commander 4 1/4"
Colt Officers model (All steel) 3 1/2"
Kimber Compact (all steel) 4"
Springfield Armory Ultra Compact SS 3 1/2"
All of the above are .45's and each and every one of them is 100% reliable WITH NO TWEAKING necessary to get them to run right.
Accuracy is quite good with them all with the Commander and the SA the best in the accuracy department.
Colt Officers model (All steel) 3 1/2"
Kimber Compact (all steel) 4"
Springfield Armory Ultra Compact SS 3 1/2"
All of the above are .45's and each and every one of them is 100% reliable WITH NO TWEAKING necessary to get them to run right.
Accuracy is quite good with them all with the Commander and the SA the best in the accuracy department.
Ske1etor
Member
Rex B
Member
My interest is in smaller-than-standard pistols that look and work like a 1911.
Sort of like the Colt .380s, except all mine are Spanish.
Sort of like the Colt .380s, except all mine are Spanish.
steelyblue
Member
I've been told on the forums not to get under 4.25" in a 1911, and not to get a 9mm because they are unreliable. My Pro Carry 9mm has had over 1000 rounds so far and I'm still waiting for the problems to start. I'm sure they will come soon.........still waiting.
rcellis
Member
I've had three 1911 platform guns under 3.5" in length - all of them worked well and exhibited none of the problems many complain about, with the exception of just recently when my Hawg 9 started choking on what I discovered to be seriously sub-standard ammo. Works fine with the good stuff.
nycmedic
Member
This is my baby 1911 and I am very happy with it. It is a C&S Adventurer with a titanium frame. So long as the recoil spring is functional and it is properly greased (the titanium frame does not like to be lightly oiled) it runs just fine, even great.
The Wiry Irishman
Member
The ones I've shot and/or watched my friends shoot at the range seem to have one common problem, and that's sensitivity to mags. Mag-related malfunctions are frequent until you put enough rounds through the gun to figure out which mags are the bad ones. All the mags that the little ones choke on work fine in full-size guns.
ETA: They're all various flavors of 3" Kimbers
ETA: They're all various flavors of 3" Kimbers
Kimber Ultra Carry
A big thumbs up for the little Kimber! 100 flawless rounds, including HPs. This 3 incher shoots as well as my fullsize, and commander Muzzle flip was controlable, and double taps were very easy. Only complaint I have is the no dot sights, are harder to pick up on black shilouttes.
A big thumbs up for the little Kimber! 100 flawless rounds, including HPs. This 3 incher shoots as well as my fullsize, and commander
Muzzle flip was controlable, and double taps were very easy. Only complaint I have is the no dot sights, are harder to pick up on black shilouttes.mnw42
Member
I have seen some problems with small 1911s. The issue is that the lighter slide makes the timing of everything more critical - especially the magazines. The Colts and most of the single stack ones run ok; double stack Paras seem to have real problems. They also seem to be more ammo sensitive.
The real consern is that when something is a 'little' off it can tie up a small gun while a GM or Commander will just muddle through. They also seem to take more effort and care to fix when something goes wrong.
I do think that the issues with them may be overstated, but I don't see them being as reliable as a 4.25" or 5" gun.
These are just my observations and you mileage may vary.
The real consern is that when something is a 'little' off it can tie up a small gun while a GM or Commander will just muddle through. They also seem to take more effort and care to fix when something goes wrong.
I do think that the issues with them may be overstated, but I don't see them being as reliable as a 4.25" or 5" gun.
These are just my observations and you mileage may vary.
gb6491
Member
I'm well satisfied with the performance of my OACP:
Regards,
Greg
Regards,
Greg
Anotherguy
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My Colt Defender has run perfectly for me since it was new, including during the break in period. Feeds hollowpoints like ball ammo.
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