1911 conversion

yotesmoker · November 28, 2018, 09:59 AM

I won a colt delta govt model 10 mm.Its the one without all the fancy stuff on it.I was mfg in 2014.Since I have no use for a 10 mm would it be possible to convert it to 45 acp?Could a smith fit a 45 bbl to that slide?Can you think of any reason this conversion would not be possible?

Cheapshooter · November 28, 2018, 10:21 AM

Why ruin it? If you must, this would be an exception to my rule #1. Just sell, or trade it for a 45.
Or keep it, and learn how awesome the 10MM actually is!

Jim Watson · November 28, 2018, 10:46 AM

10mm breechface is narrower than .45.
If you machined it out, extractor location would still be off.
Proper conversion would take a whole new "upper," barrel, slide, and small parts.

There is one on eBay, current bid $247
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Colt-1911-4...IAAOSwGPNb-xAy

Probably need a .45 ejector, too.

SIGSHR · November 28, 2018, 12:56 PM

IIRC it is the position of the ejector that is critical. As noted, 10MM has a smaller case head that the 45 hence the ejector will be in the wrong place.

**Aguila Blanca** · November 28, 2018, 04:10 PM

You could have a .40 S&W barrel fitted to it. That has the same size rim.

yotesmoker · November 29, 2018, 11:45 AM

Since I have a few 45 1911's i'll go the 40 s&w route.I'm retired cop and have drum filled 40brass.Question, what weight recoil spring would I need to shoot 40;s

Jim Watson · November 29, 2018, 01:17 PM

When Ken Waters wanted to test .40 without a lot of expense, him being more a rifleman than a pistoleer, he got a kit for his Delta Elite. He found that for best results he should use the .40 barrel but stay with the 10mm magazine and springs. Yours might be different.

Wolff says 19 lbs.

smee78 · December 2, 2018, 07:16 PM

You could also do a 357Sig barrel to go along with that 40 barrel?

RickB · December 4, 2018, 05:19 PM

Quote:

As noted, 10MM has a smaller case head that the 45 hence the ejector will be in the wrong place.

Colt Commanders have a wide, .38/9/10 ejector regardless of chambering, so the ejector itself won't be an issue, but a full-length .45 slide won't be cut for the wider ejector.

Use for .40, but no use for 10mm, when you already have .45s?

Most 1911 makers use one slide for two calibers, such as 9mm and .38 Super, or Super and .40/10mm, so a barrel swap could probably get you from 10mm to .38 Super, which would give you something quite different from .45 or .40.

HiBC · December 5, 2018, 03:04 PM

Your gun,do what makes you happy.

If ;twas me,I'd recognize the Delta Elites are few and have value as originals.Folks would stand in line for a chance to buy yours...unaltered.

Generally,I have no qualms about altering a firearm to whatever I want,unless its uncommon or unique.There are a LOT of other 1911 s to work with,including the Philippine ones.I actually prefer them to Croatian Springfields.

I'd think about how really good 1911 craftsman are not easy to find,but hacks are.

Having custom work done is not cheap.

If I had one and did not want to shoot full power 10 mm loads,I could buy a BUNCH of Starline 10mm brass and Montana Gold bullets for the price of a conversion...and load it to a level I enjoy.

I believe there is an LEO level mild 10 mm factory load.

I have an original Colt 38 Super slide (No,I don't want to sell it) in very nice shape. I considered using it for a 10mm build. What stopped that idea is the Colt written "38 Super" stamped on the slide. I did not want a mismarked cartridge designation and I did not want to mill it off.

As has been noted,simply swapping a top end as a back and forth conversion is not real practical because it requires an ejector change.You could do that...but,why?

I'd leave it a Delta Elite and load it to suit me or trade it off.If I wanted a custom project,I'd go Caspian,STI,etc

But,thats me.Its your gun

jfruser · December 6, 2018, 12:36 PM

Sell the Delta and buy a new 1911 in .45ACP. You'll probably spend less and end up with what you want.

yotesmoker · December 14, 2018, 10:26 AM

OK,now have a fitted 40 bbl in my colt 10mm.I want to shoot both rounds in it so what would be the best springs [recoil & hammer spring]set up to shoot both .{ will use the 10 bbl for 10mm]

F. Guffey · December 14, 2018, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Since I have no use for a 10 mm would it be possible to convert it to 45 acp?Could a smith fit a 45 bbl to that slide?Can you think of any reason this conversion would not be possible?

Yes it is possible; but unless someone is making parts for the conversion it will be expensive.

F. Guffey

Jim Watson · December 14, 2018, 10:58 AM

Quote:

OK,now have a fitted 40 bbl in my colt 10mm.I want to shoot both rounds in it so what would be the best springs [recoil & hammer spring]set up to shoot both

I'd leave the stock mainspring in and keep an appropriate recoil spring with each barrel. You can get "calibration packs" from Wolff and adjust by ejection distance, slide lock, or just go by feel as the gun recoils and settles back on target.

rodfac · December 16, 2018, 10:26 AM

Quote:

I'd leave the stock mainspring in and keep an appropriate recoil spring with each barrel. You can get "calibration packs" from Wolff and adjust by ejection distance, slide lock, or just go by feel as the gun recoils and settles back on target.

