Posted: 5/9/2014 1:04:11 PM EDT
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I have two Commander length 1911 .45's (one SIG, one Kimber), but would like one of the Officer's model sized varieties, who makes reliable models? I know the design can get a bit finicky with the shorter length barrels and frames... |
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Springfield is going to release Range Officer "Compact". 4" ramped barrel with short officers frame.
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/04/foghorn/new-compact-range-officer-1911-springfield/ |
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Although the EMP is not exactly an Officer (everything is downsized), it does have the 3" barrel. IMO it is a fabulous little gun. My 9mm version runs fine with the caveat that I've only used 115 Rainer plated RNs in my handloads. It is a beautiful piece with Trijicon night sights standard, and great, although proprietary mags. Convenient to carry at 28 oz. |
This is a 3 inch Kimber Tactical Ultra II. It has had zero malfunctions since purchase. Carry Speer 230 grain short barrel ammunition. According to Wilson Combat if you have a short barrel 1911 that has feeding issues use a liter load such as 200 grain, or 185 grain which helps with cycle speed and gets your short barrel working. As I indicated mine has worked great. Another fine weapon is the Dan Wesson ECO which runs in the $1700.00 range. My Kimber was right around $1000.00. |
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Springfield is going to release Range Officer "Compact". 4" ramped barrel with short officers frame. http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/04/foghorn/new-compact-range-officer-1911-springfield/ 
I love CCO sized 1911s! |
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On the cheap end, the Rock Islands work well for what they are. $400-550.  |
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Quoted: The shorter the 1911, the less likely it is to work. Period. You wouldn't find me going smaller than Commander unless CT Brian built it and that's expensive. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted:  ? Nick The shorter the 1911, the less likely it is to work. Period. You wouldn't find me going smaller than Commander unless CT Brian built it and that's expensive. Understood on the less likely. My sample size of one (my Citadel CS) has been 100% with everything I have fed it (230 ball, 230 GD's, and 200 SWCs) through 3 different types of mag. It is my CCW, but I have taken the time to verify that is runs before hand. Nick |
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I love CCO sized 1911s! Quoted:
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Springfield is going to release Range Officer "Compact". 4" ramped barrel with short officers frame. http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/04/foghorn/new-compact-range-officer-1911-springfield/
I love CCO sized 1911s! I have a Sig C3 under my shirt right now. I'm loving this thing. Alloy Officer's sized frame with a Commander length barrel and slide. Nice, light and easy to pack. 30 lpi checkering on the front strap, slight under cut on the trigger guard, 30 lpi checkered backstrap and a nice big bump on the grip safety. Novak sights on the slide. It had a couple times in the first 100 rds box of Win. white box where the slide didn't close completely. Just a small bump would close it though. I keep an aerosol can of Breakfree in my bag so I hosed it down dripping wet and continued. At 300 rds it runs great now. It doesn't like Speer 230 gr Gold Dots much though. Manually loading the first round will cause it to nose dive into the ramp. But using it slide release will feed that first round. It'll feed all other rounds though. I've shot 2 20 rd boxes through the gun. I have run one box of Fed. 230 gr HST through it and no matter how slowly I hand cycle the first round it glides right up into the chamber. The gun also shot the smallest group to date with that one box. Looks hopeful. I have 3 50 round boxes on order. |
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Understood on the less likely. My sample size of one (my Citadel CS) has been 100% with everything I have fed it (230 ball, 230 GD's, and 200 SWCs) through 3 different types of mag. It is my CCW, but I have taken the time to verify that is runs before hand. Nick Quoted:
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? Nick The shorter the 1911, the less likely it is to work. Period. You wouldn't find me going smaller than Commander unless CT Brian built it and that's expensive. Understood on the less likely. My sample size of one (my Citadel CS) has been 100% with everything I have fed it (230 ball, 230 GD's, and 200 SWCs) through 3 different types of mag. It is my CCW, but I have taken the time to verify that is runs before hand. Nick I also have. RRA, Citadel actually, that has run flawlessly with fmj and hollowpoints. I bought the previously mentioned Sig because of the lighter weight with the benefit of a longer barrel. |
