1911 Long Slide: Does Size Really Matter? 

Once again, you have NOT won a prize. It's a scam.

Hey everyone, the slow readings on the chrono were a malfunction. If the velocity had really been that low you would have seen (and I would have felt) a significant difference in recoil. You would have also heard a difference in report. Also, once again, you have not won a prize. Those messages are a scam.

At this point Paul deserves a proper Poptarts sponsorship/collaboration! I mean, who wouldn't want a beige Poptarts-branded hunting jacket?

I always wanted a long slide, not because of any potential ballistic changes, but simply because I think it looks about 10% cooler.

This is exactly why you test several different types and weights of rounds in your particular firearm, it does make a difference and in some cases the difference. Can’t wait for part two.

Great presentation, I feel like the velocity difference would be more pronounced between smaller, lighter ammo, but the difference in HP expansion was an awesome demonstration.

Paul, you're just terrific. The way you head off pedantic sniping questions before they happen. It's just the best.

That was very interesting. As a novice, I’m a bit surprised the 25fps (about 3.1% if my math is correct) improvement in velocity made such a noticeable difference in expansion. I guess that’s why it’s called a threshold.

I'm a simple man. I see Paul Harrel post a new video, I watch it.

Still love the pop tarts opening. It’s funny and the phrase “where a man belongs” gets me Everytime. It’s takes an already 10/10 Paul Harrel presentation up to an 11/10. I’d say keep them coming for atleast another year or 2. Paul’s presentations are good important information and the pop tart intro adds some levity and fun 😊.

Anyone ever wondered how well Paul is sighted? I couldn't read numbers that small unless someone shoved them right in front of my eyes, and yet he's reading them from many meters, that's amazing in its own right!

Thank you for leaving the footage of putting on your hearing protection. You are the leading teacher the masses have access to. Hollywood’s portrayal of guns and how much sound they produce is greatly exaggerated on the low side. In the real world, being around multiple gunshots near your ears can leave you with hearing loss. Most people already know this but this post is for the few that don’t.

Another thing to consider is the difference between different makes and models of ammo. A different brand/load of 230 gr JHP might expand just fine out of the 5" Colt even at 25 yards, while a third brand might not even expand coming out of the 6" Kimber at 5 yards. As Paul has said before you have to test YOUR ammo out of YOUR gun at the distances (and preferably conditions) you are likely to use it for.

That was pretty interesting. If you had asked me to guess if the 25 ft per second made much of an expansion difference before watching this I would have said likely not. Excellent example of why we test and find out. Good video.

Awesome of you to leave in the things that don't go as planned when they can still be valid learning opportunities.

Enjoyed the presentation. Haven't seen 45 bullet testing in awhile. In the '70's, I bought a Gold Cup and tested a lot of bullets as I was looking for my best target shooting load. Just about none would expand. After lots of target shooting, I just left it as my home defense gun using Win 185 gr Silver Tips. After all these years, I think any bullet, 22-45 caliber that hits accurcally to the spot you need, will get the job done.

The only fancy 1911 I own is a Dan Wesson long slide 10mm. While the chrono does tell me that I see about 60fps more with my handloads, even if it were the same at the muzzle I'd still want the long slide. They just look so much better, to me. Thanks for the video, Paul. Always enjoy the content.

Good demonstration. I have a 4" .45 ACP, bullet selection is pretty important when it comes to expansion. The Rem would not be on my list even though I run 185gr hp stuff. These days we find some great performance from lower velocity bullets. Far lower than I would have guessed. Finding those projectiles is easier because of content from guys like you, thanks for doing the work.

As usual, excellent presentation. It re-enforces my faith in .357 Magnum.

Paul, I like how you added the eye/ear-protection donning/doffing into your videos to avoid having to go over that for all the "new viewers" on each video. Seeing you walk back and forth between shots is also quite humorous, although I know that's not the point. God bless, sir.

I know you said this wasn't what the video is about, but I'd still be interested in a follow-up accuracy comparison, since to me that would be the main draw to getting a 6" pistol.

Only heard of paul this morning, it was through an in memoriam type of fb post in a group about skyrim. I've been watching guntube type videos since the fpsrussia days, and feel somewhat remiss that my first video of his was about his own death. This is the first actual vid of his i've seen and i picked it because i always wondered about exactly this topic. RIP, I subscribed and will watch more so long as these remain up. condolences to his brothers, family, friends and crew.

