Officer's Model 1911

[BE Mike]

What brand Officer's Model size in 1911 pistols would be your first choice? Which one would you never consider and why? Would you go for a lightweight or all steel? Would you stick with .45 ACP or go with 9mm?

 

[Trapper Jim]

What brand Officer's Model size in 1911 pistols would be your first choice? Which one would you never consider and why? Would you go for a lightweight or all steel? Would you stick with .45 ACP or go with 9mm?

if I was to get an officers it would have to be at least a 4 inch barrel. Less than that are not up to my reliability standards. Springfield armory or Ed Brown

 

[Hopper]

Ooh, I like this thread already. I'm definitely a 1911 Officer's Model fan. Love this format in 9mm with an alloy frame, as it gives you a bit more capacity and lighter weight for comfortable and discreet carry. FWIW...

Choice #1: Dan Wesson ECO 9mm. Superb trigger, accuracy, nice factory night sights, and fantastic fit and finish. Every part of this gun looks like it was cut with a laser, and the front/backstrap checkering keep it firmly planted in your hands. Only change I've made is OD VZ Grips, as the factory zebra grips were a bit loud for my taste.

[/IMG]


Choice #2: Ruger SR1911 Officer's Model 9mm. No doubt the DW option doesn't fit everyone's budget, which is why for just over half the price it's an excellent option. The trigger has shot in nicely, accuracy is excellent, and reliability has been 100%. This is actually easier to take down than the DW ECO, which requires a small paperclip or tiny allen wrench inserted into a hole in the guide rod much like a bull barreled Springfield.

[/IMG]


Both have unusually pleasant recoil, and with the current price of 9mm won't break the bank at the range.

 

[doddg]

Ooh, I like this thread already. I'm definitely a 1911 Officer's Model fan. Love this format in 9mm with an alloy frame, as it gives you a bit more capacity and lighter weight for comfortable and discreet carry. FWIW...

Choice #1: Dan Wesson ECO 9mm. Superb trigger, accuracy, nice factory night sights, and fantastic fit and finish. Every part of this gun looks like it was cut with a laser, and the front/backstrap checkering keep it firmly planted in your hands. Only change I've made is OD VZ Grips, as the factory zebra grips were a bit loud for my taste.

[/IMG]


Choice #2: Ruger SR1911 Officer's Model 9mm. No doubt the DW option doesn't fit everyone's budget, which is why for just over half the price it's an excellent option. The trigger has shot in nicely, accuracy is excellent, and reliability has been 100%. This is actually easier to take down than the DW ECO, which requires a small paperclip or tiny allen wrench inserted into a hole in the guide rod much like a bull barreled Springfield.

[/IMG]


Both have unusually pleasant recoil, and with the current price of 9mm won't break the bank at the range.

I have had two of the Ruger SR1911 Officer's Model 9mm, and loved them both.
They were accurate with fine recoil and looked good.
Perfect except they only an 8 +1 capacity, and I had similar sized guns with 10 or 12 capacity at the time.
I bought them when I found them for $600 used, and if I see another at that price I might just go another round with them.

 

[churchmouse]

Budget has so much to do with these choices.

 

[Expat]

I would first point out that a couple different 1911 experts are on record saying that the slides need to be commander size to still be reliable. Les Baer still won’t make one. Bill Wilson said it, there used to be video floating around, but then he did make them later. I saw a recent video where he and Hackathorn said in .45 you could increase reliability by going to lighter, faster bullets. All of them need fairly frequent spring changes.
Having said that I have a Colt New Agent (.45) and Colt Defender (9), a Kimber Tac Ultra ii (45). The Colts have alll run without issue.
Then I have a Les Baer and a Sig with the commander sized slide and officer frame. The Baer is a joy. The Sig, I really haven’t shot much.

 

[NHT3]

if I was to get an officers it would have to be at least a 4 inch barrel. Less than that are not up to my reliability standards. Springfield armory or Ed Brown

Ditto on everything Trapper Jim said and I would add Gen 1 Kimbers to the list.


[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member / [/FONT]Basic Pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] / RSO[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]"Under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. That's why we train so hard" [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Unnamed Navy Seal[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]“Ego is the reason many men do not shoot competition. They don't want to suck in public” [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Aron Bright [/FONT]

 

[88E30M50]

My favorite right now is a DW CCO. It’s been perfect through well over 1000 rounds so far. I had a Kimber Compact in stainless over aluminum that I sold right at the 2000 round mark. That one was near perfect in function. The only issues I had with that one was when I went past the recommended spring change interval. I replaced the spring with a Wilson Combat flat wire setup and it was fine after.

The shorter barreled 1911s do work springs hard. I had an RIA Compact years ago that I used Wolff springs in and those had a suggested 400 round life. I kept spares in the range bag because it seemed like every couple of range trips, I’d need to swap them out.

I’ve owned 4 Officer sized 1911s and still have the CCO. Over the years, they’ve all been remarkably reliable even with the tales of doom that you hear. Maybe I’ve been lucky. The officer sized 1911 does need to be kept clean and lubed and you need to monitor the spring change intervals. Lots of guys don’t track round count and there’s a good chance that the lack of reliability stories come from that and having a gun with a short spring life.

 

[rhino]

Ditto on everything Trapper Jim said and I would add Gen 1 Kimbers to the list.


