1911 9MM Single or Double?

[LubeckTech]

I am soon going to add a 9MM 1911 platform gun to my collection. In researching them I have noticed there are few double stack guns compared to single stack offerings. Is there a technical reason (like feed/function problems) for this or is it just market preference? Mostly in hi-cap 9mm 1911s I see Paras but have from what I have read ,in general, people seem to be polarized on Paras with some having really good experiences and others having many problems. The stuff I have read seems to be evenly divided. At this point I am pretty much settled on a RIA/Armscor 9MM/22TCM combo or a RIA Tactical but am concerned that in general double stack 9mm 1911s may be trouble prone compared to their single stack brothers.

 

[tuj]

check out STI's line-up of 2011-frame (that's a 1911-double stack) guns.

http://www.stiguns.com/products/guns/pistols/2011-pistols/

 

[Saleen322]

I think you will find a double stack will be as reliable. The single stack 1911s have that good "feel" to the grip and are very controllable. You lose some of that with the wider grip. A lot of 1911s are shot in competition where many events require the pistol to be held with one hand. The narrow grip makes that easier and capacity is not an issue. Good luck with your choice.

 

[MarshallDodge]

There are reliable double stack 9mm 1911's but they can be finicky and expensive.

If you are going to trust it with your life then go single stack.

 

[LubeckTech]

I've been reading good things about RIA's 9MM/22TCM Combo and the price is very attractive.

 

[JTQ]

In the 1911 world, 9MM versions are somewhat of an "oddball". Additionally, double stack 1911's are also somewhat of an "oddball". However, you can certainly find versions of each that work well.

If I were looking for a double stack 1911 (2011), I'd check on mag availability for the gun you want. While nearly all 1911 mags will work (to one degree or another) in all 1911's, not all double stack 1911 mags work with all double stack 1911's. There are versions from STI, Para, Bul, RIA, etc. Some are compatible, some are not. Make sure you understand what mags will work with the gun you choose, and make sure you are willing to pay the price for them, and have a reliable source for them.

For instance, here is what you'd expect to pay for STI double stack 9MM mags. https://www.dawsonprecision.com/Cat...I/SV:STI+2011+Magazines:9mm+Magazines+for+STI

Para's on the other hand https://www.dawsonprecision.com/CategoryProductList.jsp?cat=MAGAZINE+COMPLETE:Para+USA

 

[9mmepiphany]

For instance, here is what you'd expect to pay for STI double stack 9MM mags.

I see they've gone down a bit in price