9mm 1911 Considerations- Alchemy Custom Weaponry

We have advocated for the 9mm 1911 for a number of years. Sure, I understand 45. Shot and carried one professionally for the most of 19 years. But…. 1. For working or performance focused shooters, we recommend 9mm 1911s. 2. Why..it’s a gun you can build a resume off of: Quals, time standards, etc. 3. Take any level of shooter who is super-great with a 45 caliber 1911 and give him a 9mm 1911. He will shoot it better and faster. When in doubt, let’s get dudes on the line shooting drills and quals. Watch what happens. 4. “Working” guns should generally be chambered in the caliber of the day. Today that’s 9mm. If it was 1989, 40 caliber would be fine. If it was 1937, 38 Super would be fine. My point being I don’t really care it’s 9mm. I care about it being logistically supportable and team interchangeable. Note. I’ve been that “One guy” in the ORG who shoots 45, while pallets and pallets of 9mm come in every few months. That was stupid. 5. More ammo is “generally” better. 6. At longer and longer pistol range distances (which seems to be envogue with pistol RDS), the learning curve for 9mm vs 45 is easier for less experienced shooters. Translation. 9mm tends to be point-and-click, even for head shots. 7. Downside 1: Traditionally 9mm 1911s were dumpster fires. Even as recently as the early 2000’s, they ran like trash and weren’t suitable for serious work. That is basically solved now. 8. Downside 2: In my opinion, and you allude to it with your friction comment, taking a bog standard format 1911 and just re-chambering it for 9mm is a problem. The guns end up being over-railed and over-lugged for 9mm. Especially for 5” 1911s. Reduce some of the rail and lug surface, and things are better. You can kinda get away with not reducing these surfaces in shorter 1911s like 4.25 & 4”. 9. Downside 3: Double stack 2011 format guns in 9mm structurally have problems. The main one being a mag body size that was designed to hold 45 & 38 super length rounds. Stuffing 9mms into that footprint makes the guns needlessly large with a lot of wasted space. It’s akin to taking a Glock 21 and stuffing it with 9mm. Sure guys with large hands like me would probably like it, but choosing that over a Glock 17 sized tube / frame is silly. 2011s need to leave that 45 caliber tube and frame behind ultimately. Summation: If you want to get into the 1911 world and are drawn towards the 9mm, just do it. Most of these dudes on gun forums who complain about 1911s needing to be in 45 don’t shoot, or can’t shoot well. If at all. Regards, Marky John1911

I've shot a 10mm 1911 ALOT. Love it! That said , my 9mm 1911 is such a fun gun. Sweet shooting. I suggest having one in every cartridge. Agree on the NATO SPEC 9mm as your break in round. I break in my 1911s dry. Then use Wilson lube. They are smooth as glass.

Agree. I recently bought a used Springfield Range Officer, full size 1911-9mm. It’s so hard to miss with it. Factory or my handloads, one jagged hole with no recoil. Great for plinking or steel challenge

My first dozen or so 1911s were all 45 ACP. I also bought a number of "hand cannons", e.g., 3 Desert Eagles, 2 S&W 500 Magnums, 45-70 BFR, various 357 magnums, etc. As I've gotten older and my arthritis worsens, I have had to switch to buying 9mm. I still take a 45 ACP along w/ my 9mm a couple of times a month, but I am shooting mainly 9mm. Many years ago the 9mm 1911s weren't as reliable as the 45 ACP, but luckily that has changed. I have quite a few 9mm 1911s (mainly Cabot and Nighthawks) and I am happy to say it is very, very rare that I have a problem w/ any of my 9mm 1911s. Thx for the video and Thx for the suggestions.

I've owned Springfield Armory, Kimber and Ruger 1911s in 9mm. The ONLY one that I've found to be 100% reliable with ANY ammo and ANY mag has been my Ruger SR1911 Lightweight Commander-type.

Between the M2, BAR, Colt 1911, and, if you credit Browning and not just Saive with the Hi-Power, the FN Hi-Power, Browning has killed way more people with his inventions than Oppenheimer. But nowhere near Kalashnikov.

Only reason I’m sticking with 45 is all my 1911 mags are 45. If I wanna shoot 9mm I’ll grab my glock. After buying a bunch of semis I’m done buying different mags. It’s gonna be glock 19 compatible, or 1911 in 45 acp, or a revolver. That is unless it’s just a range toy. I don’t wanna worry about buying different mags. Just finding out if a gun likes a mag over the other

Do you have any stats on how many builds you ship out the door that are in .45 vs 9mm? It would be interesting to see the percentage breakdown.

That intro was 🔥 lol

I prefer the MetalForm 9mm mags that are “crimped” on the front of the mag - no spacer in the rear. Several thousand rounds thru several 9mm 1911s with zero issues

I had to send my Ruger SR1911 9mm back to Ruger twice. I went back to Glock.

lol- seems to me you need a 45 1911 to really understand the joy of a 1911

The .38 Super is very different from the 9mm. The OAL of the .38 Super is almost the same as the .45 ACP and the cartridge rim is much wider than the 9mm giving it a better cartridge to extractor claw engagement. I would say, the .38 Super is more reliable than the 9mm in the 1911 platform.

2 world wars, but don't forget all the other wars of the world. The 1911 has been stacking bodies in all of the smaller conflicts on the globe.

Although not a big fan of the 9mm, I've owned several BHP P-35s due to its' high-capacity & similar ergomomics of the 1911; However, when all is said & done, I always come back to the 1911 in .45 ACP. You have to ask yourself, when was the last time, if ever, that you heard of an aggresor needing to recieve 15 rounds of .45 ACP to be stopped?

John Moses Browning was a fan of the .38 handgun concept

It’s common knowledge that if you shoot 9mm, you’re not man enough to handle .45 ACP, or, Gods Caliber 😂

When you started this video I was really hoping you would bust out into that song after the first couple of words.

what are your thoughts of all the double stacks

All that money and you have to shoot specific ammo. Hmmm