Steel Framed 1911 Officer

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Mr. Mosin

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I'm cooped up inside the house for medical reasons (even after the state released us to be free) and I'm going stir-crazy. In my boredom, I've been looking into 9mm Officers. Apparently nobody on God's green earth makes a steel framed Officer for under $1000 that's of any reputable manufacture. All the .45 Automatics are steel framed.... but not the 9x19mm. If I was to buy one, I'm *not* paying custom/semi custom prices. It'll be a production gun, or I'll move on. One or the other. So... any advice for a steel framed Officer (*not* a CCO. A genuine Officer).
 
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I'm cooped up inside the house for medical reasons (even after the state released us to be free) and I'm going stir-crazy. In my boredom, I've been looking into 9mm Officers. Apparently nobody on God's green earth makes a steel framed Officer for under $1000 that's of any reputable manufacture. All the .45 Automatics are steel framed.... but not the 9x19mm. If I was to buy one, I'm *not* paying custom/semi custom prices. It'll be a production gun, or I'll move on. One or the other. So... any advice for a steel framed Officer (*not* a CCO. A genuine Officer).

your definition of a "reputable" manufacturer needs to be clarified to at least a list of those you feel are Not reputable.
 
your definition of a "reputable" manufacturer needs to be clarified to at least a list of those you feel are Not reputable.
RIA, Taurus are about the only exclusions, and RIA only due to casting, not forging... Taurus.... well, it's Taurus.
 
Your pulling my leg ? You gotta be.
No really, the RIA is an excellent value in the lower price 1911 range that you are looking at.

RIA only due to casting, not forging
RIA slides are forged steel and their frames are comparable to the excellent ones from Pine Tree Castings
 
The only thing “wrong” with RIA frames is that they tend to put rails on them. And a lot of people like that so YMMV.

Having owned a small variety of 1911s from a few makers over the years, I wouldn’t hesitate to own another RIA. And they have what you want-as long as you want it with a rail.
 
RIA, Taurus are about the only exclusions, and RIA only due to casting, not forging... Taurus.... well, it's Taurus.
Your going to be hard pressed finding a forged frame for under $1000 in a officers model. Citadels and RIA make nice 9mm officers models without rails. Slides are forged. Don’t know what else you could find for well under $600. Ruger even makes a all stainless one. But once again has a cast frame.
 
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Your going to be hard pressed finding a forged frame for under $1000 in a officers model. Citadels and RIA make nice 9mm officers models without rails. Slides are forged. Don’t know what else you could find for well under $600. Ruger even makes a all stainless one. But once again has a cast frame.
Didn't know Ruger made an all stainless Officer in 9mm. I'd be willing to slide on the casting/forging nitpick for Ruger's CS.
 
That's one of the prices you have to pay when shopping at the lower price levels of the 1911 market...they cater to the demands of the larger market

Yep. It was a bit of a joke, listing a feature that many people like but is usually fairly hard to find on a 1911 as the worst flaw.

As it happens, I don’t particularly like rails on small concealed carry guns, but I know I’m in the minority there.
 
Mr. Mosin

Pretty sure the Colt Defender has an aluminum alloy frame that has a matte Cerakote finish on it.

I had a Colt New Agent in 9mm. and the frame was also aluminum alloy. Nice gun and all for CCW (it had the XS Big Dot sights which were great), but once I got my Kahr CM9 the Colt was kind of left behind so I ended up selling it.

Still have my Colt Officer's Model ACP in .45 with it's steel frame. It makes the gun a little bit heavier to carry but I think it's somewhat offset by helping tame some of the felt recoil (as does running lighter weight 185 gr. and 200 gr. bullets).

I tend to think of it as having lots of bark but not a whole lot of bite!
RAZcMxr.jpg
 
I don't know what the various sizes of 1911 are.

The Star BM is a steel 9mm pistol that is basically a smaller 1911. It even uses the same swinging-link locking system. (It doesn't have a grip safety, though.)

