invest in .22lr conversion kit for 1911?
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Sniper X
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I got one for my 1911's and LOVE it! I bought the Cienner Kimber branded one and on a commander alloy frame, it weighs about an ounce! I love to shoot it sooo much that I just leave it on that frame since I have 11 other 1911's. I will NEVER be without a .22 conversion for a 1911 again. This is the first one I ever had, only had it for about a year and have owned 1911's for 30 years. So, I waited a while. I only bought it or should say traded for it because a buddy wanted a TC in .357 and I had one I never shot and traded him the TC for a Springfield Champion WITH the .22 conversion (NIB I might add!) for the TC! GREAT deal for me!
mljdeckard
Member
I have a ciener for my Kimber Custom II, and I love it. Rather than shooting 100 rds of .45 and going home unfulfilled, I can shoot .22 until my hand gets tired.
However, it's not literally as cheap as the ads claim. If you use the cheapest .22 ammo, you won't get great reliability. Remember, most .22 autos only cycle a bolt, not an entire slide. It's more work, even if it's a really lightweight slide. Use stingers or velocitors. Also, my kit took a few hundred rounds to break in, and it stars to FTE every couple of hundred rounds, so I have to give it a shot of spray cleaner and a quick wipe to keep going.
I had the Advantage Arms kit for my Glock, and it was good, but a little more tempermental, and even lighter. An aluminum slide on a 1911 is pretty lightweight, aluminum topping a Glock REALLY feels like a toy.
However, it's not literally as cheap as the ads claim. If you use the cheapest .22 ammo, you won't get great reliability. Remember, most .22 autos only cycle a bolt, not an entire slide. It's more work, even if it's a really lightweight slide. Use stingers or velocitors. Also, my kit took a few hundred rounds to break in, and it stars to FTE every couple of hundred rounds, so I have to give it a shot of spray cleaner and a quick wipe to keep going.
I had the Advantage Arms kit for my Glock, and it was good, but a little more tempermental, and even lighter. An aluminum slide on a 1911 is pretty lightweight, aluminum topping a Glock REALLY feels like a toy.
Confederate
Member
Yes, a lot of people are buying them.
Having said that, the cost of the kits often equal that of an entirely new .22LR pistol. So some of us would rather have the new pistol, say a Ruger Mark II. Still, if you like the way your 1911 shoots, go for it.
Having said that, the cost of the kits often equal that of an entirely new .22LR pistol. So some of us would rather have the new pistol, say a Ruger Mark II. Still, if you like the way your 1911 shoots, go for it.
mljdeckard
Member
I forgot, I am also seriously considering building a dedicated 1911 frame for the kit, to not have to switch back and forth.
presspuller
Member
I guess its a personal thing. I don't care for them. Maybe because I had a couple of .22s before I got my 1911.
I can shoot them all day long and don't have to worry about stopping and cleaning them in the middle of the session. But to each their own and get one if you want it.
I can shoot them all day long and don't have to worry about stopping and cleaning them in the middle of the session. But to each their own and get one if you want it.
Furncliff
Member
I made an impulse buy on a Kadet conversion for my CZ75b, and that sold me on .22 conversions. I'm only delaying buying one for my 1911 because I can't decide on which one. I have started reloading, but .22 rim fire is still the cheapest trigger time there is. Not to mention the variety of .22 ammo out there.
Zach S
Member
You dont have to use the expensive rounds in a conversoin, I use Federal Bulk pack with very few problems. GBs ran fine till I got to a couple of boxes from a different lot...
Thats what I did, to make use of an otherwise useless AMT frame.
I have never used the .22 conversions, but have had good luck with the Ruger 22/45. I paid less for mine than a conversion kit, and from what I have read they are more accurate and reliable. Same could be said of the Browning Buckmark or several other .22's.
76shuvlinoff
Member
My Kimber conversion choked on blazer but runs like a top on minimags or stingers. All of it is CCI stuff but that's what worked for me. I love the thing and it gets my wife shooting with me.
schmeky
Member
I have owned .22 conversions for many years starting with an original Colt .22 conversion. I recently bought the Kimber conversion kit for my stable of 1911's.
