[CDR_Glock]

I have read that the ammunition that tested 45ACP was mainly in a 5" barrel. Is the shorter 1911 style pistol less effective given the lower velocities? What ammo do you recommend for a 3" versus 4" 1911? Should +P be used instead? Lastly, are 3" 1911s really less reliable than larger 1911s? If so, what do you recommend to improve reliability in a 3" 1911? I have read that changing the factory magazines for 1911s to Wilson Combat or Chip McCormick Magazines is recommended for most 1911s: is there any validity to this?

Thank you.

[Mas Ayoob]

CDR, velocities do drop off significantly in .45 ACP as the barrel gets shorter. This creates a critical "velocity floor" for expansion. "Old school" conventional copper jacketed hollow points that will mushroom reliably out of a 5" are likely to deform much less from a 4 1/4" barrel, and perhaps expand not at all out of a 3" or 3.5".

With the shorter barrel, you have two options. One is +P velocity; a 185 grain +P JHP that does 1140 foot-seconds out of a 5" will do about 1070 out of a 3.5", which is still ahead of a standard velocity 185 grain JHP out of a 5". However, recoil with the +P is palpably snappier, especially in the smaller guns.

The other alternative is to go to a high-tech modern hollow point designed to open when fired from shorter barrels: Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel, or Winchester Ranger-T, for example.

Because they have so much shorter a slide cycle, the 3" and 3.5" 1911 .45s are indeed more finicky than their longer counterparts, as a rule.

best,
Mas

[CDR_Glock]

Mas,

Thanks for the recommendations. Through your experience what is the best way to make the shorter 1911s "less finicky"?

[Mas Ayoob]

Originally Posted by CDR_Glock

Mas,

Thanks for the recommendations. Through your experience what is the best way to make the shorter 1911s "less finicky"?

Install a Commander-length barrel slide assembly...

best,
Mas

[CDR_Glock]

Originally Posted by Mas Ayoob

Install a Commander-length barrel slide assembly...

best,
Mas

You are too damn funny, Man!

[CDR_Glock]

Originally Posted by Mas Ayoob

Install a Commander-length barrel slide assembly...

best,
Mas

So I took my Kimber Ultra Raptor out today to shoot. It had no problems feeding hollowpoints such as Golden Sabers, Corbon, WWB, or Critical Defense. I look at the barrel and it is ramped. I figure that is one feature that really helps its reliability without having to go to a longer barrel. It shot flawlessly. I was very happy with the Ultra.