+P JHP ammo ok out of 1911 pistol?

[Black Majik]

Ok, so I went out to buy some JHP, and didn't read closely enough and bought some 185 gr. +P Federal Hydrashok ammo.

My home defense pistol is a Colt Government. Is it alrite to run +p ammo thru my 1911?

How does this compare to the .230 gr. JHP's. What is your preferred bullet weight for defensive purposes, and why?

TIA.

 

[Lennyjoe]

My selection for personal defense out of my Kimber Pro Carry II is the Speer Gold Dot 200gr +P.

A steady diet of +P is probably not the preferred ammo, but for CCW I prefer a little more push, power wise.

I'd shoot that ammo with confidence in your Colt.

Im sure there are many more qualified individuals out there with the 1911 than I am. So be prepared to get bombarded with a wealth of knowledge on this matter.

 

[stans]

+P ammo should not hurt a modern 1911. Now if it is an older one, say, produced before the 1970's, the steel may be a little softer. I certainly would not shoot +P in a World War I or II vintage 1911. For the modern 1911's, you would do well to invest in an 18 pound recoil spring for +P loads. Anytime you increase operating pressure, you will accelerate wear. If you do most of your practice with standard ammo and shoot +P for familiarity only, then you should not have problems and the gun will last a lifetime.