Compact 1911 using hollow points

[Slowdraw]

I have a 1911 compact in 45 ACP. It fires all the ammo I have fired, About every six months I shoot up my carry ammo and get fresh. As the compact is mostly my everyday carry I want to make sure it feeds and ejects every time. I use the factory mags and have added a couple of Kimber 7 rounds mags. it's a fine weapon with a 3 pound factory trigger.

 

[Detonics]

I throat and polish my barrels, and tune the magazines so they will feed an empty case.

 

[SATRP]

I don’t know the ballistics of .45, as I don’t have one, but the idea of using FMJ for self defense has one major problem, over penetration. We are responsible for every round fired and where it goes. If I’m shooting HP’s at least I have a defense that I did what I can be reasonably expected to do to reduce collateral damage. With the technology of modern day rounds there’s no reason to be carrying ball ammo around.

That's of oft repeated refrain. However, I've never been exposed to direct evidence where throught-and-through penetration has been an issue. People are pretty bright about getting outta proximity of flying bullets.

No, we are not responsible for where every round goes. The felon is. The felony murder rule applies. The felon causing use of deadly force is responsible for every round fired.

Rule One is controlling: the only known way of surviving a gunfight is to not get in one. Avoidance mush be controlling. A gunfight means a bad guy wants me dead, reduced to evidence, and autopsied the following morning. That would make cheating trout ecstatic. However, I wouldn't much like going vertical.

If I'm able to continue to be blessed with Rule One, I won't have to remember the other primary rules (Rule Two) of gun fighting: don't get shot. I'd much rather be a live witness than a dead hero. I'd compromise Rule Two to protect my kids and cops at imminent risk.

 

[SATRP]

Dang, wish somebody would give me a '45'! A real '45' would be preferable though.

You'd have to be loved or lucky for anyone to give you a 1911-A1 .45 Auto.

You can't get "more real" than a Springfield Armory Mil Spec .45Auto, which is an excellent entry level 1911-A1. "Entry level" is deceptive. It's excellent quality at reasonable price. It's worth far more than MSRP. Caution: Springfield Armory 1911-A1s are prolific. Before you know it, you'll be in the market for a gigantic gun safe to protect your investments.

 

[SATRP]

If you really get down to it, if you use reloaded or remanufactured ammo, you actually void any gun warranty, no matter what brand gun you have, they all state factory new ammo. It’s in all the owners manuals, even Springfield’s.

I've yet to shoot hand loaded ammo in any of my 1911-A1s. I wouldn't hesitate to use hand loaded ammo is my 1911-A1s. Ammo prices are valued in Krugerrands. And I load 95+% of my hand loads at the low end. I don't need a lot of velocity to punch holes in paper. A box of 230 grain Fed HST LE +P will last me two lifetimes. I use it to dissuade mean critters.

The agency from which I'm retired gives me free factory ammo.

I mostly load .38 Special ammo. My former agency doesn't stock revolver ammo. My 38 Special loads are loaded at -P, which is the opposite of +P. A couple grains of Titegroup are fun to shoot with virtually no recoil.

The only max load handgun cartridge I load is .357 Mag. Again, a box of 50 will last me 2 lifetimes.

BTW, 180 grain (cast or partition) .357 Mag rounds are my second choice for mean critter attitude alteration. The .357 Mag might just be our most versatile handgun cartridge. I think it's our best wilderness survival cartridge. An accurate .357 handgun can be loaded for deer, small game, grouse, and Mojave greens, which can keep a lost hiker alive. But I'd much rather rely upon my Springfield Armory TRP .45...for many reasons.

 

[SCfromNY]

I mentioned on another forum I used to shoot USPSA Limited 10 with a Kimber Raptor using Wilson Mags. The Kimber ran flawlessly with FMJ but gave me issues with JHPs. Now reloading JHP's is not much more costly than FMJ. At an open house Rob Leatham told me JHP's were slightly more accurate than FMJ. Well I would take any help.

I replaced the Wilson springs with stronger Wolfe springs. 5" .45's have no feed ramp and the weaker spring was not getting the cartridge fed quick enough. Once I replaced the springs I never had any problems with JHP's. Now would this work for everyone? I don't know. But it worked for years for me.

 

[SATRP]

I mentioned on another forum I used to shoot USPSA Limited 10 with a Kimber Raptor using Wilson Mags. The Kimber ran flawlessly with FMJ but gave me issues with JHPs. Now reloading JHP's is not much more costly than FMJ. At an open house Rob Leatham told me JHP's were slightly more accurate than FMJ. Well I would take any help.

I replaced the Wilson springs with stronger Wolfe springs. 5" .45's have no feed ramp and the weaker spring was not getting the cartridge fed quick enough. Once I replaced the springs I never had any problems with JHP's. Now would this work for everyone? I don't know. But it worked for years for me.

I used to own Brand "X" 1911-A1s. I never completely trusted them, which was why I used W-W White Box 230 gran FMJ rounds, which were more than suitable. My Springfield Armory 1911-A1's have never, ever failed to do anything but work flawlessly regardless of ammo. They'd fire kitchen sink ammo.

After I bought a Springfield Armory Loaded Model .45 Auto, I sold all of my other brands of 191-A1s. Now all of my 1911-A1s are Springfield Armory manufactured Getty Museum works of art. Knock on wood, they're flawless. I have complete faith in them.

For practice, I use factory ball ammo, 9MM & .45 Auto, that my former agency provides. For self-defense, I use 147 grain Fed HST LE standard pressure for my Springfield Armory EMP 3 9MM and 230 grain Fed HST LE +P for my TRP .45 Auto. It's my wilderness self-defense load. I'd use it for bipedal self-defense. But I wouldn't lose a second's sleep using standard pressure 230 grain ball .45 Auto ammo for bipedal self-defense.