9mm 1911 Barrel

[clum553946]

I just ordered a Nowlin 9mm barrel prefit kit for 1911. My gun is an older Les Baer Premier 2 in 45acp. Other than new mags & a 12.5-14lb mainspring, you guys think this is feasible? I don't want to compromise the Baer but finding Calif. compliant 9mm 1911's here in Calif is really hard.
Thanks, Chris

[DougGuy]

Won't the extractor and the ejector be spaced too far out from the case rim?

[clum553946]

That's what I was wondering

[DougGuy]

A 9mm slide is a LOT different than a .45 ACP slide. The breech face is narrower, the firing pin and firing pin hole are smaller, the extractor bore is much closer to the firing pin bore, the ejector for a 9mm is a lot taller and is made with a thicker part that puts the contact area of the ejector closer to the center of the breech face, and the slide is machined more to clear this ejector.

[lefty o]

gonna also need a slide, extractor,ejector, slide stop.

[Greg S]

+ a small diameter firing pin. If your not familiar with setting up 9mm 1911s it might be easier and time/money ahead to have Baer set you up another top end in 9mm for your pistol. You can send and receive it back through Fedex. It would be worth a call.

If you decide to still complete the build yourself, call Caspian and order a slide with a 9mm breech face. Check out there site and write a list of options out that you want, i.e. style of sights/manufacturer, spring tunnel cuts, cocking serrations, flat top and serrate (recommended to reduce weight), barrel bushing/bull barrel.

The reason for writing this down is they have a tendancy to not ask about roll marks. Caspian has their roll mark and wreaths. Caspian slide are quality stuff, prehardened and machined. They are straight and stand behind their product.

[clum553946]

I think what I'm going to try to do is find a Kimber Stainless Target 2 in 9mm, replace the barrel with the Nowlin & pop in a Nowlin sear spring with an ambi safety. I have been shooting my Baer in Steel Challenge & find I have a difficult time competing with the guys that shoot 9mm's. I need the ambi safety because I'm left handed & after doing some investigation, this is probably cheaper than having a new 9mm slide made for my current gun plus I won't have any down time. This Kimber & a Springfield are the only two 9mm 1911's that are currently CA compliant. Any further thoughts? Thnx

[DougGuy]

Any further thoughts? Thnx

Florida, Texas, North or South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, I can probably think of a few more. GLW your venture.

[bruce drake]

Find yourself a 400 Corbon barrel set up. same breech face as your 45acp but with a 40 caliber bullet option.

[Mike in Reedley]

I second sending it back to Baer. The first LB I bought (lucky enough to have 3) was as close to what I could get in Ca. at the time. After shooting it a bit, I sent it back to the factory to have the minor changes made that Baer couldn't do initially when I ordered it and still be in compliance with the Ca. not unsafe gun approval list. Les Baer guns are awesome, why not have the mothership do the change and fitting?

[Plate plinker]

Kimber 9mm is the way to go. Oral DougGuy hints maybe move.

[earplug]

I have a STI Trojan set up for 9MM. I'd give them a call on parts. Nothing wrong with Caspian, but the majority of USPSA open gun and many 1911 Steel shooters are using some form of STI gun or parts. My pistol was picky about cartridge length and having nose dives from the first two rounds out of 10 round magazines. This is common on 9MM due to the case taper and short cartridge. Chip McCormick sells a magazine with a little lip in front that cures this, the Factory STI has this too.

[MtGun44]

Breech face is too big, extractor and ejector will not work....... not a
simple conversion, need a new slide, new ejector, and can't swap back
and forth real easily.