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I have two Commander length 1911 .45's (one SIG, one Kimber), but would like one of the Officer's model sized varieties, who makes reliable models? I know the design can get a bit finicky with the shorter length barrels and frames... Dan Wesson CCO......flawless. |
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I have a Sig C3 under my shirt right now. I'm loving this thing. Alloy Officer's sized frame with a Commander length barrel and slide. Nice, light and easy to pack. 30 lpi checkering on the front strap, slight under cut on the trigger guard, 30 lpi checkered backstrap and a nice big bump on the grip safety. Novak sights on the slide. It had a couple times in the first 100 rds box of Win. white box where the slide didn't close completely. Just a small bump would close it though. I keep an aerosol can of Breakfree in my bag so I hosed it down dripping wet and continued. At 300 rds it runs great now. It doesn't like Speer 230 gr Gold Dots much though. Manually loading the first round will cause it to nose dive into the ramp. But using it slide release will feed that first round. It'll feed all other rounds though. I've shot 2 20 rd boxes through the gun. I have run one box of Fed. 230 gr HST through it and no matter how slowly I hand cycle the first round it glides right up into the chamber. The gun also shot the smallest group to date with that one box. Looks hopeful. I have 3 50 round boxes on order. Good to hear some positive reviews on these. The C3 is properly done and pretty to boot. Still a little shy of Sigs these days though. Mr Cohen needs to FOAD. I really want the Talo Colt CCO that came out in 2011. |
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Good to hear some positive reviews on these. The C3 is properly done and pretty to boot. Still a little shy of Sigs these days though. Mr Cohen needs to FOAD. I really want the Talo Colt CCO that came out in 2011. Quoted:
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I have a Sig C3 under my shirt right now. I'm loving this thing. Alloy Officer's sized frame with a Commander length barrel and slide. Nice, light and easy to pack. 30 lpi checkering on the front strap, slight under cut on the trigger guard, 30 lpi checkered backstrap and a nice big bump on the grip safety. Novak sights on the slide. It had a couple times in the first 100 rds box of Win. white box where the slide didn't close completely. Just a small bump would close it though. I keep an aerosol can of Breakfree in my bag so I hosed it down dripping wet and continued. At 300 rds it runs great now. It doesn't like Speer 230 gr Gold Dots much though. Manually loading the first round will cause it to nose dive into the ramp. But using it slide release will feed that first round. It'll feed all other rounds though. I've shot 2 20 rd boxes through the gun. I have run one box of Fed. 230 gr HST through it and no matter how slowly I hand cycle the first round it glides right up into the chamber. The gun also shot the smallest group to date with that one box. Looks hopeful. I have 3 50 round boxes on order. Good to hear some positive reviews on these. The C3 is properly done and pretty to boot. Still a little shy of Sigs these days though. Mr Cohen needs to FOAD. I really want the Talo Colt CCO that came out in 2011. Sig 1911's are he best guns they make. I'd only trust colt for compact officer sized |
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Sig 1911's are he best guns they make. I'd only trust colt for compact officer sized That's an accurate, yet sad comment on the current state of Sig USA Most 4" bull barreled compacts seem to get respect on the dedicated 1911 boards. The ones to stay away from are the same makers who can't make consistently good 5" guns either. Colt rules the roost with the Defender. I someone can shoot it well, I'd recommend it over most under $1200 4" - 4 1/4" brand X 1911s. Too bad most people have to slow of recovery with a 3" 1911. |
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I have a 3" Springfield Ultra Compact... It's been solid for years with my reloads and factory stuff.
I had to replace the springs when I got it... It was very finicky. With the recoil spring replaced every 1k and the main spring every few K, it's been solid. I know that shorter than the 4" commander length is inherently harder to get running right... But my Springer is running right. 
(Shame I still prefer to carry a 5" eh?  )
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I have never found the 3" gun reliable. I landed a Colt CCO which is a Commander slide with a Officers frame. The frame being aluminum I figure I had found the best set up. Yes it carries well but shot to shot recovery is slow due to the lightweight frame. Next I got a Nighthawk T3. A CCO with a steel frame. This the best set up I have found, except for the price I hate to carry it.
