.45, 10mm, or 9mm in 1911

[gwpercle]

Ever shooter should have one 1911 in 45 acp !
John Browning knew a thing or two when he designed them .
Gary

[marek313]

I love my RIA Tac Ultra in 10mm. I also shoot 40s out of it without any issues which makes it nice because as others pointed out 10mm brass walks but 40 is easy to find. Didnt break my extractor yet from 40s neither <knocking on wood>

I dont know which one is right for you they are all different. I find 9mm less accurate then 10, 40 or 45. Smaller case with smaller projectile means less wiggle room for error plus 9s move faster so its harder to keep those stable. Larger bullets will drain your lead stash quicker but they tend to be more accurate at least for me. I know there are some fine 9mm guns out there but in general I prefer larger caliber if I can. I would like to get a nice P210 but I probably wouldnt shoot that much. My RIA on the other hand is solid shooter without any issues. I wasnt even planning on buying one but I was given a really good deal that I couldnt say no to so I got it. No regrets so far and if I had to buy it full price again I probably would.

Almost brand new RIA Tac Ultra FS with custom short reset trigger, 200 rounds of 10mm ammo and 2x Tripp Cobra extended 10 round mags for $400. How could I say no to that deal

[Gunslinger1911]

I'll start by agreeing that a 45 is mandatory - just as JMB meant it to be.
That being said, I have all 3, love em all. Accuracy is all about boolet fit to bbl. All 3 capable of shooting better than I.
I also have 22 TCM, 22 lr, and 38 super 1911's.
You just can't go wrong - and Rock makes a great 1911. I have 3. The TCM locks up as well as any "custom" I've ever shot.

[osteodoc08]

I prefer 45 ACP. It’s easier for me to handle the casings. Accuracy has always been easy to obtain with several powders and there’s something magical about the Four Five for me.

The only downside is weight of boolits. You’ll obviously deplete your stock faster compared to 9mm. Adding a 10mm would come after the 45 (for me)

[dverna]

10mm will saddle you with more expensive ammunition, brass and the most recoil. It is not an easy gun to shoot for some. 35,000+psi so may have similar issues as 9mm for reloading with cast.

The 9mm is accurate but can be a challenge to load with cast. It is the least expensive option. Brass is everywhere and cheap.

The .45 is easier to load but you will be using over 50% more lead than the 9mm. Brass will be about double the cost of 9mm

If you shoot a fair bit, go with the 9mm. It may take you a bit to find a bullet style/size/lube that works but then you are done. If you cast your own, you save about $.70 a box in lead using the 122 gr bullet instead of the 200 gr in the .45. If you shoot 5000 rounds a year, that is a savings of $70 just in lead. Over 10 years, it adds up. Costs savings will be higher if you purchase bullets and from your other thread, (no space for a press?) that may be your situation.

If you shoot a couple of hundred rounds a year, the .45 is a great choice for you. Unless you upgrade from your lee hand press, it is unlikely that you will shoot enough to save much by getting the 9mm.

[Handloader109]

Got two Rock Island 22tcm/9mm. Full size, have the wide body set up for 22tcm, and the nicer in 9mm. They shoot better than I do, but both are fun guns. I'm thinking about another in a commander size 9mm, thought about the Micro 9, but too expensive, I can almost buy two Rock islands for the price of one Micro..... and It's not twice the gun

[psweigle]

I have the rock island 9mm, and a coonan classic in 357 magnum. I'm hoping to add a Llama .32 auto to the line up. The coonan is a blast to shoot. The rock is a joy to shoot. I've had 45 auto 1911's. Those were very easy to load for and also a pleasure. Can't go wrong with a 1911 in any caliber.
As far as reloading 9mm, I've found that if you don't over think it, you should be fine.

[Bzcraig]

By far I shoot more 9 than 45 and greatly enjoy shooting them. I don't own a 1911 in 9 but currently have 2 in 45. This is a rare case where I have practiced what I will preach. My first 1911, in fact all, have been in 45 so I vote 45 it just has a well deserved mystic that can't be denied. I do however think often about getting one in 9.

[Jtarm]

A 1911 should be .45 ACP. Period.

Get a 10mm revolver and don’t chase brass.

[MGD]

There is a reason it's called SUPER 38. For a smaller caliber in the 1911 it is great. Easy to to load an extremely wide range of bullet weights and velocities.

[Sailormilan2]

Start with a 45 acp 1911. Then at a later time, you can add an extra slide and barrel for the 10mm. With a slide with the 40/10 breechface you can add pretty much any barrel you want and go to any caliber.

[Sig556r]

As far as reloading 9mm, I've found that if you don't over think it, you should be fine.

True that ^^^