Yep, you might get lucky and find that the original 10mm recoil spring works with .40...but I'd guess that a lighter one may be necessary. In in my guns, a Ruger CMD and a Colt Series 70 Combat Commander, both originally in .45 ACP, shoot 9mm, and .38 Super with the appropriate slides and bbl's, but still using the .45 recoil spring, and .38 Super magazines will feed 9mm or .38 Super equally well...your 10mm mags may suffice as well.

Best Regards. Rod

Jim Watson · December 16, 2018, 10:29 AM

When Ken Waters wanted to write up the .40, he got a "kit" for his 10mm.
He found that all he needed out of the kit was the barrel; the gun was more reliable with .40s and the 10mm recoil springs and magazine.

November 28, 2018, 10:21 AM	#2
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	Why ruin it? If you must, this would be an exception to my rule #1. Just sell, or trade it for a 45. Or keep it, and learn how awesome the 10MM actually is! __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

December 2, 2018, 07:16 PM	#8
smee78 Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,918	You could also do a 357Sig barrel to go along with that 40 barrel? __________________ We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are

December 5, 2018, 03:04 PM	#10
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,286	Your gun,do what makes you happy. If ;twas me,I'd recognize the Delta Elites are few and have value as originals.Folks would stand in line for a chance to buy yours...unaltered. Generally,I have no qualms about altering a firearm to whatever I want,unless its uncommon or unique.There are a LOT of other 1911 s to work with,including the Philippine ones.I actually prefer them to Croatian Springfields. I'd think about how really good 1911 craftsman are not easy to find,but hacks are. Having custom work done is not cheap. If I had one and did not want to shoot full power 10 mm loads,I could buy a BUNCH of Starline 10mm brass and Montana Gold bullets for the price of a conversion...and load it to a level I enjoy. I believe there is an LEO level mild 10 mm factory load. I have an original Colt 38 Super slide (No,I don't want to sell it) in very nice shape. I considered using it for a 10mm build. What stopped that idea is the Colt written "38 Super" stamped on the slide. I did not want a mismarked cartridge designation and I did not want to mill it off. As has been noted,simply swapping a top end as a back and forth conversion is not real practical because it requires an ejector change.You could do that...but,why? I'd leave it a Delta Elite and load it to suit me or trade it off.If I wanted a custom project,I'd go Caspian,STI,etc But,thats me.Its your gun Last edited by HiBC; December 5, 2018 at 03:18 PM.

December 6, 2018, 12:36 PM	#11
jfruser Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 350	Sell the Delta and buy a new 1911 in .45ACP. You'll probably spend less and end up with what you want. __________________ Regards, jfruser "Books and bullets have their own destinies."----Bob Ross

December 14, 2018, 10:26 AM	#12
yotesmoker Member Join Date: March 16, 2005 Location: pa mountains Posts: 78	shooting 40 and 10 mm in colt delta OK,now have a fitted 40 bbl in my colt 10mm.I want to shoot both rounds in it so what would be the best springs [recoil & hammer spring]set up to shoot both .{ will use the 10 bbl for 10mm]

November 28, 2018, 09:59 AM	#1
yotesmoker Member Join Date: March 16, 2005 Location: pa mountains Posts: 78	1911 conversion I won a colt delta govt model 10 mm.Its the one without all the fancy stuff on it.I was mfg in 2014.Since I have no use for a 10 mm would it be possible to convert it to 45 acp?Could a smith fit a 45 bbl to that slide?Can you think of any reason this conversion would not be possible?

November 28, 2018, 10:46 AM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	10mm breechface is narrower than .45. If you machined it out, extractor location would still be off. Proper conversion would take a whole new "upper," barrel, slide, and small parts. There is one on eBay, current bid $247 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Colt-1911-4...IAAOSwGPNb-xAy Probably need a .45 ejector, too.

November 28, 2018, 12:56 PM	#4
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	IIRC it is the position of the ejector that is critical. As noted, 10MM has a smaller case head that the 45 hence the ejector will be in the wrong place.

November 28, 2018, 04:10 PM	#5
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,468	You could have a .40 S&W barrel fitted to it. That has the same size rim.

November 29, 2018, 11:45 AM	#6
yotesmoker Member Join Date: March 16, 2005 Location: pa mountains Posts: 78	Since I have a few 45 1911's i'll go the 40 s&w route.I'm retired cop and have drum filled 40brass.Question, what weight recoil spring would I need to shoot 40;s

November 29, 2018, 01:17 PM	#7
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	When Ken Waters wanted to test .40 without a lot of expense, him being more a rifleman than a pistoleer, he got a kit for his Delta Elite. He found that for best results he should use the .40 barrel but stay with the 10mm magazine and springs. Yours might be different. Wolff says 19 lbs.

December 16, 2018, 10:29 AM	#16
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	When Ken Waters wanted to write up the .40, he got a "kit" for his 10mm. He found that all he needed out of the kit was the barrel; the gun was more reliable with .40s and the 10mm recoil springs and magazine.