9mm 1911 Comparison: Colt Competition vs Smith & Wesson Pro Series

[roo_ster]

I am looking at both of these to fill the 9mm 1911 niche.

OBJECTIVES
1. Mild-shooting 1911 my wife & daughter can shoot easier than my .45ACP 1911s.
2. 9mm generally cheap and cheaper than .45ACP. I reload several cartridges, no intention to reload 9mm.
3. This will be first a carry and then IDPA/USPSA gun. NOT a serious competitor. Gun OR myself.
4. Way WAY down the list is a possible .38Super conversion. May never happen, given what can be done with 9mm +P+.
5. Compatible with the 1911 carry gear I've accumulated the last two decades. (Why think I have dismissed the CZ75 & BHP.)

Any of y'all have experience with both? Both seem like they are oriented toward light near-stock competition and carry. The most "competitiony" bits are the Colt's fiber optic front sight and the Smith's adj sight option. Both claim some upgraded bits relative to their lower-tier brethren. National Match Bbl (Colt) vs some polished internals (SW).

I already own two SW1911s, one an all-steel Gov't clone and the other a 1911SC LtWt Cdr clone. I am not worried one bit about the S&W external extractor, given the steel SW1911 has had all of 2 malf in 20 years and thousands of rounds and the SW1911SC zero malf in 10 years about half as many rounds.

I am not sure the higher SW price is worth it, all things being equal.

Colt Competition 9mm Stainless
https://www.colt.com/detail-page/competition-ss-9mm Retail $999 (I think actually $1099 these days)
(A matte blue also available for -$100)

Smith & Wesson SW1911 PRO in 9mm:
Adj Sight: https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/1911-1?sku=178047&preselect=1 Retail $1669
Novaks: https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/1911-1?sku=178017&preselect=1 Retail $1639

Thank you for your time.

 

[Zerodefect]

9mm is a pita to get right in a 1911. Skip both, get a commander sized custom built.

Dan Wesson, Wilson, Staccato. For carry and IDPA.

Are you sure they excel, or want to with a 9mm 1911? Women over here prefer a CZ Shadow 2 for competition, and a Glock for carry.

But to answer your question. The Colt Competition (in black) is superior.

 

[WVsig]

Both are solid production guns. The S&W has an external extractor which will be a detractor for some. S&Ws run well but it is not a user serviceable part. If the extractor goes down you have to send it to S&W. When I had one it had FTF issues do to the extractor. They would not send me a replacement. I had to send the gun in. I doubt you will have an issue but if you do that is something to consider. The checkering on the S&W is going to be a big upgrade over the Colt. I am not a fan of ambi safeties bur that is 100% subjective. Trigger will most likley be better ouf of the box on the S&W.

The Colt is a decent gun but no front strap checkering could be an issue depending on the conditions you tend to shoot in. I think the thumb safety of the Competitions are just ok there are better levers. I have not seen a CZ/Colt Competition. One of the real downsides with the current Colts is the crappy laser engraved rollmarks. I would not buy a new Colt sight unseen because of that. The quality of the engraving varies quiet a bit. Trigger wise to get the most out of a production Col these days I would get a trigger job.

In the end both are good guns I am not sure the S&W is worth almost 70% more. Resale will be better on the Colt if that is a consideration.

If it was me I would look for a used Dan Wesson Pointman which you could get for right around $1200

 

[sgt127]

In typical gun forum fashion.

I wanted a 9mm “1911”. I went with the Springfield EMP4. Exceptionally pleased.

 

[IlikeSA]

I wouldn't leave Springfield out of the mix, they manufacture good 9mm 1911s. Of the choices given, I'd go with the Colt, purely on aesthetics.

What I have chosen and run for duty is the 9mm SA Range Officer Operator. It is in the price range listed. The Pic rail on the front adds some weight to keep an already low muzzle rise down. I've had thousands of rounds through it, mostly trouble free. It, like most 1911s, likes to run wet. Any 1911 needs someone with a bit of mechanical aptitude to tune it now and then, but it's fun for me.

