What is the big to-do with 45acp over 9mm in a 1911 platform? I have always wanted a 1911 and only have shot maybe 30rd through one so does the 45acp have any advantage over 9mm in this platform? I get the whole bigger and heavier bullet but this will be a paper puncher and race gun.
45 vs 9mm in 1911
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Alex Clayton
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This is a NEVER ending talk. Ballistics can be made to say anything anyone wants them to say. A LOT of 1911 people just love the .45 because its the .45. Bottom line do you want a 1911? If so who really cares if its 9mm, 38 Super, 10mm, or .45. All will do the job. Some ammo is FAR better than others.
nettlle
Contributing Member
I think a lot of people are scared of 45ACP fearing that it will tear their fingers off. I have a 45ACP aluminum framed Commander and a 9MM aluminum framed Commander. I wouldn't say one of these is better than the other.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Everybody needs at least a half dozen of each. 
For a paper puncher, just get the 9mm.
For a paper puncher, just get the 9mm.
Riomouse911
Contributing Member
I agree with @CraigC. The 9mm 1911 is a fun gun to shoot, at roughly half the cost per shot fired (factory ammo). .45 kicks a bit harder, but it isn’t such a difference that almost anyone can learn to shoot either caliber very well.
The 1911 in either caliber feels the same when held in the hand, and they operate in the same manner, so it’s just a matter of choosing one and having fun.
Stay safe.
The 1911 in either caliber feels the same when held in the hand, and they operate in the same manner, so it’s just a matter of choosing one and having fun.
Stay safe.
Heir Kommt Die Sonne
Member
With all the debate on this subject that comes with 1911s, an iconic pistol with such a legacy,Everybody needs at least a half dozen of each.
For a paper puncher, just get the 9mm.
this really is the only right answer.
Anchorite
Member
The 1911 is made for the 45ACP or the (original 9mm) 38 Super.
My 9mm Kimber is reliable with my reloads,
and with optics on top, it shoots well all the way out to 50 yards
However, I read more complaints about 9mm 1911's than 45 ACP 1911's. The basic 5 inch 1911 was figured out a long time ago, reliable loads are easy to find and make. And very inexpensive 45 ACP 1911's have earned an excellent reputation for value for money.
As a comment, the time of a 9mm 1911 in 2700 Bullseye came and went. The primary problem is, the 9mm has to be loaded hot to be accurate at 50 yards, and the recoil impluse from a 9mm is sharper, and I believe torques my hand more. The guys who tried 9mm in 1911's never did as well as their target 1911's in 45 ACP. I would have though otherwise given the 9mm should have less recoil, but it has not worked out that way.
and with optics on top, it shoots well all the way out to 50 yards
However, I read more complaints about 9mm 1911's than 45 ACP 1911's. The basic 5 inch 1911 was figured out a long time ago, reliable loads are easy to find and make. And very inexpensive 45 ACP 1911's have earned an excellent reputation for value for money.
As a comment, the time of a 9mm 1911 in 2700 Bullseye came and went. The primary problem is, the 9mm has to be loaded hot to be accurate at 50 yards, and the recoil impluse from a 9mm is sharper, and I believe torques my hand more. The guys who tried 9mm in 1911's never did as well as their target 1911's in 45 ACP. I would have though otherwise given the 9mm should have less recoil, but it has not worked out that way.
sgt127
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I carried a 1911 as a duty gun for 20 years. The 1911 is, to me, magical. The way it fits my dainty hands. The accuracy. (I carried a Wilson Master Grade).
Retired, I wanted the same magic in a 9mm. Just to play with.
I went with the original Springfield Armory EMP4. They downsized the whole gun. It’s fantastic.
The current crop of double stack 2011’s do nothing for me. Fit my hand like the wrong end of a baseball bat. But, people like them and shoot them well
Retired, I wanted the same magic in a 9mm. Just to play with.
I went with the original Springfield Armory EMP4. They downsized the whole gun. It’s fantastic.
The current crop of double stack 2011’s do nothing for me. Fit my hand like the wrong end of a baseball bat. But, people like them and shoot them well
Jim Watson
Member
There was a time of interest in accurizing Berettas for CMP EIC Service Pistol. I don’t know what is preferred now.
There is a good bit of interest in accurate 9mms for PPC.
There is a good bit of interest in accurate 9mms for PPC.
Same as the endless debates over Glocks vs whatever, or AR's vs. whatever, or revolvers vs. semi autos, or training reloads or not, or open carry vs. concealed carry, or........ If folks didn't enjoy recreational arguing, internet gun forums would barely be able to make a go of it.
