It is quite obvious that I am a big fan of the 1911 platform, so much so that I will shoot a 1911 in CDP at the inaugural IDPA World Championship later this year. That being said, shooting a lot of .45 ACP can be unpleasant, especially when you are running a 350-round practice session. Your forearms get tired, and the recoil takes a toll on your hands and joints. If you do not believe it, check out the archives at Pistol-Training.Com, where last year Todd Green shot 50,000 rounds of .45 ACP through an HK45. Additionally, .45 ACP can be unpleasant for new shooters—more recoil, more muzzle blast and all the things that generally make people not want to shoot guns regularly.
However, the 1911 has unparalleled ergonomics. Most shooters just like the way the single-stack grip fits their hands and shoots.
Enter the 9mm 1911. If you want to get someone addicted to shooting for the rest of their life, put a 1911 chambered in 9mm in their hands, give them 200 rounds of ammo and sit back and enjoy the show. In my opinion, there is no more enjoyable shooting experience than running a 1911 chambered in the light-kicking 9mm cartridge. With 9mm ammo running 20 to 35 percent cheaper than .45 ACP ammo, you also, literally, get more bang for you buck, which means more time at the range and more improvement in your shooting.
Saving money, shooting more, getting more people addicted to the shooting sports—what is not to like about 1911s chambered in 9mm?
Do you enjoy shooting the 9mm 1911? Tell us about your experiences in the comments section.
I bought a Star model b in 9 two years back. Not reliable without a good magazine but I found I liked the cartridge and the platform. Got me a Springfield in 9mm and am enjoying the shoot out of it.More fun than my polymer Smith. A proper mag for the Star made it run well again and I feel it is a bit of history to boot. Fun.
I just ordered a Kimber Carry Pro in 9mm. I can’t wait to get it! I will include a review once I have a chance to put some serious ammo through it.
I shot the 92FS for almost twenty years and never liked the feel of that weapon. My Kimber 1911 shoots 45ACP with less recoil and at a lower weight. Before getting my first 1911 I shot 9mm polymer weapons like the M&P 9 Pro and 9 compact. The recoil of these polymer guns was so much worse than my 1911 that I could have kicked myself for not trying out the 1911 earlier. Today I train every week with 250 rounds through a Government model and 250 rounds through my “Ultra” (Officers). I find the recoil of the 1911 design to be far easier to manage than a polymer 9mm.
How does a 9mm 1911 compare to a Beretta 92FS, which also fires the 9mm round?
I have a 1911 in 9mm (Stoeger Arms Llamma) and it is a lot of fun to shoot.
My first venture into the 1911 style guns is a Rock Island 1911 chambered in 9mm. Actually my first 9mm also. I usually shoot 45acp with my other guns, but the fun of this gun along with the pleasant price of 9mm makes a very enjoyable experience.