Compact 1911s, reliable or not?

[CaliGunner]

I've been recently wanting to get a carry 1911, and I was on another 1911 forum where the guys were basically saying "Commander and Officer 1911s can be hit or miss", meaning 4.25" and 3.5" or under.

They claimed that the recoil springs are under too much stress, and you have to be picky about ammo.

I'm not a 1911 expert being mostly a Glock carrying person pretty much for the past 7-8 years. I've carried Glock 19s, Glock 26s, and now I carry a Glock 43x. Never had a problem with any compact Glock, with a variety of ammo types (FMJ, HP, 115gr, 124gr, etc).

Now I'm not thinking of getting a "cheap" compact 1911 either, I'm probably going to buy a BUL/Wilson/Stacatto level compact 1911. Is this all FUD? I'm just doing a sanity check here before I hit the order button.

 

[Ausländer]

I've owned a Dan Wesson CBOB (4.25") in .45 for many, many years that has been used for training and EDC with no issues.

 

[tonelar]

I’ve heard full size 1911s are more reliable than even the commander length from more than one gunsmith.

Are none of your carry guns “external safety” kind?

I own and shoot 6-10 1911 (4 are not technically true 1911 pattern guns). I’ve carried none of them since going to striker guns for EDC.

 

[oldag]

Those assertions are absolute BS.

I have compacts and CCO's and they have operated flawlessly with a variety of ammo. As have those of other folks I know who also shoot compacts.

 

[CaliGunner]

I’ve heard full size 1911s are more reliable than even the commander length from more than one gunsmith.

Are none of your carry guns “external safety” kind?

I own and shoot 6-10 1911 (4 are not technically true 1911 pattern guns). I’ve carried none of them since going to striker guns for EDC.

Yeah that's what they were saying on that 1911 forum, and I had never heard about short 1911s being less reliable before.

My carry rotation is basically 100% Glock at this point, so I don't carry with an "external" safety.

 

[tonelar]

I’m sure those well built, high dollar compacts are very reliable. My thoughts are that you might be better off not having to re-train your carry choice.

 

[Grumps21]

I daily carry a RIA BBR 3.10 in .45 ACP. Double stack 1911 with 3.1” barrel. Runs great, never an issue

 

[Charley]

I have 2 compact 1911s, Philippine parts and USA assembled, both are 100% reliable with everything from 185 grain SWCS to 230 grain RN, no FTF, no FTE, just works. I admit, I do a fluff and buff on every 1911 I end up with, sometimes it makes a difference, but not on these, both worked from the start.

 

[1911'S 4 Me]

I daily carry a RIA BBR 3.10 in .45 ACP. Double stack 1911 with 3.1” barrel. Runs great, never an issue

Where did you get such an idea for that?

 

[BillM]

I had a colt defender that you had to change the recoil springs every 800 rounds or so or it would not feed reliably.

Then I had a rock island commander size 1911 that would not feed reliably no matter what. I polished it all up to no avail. It was new.

I have a friend with a kimber 1911, less than full size, (don't recall what model) that he wanted me to look it over and see if I could find something obviously wrong with it because it would not feed reliably. I didn't see anything and suggested he change the recoil springs but he sent it back to kimber because it was new. When he got it back we went to shoot it and it would still fail to feed with almost every mag. We put 200 rounds through it and gave up. That didn't count all the other times I shot it.

So, with my experience I don't think I would buy another compact or commander size 1911 unless it was a high end model like Wilson or something.

Now I have 3 1911 pistols, a dessert eagle 45, a Springfield armory 45, and gsg 22 1911 and they all perform well. All full size.

 

[Grumps21]

Haha, yes a shout out to @1911'S 4 Me for letting me take his for a test drive at the range

 

[CaliGunner]

I had a colt defender that you had to change the recoil springs every 800 rounds or so or it would not feed reliably.

Then I had rock island commander size 1911 that would not feed reliably no matter what. I polished it all up to no avail. It was new.

I have a friend with a kimber 1911, less than full size, (don't recall what model) that he wanted me to look it over and see if I could find something obviously wrong with it because it would not feed reliably. I didn't see anything and suggested he change the recoil springs but he sent it back to kimber because it was new. When he got it back we went to shoot it and it would still fail to feed with almost very mag. We put 200 rounds through it and gave up. That didn't count all the other times I shot it.

So, with my experience I don't think I would by another compact or commander size 1911 unless it was a high end model like Wilson or something.

Now I have 3 1911 pistols, a dessert eagle 45, a Springfield armory 45, and gsg 22 1911 and they all perform well.

This is exactly what they were saying in the other forum. Thanks for the comment.

 

[Sasquatch]

The 1911 is not that complicated of a gun, but because of the huge swath of companies making them - they run the gamut from unreliable junk, to Singer sewing machine reliable (and you can, in fact, get a Singer made 1911 from WW2)

Price does not necessarily mean you're getting a reliable, solid gun. Some cheap guns run well. Some expensive guns run like dogshit.