I carry with confidence, so much so that i resist the urge to pull it out, wave it around and brag about how big it is

I could sense your feeling of victory in this one. Good job, dude.

Something tells me that Paul never has to worry about being big enough.

I am looking at buying the 6" long slide in 10mm for hunting and you just answered my questions Paul... Thanks again for your excellent videos and next on the list, shooting Poptarts at 50 and 75 yds... 😄

When an inch is the difference maker, or not? 0~o God I love watching these no-nonsense demos. They make "My day"... ^~^

Grocery employee #1: “That guy sure likes his pork ribs and oranges”. Grocery employee #2: “Hey, isn’t that the guy from the pop tart commercials”?

I don't own a gun in 45 ACP , but a neighbor does. I want to be neighborhood ammo central if times get tough so I'll be buying some ammo for it. Looking forward to part two!

I would not want ‘just a .45 hole’ in my chest. Excellent demonstration.

Who needs a 6 inch barrel anyway? This 3.1 inch barrel is enough and gets the job done. It’s a good 3.1 inch barrel and leaves em satisfied every time.

Paul, I have been a shooter, an NRA instructor, RSO for 40 years. I love your videos and enjoy the math.

My guess is the longer barrel would matter when using a medium burn powder like Power Pistol. You can achieve velocities right at 900 fps in a five inch barrel with 230 grain bullets without exceeding standard pressure.

I own 2 Rock Island 1911s. One government model and one officer model. Both shoot like a dream. The officer model I can shoot accurately on a man sized target out to 25 yards. And the triggers are fantastic. Rock Island makes really good 1911s for a lot cheaper then some of their competitors.

Oooohh ! Paul I'm glad you hear you will deal with the 185 grain pills in a part 2. Definitely looking forward to watching that ! Just sorry I couldn't catch this one closer to posting !

Hi Paul. I'd love to see a little segment that talks about interactions at the grocery store concerning your rather odd purchases. Like funny comments, weird looks or people who become fans after you explain.

I would really enjoy seeing this same test done, but with 10mm 1911s, and see the difference between standard and longslide. I would guess (but do not know) that the difference between the two would be bigger with ammunition that has more powder to burn. A lot of 10mm handguns will shoot a little fire out the end, leading me to believe there's powder not being fully utilized.

Pop-Tarts will live forever because of Paul Harrell.

Non-standard 45 in the range of 175gr definitely improves the hollow point threshold. However, I'm not sure about drop. Winchester super clean 160 grain would be interesting to see

Just the best presentations on the web can be found on this channel. Great info and clearly the extra 25fps can make a huge difference, "the difference". Enjoyed this as always.

Another great presentation. Thank you. Looks like Paul is getting tired of assuring people that he does in fact wear eye and ear protection. Lol.

that special addition of donning his eye + ear protection (this time on camera) is loud and clear. 🙃

My wife always says “no.” Are you telling my she really wants the full size and not the compact?

Oh! Paul --- we already "won" a prize when you put a new video up! 👏👍

The intros will never get old!

Thanks Paul!

Honestly I thought the 6" barrel would be at least 100fps faster, thanks for the informative video as usual Mr Harrell. Guess i'll stick with my standard full size 1911's

There is no one elses Shatner-esque pauses I would prefer to listen to

Regarding the lack of expansion, I do remember reading a study that determined you generally needed 850 to 900 FPS velocity to get reliable expansion, so the rounds here being at around 816 FPS from the 5” gun probably was below expansion threshold out of the muzzle. That’s probably why many hollow point rounds are loaded a little faster even for 230 gr., though I don’t remember what the velocity for the Winchester White Box you tested a few years ago which had impressive expansion even at 25 yards. EDIT: Yup, watching further seems like your results matched what I read. The long slide propelling the projectiles to around 840 FPS made expansion a lot better. Still wasn’t 100%, but as it went closer to that 850 to 900 mark, it went better.

Gotta love the good planning and scientific method. Great stuff!

