Considering a 1911.

[BlindJustice]

Hey Jim,

How about this... some 1911 .45 ACP users have taken whitetail with the platform. It takes familiarity with the weapon, and knowing the limits of the
ballistic characteristics - after 50 yards the bullets of heavier weight still retain energy, but they start dropping in trajectory.

A .400 CorBon is a .45 ACP necked down to .40 Cal. it fires at a greater velocity but a much lighter bullet weight, of 155/165 gr. however it shoots as
flat as a 9MM, that is at 100 yards it only drops about 9 inches whereas a
.45 is around 15 inches drop. The advantage conversion wise with the .400 COrBon is that it takes the same magazines as a .45 ACP, it is just a barrel swap and maybe a little more recoil spring but it doesn't feed well in a double stack frame/magazine.

A regular 1911 has 8 rds mag. + 1 up the chamber - very nice trigger with redundant safeties. There are also .45 ACP +P loads

Ammo cost - .45 ACP Win. White Box at Wal mart is about $32/100 rds
compared to the same in 9MM luger at $18/100.

I have a S&W 1911 full size with a .400 COrBon Barrel but to defer costs
I picked up a CZ 75B in 9MM LUger about 3 months ago. So, I've cut back on the .45 ACp costs and fire the CZ 75B - it also has a DA first shot option has lighter recoil and 100% rleiability after 800 rds. I fire the 1911 about half as much as before getting the CZ 75B. THe .22 LR conversion kit for a 1911 has gotten pushed down the priority list. The CZ 75B has a .22 LR
conversion kit available as well. However I have a S&W .22 LR Revolver I use
for fun and DA trigger practice/warm up. I also have a .45 ACP Revolver

.22s are great for more shooting and easier on the wallet, great for all shooters regardless of experience.

If I were going into bear country I wouldn't hesitate to take my 1911 with
.45 ACP +P loads. but it would be a backup to my long gun even if it was just my Marlin 1894 in .45 COl, 10 shots of 250 gr. solid construction bullets for the chance encounter.

It is late

Randall

 

[dmazur]

I've had a 1911 Commander for 30+ years. Also had a Ruger MkII .22 pistol. It was only recently that I got into IDPA and became concerned about the cost of practice, and aware of a possible advantage in using the same frame for practice, but with a .22 upper. So I got a Ciener conversion unit.

I was concerned about bears when I took hikes in the backcountry, and I almost got a .460 Rowland conversion unit, which consists of a barrel w/ compensator and the necessary springs. It is supposed to fit a steel Colt Commander (which is a "Combat Commander"), but it will not fit all 1911's. The recoil with the compensator is supposed to be similar to standard .45ACP recoil, and the .460 Rowland is supposed to be roughly the same as a .44Mag.

I didn't do the .460 Rowland. Instead, I got a Ruger SBH in .44Mag.

So, I guess I went "part way" in your scheme of things. I did the .22, but not the .460. I never considered a .38 Super as a viable conversion.

Part of the trouble is, the slide & frame have to be fit to each other. How does the Ciener fit? Terrible, but it's not intended to replace a target pistol, just provide low-cost IDPA practice with the .45ACP frame & trigger. It works for that.

The .460 Rowland barrel & compensator used the existing slide and frame, so provided the barrel lugs made up correctly with the slide (and the mfgr said they would adjust the barrel lugs if necessary), it would have been a feasible conversion. Recoil spring has to be changed, too, of course, but that isn't a "fit" issue.

I just didn't believe the .460 brass would be readily available. It can be reloaded with standard .45ACP dies, according to Clark, so I wouldn't have to buy custom dies, but I remained unconvinced and went with a standard caliber, the .44Mag.

As to "building" a 1911, I understand you can get a kit from someone that supplies all the parts from one source, and guarantees fit. If you try mixing and matching from Brownell's, you're going to need several thousand dollars of specialized gunsmithing tools for a successful outcome. And a lot of study.

Basically, the 1911 isn't a 10/22. Or an AR15. There is just too much variance in dimensions for 1911 parts to be described truthfully as "drop-in". So, if you are not aware of this, you might think, "Well, I changed barrels on my 10/22, and I got a Volquartsen trigger to work, so how hard can it be?"

