9mm Parabellum

Guns Magazine, March, 2001 by Massad Ayoob

To most shooters, loading the .45 frame 1911 with 9mm ammo is akin to going to a personal fitness trainer and asking him to make your biceps smaller. It doesn't seem logical -- until you get into special-purpose needs.

A 9mm on a .45 frame has extremely mild recoil: great for petite females, small-statured males or anyone with weak or injured arms or wrists. The recoil force is so light the gun seems to shoot forever without breaking any parts. With a BarSto barrel and 147 gr. Olin Super Match ammo, it's deadly accurate. From PPC shooting with autos, to Steel Challenge events, to IDPA "Enhanced Service Pistol" competition, the 1911 has a distinct competitive edge.

Yes, the overwhelming majority of 1911s are .45s. Jeff Cooper said once that people bought 1911 pistols for the .45 caliber cartridge and bought 9mm pistols for the features of the guns. Still, there are times and places where the ideal gun may be a 1911 that fires a cartridge other than the .45 caliber round with which it is so inextricably linked.