Aluminum Frame 1911 with .22 Conversion

I’m curious if anyone has used an aluminum 1911 as the base gun for a Nelson, Marvel, etc. conversion.  If so, what feedback can you offer as to the durability of the frame in this type of application?  Since the slide motion is contained within the conversion unit itself, accelerated wear of the frame rails wouldn’t be an issue but perhaps other areas of an aluminum frame 1911 would show degradation after many firing/dry firing cycles.  What potential pitfalls might I be overlooking if I head down this path?

Thanks

The only drawbacks that I could see are; 1) Too light overall weight and 2) awkward balance.

Thanks for the feedback, BE Mike.  Actually you’ve hit on the two main factors that play into my thought process, overall weight and balance.  Like many, I find a slightly muzzle heavy pistol seems to hold better on target.  What I’ve found is that when I add sufficient weight up front to a conventional steel frame 1911, the whole gun gets a little weighty for me.  I’ll accept that in a .45 for recoil mitigation but don’t want/need it in a .22.

My thinking is that with an aluminum frame, I’d have more flexibility in playing with weights (or components like mag wells, beavertails, compensators, etc. made of various materials) at both ends of the gun in order to achieve balance and tweak the overall feel.  In other words, my theory is that it is easier to add weight than to remove it so might as well start out with a light frame.

The Marvel Unit 1 slide does use the 1911 frame rails.


This is from a Marvel document I found on the web, the slide and frame weights may be of interest to you.
It doesn't list the weights for the Unit 1 steel, Marvel could likely provide that info you call or email them.

Microsoft Word - Marvel Functioning.doc (guntalk-online.com)

Slide Weight 
 
When I designed the marvel 1911-.22 conversion units one and two, my first concern was 
reliability. For this reason, I used aluminum instead of steel simply because of the total mass 
that has to move using various types of ammunition balanced with a recoil spring that will 
strip all 10 rounds out of a magazine. The list below might be of interest: 
 
1911 45 ACP Pounds Ounces
   
1911 45 ACPSlide - Government - Bald .769 12.5 
Slide - Unique - Bald .804 13 
Slide with parts, sights, barrel, and Ext. Guide Rod 1.211 19.5 
   
Marvel 1911 - .22   
   
Marvel 1911 - .22 Unit One with All Slide Parts (Slide Only - No Barrel): .273 4+ 
Unit One Complete - Scope Mount Version .921 15+ 
Unit One Complete - Adjustable Sight Version 1.027 16.5 
Steel Compensator .218 3.5 
   
Unit Two with All Slide Parts (No Barrel) .414 6.5 
Unit Two Complete .857 13.5 
   
Caspian Frame Complete with All Parts 1.015 16+ 
STI Standard Frame Complete with All Parts .814 13+ 
STI Long and Wide Frame with All Parts .962 15.5

Very good info, Scott.  Thanks.

I just looked at the Marvel site and see they have both steel and aluminum lower receivers available.

It also seems like they have both steel and aluminum sight / optic / combo rails.

FCW, LLC | marvel-precision-by-fcw > instant-gratification-3470 (shopfcwguns.com)

For years the Colt Commander was on an Aluminum frame shortened 1911.  It was available in 45 and 9mm.  Durability was at least acceptable to police agencies.  Note that the parts would not interchange due to incompatibilities from the shortening process, but otherwise it was identical.  So durability isn’t a big concern especially for a 22.

Wobbley wrote:For years the Colt Commander was on an Aluminum frame shortened 1911.  It was available in 45 and 9mm.  Durability was at least acceptable to police agencies.  Note that the parts would not interchange due to incompatibilities from the shortening process, but otherwise it was identical.  So durability isn’t a big concern especially for a 22.

Back in the early to mid seventies, one of the gun magazines did a torture test on a Colt Combat Commander in .45 ACP. Back then, aluminum frames was a new thing and like when Glock plastic pistols made the scene, there were a lot of doubting Thomases. IIRC, they put 25,000 rounds through one. The rails developed slight cracks, but didn't cause any malfunctions. I agree that durability of an aluminum framed .22 conversion isn't an issue.

I appreciate all the good comments with references.  An aluminum frame it will be.

Nelson on a Scandium frame (SC1911 Commander) this combination works great.

Very nice, Len!