Commander size 9mm 1911 - What would you buy?

[Armored farmer]

I saw a full sized 9mm 1911 at my lgs.
A brand I had never heard of.....Bul Armory? (Something like that). It was a stainless with G10 grips. Nice looking pistol. It felt really tight too.
https://www.usa.bularmory.com/product-page/sas-ii-ultralight-3-25

 

[weisse52]

Colt LW Commander
Colt Defender
DW in the CCO configuration
Springfield Ronin

 

[kidneyboy]

I saw a full sized 9mm 1911 at my lgs.
A brand I had never heard of.....Bul Armory? (Something like that). It was a stainless with G10 grips. Nice looking pistol. It felt really tight too.
https://www.usa.bularmory.com/product-page/sas-ii-ultralight-3-25

I had one of their competition guns a few years ago. Quality stuff.
ETA - Looks like they have a couple of interesting 1911s.

 

[kidneyboy]

kidneyboy

Since I'm a creature of habit I would go with the original: the Colt Commander. Mine is a convertible in that it's a .38 Super but can also shoot 9mm., with a complete 9mm. barrel assembly and 9mm. magazines.

There doesn't appear to be any Commanders currently available new so your best bet would be to check online and at local gun shows to see if anything used turns up.

My next choice would be looking for a used Dan Wesson 9mm.

Let us know if you do find something.
View attachment 1132321

Makes me think I shouldn't dislike Colt.

 

[entropy]

I've been spoiled being able to shoot a friend's LW 9mm Commander, but he moved to Alabama, so I keep looking at the Ruger an Springfield 9mm Commanders, but I might keep looking for a Colt.

 

[damyankee425]

Was thinking on this myself. Opinions?

 

[kidneyboy]

Was thinking on this myself. Opinions?View attachment 1132411

I have the bobtail version of that on the potential list. It fits the description, its a series 70 and less than $600. They get enough decent reviews to consider them.

 

[cfullgraf]

I use Colt 1911 prices as the "standard". When I'm shopping for a 1911, I decide the features I want, compare the costs with the similar Colt Model and decide which I'd want to buy.

I've assembled several of my own 45 ACP 1911's and own a Thompson 45 ACP 1911 and I have always been able to make them run well on 230 RN ball ammunition without not much effort.

I'll admit, that I've never considered buying something like a Wilson or Les Bauer, maybe someday. These tend to skew the data a bit in both price and function.

 

[Riomouse911]

I bought a SA Ronin 4.25” 9mm 1911. The only change I have made involves the trigger pull. It was roughly 5.5 lb out of the box, so I bought a C&S kit from Brownells and now it is a crisp 4.5 lbs.



This was my first 9mm 1911, and the way this gun felt and shot for me has sold me on the 1911/9mm combo. So much so I followed up with a pair of Kimbers; a Stainless Target II 5” and an Ultra Carry II 3”. All three have been perfectly reliable and very shootable pistols.



Keep us apprised of your search and what gun you decide to bring home.

Stay safe.

 

[kidneyboy]

I bought a SA Ronin 4.25” 9mm 1911. The only change I have made involves the trigger pull. It was roughly 5.5 lb out of the box, so I bought a C&S kit from Brownells and now it is a crisp 4.5 lbs.

View attachment 1132489 View attachment 1132490 View attachment 1132492

This was my first 9mm 1911, and the way this gun felt and shot for me has sold me on the 1911/9mm combo. So much so I followed up with a pair of Kimbers; a Stainless Target II 5” and an Ultra Carry II 3”. All three have been perfectly reliable and very shootable pistols.

View attachment 1132491

Keep us apprised of your search and what gun you decide to bring home.

Stay safe.

How do you like the Ultra Carry in 9mm? I have a Custom shop Ultra Carry 2 in 45acp and like it. The LGS has a used 9mm for sale and I hadn't considered it till just now.
Left to right - The Kimber, SA 1911 compact, 2 Dan Wessons, GSG 1911-22, SA Defender w/22 conversion

 

[highlander 5]

I have 3 full sized 1911s in 9 mm SA,RIA and S&W and a Ruger Commander my only complaint is the recoil spring felt too light so I replaced it with a Wilson 12 lb much better feel.

 

[Tallball]

If you've not owned or carried a smaller 9mm 1911 before, the previously mentioned milsurp Star BM can be purchased for $300 or whatever, shot and carried, and then sold for about what you paid for it. That would let you know if that style of pistol is actually what you want.

That's the route I went. I decided that wasn't the exact kind of carry piece I wanted after all, but I kept the BM as a fun range toy.

