[Sicilydz]

ALCON,
I am considering having a 1911 done for me as a retirement gift to myself (20 years at Ft Bragg). I want commander length barrel and grip. I am thinking about having this pistol set-up as a two barrel weapon 40 and 357 sig. This will be my carry weapon. I already have two 1911s both are 45cal.
Please comment on the relative merits/demerits of these two pistol rounds. Any help will be appreciated.

thanks

mark

 

[Clem]

Mark,
My department has authorized the .357 Sig for carry (Glocks & Sigs). This is along with the .45 ACP & 9MM. The SWAT guys love it and the ballistics seem inpressive. I've shot it, in a Glock. It was okay, just loud (ha)! But me being a "older guy", retired USMC and 16 years with the department, I'll stick with the M1911A1 in .45 ACP (my choice).
Go for the .357 Sig.
Clem

 

[Jim Higginbotham]

On 2001-04-30 21:00, Sicilydz wrote:
ALCON,
I am considering having a 1911 done for me as a retirement gift to myself (20 years at Ft Bragg). I want commander length barrel and grip. I am thinking about having this pistol set-up as a two barrel weapon 40 and 357 sig. This will be my carry weapon. I already have two 1911s both are 45cal.
Please comment on the relative merits/demerits of these two pistol rounds. Any help will be appreciated.

thanks

mark

I would check with Dane, Richard and other experienced gunsmiths. The OAL on both .40 S&W and .357 Sig is not really optimum for the 1911 and those who make the .40 run are using cartridges loaded to 1.25 OAL approximately (which of course will not fit in any other .40 magazine).

Just a thought,
Cordially
Jim Higginbotham

 

[Bruce]

Well, first, congratulations. Second, thank you. If you have served 20 in the military you deserve a fine pistol...and you shouldn't have to buy it yourself.

Let me throw a wildcard at you: 9x23. I have one of Burns' 1911 in 9x23 and, all bullshit aside, it is the best pistol I have ever owned. Have owned the 357 sig in a glock, and 40's in a few pistols, and seriously, I would not trade this one to have all of them back. It is a caliber that, in many ways, defies itself. A 9 should not do what it does.

Ammo is plentiful, as well.

Good luck. What are you doing after you get out?

 

[Tom Novak]

I have built commanders in 40s&w and 357sig,just finished a custom caspian(commander)in 40 for I.D.P.A 2 weeks a go.The sig takes a little tuning to get it working reliably,starting a carry
commander in 9x23 next week. Tom Novak

Novak's Handgunner Outlet

 

[Guest]

I have a conversion barrel for my Glock 27 and I am here to tell you the 357 Sig is a blast. I like it a lot but it has two negatives. What are they? It has about a one foot flame when fired. The 357 Sig also has very heavy recoil when shot in a light weight pistol. Regards, Richard

 

[Sean Smith]

I'd suggest 10mm Auto or 9x23. .40S&W and .357 Sig are excellent cartridges for 9mm-based platforms, but IMHO the longer (and more potent) cartridges make more sense in the 1911. Why? Well, one issue is reliability. The other is, uh, I dig more powerful calibers! :grin:

 

[deputy tom]

You should do what makes You happy,but I recently traded away a Glock mod. 32 in .357sig cal. due to excessive muzzle blast and recoil.I went back to a full size Sprindfield 1911 .45acp.tom.

 

[Sicilydz]

Sounds as if the 9x23 is almost ideal! Can my Kimber government be converted to 9x23?? That may be the solution. Thanks for the advice...

mark

 

[John Forsyth]

If your Kimber is a .45, the answer is no. One possibility is getting a SA Mil-Spec in .38 Super and having it redone to 9x23.

And thankyou for your service and congratulations on your retirement.