Lightweight 1911 Style Autos

If you prefer more firepower than today's micro-pistols have to offer, maybe you are looking for something more along the lines of "large and light", such as these .45 auto-pistols, which utilize innovations such as aluminum-alloy frames, and shortened grips and slides:

Kimber Compact Stainless II 45 ACP

$1,009

Specs:

• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Height: 4.75"
• Width: 1.28"
• Weight: 27 oz. (empty)
• Length 7.7"
• Mag. Capacity 7
• Full-length guide rod
• Materials: Aluminum Frame and Stainless Slide, Match-Grade Steel Barrel
• Barrel Length: 4"
• Fixed Sights, 5.7" radius
• Grips: Black synthetic double diamond
• Trigger: Aluminum Match Grade, 4-5 lb pull

Notables:

• Extended left side safety
• Plastic rear mainspring housing for weight reduction
• Excellent fit and finish
• Bushing-less barrel design
• Excellent Accuracy
• Excellent Reliability

Negatives:

• Hard to pick up front sight in low light
• Lack of grip texture or checkering on front strap
• Sharp edges around ejection port
• Special takedown tool needed for disassembly
• Bullet feed ramp seems prone to damage over time
• Includes only one magazine

Springfield Armory Lightweight Champion Operator # PX9115LP 45 ACP

$1,076

Specs:

• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Height: 5.5"
• Length: 7.5
• Weight 31 oz. (empty)
• Magazines: two 7-round, blued steel
• Barrel: 4" stainless steel, match grade, fully supported ramp, bushing-less bull barrel
• Sights: Fixed, low profile, combat rear, dovetail front, tritium 3-dot
• Trigger: aluminum match grade, 5-6 lb pull
• Grips: Cocobolo hardwood
• Frame: forged aluminum alloy, accessory rail, black hardcoat anodized
• Slide: forged steel, Black Armory Kote
• Recoil System: dual spring w/full-length guide rod

Notables:

• Full-length grip with a shortened slide
• Steel mainspring housing
• Ambidextrous safety
• Excellent trigger, 4.7 lbs
• Good accuracy
• Great reliability
• Good in rapid-fire
• Quick sight pickup
• Excellent machine work on the barrel feed ramp
• Excellent night sights
• Included holster and mag pouch

Negatives:

• Lack of grip texture or checkering on front strap
• Handsome wood grips tended to be slippery
• Ambi-safety tended to bruise the dominant hand knuckle
• Safety was super-stiff to operate
• Sharp edges on ejection port
• Stiff controls overall, which "did not change with use"
• "Horrible takedown procedure" (and reassembly) 

Sig Sauer 1911 C3 #19GS0031 45 ACP

$1,200

"The 1911 C3 is a 7+1 compact .45ACP featuring rosewood custom wood grips and is available in a Two-Tone finish. Weighing in at just under 30 ounces unloaded, each 1911 C3 is machined to exacting tolerances and hand-fitted to insure reliability and performance." Sig Website

Specs:

• Item #1911CO-45-TSS-C3
• Action: Single Action Only
• Trigger Pull: 5 lbs
• Length: 7.7"
• Width: 1.4"
• Barrel Length: 4.2"
• Sight Radius: 5.7"
• Weight Empty: 29.5 oz.
• Mag Capacity: 7 Rounds
• Sights: Novak Night Sights
• Grips: Slim Profile Custom Rosewood Grips
• Frame Finish: Black Hard Anodized
• Slide Finish:Stainless

Notables:

• Checkered Front Strap, for extra secure grip
• Easy, no-tools takedown
• "Super accurate"
• Stainless slide and barrel
• "Great reliability"
• Fixed sights

Negatives:

• Lacks accessory rail
• Safety on one side only
• Unusually flat at top-of slide
• Pricier than most comparables

Para USA Warthog

$1,069

"This is the stainless version of the original super-compact .45 with truly awesome firepower. There is no smaller, more powerful 1911-style, 10+1 semi-auto .45 ACP in the world." Para USA

Specs:

• Product Code: WHX1045S
• Caliber:  .45 ACP
• Capacity: 10+1
• Barrel: 3"
• Weight: 31 oz.
• Length: 6.5"
• Height: 4.5"
• Action: Single Action
• Material: Stainless

Notables:

• Two 10-round magazines, one with extended grip
• Blackened version available with Trijicon night sights
• Bushing-less-barrel design, stainless match-grade
• Loaded-chamber indicator
• Colt-style series '80 firing pin safety
• Slide features Para's Power Extractor
• Flared ejection port
• Skeletonized hammer and trigger for weight reduction
• Good trigger approx. 5 lbs. of pull w/clean break
• Rubber "O" rings prevent grip screws from backing out
• Vertical serrations on frontstrap
• Left-side thumb safety and grip safety w/swelled palm section
• Front-beveled magazine-well
• "Exceptional accuracy", 2" at 25 yards-Combat Handguns magazine
• Bearable recoil w/200 grain handloads

Negatives:

• Tended to malfunction if not cleaned and oiled every 150 rounds
• Magazines difficult to load completely due to stiff springs
• Hammer drops down even if the slide is not completely closed
• Punishing to the hands after several hundred rounds