[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member / [/FONT]Basic Pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] / RSO[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]"Under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. That's why we train so hard" [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Unnamed Navy Seal[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]“Ego is the reason many men do not shoot competition. They don't want to suck in public” [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Aron Bright [/FONT]

One of the guns I will never sell (I hope) is a first generation Kimber compact with the 4" slide and officer's size grip. As long as it has the correct length recoil spring, I have been unable to make it malfunction. I was leery of it because of bad experiences with small 1911s, but the owner let me test it extensively. It shoots upside down, dirty, with 200gr LSWC, 230 ball, and 230gr Gold Dots. The only issue it has is that it cracks the tritium vial in the front sight when you shoot it (I've posted about my negative experiences with Kimber over replacing it a couple of times).

Again, I would not buy a compact 1911 new, nor a used gun without the option of testing it. If they work well, fine, but when they don't, they're among the most challenging to diagnose and fix and just not worth the trouble.

 

[OurDee]

I had a early Colt Officer Light Weight in .45 ACP. It was a tack driver and very easy to carry. I would not go for one in 9mm. There are too many great choices out there for compact light weight 9mm carry. If it was going to get a lot of range work, I'd stick to all steel. I now carry a light weight commander size. I do not beleive a 1911 should be shorter than 4" for carry.

If I was going to own a bastardized 1911 design pistol in .45ACP, it would be a Para USA Warthog.

If I was going to spend money on a 1911 that shot other than .45ACP, It would be chambered in .460 Rowland. You could still use .45ACP in it. That said, they do not do one in Officer size.
[video=youtube;PUjhcS36Oq0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUjhcS36Oq0[/video]

 

[churchmouse]

I had a early Colt Officer Light Weight in .45 ACP. It was a tack driver and very easy to carry. I would not go for one in 9mm. There are too many great choices out there for compact light weight 9mm carry. If it was going to get a lot of range work, I'd stick to all steel. I now carry a light weight commander size. I do not beleive a 1911 should be shorter than 4" for carry.

If I was going to own a bastardized 1911 design pistol in .45ACP, it would be a Para USA Warthog.

If I was going to spend money on a 1911 that shot other than .45ACP, It would be chambered in .460 Rowland. You could still use .45ACP in it. That said, they do not do one in Officer size.
[video=youtube;PUjhcS36Oq0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUjhcS36Oq0[/video]

Clark makes a stellar Comped barrel...

This sees EDC duty in colder weather.

 

[LCSOSgt11]

My personal preference is for the steel-framed .45 ACP version. No sense having an "officer's model" in 9mm. The all steel version will not wear out, and yes it does weigh a bit more but that weight helps control recoil.

 

[doddg]

Ooh, I like this thread already. I'm definitely a 1911 Officer's Model fan. Love this format in 9mm with an alloy frame, as it gives you a bit more capacity and lighter weight for comfortable and discreet carry. FWIW...

Choice #1: Dan Wesson ECO 9mm. Superb trigger, accuracy, nice factory night sights, and fantastic fit and finish. Every part of this gun looks like it was cut with a laser, and the front/backstrap checkering keep it firmly planted in your hands. Only change I've made is OD VZ Grips, as the factory zebra grips were a bit loud for my taste.

[/IMG]


I saw this gun this am along with the 2nd one that I commented on having bought it twice.
I was so impressed with the Wesson ECO, and I have been thinking of it off and on all day long!
Your description of it was excellent.
I will never be happy now with my Ruger semi-autos.
I hope it's not like the first time I saw and shot a CZ Shadow 2, when it was too pricey, but 2 weeks later I owned one.
I lost control and spent more for it than 2-3 of my other guns.
I'm sure this beauty is over my budget, but I will look it up.

 

[BE Mike]

Do the 9mm Officer Models seem to be more reliable than the .45 ACP? Are the recoil springs for the 9mm versions more likely to last longer before changeout? Do the 9mm versions seem to be more accurate than similar sized plastic pistols?

 

[Dean C.]

I saw this gun this am along with the 2nd one that I commented on having bought it twice.
I was so impressed with the Wesson ECO, and I have been thinking of it off and on all day long!
Your description of it was excellent.
I will never be happy now with my Ruger semi-autos.
I hope it's not like the first time I saw and shot a CZ Shadow 2, when it was too pricey, but 2 weeks later I owned one.
I lost control and spent more for it than 2-3 of my other guns.
I'm sure this beauty is over my budget, but I will look it up.

Love my ECO been nothing but reliable for me, plus according to Dan Wesson the spring is good for 15,000 rounds.

 

[88E30M50]

This is my favorite carry 1911. Reliability has been perfect through 1000+ rounds and it is a joy to shoot. The only other 1911 that comes close (very, very close) is my DW A2 Commander. That’s a touch heavier being all steel but makes up for it in the balance when shooting.

 

[churchmouse]

This is my favorite carry 1911. Reliability has been perfect through 1000+ rounds and it is a joy to shoot. The only other 1911 that comes close (very, very close) is my DW A2 Commander. That’s a touch heavier being all steel but makes up for it in the balance when shooting.

I really liked your A-2 enough to get one of my own.

"AND" I left it as built save for some polishing.

 

[dleak]

i have had 2 . first was an all steel Colt many many years ago , i don’t remember any cycling issues but i didn’t shoot it a lot either . currently have a kknber (1st gen) cdp compact (i think) ... officers frame (alloy)with commander length barrel/slide , love it !!!
it did go all jam happy on me a few years ago , but a new wolf recoil spring remedied that !

 

[TLHelmer]

Have you looked at the 2011 9mm models?

 

[Expat]

carried the New Agent today.