Very.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Thanks guys! I'm probably going to get one of the ruger 22/45s (Still have to see which one balances better.) I checked it out, and a ruger redhawk in .44 mag(Not getting this anytime soon) costs a good 200 dollars more than the rowland conversion kit. I was thinking that if bears were a concern, The 1911 with compensater would have way faster followup shots, and wouldn't give me a flinch, or at least as bad of a flinch, when sighting in or hunting with. Any thoughts on this?(I still have no intention of converting it to that until I'm competent with lower-recoiling calibers) The 1911 seems like a "down the road" purchase, but I'd still like to hear more about it. Thanks guys, for helping me make the right decision!

Also, I've been reading 1911 threads and what's a beavertale safety?
And what's a novak rear sight?

 

[kle]

I've considered a compensator for my 1911, but from what I've read it's more of a cosmetic thing (at least, the ones that replace the barrel bushing) since .45ACP doesn't generate that much pressure and so any 'benefits' had from the comp would be negligible. Not that .45ACP recoils that hard in a full-sized 1911 anyways.

The 1911 has two manual safeties: the thumb safety and the grip-safety. The beavertail safety is a wide version of the grip safety to protect the user from "hammer bite", where the hammer pinches the user's hand when it's being cocked by the slide under recoil.

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/tech/custom_mods.htm -- here's a site that explains a lot of the terminology, with pictures to boot.

 

[BlindJustice]

Novak makes sights for the 1911 by various manufactueres.
the sights are installed via dovetail cuts perpendicular to the
length of a 1911 slide. My S&W base model 1911 comes standard
with the Novak Low Mount "carry" sights - the dovetails
are and sights are designed to fit into the slide instead of some sights
which seem to stick on top of the slide. The Novaks also have
3 white dots, a white dot in the ramp front sight and two white
dots on each side of the rear sight notch.

Google Novak Handgun sights - an adjustable rear sight is also
available as well as getting the sights with tretium - glows in the dark
night sights.

Other sight options for a 1911 and other semi-autos incoude Heinie
and BoMar as well as others.

The RIA Tactical has "NOvak Like" sights as in they also have
dovetail cuts, and fit nearly the same but there's no white dots.

The grip safety in beavertail configuration is wider than a standard
G.I. grip saftey, it also besides spreading the surface area to absorb
recoil, it also encourages a higher grip which also reduces muzzle rise
upon recoil, and the rear tang is extended back with a littl upcurl at the end
so that a cocked Commander style hammer sits in that area making it
impossible for the web of the hand be pinched or 'bitten' as some shooters find

Ok, not all others are wanna bes, plenty of good platforms other
than a 1911. no need to bash what others prefer -or- can afford,
Jeff.

Randall



with the G.I. Tang grip safety.

 

[BlindJustice]

uh, Jim, disregard my last sentence - I was interupted writing that response and came back from the store, finished it
and referred to a dork on a different thread.

Randall

 

[Harley Quinn]

Hope you will be happy with your purchase 45/22 conversion.

I have two of them one is very sensitive to ammo and need 40 grn hi vel to function, the 36 grn just does not get it done...Good Luck.

 

[kle]

...one is very sensitive to ammo...

And here we are scaring the guy away from .22s, too =) That's exactly the reason I chose a .22 revolver (a 6", 10-shot S&W 617) as my first .22 over a semi-auto--because semi-autos can be ammo-sensitive, more-so than revolvers.

That being said, I have managed to gum-up my 617 with crappy ammo--any cheap Remington (Thunderbolts, the bulk stuff they sell at Walmart) should be avoided like the plague.

Jim--just jump right in with the 22/45; the rest of it will come with time and experience. And keep the muzzle pointed downrange =) You'll be fine!

 

[JImbothefiveth]

The 22/45 isn't a conversion, it's a full pistol.
I don't think you can scare me away from .22s, yeah they jam more than centerfires, but they are so cheap and low recoiling. It's way more pleasant to shoot a brick of .22s than, say 500 rounds of 2 gauge.

That's exactly the reason I chose a .22 revolver (a 6", 10-shot S&W 617) as my first .22 over a semi-auto--because semi-autos can be ammo-sensitive, more-so than revolvers.

I can live with clearing a few malfunctions, this is just going to be a range pistol. Maybe if the 617 were more in my price range though.

And keep the muzzle pointed downrange =)

Always do! Thanks!



And once again, thanks for talking me out of trying to build a 1911!