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Old May 30, 2012, 10:39 PM   #18
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Join Date: March 11, 2006
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Over enough of a sample, you might find a small statistical edge in feeding for the 9mm Luger round. But any individual gun is just that, an individual gun.

Lets look at the absolute basics first. As mentioned, the 9mm Luger is tapered, it has a higher ratio of length to width than then .45ACP, and generally has rather pointed bullets, vs the .45's more blunt profiles.

Also, I think that the 9mms probably have a slightly higher slide velocity overall, because its a higher pressure round. In original GI trim, both rounds have virtually identical energy (ft/lbs). My impression shooting both in identical guns is that the recoil is the same, meaning the same amount of muzzle jump in my hands. But the 9mm feels "quicker", or more snappy, to me.

Now, today, 1911s have a reputation for being "picky" about feeding. This is due to lots of factors, but the primary ones are shooting ammo that differs in profile from GI ball, and most importantly, various makers ideas about "improving" the specs for the 1911. A well made GI spec 1911 shooting ball ammo (what it was designed for) is as reliable as anything made by man, and better than some.

Also add into the mix the fact that other than the Browning HiPower, the majority of 9mms in the hands of shooters today are half a century or more newer in design than the 1911. If designers hadn't learned a thing or two about improving pistols in all that time, one would have to wonder what they have been doing!

Note that the Luger (P.08) pistol, a contemporary of the 1911 design is notoriously unreliable with anything but ball ammo, and does not have a sterling reputation even with ball ammo, as, apparently all 9mm ball is not created equal.

I think that if your particular .45 has feeding issues, its because of your particular gun, and the ammo used. Not because of anything inherent in the design, but in the specific execution you have. And, the same goes for the 9mm pistols and ammo.
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All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.
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