3" 1911

[whichwatch]

Been wanting a 3" 1911 .45 ACP but am hearing they may have reliability issues due to the short slide not being able to travel far enough back on the frame to reliably eject spent cartridges, a quick double tap could cause a "stovepipe". I have a SR1911 Commander all steel currently, looking for something lighter and smaller. Anyone have any input?

 

[Snake45]

I played with chopping 1911s back in the '80s. I came to the conclusion that Colt knew what they were doing when they made the Commander 4 1/4". Anything less than that and you start gambling with reliability.

 

[eveled]

I really wanted one too, but came to the same conclusion as snake. I think he may have even helped me decide. I went with a pair of lightweight Smith and Wesson commanders.

The other one is a "billboard"

 

[Jeepnik]

A buddy has a Detonics Combat Master. I think it's a 3.5" barrel. They are ammo sensitive. But once you find something they like they are quite reliable. Don't know if they are made anymore, but at one time they were a cult gun.

 

[lostdog]

For a 3 to 3.5 inch barrel I've had the best luck with "Power Ball" ammo .because its rounded not a big hollow point...Look at a Colt "Day defender" for carry... :wink:

 

[Sugar River]

Have a Kimber Ultra CDP for over 15 years. Apparently it has never read anything on the internet because it refuses to puke on any ammo I feed it.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Have a Kimber Ultra CDP for over 15 years. Apparently it has never read anything on the internet because it refuses to puke on any ammo I feed it.

GOL-LEE! Mine is the same!

Like you say, good thing they don't read the internet posts on 3" barrels. :roll:

 

[Cholo]

I have an early 3" Kimber Eclipse Ultra ll that has never failed.

 

[chowser51]

My 3.3" SIG ultra has almost 1000 rounds through it since August with no malfunctions. Ammo is mainly Winchester 230gr FMJ, Ranger 230gr +P JHP and a few mags of Hornady Critical Duty. Seven different shooters. No issues.

 

[Snake45]

I really wanted one too, but came to the same conclusion as snake. I think he may have even helped me decide. I went with a pair of lightweight Smith and Wesson commanders.

The other one is a "billboard"

What is the screwdriver stuck through the trigger for?

 

[chowser51]

I never understood that. People stick pens, knives, etc through there when taking pictures. It's supposed to give it better perspective or something. I've never done it. I take it flat.

 

[Snake45]

I never understood that. People stick pens, knives, etc through there when taking pictures. It's supposed to give it better perspective or something. I've never done it. I take it flat.

Yeah, I just take pics of my guns flat, too, no problem. In this case, the screwdriver seems to have levered the muzzle of the gun clean out of the picture! :shock: :lol:

 

[eveled]

Sheesh you guys are picky! The picture was taken to show the rounded mainspring housing, so the muzzle wasn't important.

I cary IWB, so the extra barrel is easy to conceal, if OWB I guess the shorter the barrel the better.

 

[Cholo]

No problem, eveled. I've seen then with RR spikes, vibrators, and bratwurst stuffed inside the trigger guard to make the gun more photogenic :mrgreen:

 

[wayned]

vibrators ? was that a "Lady Smith"?

 

[Snake45]

vibrators ? was that a "Lady Smith"?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!

 

[s4s4u]

I never understood that. People stick pens, knives, etc through there when taking pictures. It's supposed to give it better perspective or something. I've never done it. I take it flat.

In my case the light is directly over the table so if I want to take a photo of the full side of a gun I would block the light with my head and camera. Tilting the gun I can get out of the path of the light and get a good picture. Everything for a reason ;-)

As to the OP, I never found a inch of barrel to be a big deal to conceal and prefer a little more sight radius. I'd rather have the shorter officer handle than a shorter barrel when it comes to carry. C'mon Ruger, lets get that CCO on the market!

 

[RSIno1]

I had an early Detonics. It would eat anything I fed it - ball, hollow point, SWC. Their trick on reliability was the dual mainspring. It was heavy and the wife was mad when I traded "her gun" off for a NIB Weatherby Orion shotgun and $200. I had bought it from a guy at work who was going through a divorce for $150. In hindsight I should have kept the Detonics but I swapped the Orion for a real nice red pad No1v in .223 so I'm happy now.

