[Tito]

I own (and carry) several 1911s. I'm considering purchasing an aluminum frame gun thinking it will be more comfortable to carry. Granted, a carry gun should be "comforting" not "comfortable". Nonetheless, what would I be sacrificing besides controllability?

Tito

 

[martyu]

I own several aluminum frame 1911's. Two Kimber "Combat Carry's" and two from Les Baer. I use a TRS for practice and the aluminum for carrying. I did put 2300 rounds through one of my Kimbers at Thunder Ranch. It worked flawlessly. I bought the second one for backup in case of breakage or other reason's for not having it. I always put enough ammo through my light weight guns to prove them out and then retire them to the carry mode. In all my years I have read of as many breakages of steel 1911's as light weight models. A buffer would ease the shok to the frame when practicing and then be removed during cleaning before carrying. Clint Smith did mention the comforting, not comfortable phrase when I was at TR, but admitted he has owned a LW Colt Commander for years. Course if I owned an engraved TRS like he carries I'd carry one too, heavy or not.

Marty U.

 

[Dave T]

I carried 1911s for 26 years and my off duty gun was always a Commander (alloy frame). I have cracked three of them and finally gave up on the idea of customizing guns that break in 6000-7000 rounds.

Others seem to have better luck than I do but maybe they don't shoot as much as they think they do. YMMV!

PS: I used shock buffers in the second two and it didn't seem to make any difference.
PPS: I did not shoot +P 45s, just ball or a handloaded duplicate of that.
PPPS: I now carry a Glock. It's ugly. It's trigger sucks. I admit they have no class but they always work and don't break.