My grail 1911 is Stacatto, but I can't afford it and would be too upset to lose it in the case of a shooting. It with its double stack mag weighed less than my 1911 with its ten round mag.

 

[bannockburn]

I would probably go with the Colt Competition as 1) I'm a big Colt fan and have been for many years, and 2) while the S&W1911 Pro is a nice gun and all (a friend of my wife's has one and was impressed when it's quality, it's not worth it at that price!

If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a 1911 I would do as WVsig suggested and look for a used Dan Wesson.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'd lean toward the S&W as I've also had better experiences with their CS than that of Colt...I think Colt still leans heavily on their name recognition...and I think they produce a better finished product. My 1911 Sc was also flawless

I'd be inclined to skip over the Pro series and go up to a PC pistol...but I've always been taken with the spherical bushing that they add at that level

 

[Skylerbone]

If you have 1911s in .45 ACP, and you reload, and you’re looking for softer shooting…see where I’m going?

At present I have a Colt that belonged to my father who can still manage recoil fine but is losing a protracted battle with arthritis. I’ve reworked and re-sprung his .45 ACP in order for him to readily manipulate the slide. It will necessitate light cast loads to avoid damage and keep things controllable but a fair price to pay so that he can shoot it again.

If you’ve got a donor 1911 already, and set up to load for it, that’s IMO the way to go. Barring that, I’d chose Springfield, next would be S&W for the external extractor/9mm combo, and finally Colt unless you find a nice DW at a reasonable price.

 

[Skylerbone]

I've also had better experiences with their CS than that of Colt...I think Colt still leans heavily on their name recognition...and I think they produce a better finished product.

Will be interesting to see quality and pricing now that CZ has taken the reins, something else for the OP to consider.

 

[roo_ster]

9mm is a pita to get right in a 1911. Skip both, get a commander sized custom built.

Dan Wesson, Wilson, Staccato. For carry and IDPA.

Are you sure they excel, or want to with a 9mm 1911? Women over here prefer a CZ Shadow 2 for competition, and a Glock for carry.

But to answer your question. The Colt Competition (in black) is superior.

9mm in 1911 is the requirement for the reasons stated.

In the end both are good guns I am not sure the S&W is worth almost 70% more. Resale will be better on the Colt if that is a consideration.

If it was me I would look for a used Dan Wesson Pointman which you could get for right around $1200

Resale ought to be a consideration, but given how often I sell guns, it practically is not.

Dan Wesson Pointman in 9mm looks good. It ought to with MSRP of $1715. Were it $1200, I think it would be a no-brainer. I have yet to see a new pistol go for less than MSRP for a while. And the used pistol market is as bad as the used pickup truck market. I will keep a look out for a DW.
https://danwessonfirearms.com/product/pointman-nine-pm-9/

I wouldn't leave Springfield out of the mix, they manufacture good 9mm 1911s. Of the choices given, I'd go with the Colt, purely on aesthetics.

My wife has a 20 year old SA LtWt OACP in 9mm. QC is...OK. Less well put together than the SW1911s I own. Maybe htey got better in the last 20 years.

If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a 1911 I would do as WVsig suggested and look for a used Dan Wesson.

Another write-in ballot for DW.

I'd lean toward the S&W as I've also had better experiences with their CS than that of Colt...I think Colt still leans heavily on their name recognition...and I think they produce a better finished product. My 1911 Sc was also flawless

I'd be inclined to skip over the Pro series and go up to a PC pistol...but I've always been taken with the spherical bushing that they add at that level

My non-PC, non-PRO steel SW1911 is already stupid accurate. Not sure Pro or PC is necessary to get an accurate SW1911. But SW only offers a 9mm full size 1911 in PC guise. Soon after I bought it, I thought I was doing pretty good with it until I handed it off to this guy shooting a pistol with a funny name, "Pardini." The group he shot at 25 yards was stupendous.

If you have 1911s in .45 ACP, and you reload, and you’re looking for softer shooting…see where I’m going?

At present I have a Colt that belonged to my father who can still manage recoil fine but is losing a protracted battle with arthritis. I’ve reworked and re-sprung his .45 ACP in order for him to readily manipulate the slide. It will necessitate light cast loads to avoid damage and keep things controllable but a fair price to pay so that he can shoot it again.

