Compact 45 for ccw and paired to full size 1911

[rjohns94]

Which compact 45 would you recommend. My thoughts were to have comparability with my full size 1911 as far as mags go but I'm open to suggestions. I am carrying a nighthawk GRP 1911 with 5 inch barrel. I'm considering an officer size back up, 2nd carry weapon. I saw a para ordnance hog, a lightweight officers model and others. Compacts in glock, sig, H&K offer light weight but not mag compatible. Neither is the para. Your thoughts? Thanks.

[MrMurphy]

Skip the Para. They are NOT reliable. Since Ted Szabo died P-O's quality severely crashed.


With 1911s, anything smaller than a Commander is hard to hang on to and not overly reliable in functioning.

I've carried a Glock 30 for 12 years. It's thicker than a 1911 but gives you 11 rounds loaded for the same weight as a 5" 1911.

The S&W M&P45 is excellent, configurable to your hand size and fully ambidextrous, also easier to maintain than a 1911 (and i'm a lifelong 1911 guy), and also can be had with the 1911 thumb safety setup.

The HK HK45 is also a consideration, Larry Vickers (who has more rounds through 1911s than most ever will) as Delta Force's armorer and a team member contributed heavily to the design to basically 'out 1911 the 1911' with a modern design. They make a compact model as well.

[DBW]

If you can ever find a Detonics Combat Master, it's a exceptional compact 1911 to have for CCW.

Size comparison of my Detonics and Ruger LCP .380

[keyston44]

My full size 1911 is a Kimber Classic Custom and my compact is a Kimber Tactical Ultra. You can use the full size magazines in both guns but you can't use the Ultra's magazines in the full size gun.

Key

[flyfisher66048]

The XD has the same grip angle as a 1911. I had one tuned up by Dave Bowie, and gave it to my dad. It is his primary carry gun. Same size as a commander, but has 14 rounds of 45.

[Hobie]

I have a Lightweight Officer's ACP and I like it. It has been reliable with Golden Saber and ball. The ONLY reason I got it was because I didn't have a Colt that size. I didn't think it would be reliable. It is.


I kinda like the XD S but it is a single stack that holds a round less than the Colt. It isn't that much lighter. I'm sticking with the Colt.

[Griff]

Mike,

In case it wasn't clear before... I'm a died-in-the-wool 1911 guy. JMB's genius is fully evident in the 1911. To me, the perfect companion to a full size 1911 is the Combat Commander. All the power of the original in a smaller package that if anything, balances even better, with no loss in controlability. All the compacts I've tried were just too small for my hands.

I've not shown my CC before because it's rather rough. It's been worn next to me, winter, spring, summer and fall. Sweated on, dunked in salt water, swimming pools, etc. Long stories, don't ask. But, needless to say the finish has suffered.

[86er]

STI Shadow.

[Mescalero]

Griff,
Finish is cosmetic, and can be rectified; reliability and confidence are earned!

[jdad]

I'm picking up an XDS tomorrow along with the 7 round mag. Check out this video and see how a pocket 45 can be this accurate, controllable, & reliable. He hits the 100yd gong 3x, in a row.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtnDae4P2I8


***

[Pisgah]

I have found the Rock Island version of the Officer's Model 1911 to be an excellent pistol.

[AJMD429]

I absolutely LOVE my Para-Ordnance P-12, and it is basically a 'double-stack' "Officer's Model". It has never, ever, ever failed to feed any ammo, from FMJ to Speer's "Flying Ashtray". I upgraded the recoil-spring for no particular reason after about 1,200 rounds, and it still shoots and shoots and shoots.

Anyway, as an "Officer's Model Colt" clone that fits MY hands far better than the deck-of-cards single-stack grips, the P-12 can't be beat...



My 1980's vintage Para-Ordnance P-14 was similarly reliable, and so is my Rock Island P-14 clone.

So, for me, mostly because I have long fingers and skinny hands, I use the P-12 for CCW alot, and the P-14's when the "C" part of "CCW" isn't all that vital. They do use interchangeable magazines the same way the Colt 'regular' and 'Officer' model do.

