Firingline

Your review of the SW1911 9mm Pro Series was dead on every area, but I do have two exceptions. I agree with your assessment on the look, feel, including grip size and weight, slide serrations, reliability, workmanship, etc. The trigger is marvelous. However, after 3000 rounds fired through mine (many from a rest), I have determined that the gun is not bullseye accurate (not even close). Additionally, the rear sight is a proprietary mount and the last time I called S&W they did not have an adjustable sight that would fit. I have not found any other company that makes a sight that will fit this gun.

Your review of the SW1911 9mm Pro Series was dead on every area, but I do have two exceptions. I agree with your assessment on the look, feel, including grip size and weight, slide serrations, reliability, workmanship, etc. The trigger is marvelous. However, after 3000 rounds fired through mine (many from a rest), I have determined that the gun is not bullseye accurate (not even close). Additionally, the rear sight is a proprietary mount and the last time I called S&W they did not have an adjustable sight that would fit. I have not found any other company that makes a sight that will fit this gun.

Loved the article. However, you stated that the M1911 figured heavily in the 1969 production of Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch. This is incorrect, to a certain extent. Within the storyline, these were the pistols carried by many of the Bunch—but the pistol actually used for filming were Star Model B’s in 9mm. Stars were often used in place of 1911s by prop masters because the Star 9mm pistol was much easier to adapt for blanks than the 45 and was very similar in appearance. Thank you and keep up the good work.

Loved the article. However, you stated that the M1911 figured heavily in the 1969 production of Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch. This is incorrect, to a certain extent. Within the storyline, these were the pistols carried by many of the Bunch—but the pistol actually used for filming were Star Model B’s in 9mm. Stars were often used in place of 1911s by prop masters because the Star 9mm pistol was much easier to adapt for blanks than the 45 and was very similar in appearance. Thank you and keep up the good work.

I love getting GT each month, and the articles have helped me with a couple of purchases. However, I did want to call your attention to an error in your remarks about the 6.5 Grendel. You mention that 'Grendel is a monster that terrorizes Danes in the novel Beowulf.' Novels, as a genre, didn’t really come along until the 18th Century, hundreds of years after Beowulf was recorded in the Nowell Codex. So Beowulf isn’t a novel, it’s an Anglo-Saxon epic or heroic poem.

I love getting GT each month, and the articles have helped me with a couple of purchases. However, I did want to call your attention to an error in your remarks about the 6.5 Grendel. You mention that 'Grendel is a monster that terrorizes Danes in the novel Beowulf.' Novels, as a genre, didn’t really come along until the 18th Century, hundreds of years after Beowulf was recorded in the Nowell Codex. So Beowulf isn’t a novel, it’s an Anglo-Saxon epic or heroic poem.

I love getting GT each month, and the articles have helped me with a couple of purchases. However, I did want to call your attention to an error in your remarks about the 6.5 Grendel. You mention that 'Grendel is a monster that terrorizes Danes in the novel Beowulf.' Novels, as a genre, didn’t really come along until the 18th Century, hundreds of years after Beowulf was recorded in the Nowell Codex. So Beowulf isn’t a novel, it’s an Anglo-Saxon epic or heroic poem.

When the debate turns to small and large calibers and high velocity versus a big bullet, we tend to yawn. Been there, done that, and shot lots of game. Studied plenty of personal-defense shootings as well. We are often consulted by the crime-scene team in one of the busiest areas in a high-crime area in the Southeast. We have not seen it all, but we have a good idea of what occurs when a bullet meets a threat or a game animal. We prefer the big-bore cartridge. The slow and heavy 230-grain 45 ACP has exhibited excellent results and proven consistently effective over the course of 100 years. We feel that handgun selection and marksmanship are most important. More time in training and less agonizing over the load would be beneficial.

Many view load selection as critical. We agree, but for different reasons that some assume. Reliability is a million times more important than a perceived difference in terminal ballistics.