Go with 9mm if it is paper puncher. Though I do prefer 38 Super, but you pretty much have to reload for it. I have a few 1911s in 45 along with one 9mm that I bought a 38 Super barrel for. The 9mm barrel doesn't get much use. I was already reloading 9mm Largo and it was a no brainer to go ahead and reload 38 Super since you use the same reloading dies for both.
Heir Kommt Die Sonne
Member
The commander model was originally developed as a 9mm, to be the US 9mm sidearm. That didn't happen, that role eventually went to the Beretta 92. But that's the history of the commander and why it existed. If I got one it'd be that version.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Variety is the spice of life. Multiple chamberings gives a handy excuse for multiple 1911's.
I'll take all the excuses I can get.
I'll take all the excuses I can get.
I love it. So many good reasons to have this or that. Competition guys , GI Joe people, Outdoors people , owner users and rural people like me. I'm not brand loyal with firearms or heavy equipment but Ford pickups are the one and only. I've worked on them all. Ha .
Yep, I have one 1911 in 9MM and the rest are .45. The 9MM is a sweet little shooter but the .45 is even sweeter. I reload my .45s so ammo cost is irrelevant. Of course in todays less recoil is better world things are changing for some.
JTQ
Member
I'm not saying a 1911 can't shoot 9mm, but the 1911 is designed around a cartridge the length of the .45 Auto. The 9x19 is shorter, and typically requires a spacer in the magazine for proper function.
The 1911 slide is also designed for the recoil of the .45 Auto, so if you have lightly loaded 9mm ammo, it may not have enough "oomph" to drive a 1911 reliably, and less so, if you like to grease up your 1911 on a cold day. There is almost no .45 Auto round that won't drive a 1911 slide.
Just as a data point for consideration, does anybody shoot 9mm out of a Glock G21, another gun designed around a the .45 Auto?
wanderinwalker
Member
The argument for going with .45 ACP in a 1911, especially a 5" Government-length version, is they are generally a little less fiddly to make work than a 9mm Luger version of the same gun. Having gone through a .38 Super phase, I believe there to be some kernel of truth to that position. My 5" .38 Super was a decent pistol, just not quite up to the reliability of my .45 ACP version of the same pistol. Granted, both work(ed) 100% with plain old factory roundnose FMJ, as they should. But my particular .45 ACP will feed lead semi-wadcutters, hollow-points, FMJ, lead round nose projectiles and even empty cases without skipping a beat. The .45 has also been a lot less picky about magazines than my Super was. In fact, the .45 hasn't been picky about magazines at all. Every single one I've bought and tried has mostly worked just fine. The Super is long gone; the .45 will be buried with me.
Yes, I know I'm talking about the Super and you're asking about the 9mm Luger. The 9mms might even be a bit fussier than the Super due to the shorter length of the cartridges and the lower recoil impulse to drive the heavy slide on a 5" 1911. Some 9mm 1911s work with magazines that have spacers at the front of the magazine. Some want the spacers at the rear of the magazine. Some might not care which kind of magazines. And then there's the ammo and recoil and mainspring weights to look at if the guns don't want to run.
At the end of the day, they're just guns, so pick one, try it, and if you don't gel with it, move it on and try something different.
Yes, I know I'm talking about the Super and you're asking about the 9mm Luger. The 9mms might even be a bit fussier than the Super due to the shorter length of the cartridges and the lower recoil impulse to drive the heavy slide on a 5" 1911. Some 9mm 1911s work with magazines that have spacers at the front of the magazine. Some want the spacers at the rear of the magazine. Some might not care which kind of magazines. And then there's the ammo and recoil and mainspring weights to look at if the guns don't want to run.
At the end of the day, they're just guns, so pick one, try it, and if you don't gel with it, move it on and try something different.
Shawn Dodson
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- 3,558
For paper punching and competition...
USPSA major power factor (.45 ACP) scores more points for Charlie and Delta zone hits, 4 and 2 points respectively, than minor power factor (9mm) hits in the same zones, 3 and 1 points, respectively.
The reason is because major power factor loads produce more recoil and require more work to land good hits in the same amount of time.
Total Points divided by time equals hit factor.
What is the big to-do with 45acp over 9mm in a 1911 platform?
The people that practice the most. That can guarantee themself a direct hit. At the vital spot they choose to
target is the winner.
MARKSMANSHIP is the biggest to do.
Carry on with the silliness.
I'll carry on with practice and marksmanship.
The people that practice the most. That can guarantee themself a direct hit. At the vital spot they choose to
target is the winner.
MARKSMANSHIP is the biggest to do.
Carry on with the silliness.
