My First Handgun!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: California Desert
My First Handgun!
Since turning 21 I have been passively searching for a good handgun for target practice and personal protection. I had always loved the looks of the 1911's but could never even come close to putting one in my price range...until today. My friend and I went to the San Bernardino County gun show where I found a perfect S&W 1911 9mm. It was police issue, but the owner only used it for qualifying since he prefered a revolver which he carried all the time. The action was smooth and tight, the bore was flawless, and there wasn't a blemish to speak of anywhere on the gun. Total price? $340 with three magazines, a holster, and a case. I pick it up next month on the 2nd.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Mesa, Arizona
Sounds like a real good deal, lots of cool mods for that pistol. I get scared when I hear police pistol, cause usually wear them to death. But if it as clean and in as good as shape as you say i think you got a good deal. Now you need to see if the thing shoots straight! good luck and have fun. oh yeah and be safe, if you've never owned a gun before take a safety class!
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Hudson Florida.
I prefer the 1911 to be chambered in .45 over 9mm. better power for stopping someone who wishes to have you dead. But its your firearm, your choice, so get what you wish.
My opinion is that a 1911 just aint right in anything other than .45 for stopping power. thats the pistol our troops carried for many years from WW2, through till somewhere in the 80s.
My opinion is that a 1911 just aint right in anything other than .45 for stopping power. thats the pistol our troops carried for many years from WW2, through till somewhere in the 80s.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: California Desert
Well, this gun is mainly for target practice since I plan on becoming a Park Ranger, so 9mm is the cheaper choice. And you can tell he used the revolver more because he was selling that gun too. The bore was scratched and the nose was all worn down from holster rash. I do own other weapons and have passed the hunter's safety course. It's also a new law in Cali that you have to pass a handgun safety test before you can buy one.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
The thing I immediately thought about was that the frame and action of the 1911A1 is designed specifically for the .45 ACP round, and for me was always one of the best behaving handguns I have ever fired. I wonder if it would handle differently in a smaller round or have chambering problems.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Ypsilanti, Michigan
Watched a guy and his daughter run about 500rds thru his Springfield Armory 9mm, without a single hiccup. I like my 45 too, but the 9mm would be cheaper to shoot a lot, until you get into reloading.......
That was a real good deal on the 1911, even if it was a cop's gun.
That was a real good deal on the 1911, even if it was a cop's gun.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Mesa, Arizona
Originally Posted by bowser
Watched a guy and his daughter run about 500rds thru his Springfield Armory 9mm, without a single hiccup. I like my 45 too, but the 9mm would be cheaper to shoot a lot, until you get into reloading.......
That was a real good deal on the 1911, even if it was a cop's gun.
That was a real good deal on the 1911, even if it was a cop's gun.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
Let me know how the action feels at the range compared to other 9 mike auto's. It could turn out to be a real smooth piece.
Then again, I suppose you could always 'tune' it by altering the slide weight.
Then again, I suppose you could always 'tune' it by altering the slide weight.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
Originally Posted by SuperBlue
Much cheaper to shoot!
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 11,496
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From: Kansas
Matt, you would really freak out when a few friends get together and amongst them you find:
4 SKS assault rifles
2 AR-15's (one tricked out)
2 44 mags
untold number of shotguns
several 30-06's with a 338 for backup
a few 9 mm's
22's are dime a dozen
and a many more
Throw in a few cases of beer (yeah I know it's irresponsible
) and after a couple thousand rounds have been used, things cool down.
They cool part about it is that none got hurt, no one went to jail, and no laws were broken.
4 SKS assault rifles
2 AR-15's (one tricked out)
2 44 mags
untold number of shotguns
several 30-06's with a 338 for backup
a few 9 mm's
22's are dime a dozen
and a many more
Throw in a few cases of beer (yeah I know it's irresponsible
) and after a couple thousand rounds have been used, things cool down.They cool part about it is that none got hurt, no one went to jail, and no laws were broken.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,562
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From: Southern MD
Originally Posted by Greywolf
The thing I immediately thought about was that the frame and action of the 1911A1 is designed specifically for the .45 ACP round, and for me was always one of the best behaving handguns I have ever fired. I wonder if it would handle differently in a smaller round or have chambering problems.
Colt has/had chambered the venerable 1911-A1 in 9mm for years.
Also, in .38 Super. The .38 Super was popular overseas, where a firearm chambered in a military cartridge (caliber) is forbidden. (Mexico also.)
The Commander and Combat Commander series of pistols received the 9mm parabellum, also.
The feeding geometry for the 9mm is the same as the .45 (in the 1911 and the 1911-A1). The feed ramp and the throat of the barrel is just smaller.
(Same with the .38 Super.)
The recoil spring is somewhere around a 12 to 14 lb. spring for the 9mm, versus a 18 to 22 lb spring for the .45 acp., so the slide mass can actually move from the pip-squeak cartridge, that I consider the 9mm to be.
The 1911-A1 shoots pretty well with the 9mm, but, the .45 acp is still my favorite.
Last edited by 00BlueOvalRanger; Oct 23, 2005 at 08:42 PM.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 478
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From: Washington
I have a Colt Commander 9mm that I bought in 1978. Runs very smooth, can't ever remember a jam up in thousands of rounds
It's also a nice complement to my 1927 A1. Both are fun to shoot and I would feel comfortable defending myself with either one.
It's also a nice complement to my 1927 A1. Both are fun to shoot and I would feel comfortable defending myself with either one.