While big-bore cartridges are proven, all poor results do not come from small bores. There have been occasional failures with big-bore cartridges, largely through misapplication. One of our researchers has seen quite a bit of action and investigated a number of shootings. He is quick to point out that when a peace officer tells us he has seen something, he means he arrived just after the action was over. However, he has also seen the effect of the 45 ACP over his own sights and debriefed many others who have been involved in critical incidents. Sometimes a felon does not even register that he has been shot. This rater also mentions a rather dramatic failure he personally experienced (1984) when a very popular factory-produced 200-grain jacketed hollowpoint dramatically under penetrated. As he points out, this load was the darling of the popular press, but it expanded to nearly 1 inch and stopped in less than 3 inches of bone and muscle!

Speed is not the whole picture. Some 45 ACP loads show all the velocity we could ask for. These are the +P-rated loadings. +P means higher pressure, and the loads are several steps above the norm. Rather than the standard 18,000 psi of the 45 ACP, the +P load will average 21,000 to 22,000 psi.

In examining this +P class of ammunition, we wished to answer two questions: Does the +P offer improved performance?, and Which are the best examples? Since we began with the premise that the standard-velocity 45 has good wound potential, the high-velocity loads would have to offer a significant advantage. The standard 45 loads offer good control and excellent accuracy in quality handguns. If a high-velocity load affects the control of a handgun—or it is not accurate—there is little point in adopting such a load.

Our test +P samples included three Cor-Bon jacketed hollowpoint loads: 165-, 185-, and 230-grain Self-Defense JHP loads No. SD45165, No. SD45185, and No. SD45230, respectively. All sold for $29.48/20 on the company's retail website. We also shot the all-copper 185-grain DPX load from Cor-Bon, DPX45185, $40.94/20. And the fifth Cor-Bon load was the PowRBall 165-grain load No. PB45165, $30.14/20. [IMGCAP(2)]Remington's entry was a 185-grain Golden Sabre +P brass-jacketed hollowpoint load, GS45ACP, $26.79/25. From Speer we shot a 200-grain Gold Dot load No. 23969, $23.99/20, which was out of stock at Midway until mid-April. From Black Hills, we shot one 230-grain +P load, D45N6, $49.99/50; and one standard-pressure load, D45NS, $46.99/50, as a reference round.

We also shot two rounds that have become discontinued during our test period. Federal's LE-marked Premium 185-grain HydraShok P45HS2G is no longer listed on the Federal website, and various retailers said it had been discontinued. We did find some selling for $35/50 at www.ammoman.com, but we can't guarantee future supplies. And according to the Midway website, the Winchester 230-grain SXT (Supreme Expansion Technology) round has now been discontinued. Ours was $25.49/20 when it was still available.

We originally tested the ammunition in two handguns. The primary handguns used are representative of the 1911 breed, a Smith & Wesson SW1911 and a Kimber Gold Combat—one service gun and one top-end 1911 made for depth and breadth. Here's what we found:

When the debate turns to small and large calibers and high velocity versus a big bullet, we tend to yawn. Been there, done that, and shot lots of game. Studied plenty of personal-defense shootings as well. We are often consulted by the crime-scene team in one of the busiest areas in a high-crime area in the Southeast. We have not seen it all, but we have a good idea of what occurs when a bullet meets a threat or a game animal. We prefer the big-bore cartridge. The slow and heavy 230-grain 45 ACP has exhibited excellent results and proven consistently effective over the course of 100 years. We feel that handgun selection and marksmanship are most important. More time in training and less agonizing over the load would be beneficial.

Many view load selection as critical. We agree, but for different reasons that some assume. Reliability is a million times more important than a perceived difference in terminal ballistics.

While big-bore cartridges are proven, all poor results do not come from small bores. There have been occasional failures with big-bore cartridges, largely through misapplication. One of our researchers has seen quite a bit of action and investigated a number of shootings. He is quick to point out that when a peace officer tells us he has seen something, he means he arrived just after the action was over. However, he has also seen the effect of the 45 ACP over his own sights and debriefed many others who have been involved in critical incidents. Sometimes a felon does not even register that he has been shot. This rater also mentions a rather dramatic failure he personally experienced (1984) when a very popular factory-produced 200-grain jacketed hollowpoint dramatically under penetrated. As he points out, this load was the darling of the popular press, but it expanded to nearly 1 inch and stopped in less than 3 inches of bone and muscle!

