Compact 1911s and reliability?

[N3rday]

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, but what are your thoughts on the general reliability of smaller 1911s (3" barrel or so, 6 round magazine)?

I'm thinking about getting one as a CCW gun (I just love the looks of the 1911), and I'm just wondering if any particular company had a reputation for making reliable compact 1911s .

 

[Youngster]

They are probably some of the least reliable pistols sold by a reputable company, some of them work alright, at least for a while but I'd never trust my life to one. I don't know how non traditional designs like the EMP stack up but the smallest I'd go in a .45 format would be a "Commanding Officer" type, 4.25 barrelled slide on a an Officer's frame.

 

[Hunter0924]

The Colt New Agents are shaking out very well as far as reliability.

 

[Car Knocker]

My Kimber Ultra Carry has just under 3,000 rounds through it (FMJ, LSWC, JHP, factory and reloads) without a single bobble. It is my daily carry and has proved itself to be absolutely reliable.

 

[Josh Aston]

My Springfield Micro has about 800 rounds through it with no trouble.

 

[gunman42782]

My Kimber Ultra Carry 2 has had 1000 rounds or so through it and works just fine.

 

[gunfish]

The short barreled 45acp pistols based on 1911 style action are very sensitive to timing of the cycle of the slide. The slide travels fast and the springs work very hard. They wear out springs quickly. I carry a Colt Compact with a 3 5/8" inch barrel. I change the recoil spring and magazine springs btween 1000 and 1500 rounds. If I don't change the springs I get stovepipe jams.

 

[AK103K]

I wish my Ultra Carry was as reliable as the ones above. I would have been happy just getting through a couple of mags without an issue. Nice looking gun and accurate, but not at all reliable. You also have to watch the mags you use, as the metal followers tear up the feed ramp.

I also had a Springfield Champion, which seemed to work pretty well when I first got it, but became problematic as time wore on.

I believe gunfish's point on the springs and timing is right on. My Kimber was at its best and worked "better" with new springs, but quickly deteriorated right back to its one or two malfunctions a mag after just a little shooting. I believe the Champion was beginning to suffer the same problem. Both had similar problems with feeding.

If you want a totally reliable and very accurate .45 in a size similar to the 3" .45's, check out the SIG P245. It works like its big brother, the P220 right out of the box, with anything you feed it.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

My Springfield Ultracompact (3.5") .45 started stovepiping when it needed a new extractor. Before and since then it feeds FMJ and Federal JHP flawlessly, I have since opted to carry a SA XD40sc because of the higher capacity but I never feel naked when I tote the Ultracompact .45

 

[Smoke]

Interesting.....

My Kimber Ultra Carry is dead solid reliable. Not even picky about mags.
I can even load up standard size mags and they work fine. (just poke out the bottom)

A nod to the post on Springfield Champion above: My Champion (which has a full size grip and 4" barrel) was picky at first but then smoothed out and has been fine ever since. Still don't rely on it for a carry gun since it was problematic. I've got a couple of thousand rounds through it without a hiccup, just can't get myself over the first impression though.

Smoke

 

[Geno]

Colt New Agent: Zero failures @ 300+ rounds.

 

[AK103K]

My Kimber Ultra Carry is dead solid reliable. Not even picky about mags.
I can even load up standard size mags and they work fine. (just poke out the bottom)

The issue I had with the factory Kimber mags on my gun was the followers were wearing a groove into the feed ramp on the aluminum frame. I switched the Kimber followers for Wilson plastic followers and also used Wilson mags. This stopped the wear, but didnt do anything for helping function.

As for springs, if you you go through Kimber, it will cost you a good bit more, but they come as a unit with the guide rod. I think it was around $45 at the time for the set. Wolf has replacement spring sets for a lot cheaper, I think it was $5-6, but you do need to swap them off the original guide rod yourself. Not hard, but not always fun.

I always used to carry basically stock Commanders and occasionally a GM, and never had any issues with them. The 1911's I always had troubles with, were the ones that wandered from the basic Colt/GI specs, and especially those that differed in slide, frame, and barrel dimensions. I never had good luck with FLGR's either, even in the full sized guns.

If you got a short one that works, I kind of envy you, as I always wanted my Ultra Carry to work. If your looking at buying one of the smaller guns, I'd highly suggest you try one out, before you by. It will also give you an idea of how they handle, as they do handle somewhat different than the GM/Commanders.

It would be better to shoot someone elses gun that has been shot in awhile too, that way there are no "break in" issues that seem to be the norm these days with a lot of the 1911's and you can see if there might be issues due to springs getting weak.

 

[1911 guy]

You a gambling man? Some of them work great right out of the box. Enough of them are pieces of crap that most 'smiths who know the 1911 will tell you to come back when you get a real pistol. Personally, if you want a short gun, get something other than a 1911. If you want a 1911, learn to carry a gov't or commander and be done with it.

 

[Bailey Boat]

I have a couple of the small Colts (Officer's and a Defender) and haven't had any problems with FACTORY ammo. I recently reloaded a batch that didn't want to act right. Once I found the issue (crimp die had backed out a couple of thousands) and corrected it, they run just fine. They are my daily carry guns......

 

[pogo2]

Maybe Colt 3 inch is best bet...

Before I bought my Colt Defender two years ago I researched the various brands of 3 inch 1911s by reading everything I could find. The Colt seemed to get the best reviews so that is what I got. It has functioned 100% through about 600 rounds of mixed ammo, and I trust it for defensive use.