I'll carry on with practice and marksmanship.
That goes for any handgun, you need to practice to be proficient. The best caliber in the world won't help if you can't hit the target accurately.
sqlbullet
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- Jan 16, 2008
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- 482
Your question, intentionally or not, comes from the wrong perspective. Let me place this in a different context to illustrate: Is there any advantage to hauling a pallet of food in an F350 vs just a weeks worth of groceries other than the extra food?
The real question is why you would pay the real world penalties that come with an F350 unless you needed to haul a pallet of food. If groceries for a week is your goal, a Civic will do it just as well as a much lower "cost".
Hey, if a person likes 9mm and likes 1911 they should get them some and be happy about it. But if we want to talk about efficiency and utility there are platforms that will deliver better quantitative results from the 9mm cartridge than the 1911 platform: Higher round count, lower weight, lower cost of entry, faster on target and target transition times, smoother reloads, better concealment etc.
I like 1911's. In fact I am carrying one right now. A Para P16 re-chambered in 10mm Auto. And I am not going to say someone is "under" gunned for having a 9mm 1911. But 9mm is not the "most" you can get out of the 1911 platform, and the 1911 platform is not the "most" you can get out of the 9mm.
The real question is why you would pay the real world penalties that come with an F350 unless you needed to haul a pallet of food. If groceries for a week is your goal, a Civic will do it just as well as a much lower "cost".
Hey, if a person likes 9mm and likes 1911 they should get them some and be happy about it. But if we want to talk about efficiency and utility there are platforms that will deliver better quantitative results from the 9mm cartridge than the 1911 platform: Higher round count, lower weight, lower cost of entry, faster on target and target transition times, smoother reloads, better concealment etc.
I like 1911's. In fact I am carrying one right now. A Para P16 re-chambered in 10mm Auto. And I am not going to say someone is "under" gunned for having a 9mm 1911. But 9mm is not the "most" you can get out of the 1911 platform, and the 1911 platform is not the "most" you can get out of the 9mm.
I've got both: an entry level GI in 45 ACP and a much nicer duty 1911 in 9mm, both Springfields.
The 9mm advantage is flush fit 10 round mags, vs 7-8 round mags for 45 ACP. In a time of much higher capacity double stack mags (in 2011s and polymer pistols), that point is...well...outdated. If you do end up with a 9mm, the Brownell's house brand 10 round mags are really nice for the price.
One quirk with 9mm mags: they are a pain in the butt to unload. The quickest way to unload is to cycle the gun. I can thumb 45 acp out of mags, but the 9mm likes to nose down into the mag for some reason.
The 9mm is cheaper to shoot. Both are equally reliable, but both took a little tuning and break-in to get that way.
Follow up shots with the 9mm is fast. Much faster than the Glock I was issued before, though speed is relative (what's .25 seconds between friends). I have not shot a Staccato 9mm 2011, which is advertised for fast follow up, so have no comparison, but the 9mm 1911 follow up shot is super quick and accurate (double tap vs controlled pair).
The 9mm is slightly heavier, but that point is also moot when loaded. It also has a rail.
The 9mm is far more accurate, but that may boil down to the sights and build quality (400 dollar 1911 vs 1200 dollar 1911).
I can't speak to the game side, as I don't do IDPA/IPSC.
Based on your question: paper puncher and race gun, go 9mm.
The 9mm advantage is flush fit 10 round mags, vs 7-8 round mags for 45 ACP. In a time of much higher capacity double stack mags (in 2011s and polymer pistols), that point is...well...outdated. If you do end up with a 9mm, the Brownell's house brand 10 round mags are really nice for the price.
One quirk with 9mm mags: they are a pain in the butt to unload. The quickest way to unload is to cycle the gun. I can thumb 45 acp out of mags, but the 9mm likes to nose down into the mag for some reason.
The 9mm is cheaper to shoot. Both are equally reliable, but both took a little tuning and break-in to get that way.
Follow up shots with the 9mm is fast. Much faster than the Glock I was issued before, though speed is relative (what's .25 seconds between friends). I have not shot a Staccato 9mm 2011, which is advertised for fast follow up, so have no comparison, but the 9mm 1911 follow up shot is super quick and accurate (double tap vs controlled pair).
The 9mm is slightly heavier, but that point is also moot when loaded. It also has a rail.
The 9mm is far more accurate, but that may boil down to the sights and build quality (400 dollar 1911 vs 1200 dollar 1911).
I can't speak to the game side, as I don't do IDPA/IPSC.
Based on your question: paper puncher and race gun, go 9mm.
Jimfern
Member
Alex, I'll take 38 Super for $400
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