 

[Snake45]

I never understood that. People stick pens, knives, etc through there when taking pictures. It's supposed to give it better perspective or something. I've never done it. I take it flat.

In my case the light is directly over the table so if I want to take a photo of the full side of a gun I would block the light with my head and camera. Tilting the gun I can get out of the path of the light and get a good picture. Everything for a reason ;-)

As to the OP, I never found a inch of barrel to be a big deal to conceal and prefer a little more sight radius. I'd rather have the shorter officer handle than a shorter barrel when it comes to carry. C'mon Ruger, lets get that CCO on the market!

The Commander length top end on the short Officer frame seems like a winning combination. My son has such a gun, a Kimber. He hasn't shot it that much but I believe it's been 100% reliable for him.

 

[dakota1911]

I bought a Detonics in 1984 as a backup to the Colt Gov I carried. In my experience the smaller pistols are harder to shoot well, are snottier about ammunition, and eat up recoil springs faster. The best ones I have had are Colt Defenders. I still have my 2002 in .45 I used to carry years ago and on the bottom I bought a 9mm in 2010.



And a picture of my old Detonics which I put some Pachmayr grips on back in 1984. The Detonics has a very short grip. My little finger has no place to go.



These days I carry a Colt/Talo Wiley Clapp Commander so lightweight Commander in 45.



And have been shooting and thinking about the Ruger CMD-LW to possibly replace it in the future.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I never understood that. People stick pens, knives, etc through there when taking pictures. It's supposed to give it better perspective or something. I've never done it. I take it flat.

I do the prop em up thing too. Keeps my shadow out of the pick with the lighting I have in my shop.

 

[pastorp]

A light weight commander if about perfect for a carry gun. Either colt or ruger. The new SR 1911 LWC already has all the features most of us had gunsmiths build into our colts. So I'd just buy the ruger and be happy. Oh I did already.

 

[SR1911SHOOTER]

Been wanting a 3" 1911 .45 ACP but am hearing they may have reliability issues due to the short slide not being able to travel far enough back on the frame to reliably eject spent cartridges, a quick double tap could cause a "stovepipe". I have a SR1911 Commander all steel currently, looking for something lighter and smaller. Anyone have any input?

whichwatch,
I have a SR1911 CMD, and 2 SR1911s. I buy them and give them to my grandkids. Gave my Granddaughter
my favourite, a P95DC. Still kickin' my butt!
Keep whatcha got whichwatch, That CMD is a sweet piece. I can get away with carrying an SR1911
in the summer cause I am an old fart (82) and nobody notices me in my short sleeved shirt with tails hanging out.
The weight of the piece gives me a sense of security. If I run out of ammo, (I carry 3 mags) I can bop the thug over the head. When I can no longer operate the slide on my 1911, I will get a huge wheel gun.
:<)
Blackie.

 

[SR1911SHOOTER]

Have a Kimber Ultra CDP for over 15 years. Apparently it has never read anything on the internet because it refuses to puke on any ammo I feed it.

Sugar River,
The only gun I ever had that "Googled" stuff was a Lama MinniMax .45ACP.
It read that it was a good gun. Everybody I knew could shoot it,
but it continually jammed on me, unless I was pointing it straight down. And no, I
don't "Limp Wrist"! I called it "Garfield" cause it had a
temperament like an old tomcat. Sold it and never looked back. I have a safe full of pistols now that all
go bang every time. If I get one now that is temperamental, I part it out. No need to sell some
body else my dangerous weapon.
Blackie

 

[pruger45]

Try an ATI titan.

 

[hinkruger]

My Sig Ultra 3.3" 1911 in 45 has been flawless. I loved my commander sr1911 but never carried it. I only got rid of it because I got the sig for a good price and it has become my everyday carry. It is comfortable iwb and i am just as accurate with the sig as with my govt size 1911.

 

[pruger45]

I just traded for a Desert Eagle 1911U yesterday! Shoots like a champ! I had an ATI Titan 3 inches 1911 thar was flawless also!

 

[pruger45]

I traded for a Desert Eagle 1911 U over the weekend! Put a couple hundred rounds through it today without a hitch!