1911 for carry option

[deerslayer]

My deciding factor is finding a relatively slim gun that hits the sweet spot between a grip that is long and prints like a broomstick under my t-shirt vs a grip too short to get three fingers on and pinches a blood blister on my palm loading a magazine.  The itty bitty whiz-bang double stacks don’t blow up my skirt.  My typical carry gun ends up being something along the lines of a Glock 48 (barely), a Springfield EMP4, or a Sig 365X Macro.  

Edited Saturday at 01:33 AM by deerslayer

[pop pop]

I like my Ruger Max 9 for micro carry. It is a little large for pocket carry with the extended mag in it. Shoots easy and to sights. Good trigger with long pull which I like for a pocket gun.  

[Fast Jimmy]

The OP had asked for "thoughts on 9mm 1911 for EDC" and I, as well as others, responded about Commander size 1911s in 9mm as well as in .45 ACP.

A full size 1911 in 9mm is a very pleasant handgun to shoot.

S&W SW1911 Pro Series 9mm

With the right high ride/close tuck holster, reasonably loose clothing, and care they can be acceptably discreetly concealed and carried.

Cheers
James

 

Edited yesterday at 12:37 AM by Fast Jimmy
Added Photo

[hornett22]

I recommend a commander or defender in 45acp. I had a 1911 in 9mm once and it just didn't seem right. Your mileage may vary. I'd find a good range and rent a few options. 

[Fast Jimmy]

A case could be made that 9mm is the only "right" chambering for the 1911 Commander as that is what it was developed with and when the military didn't buy it that is what it was offered to the public in 1950.

In it's first year of commercial/public production the aluminum frame 1911 Commander that was developed for the 9mm was also offered in .38 Super and .45 ACP.

So if we go to the history of the aluminum framed 1911 Commander we see that the original prototypes and first offerings to the military were in 9mm.

Cheers
James

[Thursty]

16 minutes ago, Fast Jimmy said:

A case could be made that 9mm is the only "right" chambering for the 1911 Commander as that is what it was developed with and when the military didn't buy it that is what it was offered to the public in 1950.

In it's first year of commercial/public production the aluminum frame 1911 Commander that was developed for the 9mm was also offered in .38 Super and .45 ACP.

So if we go to the history of the aluminum framed 1911 Commander we see that the original prototypes and first offerings to the military were in 9mm.

Cheers
James

Not a lot of people know that the OG Commanders were designed with aluminum frames and designed for the 9mm (with the al frame later being dubbed the Lightweight Commander and the steel frame being the Combat Commander). 1911 purists preach .45 ACP or nothing at all, but the Commander in 9mm (1949 for the gov't contract) and .38 Super (1950 for the civilian market) is older than most of us on this forum are. A lot also don't know that the 9mm is in fact 3 years older than the .45 ACP.

[Thursty]

On 6/19/2025 at 2:04 PM, deerslayer said:

Grip safeties and thumb safeties prevent trigger movement.  We are talking about inertia driving a spring-dampened firing pin into a primer when a gun is dropped, not a trigger actuated ignition.  A heavier firing pin spring and/or a lighter firing pin can mitigate this, but ignition reliability can be compromised.  A non-drop safe 1911 is much ado about nothing IMO, as opposed to other designs.  

As you noted on a previous response, the 1911 can only drop fire if its dropped in a very specific way. They can only inertia fire if dropped directly on the muzzle, in these cases, the steel firing pin can have enough momentum to overcome the spring tension holding the firing pin in place, but that can't happen if dropped in any other way, just based on simple physics. And the reality of you dropping your gun in that specific of a manner means that, while it would be an AD, your gun is pointed in a safe direction (the ground) and that could really only happen of you dropped it while holstering.

While unlikely, as you note, there are several ways to mitigate it. A heavier firing pin spring is one, but that can compromise ignition reliability, so you would want to pair that with an increases power main spring (which in turn would help reduce recoil). However, if you don't want to "tune" your 1911, a titanium firing pin solves the problem and has virtually no effect on the reliability. It is a drop in part for like $20-30. 

[deerslayer]

39 minutes ago, Thursty said:

a titanium firing pin solves the problem and has virtually no effect on the reliability. It is a drop in part for like $20-30. 

They may not affect reliability but they are more fragile.  I figured that was BS until I broke one years ago.