So the current carry gun is a Series 80 Colt Combat Commander. If you go with a 3" gun expect to change the recoil springs every 500 rounds. The 4 " Commander guns change every 1500 rounds. I'm really digging that Springfield that another guy posted. Parkerized finish just screams "working gun". Hope they come out with it. |
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Understood on the less likely. My sample size of one (my Citadel CS) has been 100% with everything I have fed it (230 ball, 230 GD's, and 200 SWCs) through 3 different types of mag. It is my CCW, but I have taken the time to verify that is runs before hand. Nick Which mags are you using? Having trouble getting mine to feed hollow points. |
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Quoted: Understood on the less likely. My sample size of one (my Citadel CS) has been 100% with everything I have fed it (230 ball, 230 GD's, and 200 SWCs) through 3 different types of mag. It is my CCW, but I have taken the time to verify that is runs before hand. Nick Which mags are you using? Having trouble getting mine to feed hollow points. I have run the factory Act mags, Checkmate with hybrid lips, and the Wilsons. All three types were 7 rounders. Nick |
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I used to own a Detonics Combat Master that was pretty reliable once I swapped out all the springs. http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq355/Ironhandjohn/CM1_zps154972ec.jpg http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq355/Ironhandjohn/CM2_zpsf598087a.jpg +1, Detonics wrote the book on small 1911s and reliability, especially since the sort of pioneered it... They're the reason Colt got into the Officer-sized game to begin with. First or Third series guns (Bellvue/Seattle WA, or Pendegrass GA) are your best bets. The new Detonics is selling replacement recoil spring assemblies and magazines (though the mags are a little pricy).... I wouldn't hesitate to carry mine at all. The two single biggest issues with reliability in the platform are the recoil springs (replace every thousand rounds or so)...and more importantly, magazine springs. The slide cycles veryfast on them, so if your mag spring is in any way weak or slow and doesn't feed the next round in time, it will jam. The more wear the recoil springs have on it, the more important strong mag springs are. When in doubt, replace the mag springs first. |
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I have two Commander length 1911 .45's (one SIG, one Kimber), but would like one of the Officer's model sized varieties, who makes reliable models? I know the design can get a bit finicky with the shorter length barrels and frames... Officers can be brutally unreliable. I have a Colt Defender (New Agent is very similar) that's been reliable. I'd look at a CCO compared to an Officer's, the only difference is that the CCO has a longer barrel, but the reliability difference is night and day. |
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? Nick Quoted:
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? Nick I had a Springfield Ultra Compact that made me feel that way. After three round trips Springfield finally replaced it with a Champion-sized gun - which worked. The customer service lady even said the small ones were a pain. I say never go shorter than Champion length. The guns get dicey when they are too short, you lose velocity that the .45 can't really spare, and concealment is all about grip length anyway. I think it would be a hoot to have a full-length slide on an Officers' frame. |
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I had a Springfield Ultra Compact that made me feel that way. After three round trips Springfield finally replaced it with a Champion-sized gun - which worked. The customer service lady even said the small ones were a pain. I say never go shorter than Champion length. The guns get dicey when they are too short, you lose velocity that the .45 can't really spare, and concealment is all about grip length anyway. I think it would be a hoot to have a full-length slide on an Officers' frame. New Detonics made a handful of five inchers with the Combat Commander grip. I wanted to get one and add a weld on magwell. Thereby making a officer length, full magwell and bobtailed 5" 1911!
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Here is my ccw the S&W Pro Series 45, I had the performance center fit a tighter trigger and give it an action job while they replaced my plunger tube that was getting loose. They did amazing work and its a killer trigger all under 20-21 days from leaving my front porch.