If you have a singls-stack 1911 of course the P-12 mags wouldn't swap, but at least you would not have to deal with 'reduced capacity' in your compact gun. In fact, it would hold more than your regular 1911...

[1894c]

from what i read and talking to others who really know...i would not go any smaller than a OFFICER"S MODEL (3.5" bbl)...just my thinking...on the other hand my Glock 26 (9mm) and Glock 27 (40S&W) have been absolutely reliable... :)

[Chas.]

Sig 1911 C3. Only 1 lb. 13.5 oz.

[MrMurphy]

I've never seen a truly reliable smaller-than-Commander. Some will run, but they take a lot of watching.

I did see a gunwriter once throw a 3" Kimber at a target, which was a rather unconventional method of attempting to neutralize it, especially as it was cocked, locked, and totally unintentional.

He ripped it out of the holster so fast he lost his grip (sweaty hands in summertime) and quite literally chucked it right at it.

I've shot an original Detonics, it was interesting, but I'll stick with a Commander or Combat Commander if it's got to be a 1911.

[cshold]

Removed

[OldWin]

I have carried all 3 sizes of 1911 over 20 years. I carried an officers that had been worked on by a retired Colt custom shop smith. It was a thing of beauty, fed everything, and was very accurate. One day during practice I drew and fired and the recoil plug exploded, blowing the recoil springs out the front. A minor fix but on a carry gun potentially deadly. I am convinced the toothed and slotted plunger is a weaker design. I have since carried a series 80 LW Commander and consider it the best balance.

[AJMD429]

One day during practice I drew and fired and the recoil plug exploded, blowing the recoil springs out the front. A minor fix but on a carry gun potentially deadly. I am convinced the toothed and slotted plunger is a weaker design.

Maybe that's the reason I upgraded my recoil spring and guide to the Ed Brown version...

[Paladin]

I have also carried all sizes of 1911 to include the Detonics (that I should never have let my buddy talk me out of) I like the full grip of the Officers model the most and have one I fixed up that friend traded to me because his agency would not allow him to carry it. It is very accurate with a King Tappen Barrel and Mahovsky's Metalife finish and Novak night sights.
I have carried a few 1911 some issued but most mine. The Para Ordinance with the larger mag capacity for work was a great upgrade just not small enough for concealment. The officers model for concealed carry or a Glock 30 work well. It will depend on which feels the best to you as they all are capable of more than enough accuracy for social work.

[OldWin]

One day during practice I drew and fired and the recoil plug exploded, blowing the recoil springs out the front. A minor fix but on a carry gun potentially deadly. I am convinced the toothed and slotted plunger is a weaker design.

Maybe that's the reason I upgraded my recoil spring and guide to the Ed Brown version...

I would say that was a good call sir! That was the first 1911 I had used without a standard plunger. It was quite a surprise to say the least when my springs followed the bullet down range haha.

[Old Ironsights]

I'm a fan of the CCO style - Officer's lower, 4.25" upper. Easy to conceal and better balance than the 3" IMO. Plus, (and it's a Plus for me) it has a regular bushing allowing for a Bushing Comp to be installed for game time.

[Lastmohecken]

The one I have carried the most is a Lightweight Springfield GI, 4 inch, However, I added an Ed Brown mainspring housing, to get rid of the stupid lock in the Springfield mainspring housing, which also helped smooth the gun up, better trigger, and smoother hammer action. And I added an ambi-safety because I am left handed. I even prefer the tiny GI sights on this gun, because they will hang up on nothing, which is important to me, because I do use the mexican carry option, (no holster) at times.

If I want to carry in an outside the pants strong side holster, then I do have a 3 inch Kimber Tactical Ultra, and it's been 100% reliable, so far, however I did remove the firing pin block from the slide, and installed a colt firing pin, because several or my friends have developed bent firing pins on the Kimbers with the Swarts firing pin block safety. I do believe though that the little 3 inch guns, need to be watched closely, if shot much, as the recoil springs don't last as long as a big gun, and it's much more critical for all of the springs to be in time with each other, for reliable operation. But on the Kimbers, there is or was a problem with, I don't know, but I suspect a run of soft firing pins, because I have fixed at least 3 Kimbers that developed bent factory firing pins, but when replaced with Colt, were fine.