My friend got one for $149. I may have "overpaid" and spent closer to $200.

If someone just wanted to try out the concept without having to spend much money, both of ours go bang every time and are as accurate as most service pistols. Mine had been shot very little.

 
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Mr. Mosin

Pretty sure the Colt Defender has an aluminum alloy frame that has a matte Cerakote finish on it.

I had a Colt New Agent in 9mm. and the frame was also aluminum alloy. Nice gun and all for CCW (it had the XS Big Dot sights which were great), but once I got my Kahr CM9 the Colt was kind of left behind so I ended up selling it.

Still have my Colt Officer's Model ACP in .45 with it's steel frame. It makes the gun a little bit heavier to carry but I think it's somewhat offset by helping tame some of the felt recoil (as does running lighter weight 185 gr. and 200 gr. bullets).

I tend to think of it as having lots of bark but not a whole lot of bite!
View attachment 917698
That is exactly what I want. No fancy sights, no unnecessary bells and whistles. I wish Colt would release like an "Officers Classic" or something. Though I suppose you could always drop a 9mm barrel, recoil spring and magazine in and convert it to 9mm, couldn't you ?
 
Mr. Mosin
I wish Colt would release like an "Officers Classic" or something. Though I suppose you could always drop a 9mm barrel, recoil spring and magazine in and convert it to 9mm, couldn't you ?

No, I'm afraid not. The only 1911s that you can readily convert to 9mm. are ones that are .38 Supers. All you need is a 9mm. barrel assembly and 9mm. magazines; everything else on the .38 Super (extractor, ejector, and recoil spring), will work with the 9mm.

I believe that Colt did make the Commanding Officer in 9mm. and .38 Super (the El Capitan), with an Officer's Model slide on a Commander size frame. This was a very limited run (1 of 500), and would probably go for big bucks when you found one! Supposedly there was a true Officer's Model made in 9mm. (probably with an aluminum alloy frame), but I can't find any evidence of one. If you did find one it would have also been made in extremely limited numbers, making it something more for a collector rather than something for EDC.

I have a Colt Commander in .38 Super/9mm. with an aluminum alloy frame and I think it's the perfect size and weight for both cartridges.
gd9AjQ0.jpg
 
May I ask the OP a (probably dumb) question that I didn't find an answer to while reading the thread? Just curious as to the preference of a steel frame vs. alloy in the 9mm version?
 
That is exactly what I want. No fancy sights, no unnecessary bells and whistles. I wish Colt would release like an "Officers Classic" or something. Though I suppose you could always drop a 9mm barrel, recoil spring and magazine in and convert it to 9mm, couldn't you ?
If you were seriously thinking about going this route, you'd be well into above the mid-range price of $1k you want to stay below.

You'd likely be better off looking for a .40 steel framed Springfield Armory EMP and adding a 9mm upper
 
If you were seriously thinking about going this route, you'd be well into above the mid-range price of $1k you want to stay below.

You'd likely be better off looking for a .40 steel framed Springfield Armory EMP and adding a 9mm upper
Why not just buy an EMP in 9mm? I believe my EMPs (I had a .40 and still have a 9mm) are alloy frames though....
 
Are 38 super guns available with steel frame? Converting from 38 super would be really easy. Would likely not be all that expensive either if you just want a blaster. A quality barrel may be a bit more pricy.
 
Armscor makes a railed 9mm officer with a steel frame. Only 2 downsides are the rail and whether or not you consider them reputable. UPC is 4806015517009 on Gallery of Guns. Few other places in stock
https://gunstuff.tv/product/armscor-ri-tac-ultra-cs-9mm-3-5-as-8rd-parkerized/
https://familyfirearms.com/product/...-luger-3.50-81-black-parkerized-gray-g10-grip

Girsan also makes one. Again, maybe not reputable for you. Upside, no rail
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...Link&cjevent=e76b53ce9a4a11ea803507cd0a240611

I'm honestly surprised none of Kimber's 9mm Officers are steel framed. All aluminum.
 
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