Star BM 9mm

• Tallball
• Dec 28, 2017

 

[Riomouse911]

How do you like the Ultra Carry in 9mm? I have a Custom shop Ultra Carry 2 in 45acp and like it. The LGS has a used 9mm for sale and I hadn't considered it till just now.
Left to right - The Kimber, SA 1911 compact, 2 Dan Wessons, GSG 1911-22, SA Defender w/22 conversion
View attachment 1132504

It is a nice gun. A tad chunky, as all 3” 1911’s are, but the grip has a nice feel and 9mm recoil is not bad at all. I have a Kimber Micro 9 1911-ish pistol to compare it to, and the UC2 is much more pleasant to shoot.

As usual I have read of some folks having issues, but this gun shoots well. So far it has been 100% with 115 and 124 gr FMJ and 115 to 147 JHP rounds. As expected with the sights and sight radius the accuracy is not on an even plane with its target-sighted 5” brethren, but it certainly will keep all shots in a vital zone should that be called for.

Stay safe.

 

[halfmoonclip]

I have a Combat Commander in 9, and a Defender as well.
Both have been good guns; I'd carry the Defender, barring other choices.
Moon

 

[Lo-Profile]

I love my Dan Wesson Guardian.
My favorite 1911 to shoot. Has been 100% since the first day.

Don't settle for cheaper guns if your going to carry it.

 

[KYamateur]

I don’t want to start a 1911 brand war but start with a Ruger or Springfield and if it works stick with it. I’ve spent several years shooting 1911s. My experience is that you get diminishing returns with higher priced custom options. If money isn’t a factor get whatever you want. I started with a Firestorm .45 in 2002 and worked my way into the custom world. I exited the high end stuff and now have a colt and a Dan Wesson. The Dan Wesson Valor is nice but if I could get my money back I would sell it. The only 1911 Ive ever gotten rid of and regretted was a Smith&Wesson e-series. I loved the gun but thought I needed a better brand. My friends and I shoot 1911s often and one of them has a Ruger in Commander size. It works and is a very nice pistol for the price. Another friend shoots one of the new Desert Eagle commanders. It is stainless with blue grips and is also a very reliable gun. I’m not sure what it costs but is comes with some nice upgrades. My favorite Commander of all time is a Sig Nightmare. They are kind of expensive now but I really like the black with silver controls. I can’t recommend the smith and Wesson Commander because the recoil on the scandium framed commander is pretty harsh compared to the others. For what it’s worth, I had more problems with higher end guns. The manufacturers always told me they were tight and needed more break in rounds. With ammo costs these days, Im not in to long break in periods.

 

[nettlle]

I bought this low round count 9mm Vigil Commander for about the same price as a new Colt or Kimber (I have Colt and Kimber 1911's). Runs well, has a great trigger, and the Duty Treat finish on the Dan Wesson is a far nicer and more durable finish than Colt's parkerizing or the Kimpro finish. Of all the gun finishes I have ever owned the Kimpro finish is the least durable.

 

[kidneyboy]

I looked at an SA Ronin EMP and a Tisas Bantam. Unfortunately it was at Cabela's so I couldn't handle the triggers on either one. The Ronin is really nice. Good ergos, nice sights and very familiar feeling. I'll head back this week and see if I can get the manager to take the frikkin trigger lock off for a minute. The Tisas was hard to make a judgement on. Maybe its the looks, or the weight, or the trigger lock......

 

[AMraider]

I really like my Fusion.

 

[kidneyboy]

I really like my Fusion.

View attachment 1133271

The plain slide wins a lot of points.

 

[Armored farmer]

My lgs has a Springfield Armory EMP4 bobtail.
It's really nice.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

I think the best value at the entry level would be the BUL Armory 9mm Commander. If SA made a Commander-length 9mm Garrison that would be up there as well, although the Ronin is also a good choice.

 

[Bottom Gun]

I would choose one of the Kimber pro models.

 

[bangswitch]

Springfield Ronin EMP

The EMP is designed around the 9mm cartridge. They are a little bit "different" in feel than a traditional 1911. Unfortunately, they have a few proprietary parts to accommodate this.

They really fit my hand well.

I like the EMP4 myself. Mine are the earlier "Champion" model, but the same gun with different lipstick. I have one in 9mm and .40 S&W, and prefer the .40.

 

[kidneyboy]

A used 4" Ronin EMP w/5 mags at a price that was too hard to pass up has followed me home. Had a chance to shoot a rental and the ergos I was concerned about aren't really an issue. Took it to the range yesterday. While it doesn't like my current stock of reloads it is a real shooter with factory ammo.