Speed is not the whole picture. Some 45 ACP loads show all the velocity we could ask for. These are the +P-rated loadings. +P means higher pressure, and the loads are several steps above the norm. Rather than the standard 18,000 psi of the 45 ACP, the +P load will average 21,000 to 22,000 psi.

In examining this +P class of ammunition, we wished to answer two questions: Does the +P offer improved performance?, and Which are the best examples? Since we began with the premise that the standard-velocity 45 has good wound potential, the high-velocity loads would have to offer a significant advantage. The standard 45 loads offer good control and excellent accuracy in quality handguns. If a high-velocity load affects the control of a handgun—or it is not accurate—there is little point in adopting such a load.

Our test +P samples included three Cor-Bon jacketed hollowpoint loads: 165-, 185-, and 230-grain Self-Defense JHP loads No. SD45165, No. SD45185, and No. SD45230, respectively. All sold for $29.48/20 on the company's retail website. We also shot the all-copper 185-grain DPX load from Cor-Bon, DPX45185, $40.94/20. And the fifth Cor-Bon load was the PowRBall 165-grain load No. PB45165, $30.14/20. [IMGCAP(2)]Remington's entry was a 185-grain Golden Sabre +P brass-jacketed hollowpoint load, GS45ACP, $26.79/25. From Speer we shot a 200-grain Gold Dot load No. 23969, $23.99/20, which was out of stock at Midway until mid-April. From Black Hills, we shot one 230-grain +P load, D45N6, $49.99/50; and one standard-pressure load, D45NS, $46.99/50, as a reference round.

We also shot two rounds that have become discontinued during our test period. Federal's LE-marked Premium 185-grain HydraShok P45HS2G is no longer listed on the Federal website, and various retailers said it had been discontinued. We did find some selling for $35/50 at www.ammoman.com, but we can't guarantee future supplies. And according to the Midway website, the Winchester 230-grain SXT (Supreme Expansion Technology) round has now been discontinued. Ours was $25.49/20 when it was still available.

We originally tested the ammunition in two handguns. The primary handguns used are representative of the 1911 breed, a Smith & Wesson SW1911 and a Kimber Gold Combat—one service gun and one top-end 1911 made for depth and breadth. Here's what we found:

Ruger’s very nice single-action New Model Blackhawk Convertible is available (MSRP is $636, but some sellers offer new ones for under $500) in a version that can chamber 357 Magnum/38 Special rounds in one 6-round cylinder, and 9mm rounds in a second cylinder. Barrel lengths available are 4.62 inches and 6.5 inches. You can change cylinders quickly and easily without tools. I used to own one of these which, unfortunately, I sold when I needed the cash. It was the most accurate handgun I’ve ever fired. I managed one five-shot group at 25 feet that I can cover with a quarter. There’s another version with cylinders for 45 Long Colt and 45 ACP, with barrel lengths of 4.62 inches and 5.5 inches, also a six-shooter, at the same price.

Ruger’s very nice single-action New Model Blackhawk Convertible is available (MSRP is $636, but some sellers offer new ones for under $500) in a version that can chamber 357 Magnum/38 Special rounds in one 6-round cylinder, and 9mm rounds in a second cylinder. Barrel lengths available are 4.62 inches and 6.5 inches. You can change cylinders quickly and easily without tools. I used to own one of these which, unfortunately, I sold when I needed the cash. It was the most accurate handgun I’ve ever fired. I managed one five-shot group at 25 feet that I can cover with a quarter. There’s another version with cylinders for 45 Long Colt and 45 ACP, with barrel lengths of 4.62 inches and 5.5 inches, also a six-shooter, at the same price.

Just got the February 2010 issue of GT and noted that my subscription is now 10 years old—the first one in my continuous collection is the February 2000 issue. I know each issue has a page of previously tested firearms, but that’s a lot of fine print to pore through for these 80-year-old eyes. How about saving me that research and telling me if you have tested the Beretta Cheetah in 380 and in what issue I might find it? I want one of them, but won’t buy it without knowing what Gun Tetsts testers think of it.