ltwguns.com

I know the LTW smiths could make a toaster fire flechettes, my VCR always tell the correct time and maybe even make a quality pepper grinder that is "actually" adjustable for different grinds (hint ), but from an absolutely fundamental mechanical point of view (and knowing that 1911 and 9mm aren't traditionally considered the best combo) would a full size, commander size or compact size 1911 in 9mm be inherently more reliable or practical from a purely engineering standpoint? I just figured maybe smaller 1911s in 9mm might be inherently more reliable than the fulls size. Any experiences or engineering perspectives?

_________________
God Bless
45Fundi

My thought would be that of all the variables that go into reliability of function, caliber is probably the last. Until you get to the micro-guns, where everything is vitally important. (That is, nothing is "close enough" it all has to be perfect.)

For what it's worth, I have a 6" STI Trojan in 9mm that has never malfunctioned. So far it has performed perfectly.

Tom

I have a six-inch 9x19 1911, the STI TargetMaster, and it has been flawless for about 1,000 rounds. I also have a five-inch 9x19 1911, a Series '80 Colt worked over by John Harrison, that has also been flawless for about 5000 rounds. I also have a Baer Monolith Heavy in 9x19 that has had some teething pains.

As far as an engineering perspective, magazines are critical for the 9x19 in the 1911. Some magazines let the top round tip downward causing the round to be either not stripped from the magazine or slammed into the feed ramp. I have had good luck with factory Colt magazines made by Metalform, the Springfield "front ramp" magazines made by Metalform, and the Mec-Gar magazines in my STI and Colt. My STI also likes factory Colt .38 Super magazines, an old Pachmayr .38 Super magazine, and my Colt 9x23 magazines. This differs from an STI Trojan 5.0 I once owned that only worked with the Metalform magazines due to the height of the magazine catch. Factory Colt magazines would not lock into the gun. The Series '80 Colt seems to work with any magazine I can find.

Recoil spring weight is also crucial in the 9x19 1911 due to the relatively small recoil impulse of the 9x19 and a big steel slide. My STI uses a 10# recoil spring while my Colt uses a 12#. The Baer recoil spring appears to be a 12#, but it does not feel like the spring in my Colt.

_________________
Scott

ther is a post under competition customs of two 9mm Nowlin guns. I won the 5" and the only malfunctions have been magazine induced. My pistol team shoots 6" with full aristocrat ribs and the tick like sewing machines and shoot about 1.5-2" at 50 yds consistently. Only one has had a problem and it was an extractor that I ended up replacig an 1000+ rounds later no probs. For a carry setup I would opt for a .38 super or 9x23. No mag spacer and for me a bit more choices with hottter carry ammo. All in all a properly tuned 9 is imo as good a setup as any.

_________________
"One thought he was invincible the other thought he could fly" well? "They were both wrong"
SIC VIS PACEM PARABELLEM

Thanks All. I just figured that slide mass/spring combos and slide stroke for 9mm in a full size 1911 might be less than ideal and a lighter slide and shorter slide stoke might make the gun inherently more reliable, so that on a build if you chose a 4 inch or less gun you might be working around fewer obstacles simplifying the guns reliability.

_________________
God Bless
45Fundi