SA or Kimber

[bfog99]

Thanks for the opinions on barrel length. I have another question, one from someone with little gun experience... can you get SA 1911 in different lengths, like you can with Kimber (i.e. Eclipse, Tactical, ... in ultra or compact or pro)?

[The Knight Of Light]

yes you can. There are more options with 1911s than any other pistol on the market right now, probably for the next 100 years too.

[bigun]

I personally like the pistols with the Officers model frame and commander slide for concealment. You get the reliability of the longer slide with the shorter butt for concealment.

[The Knight Of Light]

as we have all found(those with DGR) the single spring is better than the compound springs used in many other types of pistols; however, the compound spring is needed in smaller pistols with very short slides. the issue of reliability comes from the slide cycle speed. These guns cycle so fast and really work the springs hard. It does not matter what kind of springs you use in these small guns. they will wear out in about 400 rounds. I know some have shot many more than that out of their guns. Now I am talking about the micros, ultras, little tiny .40s and .45 calibre handguns. 1911s, Glocks, Kahrs, and the XDsc series will all wear the springs out in very short order using high powered cartridges. Now this will come as a suprise to some here and it is business as usual for some others. I have extra springs on hand for all of my guns, and I am always doing preventative maintenance by changing them frequently. That may seem silly, wasteful, but it keeps my very small compact handguns running smooth. I have a Kimber RCPII(Ultra size), a Kahr PM40, and a Kahr P45. They are the smallest guns I have and they get new springs on a schedule of rounds fired. If you get a new Super mega ultra compact whatever you will need to shoot it enough before you carry it to know when it needs new springs, and track that number. Just some advice.