1911 load question

[gasmandave]

I load my 1911's with a hollow point in the chamber then a hardball in the top of the magazine followed by the rest hollow points.
A Retired Marine SgtMaj said if I'm carrying a 1911 that's the way to load it. I've always carried like that after he said to do it that way.
Anyone else carry like that?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

In my 45 acp i use all hard ball. I have used H.P in my 9mm. Never a combo though.

 

[nettlle]

I load my 1911's with a hollow point in the chamber then a hardball in the top of the magazine followed by the rest hollow points.
A Retired Marine SgtMaj said if I'm carrying a 1911 that's the way to load it. I've always carried like that after he said to do it that way.
Anyone else carry like that?

Did he say why?

 

[ms6852]

Just ball ammunition.

 

[gasmandave]

He did but I don't recall why, I think it helps feed out of a full mag. I just do it, I respected him and his wisdom. Couple of tours in 'Nam and always spoke the truth.

 

[entropy]

He probably wasn't loading HP rounds in his 1911 in country. I counter with use a hollow point you have tested enough to consider reliable.

 

[Charlie98]

I actually carry a FMJ load on top of my spare magazines in my Kahr 9mm's. It's a combination of things... a visual observation that I have a full magazine... (Kahr magazines carried loose in the pocket have a tendency to shed cartridges sometimes...) and for positive feeding. You can argue the positive feeding issue, but I carry a 7- or 8rd magazine as a backup to my 6rd CM9 or PM9, and the FMJ insures positive feed at a mag change. Just my choice.

 

[Zygodactyl]

He probably loaded that way so he would have at least two shots before a potential jam.

 

[gasmandave]

He probably wasn't loading HP rounds in his 1911 in country. I counter with use a hollow point you have tested enough to consider reliable.

Your correct. He would not have had HPs in country. But when we were police that was our preferred off duty carry. Still is my ccp. He has passed a few years ago. Where he is there is no need.

 

[JTQ]

I load my 1911's with a hollow point in the chamber then a hardball in the top of the magazine followed by the rest hollow points.
A Retired Marine SgtMaj said if I'm carrying a 1911 that's the way to load it. I've always carried like that after he said to do it that way.
Anyone else carry like that?

I don't.

Different mags may have different rounds, some mags may have ball ammo, and some may have hollow points, but each mag has the same rounds in it, there is no alternating of rounds.

 

[Slamfire]

Humans think in terms of stories. This is another that came from inside the head of an individual. The assumption in this story is that hollow points are more lethal in the 45 ACP than FMJ. That is a non evidentiary based belief. The evidence is that if 45 ACP hollow points expand, https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#45ACP the expansion is not impressive. A 45ACP is a low pressure and low velocity round. Hollow points need velocity to reliably expand. Tests with clothing between the entrance and ballistic gel show fabric will plug up the hollow points and prevent expansion. If everything is perfect, a 45 ACP hollowpoint will expand, but then the severity of the damage depends on impact location. Nasty wounds do not necessarily stop determined attackers. Blood loss will always kill, but that can take time depending on what the bullet cuts.

I do think the whole story is based on the assumption that the first hollow point round will do the most damage, and the second FMJ will be the round that feeds. If your hollow point ammunition does not feed and eject with 100% certainty, don't use the stuff. A jam, when you need a functioning pistol. creates a far more hazardous situation to you, than the difference between FMJ and hollowpoint to the person attacking you.

 

[trackskippy]

I havent carried a 1911 for over 20 years now. When I did, I carried 230 grain Hydra Shoks in them, as they were supposedly the round to beat at the time and they always fed like ball in all my guns. Those guns all had had a reliability package done to them too, so they would feed most anything.

Personally, as long as the gun feeds them well, I would choose a 200 grain lead, or plated/jacketed SWC, over ball. I think with that sharp shoulder, youll just get better performance out of them. Never had any issues with reliability in my guns either.

As far as war stories go, always take them with a bucket full of salt and a squinty hairy eye ball. My dad was a three combat tour VN vet, along with a few other garden spots, who retired (was actually pushed out at 30) from the Marine Corps as a SGTMAJ. I heard a lot of "stories" growing up, from him and others. The difference between BS and not, is usually pretty easy to figure out, just by whats being said, whos there when they are told, and the look on their faces as they tell them.

The old man carried a 1911 most of his life work or not. As far as I ever heard, they carried what they were issued in their work guns, and out of work, over the years as time and things moved on and improved, he moved along with it with his personal stuff, both guns and ammo. Last I saw before he died, he was using Hydra Shoks too.

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

I load my 1911's with a hollow point in the chamber then a hardball in the top of the magazine followed by the rest hollow points.
A Retired Marine SgtMaj said if I'm carrying a 1911 that's the way to load it. I've always carried like that after he said to do it that way.
Anyone else carry like that?

Back in the day:

1. 1911s didn't always feed hollowpoint reliably unless throated. (See pic courtesy of NW Firearms.) Folks often loaded a hollowpoint in the chamber and chose the reliability of ball for the magazine.

2. Hollowpoint ammo didn't always expand at 830fps, and folks therefore chose not to spend the extra money on it, especially since #1.

Times have changed. Technology has evolved. There's really no reason, in my opinion, to carry ball in the 1911 anymore.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I always carried a full load of 230 Ranger T, and ran a box through my 1911 before trusting it.

You're going to have a really hard time convincing me that throwing ball in the mix is going to somehow help the situation.

 

[doubleh]

Back in my youth the 1911 had many fables told about it. It would only feed FMJ ammo and a hit in an arm would tear it completely off. A hit in the chest area resulted in instant death. Recoil was tremendous and painful.

