1911 micro compact load

Status
Not open for further replies.

aandrews

Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2020
Messages
31
For a 1911 micro compact in 45ACP, what's the best factory cartridge fired from a two barrel? Tentatively, I've selected Hornady's 45 Auto +P 220 gr FlexLock® Critical Duty® and 45 Auto 185 gr FTX® Critical Defense®.
What else would be recommended?
 
Wilson Combat has some comments on ammo in their FAQ section.

For compact guns, they recommend ammo with bullets at the lighter end of the spectrum and against +P ammo, and against bullets with soft polymer tips in general.

https://www.wilsoncombat.com/faqs/
All the mechanical changes are important, but the biggest factor is ammunition selection because it affects both slide cycle speed and the magazine’s ability to lift the cartridge into position for proper feeding. Ammunition loaded with 230gr bullets generate more recoil impulse (especially +P loads) than 185gr loads, and 7 rounds of 185gr ammunition weighs 315gr less than 7 rounds of 230gr ammunition, making the column of ammunition easier for the magazine spring to lift. I hope you see where I’m going here?

and another

https://www.wilsoncombat.com/faqs/
We do not recommend +P, 230 grain ammunition in any compact 1911 handguns.

We do not recommend Critical Defense/Duty ammunition or other ammunition with a soft polymer tip.
 
Last edited:
Lucky gunner has an in depth article on S/D ammo. The .45 critical duty did not perform well. Win. ranger did good, so did Gold dots. I carry either Win. Ranger T 230 gr. or Speer Gold dot short barrel. My pistol is a Colt Defender.
 
Speer Gold dot short barrel.

That.

+P in a compact .45 is insane, even in my 4" Kimbers. I gave away 1.5 boxes of the stuff after 2 magazines through the pistols.

The Gold Dot Short Barrel is your best bet, by far, but it is Unobtanium right now. As was mentioned, whatever you can get is what works.

I am running Hornady CD flextips in my 9mm, because that's what I have... but in hindsight, I'll be carrying an open tip bullet going forward (Gold Dot, etc.) I don't think the gummy tips do well in SD applications, based on what I have read.
 
I can understand the logic behind dropping down weight in your bullet to keep the velocity up. A 230gr at 750ish FPS ( a guesstimate of what a 3” barrel would do) is unlikely to properly expand.

That being said, I somewhat doubt a 185 opening up properly at 850-900 FPS would end up within the “FBI protocol” window of performance as far as penetration anyway. I’m not going to say that means it wouldn’t be be effective, but if it was my idea to carry a micro compact .45Auto, I would favor a nice hard cast bullet with as wide of a meplate as I could get to feed reliably.

As was mentioned already, the current realities of the ammo market makes getting specialty rounds like that quite difficult, so overall if it was me I would most likely settle for the S&B .45ACP FMJ load for the time being.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top