1911 for carry option

[TNPhil]

Just curious to know y'alls thoughts on 9mm 1911 for EDC...

[leroy]

Phil...

I like em, but they are big, no matter the barrel length.  I think ya can carry em IWB pretty well, but I like em in a leather holster, and a good one at that.  I do NOT like the 3 inch guns.  They are finicky n only give the " illusion of concealability " as far as I'm concerned. 

The nines are soft shooting and are reliable ( they didn't used ta be ).  The ammo is as good as ya can buy. 

I've got a Ruger lightweight SR 1911 Commander I carry from time to time, but I'm a " gun junkie ".

Fifty or so years ago, I used to regularly carry a Colt 45 Gubt model or LW Commander 44 ACP, both IWB, IWB, n pocket in the hip pocket of Carhartt dungarees and overalls.  Be advised, the all steel guns are heavy, and it does make a difference if ya carry em all day.

They are an excellent choice if ya practice with em and learn to handle em well.  The main drawbacks are price and weight with the all steel guns.

All that said, it's awfully hard to beat a single or double stack 4 inch polymer gun.  The Glock 43 comes to mind for single stacks, and the Glock 19 for double. If ya have a bit more $s ta spend, the Shadow Systems MR 920 can't be beat as they are a Glock clone with a better trigger n a few other niceties as well.

The Smith guns are just as good I think. 

All the plastic striker fired guns are lighter, less expensive, and just as reliable as anything ever made .  I would recommend handling em all..

leroy.

[deerslayer]

I’ve carried a Springfield EMP 4” off and on for years.  The EMP action is 1/8” shorter than a standard 1911 because it was designed from the ground up for 9mm and .40 length cartridges.  If you want to carry a 9mm 1911, there’s nothing better IMO.  

[Grayfox54]

I carried a Colt Lightweight Commander in .45 for most of my adult life. Great gun. With the right belt and holster, it conceals very well and is quite comfortable due to its flat profile. 

However, I'm not a fan of 9mm 1911s. If your gonna carry a 1911, get one in the correct caliber. 

[et45]

If you’re going single stack 9mm a 1911 is your best option.I’ve carried Glock 43x and 48, I’ve gone back to a 19 for a reason,less recoil.

[Thearmededucator]

Like the others stated above, it’s not my preference, but there’s nothing particularly wrong with it. 
 

They are often more finicky than the .45 versions, particularly when it comes to finding magazines. Besides that you’ll have more weight, lower capacity and higher cost than other options. 
 

As a tool it’ll certainly work, just with generally less economical efficiency 

[TNPhil]

So I see more of a shift to striker-fired rather than 1911 when in 9mm, correct?

[1gewehr]

A full-size 1911 is a large, heavy piece for EDC.  Extra weight and size equate to less felt recoil in a given caliber.  So, a 9mm 1911 will have that advantage, plus 1 extra round over one in .45acp.

A Colt Defender or Lightweight Commander is a good choice for someone who wants a 1911 platform pistol.  Both are available in 9mm, if that's your choice.

I carried a Star PD .45 for many years as it was light, reliable, and I was most familiar with the 1911 platform.  Also, it was a .45acp in the days when 9mm HP ammo was less reliable for both function and stopping ability.  My argument then was that a 9mm Hollow Point might not expand, but a .45 Hollow Point would never make a hole smaller than half an inch!

Now, 9mm ammo is much improved, and if that's your choice, it's not a bad one.

[Grayfox54]

46 minutes ago, TNPhil said:

So I see more of a shift to striker-fired rather than 1911 when in 9mm, correct?

Not necessarily. There are plenty of hammer fired, single stack 9mms out there that make excellent carry guns. I'm partial to the Sig P239 and have carried mine on occasion. 

[leroy]

I like the hammer fired guns.  Internal n external.  I've got an S&W 9mm Performance Center EZ ( internal hammer ) I like very well.  They are essentially a pocket pistol ( for bigger pockets ).  But they are an excellent choice.  Barrel length is 3.8 inches ima thinking.

leroy

[papa61]

I carry an officer's size 45, all steel, and it's a chunk. Not a 1911 pattern but modified of the same type action. If I were picking a 1911 for EDC it would be a lightweight commander. My preference is for hammer fired SA but I am trying to get used to a poly frame DA/SA double stack. Less weight, more rounds, and a decock/safety lever so it can be cocked and locked or first shot double action. Trust me when I say a full sized all steel 1911 takes dedication to EDC.

[Moped]

I think if you like a 9mm 1911, and you shoot one well, then go for it. I’ve never owned one or shot one, only .45s. I owned, but never carried a 1911, except in the Army. I like shooting them, but they are just too big for me.  I owned one now. But I’m a Glock guy (there I said it). That’s what I’ve moved too and what I carry, other than a Ruger LCP Max and a S&W 442.

[DL126]

I carried a Ruger  Commander size 1911 in 9mm for a couple of years.

Eventually swapped to a sub compact striker fired.
Even the "lightweight" 1911's get heavy over the course of a day.

I do really like 1911's.
I tend to make better hits more often with them.
In fact I just bought another one in 9mm. But I won't EDC it.
I have a P365 for that.

YMMV.

[aknifemaker]

If you want a hammer fired 9mm take a look at CZ they make some excellent pistols either decocker or safety

[leroy]

17 minutes ago, aknifemaker said:

If you want a hammer fired 9mm take a look at CZ they make some excellent pistols either decocker or safety

Excellent pistolas... Probably a better handling pistola than a 1911.  Got one myself.  The downside is the compacts are heavy.  The P01s a bit lighter.  Fifteen rounds of ya are into capacity.  Soft shooters as well.

leroy

[Choatecav]

32 minutes ago, leroy said:

Excellent pistolas... Probably a better handling pistola than a 1911.  Got one myself.  The downside is the compacts are heavy.  The P01s a bit lighter.  Fifteen rounds of ya are into capacity.  Soft shooters as well.

leroy

What Leroy said..............

[JustEd]

If that is what you want then go for it.

While I love the 1911 platform there are a few issues for concealed carry:

Size:  too big for concealment.  The shorter 3" versions seem less reliable (tried a Kimber 1911 45  in 3").  Much more difficult to disassemble as well.

Weight, it makes your pants want to sag.

Single action with light trigger.  I feel safer with a Glock than a 1911 on my belt.  If you do get a 1911 try and find a holster with a leather strap which prevents the hammer from falling while in holster.  Traditionalists will argue this point, but it is based on my experience. 

My preferred choice is a 2" snub nose revolver.  However, unless you man up to a .357 the power of a .38, even in +P, is marginal nowadays

 

[ken_mays]

I have carried 1911s a fair amount, they are flat and conceal pretty well.  The Government size steel models do get pretty heavy by end of the day.   I have a couple of Lightweight Government models that I really need to do something with, I bought them for when I felt like carrying a 1911, but I haven't gotten around to tweaking them like I generally do.   The lightweight Commanders make a lot of sense too, but I personally prefer the longer slide when carrying and shooting.   LW Commanders and Officer's length guns have a narrower window of reliable operation when it comes to spring force balance;  worn mag and recoil springs will give you grief if you don't keep up with changing them.