The Kimber Ultra CDP II 9mm with crimson trace master series is my 80yo pappap's everyday carry for last 5 years and its why I purchased a Officer sized 1911. His was a little cranky until we realized he was putting 9 instead of 8 bullets in the magzine and all of the double feeds disappeared. They are both dead nuts reliable after 500+ rounds and only the S&W needed some frame to slide lapping to allow it to go into battery easier on first round from magazine. My wife claimed the S&W as soon as I opened the case up in the kitchen
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Sig 1911's are he best guns they make. I'd only trust colt for compact officer sized Quoted:
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I have a Sig C3 under my shirt right now. I'm loving this thing. Alloy Officer's sized frame with a Commander length barrel and slide. Nice, light and easy to pack. 30 lpi checkering on the front strap, slight under cut on the trigger guard, 30 lpi checkered backstrap and a nice big bump on the grip safety. Novak sights on the slide. It had a couple times in the first 100 rds box of Win. white box where the slide didn't close completely. Just a small bump would close it though. I keep an aerosol can of Breakfree in my bag so I hosed it down dripping wet and continued. At 300 rds it runs great now. It doesn't like Speer 230 gr Gold Dots much though. Manually loading the first round will cause it to nose dive into the ramp. But using it slide release will feed that first round. It'll feed all other rounds though. I've shot 2 20 rd boxes through the gun. I have run one box of Fed. 230 gr HST through it and no matter how slowly I hand cycle the first round it glides right up into the chamber. The gun also shot the smallest group to date with that one box. Looks hopeful. I have 3 50 round boxes on order. Good to hear some positive reviews on these. The C3 is properly done and pretty to boot. Still a little shy of Sigs these days though. Mr Cohen needs to FOAD. I really want the Talo Colt CCO that came out in 2011. Sig 1911's are he best guns they make. I'd only trust colt for compact officer sized Im starting to agree, Dad picked up a Traditional Stainless CCO and im super jelly on how nice its built and the commander slide with officer grip is the ultimate ccw 1911!!!!! I told him if his was aluminum frame CCO Sig I would have stole it from him for my new CCW. Sig advantage over my colt..... super tight, dehorned, undercut trigger guard, nice front strap checkering, Novak night sights, match barrel and trigger, metal main spring housing. Only negative I find on it is the ugly ass slide stop, its functional but the stainless on everything else is a different color hue. That slide stop is a little off color and MIM no doubt about it, not a big deal and perfectly serviceable. |
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I have never found the 3" gun reliable. I landed a Colt CCO which is a Commander slide with a Officers frame. The frame being aluminum I figure I had found the best set up. Yes it carries well but shot to shot recovery is slow due to the lightweight frame. Next I got a Nighthawk T3. A CCO with a steel frame. This the best set up I have found, except for the price I hate to carry it. So the current carry gun is a Series 80 Colt Combat Commander. If you go with a 3" gun expect to change the recoil springs every 500 rounds. The 4 " Commander guns change every 1500 rounds. I'm really digging that Springfield that another guy posted. Parkerized finish just screams "working gun". Hope they come out with it. If I lived in a free state with the option to carry, ideally I'd go with a CCO format 1911. Perhaps a dan wesson I can't remember the thread(s) titles, but I recall reading ballistics information saying the .45 is best served out of a barrel 4in and up anyway. |
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I have a 3" Springfield Ultra Compact... It's been solid for years with my reloads and factory stuff. I had to replace the springs when I got it... It was very finicky. With the recoil spring replaced every 1k and the main spring every few K, it's been solid. I know that shorter than the 4" commander length is inherently harder to get running right... But my Springer is running right.
(Shame I still prefer to carry a 5" eh? )Some guys just like em bigger. |
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Springfield is going to release Range Officer "Compact". 4" ramped barrel with short officers frame.
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/04/foghorn/new-compact-range-officer-1911-springfield/ Thanks for the heads up, you just cost me another $800
Called Springfield this week, they are releasing them in July! |
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My SA Ultra Compact is very reliable, as long as I use magazines that it likes. The factory SA mags were iffy. I tried two Kimber compact mags, both fed reliably but neither would lock the slide back after the last round. I have a mixture of several CMC Stainless Match mags and Wilson 47OXCs, plus one blue CMC Shooting Star with a Pachmyer base pad. These all function reliably in my pistol. I have four other 1911s; a Colt Government, Commander, Kimber Custom, SA GI, none of them are picky about magazines they way that the Ultra is.
Is is a great shooter though with the right mags. 
Pictured with factory magazine |
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On the cheap end, the Rock Islands work well for what they are. http://www.centerfiresystems.com/search.aspx?find=1911+compact $400-550. http://www.centerfiresystems.com/images/products/detail/ACRI1911CSRIGHTD.jpg two friends with them and no problems |