40 or 45 in a 1911

[slow1911s]

I heard or read somewhere that .45 mags work better in a .40 1911.

Wilson Combat 47D mags ran the best in my Trojan. Tripp 40s were a close second.

Riverman - is the nose of the bullet stalling on the feed ramp? Or, is it going nose up and catching on the barrel hood? Lastly, is your slide stop somehow getting activated?

 

[rhino]

Okay, before I go with this . . . I'm not disagreeing with you with the qualifications you added.

Here's the thing: I don't want a gun that won't function with factory ammo if the need arises to do so. Would you agree that getting a 1911-ish gun to operate with factory spec .40S&W is more of a pain in the patootie than getting the same gun to operate with ammo that is tailored for it?

To me, that's too finicky. If it's just a game gun it's probably not a big deal in the long run, and of course this subforum is about competition. I just can't wrap my head around a gun that won't operate on factory ammo.

For instance, my 9mm Springfield and my <cough!> Para P18.9 <cough> both function nicely with factory ammo, which includes a wide variety of ball and 124gr Gold Dots. I don't want to reload, so that's what works for me. If I wanted to reload, I might be more amenable to the idea of a .40 single stack game gun, but . . .

I also think, and this is from my engineering/physics background because I am in no way a gunsmith, that the ratio of overall length to diameter (or vice versa) plays a role here, which may be why in my experience 9mm guns are less finicky that .40s. Longer and skinnier are both better, especially when you can get both. Factory .40 has neither.

Ultimately, unless you need to use .40 for some reason, I don't see much advantage it gives you in a single stack gun. In USPSA Single Stack Division, you can only load 8 rounds anyway (for major). I know some will argue effectively that they prefer the recoil of the .40 at the same power factor as .45ACP, but it's just so much simpler to get reliable .45 that it makes better sense to me. If you want to shoot minor, you're losing a round to the 9mm and .38 super guns, so again . . .

Again, BINGO!
Keep in mind there are many 9mm ( designed shorter OAL) 1911's that run fine.
My point in presenting these questions is I believe 1911 single stacks, in 40 cal, are getting a bad reputation when it's not warranted. Surely, some manufactures are guilty of sending out firearms that are not set up properly. And, there are consumers that don't understand what it takes to make these guns reliable. That isn't necessarily their fault.
There is no reason a single stack 1911 won't run reliably when chambered in 40 SW. All it requires is a common sense approach to magazines and the ammo it requires.

 

[HICKMAN]

Ultimately, unless you need to use .40 for some reason, I don't see much advantage it gives you in a single stack gun. In USPSA Single Stack Division, you can only load 8 rounds anyway (for major).

I know Max, Jeff and I are all thinking the same thing... reloading one caliber.

I shoot .40 in Production and Limited, it'd be nice to get a good working 1911 in .40 that we wouldn't have to mess too much with.

.40 brass is everyone and abundant, small pistol primers are abundant.

I'm not so worried about recoil, my G35 shooting minor PF loads doesn't hit me any harder than shooting 115gr WWB in my G17.

I know when I asked awhile back, Jake recommended the Dan Wesson PM7 in .40, but those are hard to find and have been discontinued.

 

[Joe Williams]

All things equal, a 45 1911 will be more reliable. Getting one to run on 40 is a PITA, but is sweet when you get there.

If major scoring isn't an issue, 38 Super is second best in the 1911.

I thought .38 Super could safely make major?

 

[slow1911s]

I thought .38 Super could safely make major?

Only in Open with a supported chamber. If you want to shoot Major PF in Super without a comp, be my guest. I, don't want any part of it.

 

[rhino]

I thought .38 Super could safely make major?

You can physically make the power factor, but you have to be .40 or bigger according to USPSA rules to declare Major in Limited, Limited 10, Single Stack. .38 super and other 9xXX major is for open only.

 

[Joe Williams]

You can physically make the power factor, but you have to be .40 or bigger according to USPSA rules to declare Major in Limited, Limited 10, Single Stack. .38 super and other 9xXX major is for open only.

Thank you for the clarification!

 

[glock34]

How much does the reliability issue for 40 change when going to a 2011 gun? I have read that the double stack mags help with some of the feed issues.

 

[HICKMAN]

The 2011's run .40 all day

 

[slow1911s]

The 2011's run .40 all day

They do. As long as the gun is set up properly and the magazines are tuned.

 

[rhino]

They do. As long as the gun is set up properly and the magazines are tuned.

Indeed. Virtually all of the top Limited shooters and most of the "almost theres" and a large percentage of the "I'm Having Funs" shoot an STI or S-V based gun in .40. If they didn't work, they would not be using them.

Some will even function with factory-spec ammunition.