[Pit]

Right before the Bash I picked up my 1st Pro sized Wilson, a steel frame Protector II.
https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=993876

This is a very fine pistol. So I kept my eye open for it's light weight brother. I came across a deal for this one, 2018 build with less than 100 rounds thru it.

I put about 280 rounds thru her this week. Really fine carry pistol.

 

[Pit]

I'll have ambi safety installed later. Already ordered the WC/Ameriglo front sight. The trigger is this pistol is very good.

The one with the French Walnut grips and ambi is my steel frame. Holster is a Sparks 55BN.

 

[apipeguy]

Nice guns, nice holster. I do like the Professional size and of course the 55BN’s.

 

[Pit]

I shot them side by side to see how much more the light weight would recoil. Too my surprise, the recoil "feels" less in the light weight to me. I knew this could not be right so I had to RO's shoot them without telling them which was which. They both agreed to no "felt" difference.

It was 24 degrees with a bit of a wind so I did not spend an extended time on the range. However, the recoil spring in the light weight must be a 10lb. as it is very easy to pull the slide back. No issues with feeding 115 and 124 ball as well as 124 & 147 Ranger T JHP.

More later but that combo of mainspring / recoil spring seems to really work on reducing "felt" recoil. I'll make sure to run some drills with a timer after deer season.

The newer pistol is more of a matte finish than the early version. Also has the old style rail. I have a Streamlight with an adapter for it. FWIW.

JW

 

[Pit]

Still new to the 9mm 1911 game. This came with two recoil springs. One for breaking in and a heavier one for SD loads I assume.

Any issue leaving the lighter flat wire spring in? Seems a good combo.

JW

 

[Grandpas50AE]

Yes, the lighter recoil spring is for break-in, and the heavier one for more powerful loads - I still have my "break-in" recoil spring in my XTAC Elite 9mm Pro, shooting almost all range loads, and it still works great. IME, a 1911 in 9mm is hard to tell the difference in "felt" recoil between a steel frame and a light weight frame if the operator has a solid grip as far as comparing Pro to Pro. The light weight should be a great carry pistol. Congrats, and enjoy.

 

[Striker2237]

9mm pros when sprung well shoot so good it's indeed hard to tell unless you start using serious +P loads. The mainspring and recoil can be tuned to cancel most of the recoil out without getting the gun getting too slow like a full-size tends to.

Congrats on the new gun!

 

[Pit]

Yes, the lighter recoil spring is for break-in, and the heavier one for more powerful loads - I still have my "break-in" recoil spring in my XTAC Elite 9mm Pro, shooting almost all range loads, and it still works great. IME, a 1911 in 9mm is hard to tell the difference in "felt" recoil between a steel frame and a light weight frame if the operator has a solid grip as far as comparing Pro to Pro. The light weight should be a great carry pistol. Congrats, and enjoy.

Thanks Roger. I'm staying with the break in spring for now. See how long it will be serviceable and decide from there. If it works for a good number of rounds, I may go 10lb springs in the other one too.

 

[Pit]

9mm pros when sprung well shoot so good it's indeed hard to tell unless you start using serious +P loads. The mainspring and recoil can be tuned to cancel most of the recoil out without getting the gun getting too slow like a full-size tends to.

Congrats on the new gun!

That's pretty much what I'm thinking. I mostly use standard pressure loads such as 147 HST or Ranger T for SD. The 10lb recoil spring may be the ticket. More testing to be done.

JW

 

[apipeguy]

Just curious, are your 9mm’s primarily range guns or are you carrying them instead or along with your .45’s.

 

[Pit]

I'm still carrying a pair of 45's. The 9mm are a backup pair in case one of the 45's goes down. I want to carry same caliber pistols and mags on my person at work since the mags for either caliber will "insert" in either pistol.

One day I may be able to convince myself that 9mm, 40, and 45 all work the same. I like big bullets for social purposes.

JW

 

[apipeguy]

 

[Grandpas50AE]

I'm still carrying a pair of 45's. The 9mm are a backup pair in case one of the 45's goes down. I want to carry same caliber pistols and mags on my person at work since the mags for either caliber will "insert" in either pistol.

One day I may be able to convince myself that 9mm, 40, and 45 all work the same. I like big bullets for social purposes.

JW

Same here - for the same reason(s).

 

[Pit]

Took this LW Protector II to the range today. Figured with the Hack Commander heading back to Wilson for some work, I'd bust out one of the 9's. Man these things are like cheating! What a lot of fun. But a couple hundred rounds down the pipe while helping a bud sight in his AR.

I have to figure out for sure the spring set up on this one and duplicate it on my steel frame Protector II. Any way to tell what recoil spring I'm using in this pistol?

Wish I could convince myself the 9mm really is as good as the 45acp.

JW

 

[apipeguy]

Wish I could convince myself the 9mm really is as good as the 45acp.

JW

I was doing a good job at convincing myself that they were during the few years that my hands were bad. But after surgeries fixed them up I went back to the .45’s. I think it is very hard to get that little voice out of the back of your head that tells us that .45’s have to be much better.

There is no doubt that 9mm are a pleasure to shoot at the range. My 9mm CQB Commander is still my go to when shooting more than 300 rounds in a day.

 

[D.1911]

After shooting roughly 500 rounds of .45 yesterday, I could certainly feel it at the end of the day and wondered why I hadn’t brought any 9mm with me. With that said I am still a .45 girl all the way.

Like your pair of guns! Will be getting the Ameriglow put on my new CQB when we go to the Bash this year.

 

[Pit]

There is no doubt that 9mm are a pleasure to shoot at the range. My 9mm CQB Commander is still my go to when shooting more than 300 rounds in a day.

So today I took the twins out to the range. Working on one round presentation drills from concealment. I continued to be amazed at how little muzzle movement I was experiencing with the aluminum framed Pro II when compared to it's heavier twin. So after a quick recoil spring switch, the steel frame with the 10 lb. recoil spring had almost no recoil / muzzle movement. The front sight hardly moved from the 3" circle at 7 yards. The pistol performed flawlessly for 50 rounds of training ammo. (124 gr Amscor FMJ) I talked the RO into giving me 10 rds. of duty Federal 124 gr HST. There was a bit of recoil but nothing to mention.

So is there any reason to worry the 10 lb. spring is too light? The pistol performs great, locks back on empty mags, ejection is consistent. I'm certain Wilson Combat knows more about 9mm 1911's and recommends the 11 lb. spring with SD loads but man this thing is sweet with the 10 lb. spring.

More testing in the future.

Note: As soon I finished cleaning the 9's, they were put away and I went on with my day carrying my 45 acp CQB Compact LR / LW so I hear you D.1911. This pistol looks a great deal like the Protector II's. one pic shows her with an extended magazine which is how I carry at work. For EDC, just a standard compact mag. She's showing some age but never fails to perform.

JW