Double Stack 1911

[warren5421]

Who makes a good double stack 1911? I have an STI 6" in 10mm. I am thinking about a 6" slide 9mm but STI is no more! Who in production makes a good .45 ACP or 9mm double stack 1911. I see several different manufactures on the internet but don't know their names.

[G W Wade]

Believe STI is now Stuccado. But one of my friends thinks he likes his Springfeild Armory Prodigy better but mainly the grip angle GW

[Finster101]

I have an older Para Ordinance that shoots well.

[Winger Ed.]

Para Ordenance is the bench mark for those.

It's not a 1911, but even though it's a Tupperware gun, The Springfield XD is a good double stack .45.

[Dave W.]

Staccato is the way to go. I really like my P. https://staccato2011.com
They are actually 2011's instead of 1911's.

[Thin Man]

I was visiting with a local gunsmith who has a reputation as a 1911 mechanic. He showed me 2 different Para Ordnance frame kits (all of the frame parts) that he had installed military slides (and all the other upper parts) on these frames. He shared that both of these pistols showed the same performance. They came with Para Ordnance magazines that refused to cycle ammo into the barrel of either pistol. However, he found that Mec Gar magazines allowed the ammo to cycle with perfection in both pistols. He was hoping to find the cause of this challenge, but was very satisfied just to find a solution to the feeding issue.

[Handloader109]

All depends upon the $ you want to spend. Para is gone, btw. Springfield has several, and Wilson combat has a couple of versions. I know they have a 5 inch, nitbsure on a 6 inch.

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[DougGuy]

I was visiting with a local gunsmith who has a reputation as a 1911 mechanic. He showed me 2 different Para Ordnance frame kits (all of the frame parts) that he had installed military slides (and all the other upper parts) on these frames. He shared that both of these pistols showed the same performance. They came with Para Ordnance magazines that refused to cycle ammo into the barrel of either pistol. However, he found that Mec Gar magazines allowed the ammo to cycle with perfection in both pistols. He was hoping to find the cause of this challenge, but was very satisfied just to find a solution to the feeding issue.

I started with PO when the frames first started coming to the US, sometime in the late 1980s. I built a few pin guns, a carry commander, a magnaported pin gun, I had fun building these. Getting them to run reliably mandated replacing the magazine springs. That was their weakness.

In those days there wasn't any replacement springs for a double stack so I would go to the gun shows and scarf up 30rd Thompson magazines for cheap, and rob the springs out of them. There were two kinds, one was a shiny looking wire the other a dark color, the shiny color spring was THE bomb for reliable feeding! I would cut off several links, and work the top until it would push up on the front of the follower and they would run 100% after that.

Here is the deal with the PO.. Load the magazine, now press down on the front of the stack and release, if it doesn't immediately push the stack back up against the feed lips, it will never feed reliably. The Thompson spring fixed this issue, it was a strong robust spring that didn't fatigue being compressed, and the guns feed like butter if your feed ramp and COA are right.

I suppose there are many good quality springs that will work in the PO mags, but this test is what will make or break your PO feeding.

[ioon44]

I have 2 Para Ordinance in .45ACP, yes strong mag springs are critical to make the Paras run. I have used them in IDPA matches for over 10 years without any problems.

[Bigslug]

STI is now Staccato and is playing in the high-end market for duty/carry guns.

The Springfield Prodigy is basically the same gun at a considerably lower price point thanks to various MIM'd small parts. Been playing with both at work. The mags have been the weak point, but strides are being made to make them better. Currently looks like Duramag is the magazine of choice for these.

There are a number of other REALLY outlandishly priced manufacturers of the 2011 pattern guns that you could search your way through. I don't know how much luck you'll have finding 6" long slides. The proliferation of red dot sighting systems has pretty much rendered increased sight radius irrelevant.

[Larry Gibson]

My Para14 came with 5 magazines and they all feed flawlessly. However, with the integral barrel ramp short stubby bullets [such as target 185 WCs and WFN such as the Lee 452-200-RF] won't feed as the ramp is too steep. RN, SWC, and JHPs feed flawlessly.

[Froogal]

If it is a double stack, is it really a 1911?

[OS OK]

If it is a double stack, is it really a 1911?

. . . 🙄

[BrassMagnet]

Barsto is a STI clone. I have no idea if they are still in business.