When you change the basic, original design by making the slide shorter (and thus lighter) and switch up spring rates you run the risk of issues.

That doesn't even touch on *magazines* - 1911 mags either work, or they don't. Run the best magazines you can find that work with your gun. Single stack .45's - I would only run Wilson Combat, Kimber, or old school Chip McCormick mags. I don't trust other magazine makers in that realm.

I have not owned a 9mm 1911 yet, so won't speak to those.

For double stacks - my experience is with Para Ordnance - their magazines run well. I had an alloy frame, single action gun produced in the 1990's - a 14-45 that ran like a champ and was not at all ammo finicky. It fed every JHP I tried, it ate laquer cased Wolf, it ate brass cased stuff. Great gun and I miss it.

If you're getting a gun from a reputable manufacterer they'll stand behind their gun if you get one with issues.

 

[Tnhawk]

I don't have experience with the pistol you're considering, however I have own several 1911 pistols with barrels less than the standard size 1911. None has had a problem using HP or RN ammo.

 

[RankAmateur]

This is exactly what they were saying in the other forum. Thanks for the comment.

I have traditional and not-so-traditional 1911-pattern pistols from Wilson, Nighthawk, Springfield Armory, Sig Sauer, Staccato, Dan Wesson, including government and commander sizes, 1911 and 2011 types, .45 ACP and 9mm, compensated and uncompensated versions. I have had NO issues with any of them other than 230gr FMJ .45 ACP rounds that nose dived in a couple of Sig mags (replacing the mags eliminated the issue). Ammo ranged from foreign-sourced 115gr 9mm FMJ through .45 JHP, and even honey badgers. Maybe I've been lucky, but haven't experienced the issues mentioned in that other forum

YMMV.

 

[1911'S 4 Me]

A few get lemons in everything. Most get lemonade.
You hear about more lemonade than you do lemons.

 

[oldag]

I would add that I have put quite a few rounds downrange for some years now with both compact and CCO.

I once bought a SA 1911 TRP (full size). Failed miserably out of the box. SA had installed two wrong parts. They fixed, ran fine. I don't hold that against full sized 1911's.

 

[oldag]

I have traditional and not-so-traditional 1911-pattern pistols from Wilson, Nighthawk, Springfield Armory, Sig Sauer, Staccato, Dan Wesson, including government and commander sizes, 1911 and 2011 types, .45 ACP and 9mm, compensated and uncompensated versions. I have had NO issues with any of them other than 230gr FMJ .45 ACP rounds that nose dived in a couple of Sig mags (replacing the mags eliminated the issue). Ammo ranged from foreign-sourced 115gr 9mm FMJ through .45 JHP, and even honey badgers. Maybe I've been lucky, but haven't experienced the issues mentioned in that other forum

YMMV.

You really need a Guncrafter.

 

[Reinz]

While some guns can be better than others, there is one thing that really affects reliability with smaller guns that is often overlooked, and that is the grip of the shooter.

Smaller guns simply need a tighter grip. You say, no duh, but I see it time and time again. I have no issues yet a buddy has jams with the same gun.

I’m not talking about manhood here, just technique and experience.

For example, Rohrbaugh, the combination lightest and smallest 9 mm.

The factory would constantly get returns for jams, yet they could find no issues. Rather than risk offending the customer they would replace the recoil spring and or give the gun a “tune up” which was code for a good cleaning.

A lot of those customers would give up and sell the gun on the Rohrbaugh forum.

Small guns, especially for more powerful cartridges are not for the inexperienced with THAT particular platform.

My EDC, no issues.

 

[CaliGunner]

While some guns can be better than others, there is one thing that really affects reliability with smaller guns that is often overlooked, and that is the grip of the shooter.

Smaller guns simply need a tighter grip. You say, no duh, but I see it time and time again. I have no issues yet a buddy has jams with the same gun.

I’m not talking about manhood here, just technique and experience.

For example, Rohrbaugh, the combination lightest and smallest 9 mm.

The factory would constantly get returns for jams, yet they could find no issues. Rather than risk offending the customer they would replace the recoil spring and or give the gun a “tune up” which was code for a good cleaning.

A lot of those customers would give up and sell the gun on the Rohrbaugh forum.

Small guns, especially for more powerful cartridges are not for the inexperienced with THAT particular platform.

My EDC, no issues.
View attachment 344518

That's a good point. I went to the range with a friend and his wife, and they had a CZ 75 SP-01 they had just gotten her. Her first two mags were terrible. Jam every other round, I noticed though her grip was sub-optimal.

I take the gun, and run a full mag clean, no FTF or FTEs. It was literally the way it was being gripped causing all the issues.