It has a "dimpled barrel" feature that may be a key to reliability - the other brands don't have this. I have replaced the recoil spring once, just on general principles. I have a second new spring that I will use at some point in the future.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Well lets see
Detonics 100%
Colt officer acp 100%
Colt Defender 100%
Colt Agent 100%
Para well it tried but never worked. Traded for a Defender
So I have 4 of the Compact 1911's that work fine All the Colts were relieable from box
I would go with a Colt Defender or Agent.
The 4" and under stories are getting old The newer compacts have become as relieable, as their big brothers(least with Colts) . But like the 1911 need work right from start stories .Just never seem to die just get recycled every time the question is asked.
If their so unrelieable Then I am very lucky when I buy a compact.

 

[Lonestar49]

Both are reliable..

...

Colt Defender had teething problems first 150 rounds, but has gone a total of 850 rounds to-date without any failures..

SA EMP 9mm has gone 800 rounds todate, no issues, just 100%

Trust them both, totally


Ls


Colt Defender & SA EMP 9mm

 

[Wildfire]

Kimber.

Hey;
I carry a Kimber Ultra Carry and it work flawless.

 

[Ken Rainey]

I have a Kimber Ultra Eclipse that had issues...a clocking extractor, cured by a custom fit EGW firing pin stop...the frame ramp had rough marks in the area immediately below the polished part that would stop a bullet nose cold, more polishing just a little further down the ramp solved that...the slide stop would get nudged up by some of the bullet noses, a little shaping of the stop solved that...and the barrel had a sharp edge on one side of it's throat that was catching my SWC's, a little polishing solved that....now, for a gun that come from the "custom shop" this was disappointing to say the least, but since I knew what to look for due to what was happening (with some help from ol cousin 'Tuner), I was able to solve it's issues and now it runs like a champ. One handed shooting - strong or weak - no problem....an 8 year old shot it and even with the gun recoiling his arm up to about 45 degrees, no feed issues...it's darned accurate too!

Like the old saying about "lemon" cars, it must have been made on a Friday ! But, since I got 'er going, it's one of my favorite pistols

BTW, I ordered another Kimber magazine thru Midway and it has a skirted follower so as not to rock forward, so they must have been listening about the gouging issues with the aluminum frame models...

Merry Christmas !

 

[Ala Dan]

I have owned and carried a 3" Stainless Kimber Ultra Carry for just 'bout 2
year's now, and have never experienced a malfunction of any type with
this firearm. I use it as my daily CCW, and even had it with me all day
long today; 12-24-07, in case the SHTF~!

 

[M2 Carbine]

I've got five Kimbers, four are Ultras (3 inch). Friends have another five or six Ultras.
I carry a Tactical Ultra II.
I hear about reliability issues but my friends and I have never seen it.

 

[DHart]

Reliability isn't your only concern with a 3" 1911.

The 3" barrel is 40% shorter than the standard 5" barrel and velocity drops significantly with a 3" barrel. Speer Gold Dot 230 gr. JHP which clocks at the optimal designed velocity of 880 fps with a 5" barrel can drop to as low as 700-750 fps with the 3" barrel. Giving poor ballistic performance! The .45 acp caliber simply wasn't designed to perform at it's best with a barrel as short as 3". Not a great idea!!! You can choose to shoot and function test with expensive, exotic ammo with your 3" barrel (Corbon PowRBall or DXP) or better yet, pick a better platform!

Yes, some will report perfect reliability with their 3" barrel 1911, but many others can't claim such reliability. And NONE can claim top ballistic performance with a 3" 1911 barrel.

I can't understand the attraction to a diminutive platform which is so likely to have reliability problems and which certainly suffers from a major compromise in .45 acp power.

Do yourself a favor and buy a 4" or 4.25" Commander length 1911. OR, if for some reason you simply can't handle a gun with a 4" barrel and must go shorter, choose the Glock 30 with it's 3.8" octagonal barrel. You'll get 11-rounds of .45 acp on tap, retain excellent velocity, and have superb reliability!!!

No kidding... the Glock 30 makes SO much more sense than a 3" 1911 it isn't funny.

If you can't handle that, go with a short barrel .40 or 9mm, not in a 1911 platform. Personally, I would urge you to forget the idea of choosing a 3" 1911, when there are many better options available in both power AND capacity with a 3" barrel!!! Why handicap yourself????

 

[Dodgeit]

New Agent 100% 200rds including some Corbon 185+p HPs

DHart, the reason some try the small 1911 frame is simply because it's their money and they can do what they want with it. Me personally I would not have a Glock if somebody gave it to me, but thats just me. As far as reliability goes, all makes and models of anything mass produced will have turds and stellar examples of the brand. Glock has products that don't run out of the box just like everybody else. You got lucky, I didn't 'nuf said.

Merry Christmas
Tim

 

[Walkalong]

Sweet pistol pogo2.

I have a Kimber CDP II ultra which has been 100% with lots of different bullet styles.

I have the utmost confidence in it. I have had numerous 1911's of various barrel lengths and I can say that about 90% of them. The others, well, they just jammed occasionally, and occasionally is all it takes for me to not have confidence in that particular gun.

I read all the time here about the ones that work and the ones that don't. It would seem as if when you get a good one you are set, but.................. well, theres those other ones.

I am not worried about velocity loss in my 3 incher. (er...1911 that is) I bet at point blank no one wants to get plugged center of mass with it. (the 1911, stay on track here)

 

[Ken Rainey]

Yep, I'm not looking for expansion out of the short stroker...I use 230 FMJ, previously loaded with 185 SilverTips (an accurate, controlable load which plowed front shoulder to hind quarter thru an armadillo and exited) but prefer the added insurance of more weight for more penetration for a more serious confrontation. The 230 grain bullet traveling around 750 fps will probably do a good job.