Original USGI 1911A1 and +P ammo?

[bt1911]

I have a newly built pistol built by an Army Armorer over ten years ago, but fired only two mags since. The frame is an Essex, the rest is USGI and is hand fit as tight as Fort Knoxx. He used all NOS USGI parts, new barrel, Colt slide, and all GI small parts. Is this pistol OK to fire +P .45 HP through? I shot two mags of Hornady Tap 230 gr. +P and placed all 16 shots in a hole the size of a solver dollar at 7 yards freehand using USGI sights. I did take my time somewhat, and got hammer bite twice. Just wondering if I am going to batter my gun to death using +P ammo.

 

[HootmonSccy]

And you are using +P ammo in a .45 - WHY???
What exactly are you planning on taking down with the .45?

I don't know the answer to your question, sorry - but I'm trying to understand the logic as well...

 

[bt1911]

It is all that is available locally, and I don't understand the loginc to your reply. Read some ballistic charts and see how much more energy +P ammo provides over non +P. BTW, I had the stuff before getting this 1911A1 and carried in my SIG P220.

 

[HootmonSccy]

no offense intended... :no:
I am curious about the answer to your question though.. Can a standard Colt .45 take +P's???

I asked what you were planning to take down because it make me wondering why instead of a MACK truck you needed a Freight train if you were trying to stop something like a man..
Why do you need to hit a man with a 540 lb sledge hammer vs. 360 lb sledge hammer, against a 200 lb guy, I doubt he will know the difference, but the three people behind him may...
I know I sound like I'm being a smart a55, but I'm really not trying to be.. I'm interested in what circumstance a +P would be the choice load??
If your in the woods against a grizzly, or your sworn enemy is a 500 lb man, or...?? I just can't think of a situation that warrants a +P

 

[Ryan H]

.45 ACP +P isn't really much more potent than the standard loading. I don't know about the barrel, but I doubt it is any concern to carry.

 

[Saltcreek]

It will cause accelerated wear over time, but it's not going to blow up if you are worried about that.
+P in a 45 ACP really adds nothing in effectiveness, especially with todays better ammo. In hardball it just causes more overpenetration. In balistic gel tests, it has no appreciable deeper penetration with hollowpoints than does regular velocity ammo. That is because faster ammo causes the hollowpoint to open sooner and sometimes bigger which inhibits penetration sooner. The tradeoff for no better performance is that you WILL have increases recoil to deal with.

 

[1911 Headbanger]

no offense intended... :no:
I am curious about the answer to your question though.. Can a standard Colt .45 take +P's???

I asked what you were planning to take down because it make me wondering why instead of a MACK truck you needed a Freight train if you were trying to stop something like a man..
Why do you need to hit a man with a 540 lb sledge hammer vs. 360 lb sledge hammer, against a 200 lb guy, I doubt he will know the difference, but the three people behind him may...
I know I sound like I'm being a smart a55, but I'm really not trying to be.. I'm interested in what circumstance a +P would be the choice load??
If your in the woods against a grizzly, or your sworn enemy is a 500 lb man, or...?? I just can't think of a situation that warrants a +P

Dude, You've been watching too many movies and listening to too many rambo stories. :no: I have personally seen a man take 2 Hydra-shok +p 45 ACP's in the chest and run about 20 feet before collapsing. I saw a man take two full blasts of 12 ga. 00 buckshot in the gut from a double barrel at about 12 feet. He fell foward on his hands and knees, got up and ran across a parking lot before collapsing. ( oh well. so much for the impact knocking you down) I talked with witnesses who saw a man take one 22 long rifle round dead center in the chest and collapse. 3 members of my family(including me) have shot people during armed confrontations with 45 hardball, and all three bad guys went down immediately with one shot into the chest cavity, yet a neighbor down the street shot a bad guy with a 45 in the chest, and the guy drove himself to the hospital and survived to go to jail. So, tell me, which one will it be when he has to shoot a guy with his 45 and +p rounds? There are no absolutes, nor death rays. Put it out of your mind, that what you shoot him with is the magic formula or "overkill". The formula is: Hit your target, use the heaviest/ hottest load you can reliably handle, the best gun you can afford, the best ammo, and do what you have to do.
As far as +p's in the GI 45, I have several. I really like Hornady TAP, and Cor-Bon +p ammo in my 1911's. And By the way, I would never go into the woods with "Grizzly Bears", armed with a 45 auto, unless you want Park Ranger Investigators digging your remains AND your 45 out of the bears manure on a later date. Second, NONE, I repeat, NONE of the 45 auto shootings I witnessed had an exit wound. Much less the "3 people" behind him. That ain't ballistics nor how it works.
Carry your Hornady TAP Ammo and relax. If you shoot a good bit of it in practice, change out your recoil spring every 500 rounds or so, or put in a little heavier spring and make sure it's reliable.

