3 inch 1911s

[mayo 111]

hey everybody, I tried searching, but had no luck..

I was wondering how yall feel about 3 inch 1911s, im looking at getting a second gun, since all i have right now is a pretty old smith and wesson .38 snub nose.. I am currently looking at getting something newer and different. either a 3 inch kimber or a bhp (i know its a 9mm) they are about the same price at my local shop so $$ is not an issue with this dilemma of mine..

i havent had too much experience with .45s although ive rented out a few guns at my local range, mainly glocks and full sized 1911s. i figured though if i want a 45 it should be a 1911.. the full size 1911 is a bit large for me. im a fairly small fellow with small hands and have found that the 3 inch 1911s fit my paws pretty nicely.

so i just want to know how you 3 inch 1911 owners feel about your gun.. are they any less reliable than full size or even 4 inch versions? is the recoil more obvious due to its smaller size and weight? also do you think that as a semi new shooter i should go with a smaller caliber before i go to a larger sized caliber in such a small gun?

soo if you could please tell me of your experiences and opinions (lets keep this friendly though) and if possible show me pictures of your gun. I would totally appreciate it

thanks,
mayo

[jdewolf]

I was helping my buddy rent some guns [meaning I had to go with him]. He went with a Kimber Custom II [5"], and a Raptor II [3"]. The Custom II was a lot more pleasant to shoot than the Raptor. The recoil and punch were a lot more noticeable. The Raptor wasn't unmanageable by any stretch of the imagination, but you could definitely feel the difference.

[Uhhlexxxis]

love my Kimber Ultra Carry II (stainless like in my avatar).. no complaints. goes boom every time. carry it as an off duty weapon.

[Miltiades]

Colt 3 inch 1911...

About 5 years ago I bought a slightly used Colt Defender, on consignment at my local gun store. I had quite a few larger 1911s and I wanted to experiment with a 3 inch version. I have put maybe 1000 rounds through the gun and it has fed, fired and ejected every time I pulled the trigger, so I would give it good marks for reliability. It does have a healthy recoil, which you would expect from a 25 ounce .45. The strong suit of such a gun is concealability, of course - unless that is your intention, a larger 1911 is probably better.

[SixtyDashOne]

I had a kimber ultra crimson carry II. It was the ultimate concealed carry weapon imo, however like the others have said, it packed quite a punch as far as the recoil. I used to shoot about 100 rounds and I was done, hands would start getting irritated, especially the webbing between the thumb and index finger. I ended up selling it because I needed some money and it was a quick sale, but honestly I've regretted it ever since. I will definitely own another 3" 1911 someday.

[7anthony7]

I have a Springfield emp in 9. I am not a Springfield fan at all, but I love the gun. Lightweight and at 25 yards I can still get everything where I want it. I never had any problems with mine and have had it for about 4 years.

[wellfedirishman]

I have a Rock Island 3.5" Officer model, and I like it. It is very accurate for its size, but you will need to put a new set of sights on it, as the GI sights are tiny. Recoil is not too bad, but I have a set of Pachmayr rubber grips on it.

It has been reliable with all the ammo I fed it (mostly lead round nose reloads).

[den888]

I have a Colt Officer's ACP, Series 80. Good for a defense gun at close range, but not as accurate as the Commander or full size 1911's.

[liketoshoot]

About 5 years ago I bought a slightly used Colt Defender, on consignment at my local gun store. I had quite a few larger 1911s and I wanted to experiment with a 3 inch version. I have put maybe 1000 rounds through the gun and it has fed, fired and ejected every time I pulled the trigger, so I would give it good marks for reliability. It does have a healthy recoil, which you would expect from a 25 ounce .45. The strong suit of such a gun is concealability, of course - unless that is your intention, a larger 1911 is probably better.

I wound up with one like this in a trade, still happy with it after about 450 rounds. If I had a complaint it would be the 7 round cap.

[puropuro]

Loving my Kimber Ultra Covert II, but still breaking it in. So far about 200 rounds. Feeds ball every time, but still looking for some JHP that it likes. I hear that after it breaks in, the JHP will feed fine.