The Kimber is very well made. Everything is machined beautifully, is well fitted, and very smooth once installed. With any 1911/22 conversion here is what I have learned. If you retain the stock mainspring, you're going to have to use high velocity ammo. If you switch to a 17# mainspring, chances are very good to excellent you can use standard velocity ammo. My Kimber kit is also very accurate (1/2" group at 10 yards).
The only drawback to the Kimber kit is it doesn't lock the slide on the last round, however, the Kimber owners manual states you can dry-fire the 22 conversion all you want with no harm. I knew about the lack of slide lock when I bought it.
The CZ Kadet kit is also a quality conversion. Mine works well on my SP-01 and its very accurate. I can shoot a dime sized hole all day long at 10 yards from a steady position. The Kadet is like the 1911 kits in the sense that you can run standard velocity ammo if you run a 15# mainspring.
Best of all, you get to practice trigger control with the same "big bore" you can stoke with the real stuff, which has the potential to improve your marksmanship.
I feel the 22 conversions are a great value with ammo prices headed north.
The Kimber is very well made. Everything is machined beautifully, is well fitted, and very smooth once installed. With any 1911/22 conversion here is what I have learned. If you retain the stock mainspring, you're going to have to use high velocity ammo. If you switch to a 17# mainspring, chances are very good to excellent you can use standard velocity ammo. My Kimber kit is also very accurate (1/2" group at 10 yards).
The only drawback to the Kimber kit is it doesn't lock the slide on the last round, however, the Kimber owners manual states you can dry-fire the 22 conversion all you want with no harm. I knew about the lack of slide lock when I bought it.
The CZ Kadet kit is also a quality conversion. Mine works well on my SP-01 and its very accurate. I can shoot a dime sized hole all day long at 10 yards from a steady position. The Kadet is like the 1911 kits in the sense that you can run standard velocity ammo if you run a 15# mainspring.
Best of all, you get to practice trigger control with the same "big bore" you can stoke with the real stuff, which has the potential to improve your marksmanship.
I feel the 22 conversions are a great value with ammo prices headed north.
kentucky_smith
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I built up a ciener on a dedicated frame. Very accurate and I love shooting it more than any Buckmark or other .22 I've had.
After 25 years of trying, buying and selling handguns I discovered I shoot the 1911 design better than all others. My 4 pc. battery is now complete and the pistol I shoot the most often is my Marvel/Colt Unit 1. It is super accurate and feeds Federal 550 bulk pack hollow points and Velocitors reliably. The one catch is that it does not lock the side back, but the accuracy makes up for it.
Bob Marvel and STI have a new conversion kit out that is essentially a Marvel U1
with slide lock back capability. The 1911 in 22lr has helped improve my accuracy with my two 9mm's and 10mm.
Bob Marvel and STI have a new conversion kit out that is essentially a Marvel U1
with slide lock back capability. The 1911 in 22lr has helped improve my accuracy with my two 9mm's and 10mm.
robctwo
Member
I bought the Ceiner kit and installed it on a SA Black Stainless frame with Ed Brown ignition parts. Very nice. 15 round mags. Slide doesn't lock back. Runs good in warm weather, not at all in the cold. I might get a lighter spring and check that out.
My CZ Kadet has had thousands if not tens of thousands of rounds through it over the years.
My CZ Kadet has had thousands if not tens of thousands of rounds through it over the years.
Zach S
Member
I used an 18lb mainspring, and ran it fairly dry in cold weather. It helped.
mainmech48
Member
I've had a Ceiner for several years now and have used it on four different 1911s. Mine has run just fine with decent quality HS/HV ammo, including bulk packs.
The only thing I'd do differently is spring for the adjustable sights. If you use the fixed model with more than one frame or change ammo brand/type the POI shift can be considerable.
The only thing I'd do differently is spring for the adjustable sights. If you use the fixed model with more than one frame or change ammo brand/type the POI shift can be considerable.
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