If you’ve got a donor 1911 already, and set up to load for it, that’s IMO the way to go. Barring that, I’d chose Springfield, next would be S&W for the external extractor/9mm combo, and finally Colt unless you find a nice DW at a reasonable price.

I reload .45ACP, but I get tired of losing brass in a match. I have no plans to reload 9mm.

I load a hardball duplicate with a 230gr LRN and a .455Webley equivalent with a swaged 255gr RNFP. Not sure I wan to add another .45ACP load to the mix.

And my two .45ACP SW1911s are not available for puffball loads.

 

[CNobbe]

I vote for Colt. They tend to sell for over MSRP these days and are somewhat difficult to find. I've had several 9mm 1911s in the past, it's not really a secret to get them to run, most have a ramped barrel to aid in feeding. Oddly the Colts do not, but having had 9s from RIA to Dan Wesson I wouldn't worry about reliability. The Colt is a pretty soft shooter with its dual spring setup. Quite honestly, the PM-9 and Valor blue I had didn't do anything better than my Colt or Springfield 9mm 1911s.

 

[Bartojc]

Of the two you mentioned I’d probably go with the Colt. For the price of S&W you’re in Dan Wesson territory.

I looked at these two plus Dan Wesson, Ruger, and Springfield Armory back 3 or 4 years ago. My budget at the time was $1000, and I ended up with a Springfield Armory RO Elite and have never regretted it.

I’ve never had any issues with 9mm in a 1911. It’s a great choice for a nice light shooter.
Jeff

 

[ddc]

I've got a PM9 and have been very happy with it.
If I was going to shoot single stack on a regular basis I'd get another.
It did need some extractor tuning but after that has been problem free.

If this was a competition only gun then having adjustable sights is nice.
On a carry gun many don't like that idea and I get it.

I wouldn't buy a 1911 that didn't use standard 1911 parts, i.e. no external extractors.
I'd make an exception for the EMP series but I consider that a special case.

 

[Walkalong]

I have a Colt Series 80 enhanced .38 Super with a 9MM barrel and it's a sweet gun, I have a S&W Pro 9MM and it too is a sweet gun.

 

[JR24]

Between the two I could go with the Colt, I think the competition is a good set of features for a nice price.

But for a gun that might be carried, and in 9mm, have you considered the DW Vigil? Can be had for that $1000 mark, lightweight makes easy handling and you don’t really need the steel frame for a 9mm 1911, they shoot plenty soft.

Since you reload you might want to keep in mind some 1911s like the bullets loaded a little long, I’ve had great success with the DW Valkyrie I had with bullets loaded to 1.13”. Dead on reliable all the time with that one.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

Between the two I could go with the Colt, I think the competition is a good set of features for a nice price.

But for a gun that might be carried, and in 9mm, have you considered the DW Vigil? Can be had for that $1000 mark, lightweight makes easy handling and you don’t really need the steel frame for a 9mm 1911, they shoot plenty soft.

Since you reload you might want to keep in mind some 1911s like the bullets loaded a little long, I’ve had great success with the DW Valkyrie I had with bullets loaded to 1.13”. Dead on reliable all the time with that one.

Where are you finding DW guns of any type for $1k? Uh, asking for a friend.

 

[WVsig]

9mm in 1911 is the requirement for the reasons stated.



Resale ought to be a consideration, but given how often I sell guns, it practically is not.

Dan Wesson Pointman in 9mm looks good. It ought to with MSRP of $1715. Were it $1200, I think it would be a no-brainer. I have yet to see a new pistol go for less than MSRP for a while. And the used pistol market is as bad as the used pickup truck market. I will keep a look out for a DW.
https://danwessonfirearms.com/product/pointman-nine-pm-9/


My wife has a 20 year old SA LtWt OACP in 9mm. QC is...OK. Less well put together than the SW1911s I own. Maybe htey got better in the last 20 years.


Another write-in ballot for DW.