As others have stated, you will feel the recoil, but you get used to it with practice.
Also, it conceals GREAT!!!! (along with a CCW, of course)

[redcliff]

hey everybody, I tried searching, but had no luck..

I was wondering how yall feel about 3 inch 1911s, im looking at getting a second gun, since all i have right now is a pretty old smith and wesson .38 snub nose.. I am currently looking at getting something newer and different. either a 3 inch kimber or a bhp (i know its a 9mm) they are about the same price at my local shop so $$ is not an issue with this dilemma of mine..

i havent had too much experience with .45s although ive rented out a few guns at my local range, mainly glocks and full sized 1911s. i figured though if i want a 45 it should be a 1911.. the full size 1911 is a bit large for me. im a fairly small fellow with small hands and have found that the 3 inch 1911s fit my paws pretty nicely.

so i just want to know how you 3 inch 1911 owners feel about your gun.. are they any less reliable than full size or even 4 inch versions? is the recoil more obvious due to its smaller size and weight? also do you think that as a semi new shooter i should go with a smaller caliber before i go to a larger sized caliber in such a small gun?

soo if you could please tell me of your experiences and opinions (lets keep this friendly though) and if possible show me pictures of your gun. I would totally appreciate it

thanks,
mayo

What 3" 1911 were you looking at? You indicate that it fit your hand better than the full-size 1911's, yet they all have the same grip circumference, width and trigger reach assuming the same length trigger. The Officer's type models just have a shorter grip. Were you looking at the scaled down EMP in 9mm?

Personally my recommendation is look for a Springfield Loaded in 9mm if you're not hung up on .45acp and want something cheaper to shoot and its gonna be a range gun. If you're planning on ccw then the 3" models make sense.

[valkylrie]

I have a full size SA Mil-Spec and a 3" Kimber Ultra CDP II, I can tell you I love both of them. Neither one has never given me any trouble. I also have a Ruger P95 and I think it has more recoil then either of my 45s, but that is just my impression. It may cost more but I shoot the 45s more then the 9, just because I enjoy them more.

[dfletcher]

My first short barreled 1911 was a Detonics and I still have it, bought it about 1979 when the company was so new their barrels were shortened and sleeved Colt barrels. The gun feeds everything including a 45 Colt type H & G 265 grain LSWC bullet. I also have a stainless Detonics, a Colt Defender and an EMP.

I think most of the "it won't work because the barrel's too short" problems have been worked out, but I suppose ammo, care and cleaning and no limp wristing are still more important with the shorter 1911s. With the exception of the Detonics, they all share one PITA attribute and that is removing and replacing the slide for cleaning requires a little extra effort that generally involves a small part or need of a 3rd hand to hold recoil springs in place.

Most short 1911s also have a shorter grip, the Detonics is the shortest single stack and most others are almost as short.

I think there are 3 general types of "short 1911" and they are of the Detonics, Colt Defender, Kimber, Springfield type that really are 1911 with short barrel & grip. Then there is the Para LDA that is a 1911 type frame, but with a different trigger. Then there is a Para wide body, these are 1911 type frames with a double stack grip that holds 10 rounds - look at the P10 or Warthog for an example. And of course there are alloy and steel and no sight and night sight versions within those basic forms.

Don't know if I've missed any basics, my favorite would be a Detonics length grip with a 3" barrel on an alloy frame. The Colt, Kimber, Para frames are I think too long for really good concealment which is what these things were meant for. I've considered having my Defender frame shortened and CBOB'd, maybe a future project if I find the right gunsmith.

[Sam]

Are you going to be concealing this? If yes, then a subcompact 1911 may be worth your money. If no, get a full size or commander size gun. All 1911s have pretty much the dame ergos except the smaller ones have a shorter grip. The full size 1911s should feel just as good as, or better than, a smaller 1911. The larger 1911s should be more reliable and more pleasant to shoot as well.

[FCinCA]

I have both a Kimber Ultra CDP II and Springfield Micro Carry 45. My CCW is the Kimber Ultra CDP II. I have no problem with the recoil at all with either of them. One thing the Kimber has over the Springfield is the front checkering on the grip.