9mm 1911

[1911pete1]

Question from a guy with a file to an actual certified dyed in the wool gunsmith.
When building a 1911 in 9mm, other than case support, which is only needed if your cooking up some extra hot loads, what are the advantages to a ramped barrel over a non-ramped barrel. Gunsmiths I have talked to have told me there is no difference.
Just curious, I have built three so far with non-ramped barrels and they feed ok.

 

[jeffsoward]

Hey Zeke, glad you could make it!

I'm no gunsmith, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once.
From what I've read, the ramp on a .45acp frame is deeper than a 9mm frame, so machining for a ramped 9mm barrel is "supposed" to be better. but I've also read that it doesn't matter if you work the non-ramped 9mm barrel throat. As long as the loads are not hot (or not going to get hot), I wouldn't see the necessity of it.
Now, if you're shooting like Carl (the guy that was out at the Steel Challenge in Mcloud), then a ramped would be advised. He was saying that he's loading his rounds to run about 1550 fps or something. Too bad he wasn't shooting it last match. it had a pretty distinctive sound.

 

[1911pete1]

yup, I know that there are alot of open shooters running 9mm major at pretty racy velocities, you have to have a ramped for that tomfoolery! I just wonder about feeding and such.

 

[mike cyrwus]

right; a 9mm frame is preferred in order to let the shorter 9mm round skip up into the chamber sooner. Its also advantageous because the bottom end of the chamber is higher in a 9mm vs a 45 barrel.

Ramped barrels are more inherently reliable with a 9/40 barrel because you dont have the transition from frame ramp to barrel throat. Its insurance.

Also, you dont have to worry about fitting a non ramped 9/40 barrel into a standard 45 ramped frame.

If you "work" the non ramped barrel's throat, like Jeff said, then you can be unsupporting the case even more..

 

[1911pete1]

Ya, I noticed a nice little smiley face exposed when I drop a round into the chamber, thinkin about switching around Christmas time. Nowlin makes a drop in ramped.

 

[Scott Hearn]

[quote author=jeffsoward link=topic=87.msg682#msg682 date=1285015626]
Hey Zeke, glad you could make it!

I'm no gunsmith, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once.
From what I've read, the ramp on a .45acp frame is deeper than a 9mm frame, so machining for a ramped 9mm barrel is "supposed" to be better. but I've also read that it doesn't matter if you work the non-ramped 9mm barrel throat. As long as the loads are not hot (or not going to get hot), I wouldn't see the necessity of it.
Now, if you're shooting like Carl (the guy that was out at the Steel Challenge in Mcloud), then a ramped would be advised. He was saying that he's loading his rounds to run about 1550 fps or something. Too bad he wasn't shooting it last match. it had a pretty distinctive sound. ;D
[/quote]
That's because he was shooting a compensated gun. They run light bullets with large charges of slow burning powder to make more gas. More gas through the ports makes the compensator work better. Don't know if he was shooting 9 major or not but he may have been.