My non-PC, non-PRO steel SW1911 is already stupid accurate. Not sure Pro or PC is necessary to get an accurate SW1911. But SW only offers a 9mm full size 1911 in PC guise. Soon after I bought it, I thought I was doing pretty good with it until I handed it off to this guy shooting a pistol with a funny name, "Pardini." The group he shot at 25 yards was stupendous.


I reload .45ACP, but I get tired of losing brass in a match. I have no plans to reload 9mm.

I load a hardball duplicate with a 230gr LRN and a .455Webley equivalent with a swaged 255gr RNFP. Not sure I wan to add another .45ACP load to the mix.

And my two .45ACP SW1911s are not available for puffball loads.

I know where there is a used Pointman 7 for $1200 shipped to your FFL. NIB is $1650. I would take it over the S&W.

 

[JR24]

Where are you finding DW guns of any type for $1k? Uh, asking for a friend.

I had seen some online on occasion, but as I check now they seem to be out of stock.

 

[Mark_Mark]

It’s a 1911! unless you pay custom gun prices, they usually are in 3 categories. under $500 (my favorite), under $800 (good value) under $1500 ( best value )

 

[Rule3]

As with all of these types of threads, What price range do you want??. There are lots of good to great 1911 platform 9mms out there

Why just narrow it down to Colt and SW,??

SA, Ruger, DW et etc.

 

[Jim Watson]

OBJECTIVES
1. Mild-shooting 1911 my wife & daughter can shoot easier than my .45ACP 1911s.
3. This will be first a carry and then IDPA/USPSA gun.

Well, which?
If your wife and daughter are truly interested in shooting, they should have their own gun(s).
No "borrowing" by rooster, either.

 

[roo_ster]

Well, which?
If your wife and daughter are truly interested in shooting, they should have their own gun(s).
No "borrowing" by rooster, either.

All, in declining priority the further you go down the list.

No "borrowing?!?!" Just how am I to be sure it is in good running condition after modification or serious disassembly if I can't borrow it as a final, thorough function check? Sure, I can dry fire and run the the manual's function check, but the proof's in the pudding/firing.

More seriously, we are not made of money. For those firearms that will be used simultaneously or require correct fitment, every family member has their very own(0): wingshooting shotgun, centerfire rifle. OTOH, I am not all that interested in buying duplicate handguns(1). So, when my son hogs my all steel SW1911 .45ACP, I shoot my scandium alloy Cdr clone SW1911SC. Or I go for a SW N-frame if the game is long(ish) distance pistol shooting, Ross Seyfried-style.

Also, my daughter has shot my .45ACP and someone else's 9mm Gov't model on the same range trip and she came away really liking the 9mm 1911. It can be hard to get the right gun for the smaller ladies. I think a 9mm Gov't model is the "right gun" for my gals.

===========

(0) Bought used and carefully configured or built at home (AR-15).

(1) The kiddos had their own Ruger 22/45s & carry gear for when they were smaller and shooting IDPA with the fine folks down in Alvarado. The IDPA folks in Alvarado were great with kiddos and chock full of encouragement. And extended family thinks we are the ".22 Rifle Dumping Grounds" so we have several of those.

 

[JR24]

It’s a 1911! unless you pay custom gun prices, they usually are in 3 categories. under $500 (my favorite), under $800 (good value) under $1500 ( best value )

You forgot the 4th, over $1500 into the semi and full customs; the 1911s you want once you really fall in love with the 1911.

 

[earplug]

When they were in busines my 9MM STI Trojan was a top choice. Friend of mine bought a Rock Island 9mm for about 1/3 the cost. I was impresed with his pistol. Shot all our reloads and went bang. Left him alot of cash to buy bling and magazines.

 

[JR24]

When they were in busines my 9MM STI Trojan was a top choice. Friend of mine bought a Rock Island 9mm for about 1/3 the cost. I was impresed with his pistol. Shot all our reloads and went bang. Left him alot of cash to buy bling and magazines.

Rock island makes a serviceable gun. Mine is 10mm. Finish and fit are rough, tool marks and sharp edges galore, but it’s reliable and might just be my most mechanically accurate handgun, with my hand loads.