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What's the prefered 1911 barrel length for carry?


Buzzard

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Buzz,

 

I don't know what your budget is but you should check out Rock Island. I've been passively checking out their 3.5" model. They can be had on GB for around $400 all day long. http://www.gunbroker...?Item=172272459

 

I can't comment too much on them but I've read a little about them & it was all positive.

 

 

That is SO tempting! I'd love to have the Colt New Agent being 10 oz. lighter and 1/5" shorter but it's almost twice the price of the RIA.

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My next carry gun will be the Glock 36 or the Colt Defender depending on how much over time we get. Gotta do something soon before the stark drops off a baby Drylok (or two).

Buzz, the Colt Defender rocks on with its bad self!

 

Nothing says "Welcome to this world baby Drylok!" like a Colt! thumbsup.png

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Buzz,

 

I don't know what your budget is but you should check out Rock Island. I've been passively checking out their 3.5" model. They can be had on GB for around $400 all day long. http://www.gunbroker...?Item=172272459

 

I can't comment too much on them but I've read a little about them & it was all positive.

 

 

That is SO tempting! I'd love to have the Colt New Agent being 10 oz. lighter and 1/5" shorter but it's almost twice the price of the RIA.

 

Tell me about it! If the Rock Island was offered in a 3" bbl, it would be in the other room right now...and @ 1/2 the cost, I'd probably pick up a full size too! :headbang1:

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Well, I'm just about talked into a Defender. Now, I just need to figure out how to pay for it. (Without trading something I would rather keep.) Damn economy!

I'm so p***** at my Taurus that I'm going to trade in and never look back. Sum body tried to warn me this would happen but I didn't head their advise. :headbang1:

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I've got a 3" Colt Defender in stainless. I like the way it shoots, funtions with all ammo. Accuracy is fine for self defense distances, it ain't a 50 yard gun, but that's not what it was bought for.

Carries well in a Don Hume IWB, a Bullard IWB or a Bullard OWB.

 

AB

 

Yes, I'm hip to the "seven yards" thing. I guess I'm just funny about sacrificing sight radius for conceal-ability. That, and the three inch guns look like part of the barrel was left at the factory.

 

 

Oh, I don't know, I think it's kinda' sexy!! This is a file photo, I took the Hogue wraparound grips off and replaced them with Kimber hard rubber. Also added some "non-skid" tape to the front strap. If we ever get together near a range or shooting place, you're welcome to wring it out!!

 

post-661-127543984544.jpg

It's soooooo cute, comfortable and reliable :headbang1:

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Well, I'm just about talked into a Defender. Now, I just need to figure out how to pay for it. (Without trading something I would rather keep.) Damn economy!

I'm so p***** at my Taurus that I'm going to trade in and never look back. Sum body tried to warn me this would happen but I didn't head their advise. ph34r.gif

 

What happened with the Taurus?

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Well, I'm just about talked into a Defender. Now, I just need to figure out how to pay for it. (Without trading something I would rather keep.) Damn economy!

I'm so p***** at my Taurus that I'm going to trade in and never look back. Sum body tried to warn me this would happen but I didn't head their advise. ph34r.gif

 

Gee......I wonder who that guy was!whistle.png

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I've got a 3" Colt Defender in stainless. I like the way it shoots, funtions with all ammo. Accuracy is fine for self defense distances, it ain't a 50 yard gun, but that's not what it was bought for.

Carries well in a Don Hume IWB, a Bullard IWB or a Bullard OWB.

 

AB

 

Yes, I'm hip to the "seven yards" thing. I guess I'm just funny about sacrificing sight radius for conceal-ability. That, and the three inch guns look like part of the barrel was left at the factory.

 

 

Oh, I don't know, I think it's kinda' sexy!! This is a file photo, I took the Hogue wraparound grips off and replaced them with Kimber hard rubber. Also added some "non-skid" tape to the front strap. If we ever get together near a range or shooting place, you're welcome to wring it out!!

 

post-661-127543984544.jpg

It's soooooo cute, comfortable and reliable ;)

"Comfortable and reliable" would be qualities I would welcome. But I've never looked for "cute" in a gun.

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This article says the .45 and 9mm are about the same as far as stopping power goes with the .45 having a little bit of an edge. But these are full size .45's with 5" barrels and both guns using standard pressure loads. There are also a lot of sites available that will tell you how much velocity you'll lose with a 3" barrel. Probably enough loss of speed that it would be less effective than a 9mm. To make up for that loss, it seems like you would have to go to a +p .45 load. That's got to be a handfull in a light weight aluminum frame .45.

 

You wouldn't lose quite as much velocity with a 3 1/2" barrel and a steel frame might tame the recoil of a +p load.

 

There, I think I did it. I convinced myself to get the RIA Compact. Drunk%20emoticon.gif

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+1 for the Springfield Micro Compact in .45

 

I also have the full size mil spec as well. Micro for dress type clothes and the mil spec for jeans. What I do like is they weigh about the same and use the same holster. Jimmy in St. Louis makes them @ KHolster. I have trimmed the leather to fit the full size mil spec.

 

 

http://kholster.com/images/IMG_3347.JPG

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  • 3 weeks later...

I carried a full size Kimber .45 everyday for 2 years before I moved back to IL. I used a slide holster under a sweatshirt or suit in the winter, or open carried. In the summer I used an IWB holster or just the slide holster though you have to be careful about the barrel and grip sticking out if you bend over or are seated. If I really wanted to conceal I would sometimes carry in the small of my back without a holster, which is virtually impossible to see. Carried many times in places I technically shouldn't have (it isn't a criminal offense in MO to carry in most "restricted" places) and no one was ever the wiser, even other gun guys and leos.

 

I am by no means a big guy, 5'10 175, so it can definitely be done. I found it easier to conceal than some smaller double stack pistols.

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  • 4 weeks later...

On my last vacation I carrier my Kimber Warrior, felt great, no problems. Only time I noticed the weight is when I was in the bathroom at a rest stop, haha. I did wear it around the house in the holster a few times with a normal belt and the weight was more noticeable. Once I had the free time to go buy a reinforced belt for carry, any weighty feel went away (I went with a Blackhawk CQC Belt and Galco IWB Holster). A nice loose shirt that's long enough to cover when you move around and pick a good position for the holster and you should be fine carrying full size, the 1911 is slimmer than a lot of other pistols out there anyway.

 

Unless I bend over in a way to tighten my shirt over the gun you can't tell it's there.

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