 

[HootmonSccy]

Dude, You've been watching too many movies and listening to too many rambo stories. :no: I have personally seen a man take 2 Hydra-shok +p 45 ACP's in the chest and run about 20 feet before collapsing. I saw a man take two full blasts of 12 ga. 00 buckshot in the gut from a double barrel at about 12 feet. He fell foward on his hands and knees, got up and ran across a parking lot before collapsing. ( oh well. so much for the impact knocking you down) I talked with witnesses who saw a man take one 22 long rifle round dead center in the chest and collapse. 3 members of my family(including me) have shot people during armed confrontations with 45 hardball, and all three bad guys went down immediately with one shot into the chest cavity, yet a neighbor down the street shot a bad guy with a 45 in the chest, and the guy drove himself to the hospital and survived to go to jail. So, tell me, which one will it be when he has to shoot a guy with his 45 and +p rounds? There are no absolutes, nor death rays. Put it out of your mind, that what you shoot him with is the magic formula or "overkill". The formula is: Hit your target, use the heaviest/ hottest load you can reliably handle, the best gun you can afford, the best ammo, and do what you have to do.
As far as +p's in the GI 45, I have several. I really like Hornady TAP, and Cor-Bon +p ammo in my 1911's. And By the way, I would never go into the woods with "Grizzly Bears", armed with a 45 auto, unless you want Park Ranger Investigators digging your remains AND your 45 out of the bears manure on a later date. Second, NONE, I repeat, NONE of the 45 auto shootings I witnessed had an exit wound. Much less the "3 people" behind him. That ain't ballistics nor how it works.
Carry your Hornady TAP Ammo and relax. If you shoot a good bit of it in practice, change out your recoil spring every 500 rounds or so, or put in a little heavier spring and make sure it's reliable.

Thank you for your response / Info..
With all of that experience with shootings, you are/were a cop, or you run in pretty bad neighborhoods, or your a friggin' jinks!!! :laugh:

I don't carry a .45 and don't feel the need to carry something that big/long/heavy. I guess I generally run in better circles, for the most part..

I really don't watch a lot of movies, but I am concerned about hurting innocent bystanders IF I should have to shoot a BG.. I'll stick with my 9mm and hope it can accomplish the job, if not in one shot, at least in 10 shots...

I'm not as sure about the lack of ability of a .45 stopping a bear, but if I do go into the woods and only have my .45, I'll take your advice and make sure I also wear a really good pair of sneakers!!!

 

[1911 Headbanger]

Thank you for your response / Info..
With all of that experience with shootings, you are/were a cop, or you run in pretty bad neighborhoods, or your a friggin' jinks!!! :laugh:

I don't carry a .45 and don't feel the need to carry something that big/long/heavy. I guess I generally run in better circles, for the most part..

I really don't watch a lot of movies, but I am concerned about hurting innocent bystanders IF I should have to shoot a BG.. I'll stick with my 9mm and hope it can accomplish the job, if not in one shot, at least in 10 shots...

I'm not as sure about the lack of ability of a .45 stopping a bear, but if I do go into the woods and only have my .45, I'll take your advice and make sure I also wear a really good pair of sneakers!!!

Was a Paramedic and later a Cop/ Firearms Instructor, then retired and went into Gunsmithing. Most 45's are not too long and heavy, just depends on the gun. The 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP are probably the most common major caliber pistol rounds as far as popularity. Many believe one to be better than the other, and in SOME cases those folks may be right. However, the most effective part of the handgun is the shooter and his/her effectiveness. These calibers have all been shown to work, as long as the shooter does his job. In fact, many circles have found that actual "on the street" results show very little difference in performance against the bad guys. It's just that I "prefer" the 45 ACP after having my fair share of knowlege and experience with it. My choice of carry is the Colt Lightweight Commander or Kimber CDP Series guns. In some cases, such as travel away from home, I love hi-cap plastic and am also a fan of the Glock Pistols. Especially the Model 30 or G19 or 17 in 9mm for travel with a hi-cap advantage.

 

[HootmonSccy]

The 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP are probably the most common major caliber pistol rounds as far as popularity. Many believe one to be better than the other, and in SOME cases those folks may be right. However, the most effective part of the handgun is the shooter and his/her effectiveness. These calibers have all been shown to work, as long as the shooter does his job. In fact, many circles have found that actual "on the street" results show very little difference in performance against the bad guys.

Ahh, a statement I can really get behind and agree with..

BTW my wife had to take down someone, in a previous life, after her 9mm jammed with a .380..
She shot him 3 times and he stumbled a few feet and collapsed.

I think (my opinion) given equal shots, that the bigger the caliber, the less likely the person is to keep coming forwards after taking a hit (Not talking about falling forwards)... but I think even a .380 can do the job, but you are more likely to need more then on shot...

I'm not a soldier and I'm not in a combat zone (although there are some in the US!), so packing a .45 is just more than I believe I'll need, But it's my choice.

I try to be an "effective... shooter", but being able to shoot well is only part of the effectiveness. What goes on between the ears is just as, if not more, important..
When to pull, what to do to try to prevent from pulling, pulling and not killing innocents, are all a part of being effective as well.