Just for fun, a 1911 Horse Pistol

While not a bullseye gun this is my 1911 Horse Pistol.  What’s a horse pistol?  Long ago a brace of large caliber pistols, from .58 to .69 and maybe larger, were carried across the pummel of a cavalryman’s saddle.  Being single shot they were used in lieu of the saber at least initially.  Their bore had to be large enough to put down man or horse in a cavalry charge.  Later the Walker Colt, followed by their 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd Model Dragoons filled that roll. 
 
While I have no intention of shooting any horses and hopefully not any men, I commissioned Steve Huff of Accuracy X to build for me a powerful 1911 capable of hunting or defensive hits on target at 100 yards or more. I shoot at least 5000 rounds a year with 1911’s at targets and long ago mastered field stripping a 1911 blindfolded.  I figured that for me a long range hunting or defensive pistol should have the same form, fit, and feel as my target guns.  Oh, I also required the same level of accuracy, which for my Accuracy X Pro Plus series is a 2” or less group at 50 yards.  I selected the 10mm Auto chambering as it has more power than a .357 Magnum but still functions in a 1911.  I thought about a 460 Roland but decided to leave that wildcat for a future build. 
 
The following videos and photos show the results of my new toy:
 
150 Ransom Rest test:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDwieLBhACM
 
300 yard silhouette:
https://www.facebook.com/344730025561939/videos/1709277812440480/
 
An earlier 300 yard silhouette video:
https://www.facebook.com/344730025561939/videos/1683006318400963/
 
Photos of 500 yard hits on target:
https://www.facebook.com/344730025561939/photos/pcb.1690832894284972/1690832577618337/?type=3&theater
 
Next Steve will Cerakote the gun in Midnight Blue to give it a traditional deep blued appearance that is many times harder that the gun's steel.  Cerakote is the modern functional equivalent to case hardening, if not even harder.

I have to say that Steve's a great guy who works with his customers rather than simply builds them a gun.  Since a long range 1911 build was new to him he wanted to make a couple videos.  I told him to take his time to test and dial in my new gun.  I hope I enjoy my new 10mm 1911 as much as he does!  Somehow I think I will.  After all, a man's got to have a few pleasures in life.

Really nice looking gun Mark.

Looks like a very nice "toy", if you can call a 10mm gun that...

desben wrote:Looks like a very nice "toy", if you can call a 10mm gun that...

It is something that I wanted rather than needed.  Of course by next year I think that I will never want to part with it.  So maybe toys can become necessities?

That ought to do the job! Is that pistol carbon or stainless? It would be interesting to know what ammo he is using. It always amuses me when I see posts on different websites, where the question is asked about a pistol (usually a polymer), "Is it accurate?" Most of these folks can't shoot a group with a pistol beyond touching distances. Nice to know that this pistol will be in the hands of a capable shooter.

This 1911 is stainless as are all the Accuracy X guns.   

The ammo may have been a Grizzly brand and 150 grain bullet at 1400 FPS.  Or it could have been a published load using 180 grain Nosler Sporting JHP at 1300 FPS.  Both loads are at or very near the SAAMI maximum.

Cool !

I owned a Nighthawk 10mm (5-in Predator model). The pistol was well made but Nighthawk does not strive for accuracy like Accuracy-X or Rock River (e.g., Nighthawk and Wilson only test their pistols at 15 yards!). I think a stand model would have been a better choice (with standard bushing). I found only one load that would shoot less than 1" at 25 yards (using an old can of HS 7 [figures]). HS 6 was close.

I got the pistol for hunting. I've carried a 45 for years while deer hunting (have killed four deer using 200 gr. XTPs; three were head-shot in thick cover at 35 yards or less and one was shot through the lungs at ~35 yards. I shot one doe with the 10mm, a lung shot with 180 gr XTP. Both chest shots went clean through and wounds by both calibers were impressive. INMO, these calibers should not be used for deer or hog-size game at distances beyond 50 yards and preferably closer. Longer shots can be reliably taken with Center Contenders with rifle calibers. While 10mm is a potent caliber, its not exactly fun to shoot, and at close, realistic hunting distances, there is not much practical difference between the 45 and 10mm, especially when head shots are possible. That said, 10mm is probably better for hogs.

I wish Rock River made a 10mm. CZ has a new 6-in 10mm that appears accurate and not as pricey as Accuracy-X. While their 150 yard group is impressive, so is their mount for the Ransom rest. I think my potato gun would be accurate with that. I would never shoot a centerfire stage with a 10mm. I tried to develop an accurate bullseye load with 180 gr bullets (800 fps range) but was not successful. From my experience, 10mm is most accurate with 180 to 200 grain bullets at 1000 to 1200 fps. dipnet

You don't need to buy a 10mm if you have a good 1911 in .45. I have been playing with my 400 Corbon for years. It makes a great "horse" pistol or elk, deer whatever Putting this back into a Bullseye perspective I have also used the pistol on BE targets. I get a kick (pun intended) of shooting it next to shooters with normal 1911s. I keep the barrel, bushing, spring and slide stop together as a set that will drop right into any of my .45s. You need to buy a barrel, spring and a good set of dies but brass is free. Kinda. You use small rifle or small magnum pistol primers for this round so it is a great way to use up all that dang small primer .45 brass.