Are conversions really worth it?

I've seen quite a few long time bullseye shooters at matches switch to conversions so they can have the same feel as their 45.

Even though the mechanical accuracy of the units is usually superior to their old 41's, High Standards and Walthers at 50 yards, the shooters I know have not exceeded their previous scores by any wide margin nor greatly improved their 45 shooting as a result of using the conversions.  Recently, I scored a Master's targets at our league matches.  He cleaned and shot a 99 at the short line in a NMC using his old High Standard.  He has been shooting a Marvel recently.

There is another fella who shelved his Walther's for a Marvel a couple of years ago.  Same story.

So is investing in .22 conversions really worth it?  I don't see most folks gaining much from using the units.

Seems to me a Walther, Model 41 or High Standard is a much better investment and more helpful in attaining higher scores.

What do you think?

I shoot better .22 scores with my High Standard, because the trigger is significantly lighter than when I shoot my conversion on my 4lb ball gun lower.

I don't care much about the .22 stage of a match.  To me this sport is all about the .45 and I want to master the .45 first--then maybe I will look into a fancy dedicated .22.

When I am shooting both guns regularly, my scores are just as good in CF & .45 as they are in .22.  There is a huge score bump from frequent practice and dryfire.  I don't think the equipment has much to do with it.

I have a S&W M41 and moved to a Nelson conversion on a dedicated 1911 frame.  I haven't seen a significant difference between the two as far as scores go yet, but I made the switch because I wanted to go to a roll trigger, and I haven't talked to anyone that has ever heard of a M41 being able to be setup with a decent roll trigger.  That meant a crisp trigger on rimfire, and a roll on the on the centerfire and .45.  I made the switch at the same time I was learning to shoot a roll, so I felt somewhat successful in that my rimfire scores didn't drop with the change.  My hope is that as I get consistent with my shot process and sensing the movement of the trigger, all my scores will move up somewhat.  We'll see.  I do know the conversion is every bit as accurate as the M41, if not a little tighter.

I'm not sure I would expect the difference to be as dramatic for a Master or higher shooter, because they are probably consistant in the application of their shot process and the fundamentals regardless of the platform they are shooting.

I think it all depends on what your goals are. I shot a HS when I first started but my goal was primarily to become Distinguished so I bought a Marvel and my 45 scores shot up. My .22 scores were lower at first but I ended up shooting the same personal best with either, AFTER, I was Distinguished and that is what mattered most. Many years later I went back to my Marvel and once again my 45 scores went up because of it. Remember the .22 score is only 1 part of a 3 gun aggregate.

I am not sure if they are worth it just because they are on a 1911 frame. The money it costs to set one up even if you dedicate a lower is a good value compared to other quality .22's. The fact they are on a 1911 frame is certainly a plus for someone who wants the same feel as their .45. I don't shoot mine any better than I shot my Ruger.

For me having a conversion on a 1911 frame is all about consistency, The guns are set up with the same KC drop in roll trigger, set at the appropriate weights, the same Match Dot II (except for my hardball gun of course).  I also went from a Marvel Unit 1 to a Nelson Marvel because the weight/balance more closely matches my wad gun due to the heavier steel optic rail.  My new CF gun being built by KC will be set up the same.

- Dave

I bought and use a Marvel probably and was more curious than anything else. I enjoy shooting them and like the pistol more than the 41. If Hi Std was the co it was in the early to mid 60's the conversions might not have been as succesful.

Our club started holding BE  matches in '68 and the firing line was dominated by the HS Military model. There were easily  HS's on 10 out of the 12 FP's. Jim Clark Custom HS's were fairly common and were very nice pistols. After their demise the choice in .22 was quite limited. A lot of shooters found their scores tailing and BE competitors using cold hard logic blamed the 41, not the effects of the passage of time.

The conversions came along at a time when a lot of us were looking for a "better" gun. As we are all familiar w/the 1911 there are readily obtainable parts and accesories which make it easy to modify their adoption is attractive.

Ron Habegger

When I moved from a MkII Ruger to a Marvel my 22 scores dropped from 830s to 790s - same place as my 45 scores. They fairly rapidly both increased with my 22 scores now typically in the 840s and 45 in the 820-830 range. For me the big advantage was the lack of change between guns. I'm not good enough to overcome the difference in grip angle and trigger. I dropped the fancy grips and went back to slabs as well. Same reason - the fitted grips were merely disguising my technique errors.

Once (if) I make master then I'll think about getting more adventurous but until then keeping things as similar as possible and concentrating on the fundamentals seems to yield the greatest reward.

YMMV :-)

Derek