I've been considering buying my wife a 1911 for IDPA/IPSC. A local shooter suggested dumping the .45 and going with a 9mm. He had the advantage of seeing my 4'9 wife standing next to me. He said that competitors are moving away from the 38 Super. Are we talking straight 9x19, or the 9x21, or 9x23?
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What's the Story on the 9's for Competition
- Thread starter Gary H
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ACP230
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I've shot IDPA a little with a variety of guns including a BHP, Colt .45 Commander, and a Colt Cobra .38 snub.
I started thinking that a 1911 in 9mm would have a few advantages for match shooting.
It would have the Colt safety and trigger which I am used to after 30 years of using them. My BHP trigger is OK, but my Colts have better ones.
It would have the advantage of using cheap ammo. I quit reloading the 9X19 several years ago and now just buy 1,000 rounds of whatever hovers around $100 per thousand when I get low.
It would have has less recoil than a .45ACP.
The 9mm 1911s also have nine shots in the mag compared to seven or eight.
I bought a 9mm Colt Combat Commander to try this idea out and haven't made a match since. It still seems like a good idea however.
I started thinking that a 1911 in 9mm would have a few advantages for match shooting.
It would have the Colt safety and trigger which I am used to after 30 years of using them. My BHP trigger is OK, but my Colts have better ones.
It would have the advantage of using cheap ammo. I quit reloading the 9X19 several years ago and now just buy 1,000 rounds of whatever hovers around $100 per thousand when I get low.
It would have has less recoil than a .45ACP.
The 9mm 1911s also have nine shots in the mag compared to seven or eight.
I bought a 9mm Colt Combat Commander to try this idea out and haven't made a match since. It still seems like a good idea however.
Umm, what do you want to do with it? There are only two places in USPSA where a 9mm of any stripe can compete with a .40 or larger. One is in production class where everything is scored at minor power factor. All guns used must be DA first shot or Glock types. 10 rd mags, quite possibly the cheapest class to get into.
The other is in Open class. A recent rule change now allows making major power factor with 9x19. The people that are going that way I assume are doing so based on brass cost. There are still plenty of .38 supers, TJs, Super-comps, 9x23 etc. Anything larger diameter in Open class is a capacity handicap. making major with 9mm is not something for the novice reloader. A 115gr bullet at 1450, a 124gr at 1350, or a 147gr at 1130 is some basic numbers. That is screaming for a case of such limited capacity.
Any shooting done with a 9mm 1911 will leave you at a disadvantage. You can't make major with it in Limited or Limited 10. (.40 cal min. for major) Since it is a Single action you can't run it in production. If she wants a 1911 for IPSC make it .40 or .45 and run it in Limited 10. If she wants a high dollar 1911 get her a double stack STI and shoot limited. If you get her an open gun it can be 9mm, but won't exactly be suitable for IDPA.
On the other hand a 10rd 9mm 1911 is just about a perfect gun for IDPA. So, it's obvios, buy her two 1911s.
Your local expert is projecting his prejudice onto your wife. The "little woman" can handle a .45 just fine unless there is a physical disability. In fact I have had a few women of about that size shoot circles around me with large bore 1911s. Get her what she likes best.
The other is in Open class. A recent rule change now allows making major power factor with 9x19. The people that are going that way I assume are doing so based on brass cost. There are still plenty of .38 supers, TJs, Super-comps, 9x23 etc. Anything larger diameter in Open class is a capacity handicap. making major with 9mm is not something for the novice reloader. A 115gr bullet at 1450, a 124gr at 1350, or a 147gr at 1130 is some basic numbers. That is screaming for a case of such limited capacity.
Any shooting done with a 9mm 1911 will leave you at a disadvantage. You can't make major with it in Limited or Limited 10. (.40 cal min. for major) Since it is a Single action you can't run it in production. If she wants a 1911 for IPSC make it .40 or .45 and run it in Limited 10. If she wants a high dollar 1911 get her a double stack STI and shoot limited. If you get her an open gun it can be 9mm, but won't exactly be suitable for IDPA.
On the other hand a 10rd 9mm 1911 is just about a perfect gun for IDPA. So, it's obvios, buy her two 1911s.
Your local expert is projecting his prejudice onto your wife. The "little woman" can handle a .45 just fine unless there is a physical disability. In fact I have had a few women of about that size shoot circles around me with large bore 1911s. Get her what she likes best.
Agree with Navy Joe on everything RE: IPSC. In idpa, a 9mm 1911 will still be in ESP. 9mm can't do anything that the various flavors of 38 super can't do, and 9mm can be be tough to feed in a 1911. Get it in Super/supercomp/9x23 and be happy.
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