I had no need for one and really couldn't afford to shoot one until well into my '30's and I got a chance at a like new '70 series Colt gold cup nation match. Guess what? The recoil was not bad at all and it would shoot anything, factory FMJ to 185 gr, SWC low power loads. I never shot a living thing with it, Only paper, steel, cans, and caliche rocks. It quickly would make gravel out of the rocks and the cans were only good for a few shots. It now resides with my oldest grandson but the 1911 remains my favorite semi.

 

[mljdeckard]

If I was carrying an old milsurp 1911, I wouldn't run hollow-points at all. (One of the reasons I wouldn't CHOOSE to carry one if I didn't HAVE to.)

The influx of G.I. 1911s into the marketplace and shooting scene following WWII led to a lot of common modifications and innovations. At that time, all government 1911s were shipped with the intention they would use ONLY ball ammo. The government didn't ISSUE any hollow-points, and if some soldiers were able to bring and use them on their own, it is likely they would have feed problems. So, it became a common thing for hobbyists and competition shooters to have them throated to have more options. Also realize, that the government never bought any new 1911s after the end of WWII. They just refurbished them 'as needed' until they switched them out for M9s in the 80s and 90s. (When I hit a line armor unit in Germany in 1992, I requested a pistol, and I was given a rattly old 1911A1 that shot terribly. I asked for a new link, barrel, and bushing, they told me it wasn't worth it because we were about to turn them all in for M9s.) So, if this old Marine used one in Vietnam, it was likely a WWII leftover, which means it wouldn't feed hollowpoints well at all.

Since I have been learning 1911s (for over 30 years now,) I have handled or owned several "milspec" type models, and I don't recall ever handling one or being told that it wouldn't feed hollow-points. I'm guessing, that even if some brands are targeting the nostalgia market for 1911s, they don't want to be known for selling a model that won't feed hollow-points. So they're all throated now.

ANY handgun you are carrying defensively should be tested with the ammo and mags it will be carried with. I find this is more important with 1911s than more modern guns, because there is a LOT of difference in 1911 magazines over the last 113 years. I have never regretted using Wilson 47D 8 rounders.

 

[W.E.G.]

I don't believe in "candy-striping" ammo in the magazine.

Creates a new variable that doesn't have to be there.

If the gun runs hollow point ammo, use hollow point ammo.

If it won't run hollow point ammo, try to find out why.

230 grain ball can go a long way after passing through a human target.

The purpose of shooting hollow point is primarily to control penetration. Additional wound-channel damage is secondary.

Whatever bullet you are shooting, you need to land it between the shirt pockets if you want to count on it being effective in any immediate sense.

 

[OS/N]

Never saw a big advantage to HPs in the 1911. I use 230TC cast at 860 fps. That shoots to point of aim in my 5" colt gov and has never jammed with 1k+ rounds put through it. I don't carry it very often but will take in the p/u and slide it in my belt if I feel it is needed to be on my person.

 

[JR24]

No. I carried my 1911s (don’t anymore) with HP. If they can’t run HP reliably, I’m not carrying them.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I've seen several 1911...not just old ones...that wouldn't feed HP ammo reliably. When I say reliably, I mean it will fire 200 rounds of the ammo I intend to carry with out a hitch in one continuous session ...I would either borrow a extra 15 8-round magazines to add to my 10 or I would start with 10 loaded and have a buddy load empties as I ejected then.

Often you have to match magazines to both your 1911 and your ammo.

When I carry JHP ammo in a full sized 1911 I usually carry Winchester 230gr Range -T. When I carried a Star PD or SIG 220 I used to like to feed then Speer 200gr "Flying Ashtrays" or Federal 185gr JHP

 

[Lo-Profile]

All my 1911 carry magazines (1+2 extra) are loaded with JHP rounds.
Atomic .45 185g +P. Been tested and feed reliably in my Sig Sauer C3.
If I'm carrying a double stack 9mm the magazine in the gun is all JHP, the extra magazines are ball ammo.

 

[Trey Veston]

I'm a newbie to the 1911 platform, as I have been carrying Glocks and M&Ps with no issues for nearly 30 years. I now own four 1911s and have not had any issues with HP ammo. I would not own a handgun that could not reliably function with HP defense ammo.

The question raised in the OP seems utterly ridiculous. Who would willingly carry a pistol for self-defense that needs different types of ammo in the magazine to ensure reliability? I get that there are 1911 fanatics that will make all sorts of excuses for the platform. But if a pistol will not reliably function with the most effective bullet profile for self-defense, then why would anyone in their right mind consider it for carry?

 

[JTQ]

But if a pistol will not reliably function with the most effective bullet profile for self-defense, then why would anyone in their right mind consider it for carry?

Every gun is a compromise.

If I told you that you were going to be in shootout tomorrow, and there is no getting around it, would you rather have pocket size .380 with 90gr hollow points or a full size 1911 with ball ammo?

I'm not saying .45 Auto ball is the best round for defense, but it isn't inadequate. For that matter, you could probably argue the best 9mm hollow point round available also isn't the best round for defense, but it also isn't inadequate.

 

[FL-NC]

If the pistol in question is tested with HP and performs reliably, I would just load all HP in it. Make sure to test the actual round you would carry.

 

[SSN Vet]

Times have changed. Technology has evolved. There's really no reason, in my opinion, to carry ball in the 1911 anymore.

Agree 100%. I have yet to find a JHP that won't feed reliably in either my modern commander length or full length 1911s (polished feed ramp, throated barrel and enlarged ejection port) when using CMC Power Mags or Tripp Cobra mags.