What is beautiful in this material is in the first minute, in the upper right corner of the frame, an eagle is flying casualy. :)

I'm still amazed by the fact that, as far as I can tell, you've never once hit the chronograph or the little sensor wires that stick up from it. Nice shooting as always.

When Paul called out "486", I suddenly thought "are we talking about old CPUs?"

Excellent analysis and looking forward to part two, thank you

If someone were to ask me, “hey can I get you to sit down and watch an 18 min. video on velocities out of a 5” barrel vs a 6” in caliber 45acp? “ I’d tell them to get lost. But if you say, “hey Paul’s new video is out”, I’m your man and I’m upset that it’s only 18 minutes…

How cool that a big name like Paul Harrell has hired that Poptart startup to help promote them getting better known.

My wife heard Paul say "That extra inch does make a difference..." To which she retorted - "Told you."

Great information. Thank you

They look cooler, and that's what matters

So sad that almost everybody forgot about the extra long slides, like the iconic (because the Terminator used it) AMT Hardballer Long Slide. Quality may have been mediocre on many ones, but what a beauty! Seven inch barrel and slide, matte stainless steel, but otherwise a classic & classy 1911 🥰

I find it fascinating that Pop Tarts are a favorite with Paul & Co. Always a good snack when camping or hunting.👍

Just started watching and I was secretly hoping for an AMT Longslide with the 7” to be in the mix. 😂

I watched this just because I miss seeing his videos! 😢

There is so much that goes into how a particular firearm works with a particular ammo. Powder load, burn rate, bullet weight, bullet type, barrel length, barrel lining, rifling type, etc.

I really like your show scientific perspective and the funniest thing I've seen in a while is you making grits thanks for the review on the food!

Thank you for a fun and informative video👍

I have a 6” Springfield long slide, and this video answers my questions.

Come on, I'm sure a 1911 with a 5 inch barrel is just as good as a 6 inch barrel. Plus, a 5 inch barrel 1911 has a better personality compared to the 6 inch barrel. With that, my wife is more comfortable with the 5 inch over the 6 inch. She thinks it's too much for her.

From Europe with respect and love. Keep it going.

As I'm watching this video I scroll my phone to check the time, and it's 19:11 Honestly

Given the mixed expansion performance of the JHP from the Kimber, I wonder if the bullet to bullet velocity variation determined which expanded and which didn't. Would it be possible to shoot the bullets through the chronograph and then check expansion for each velocity? That might provide the specific expansion velocity for that type of ammo.

I carry a P-365 but I would never disrespect someone who carried a 1911. Class and Art Deco aesthetic, awesome.

Excellent presentation thank you thank you for your time posting this content.

An important concept to remember here is that .45 caliber pistols are very difficult for regular average shooters to deal with on a daily basis. Most regular soldiers are not very good at shooting handguns. Most soldiers just want to do their time and get out without caring whether they become good handgun shooters or not. I like Paul's scientific method of looking at different pistol barrel lengths with similar ammunition types. In this case, these several kinds semiautomatic .45 caliber 1911 type pistols were tested. An important concept to digest is that very few people could shoot a .45 pistol well enough to hit a target at 10 meters or more. Paul Harrel is a good practiced shooter which makes him out of the ordinary for handgun markesmanship. So for these average ordinary pistol shooters, usually new recruits in basic training or other military training, the question is why train them on a .45 caliber pistol at all? Studies from the US Army in the First World War found that few if any German soldiers were killed by the various .45 caliber pistols issued to the soldiers/officers in significant numbers. It was a poor return on the investment in the First World War to equip large numbers of new conscripts with .45 caliber pistols. The .45 caliber pistols have a savage recoil causing shooters to flinch or be afraid of the .45 pistol. This heavy pistol with a violent recoil takes new recruits too long to condition their muscles over too long a period of time to feel comfortable shooting a .45 caliber pistol like the 1911 model. Millions of men had to be trained quickly on tight schedules for WW2 mobilization or mobilization for any war to screw around with an inferior Model 1911 .45 caliber pistol no recruit could hit anything with on the battlefield. The Army to its credit understood this dilemna because rear echelon troops near the fighting often needed something better than a pistol but the heavy M1 Garand rifle in .30-06 was too expensive to make, too long and too heavy for artillery troops, tank crewmen, mortar crewmen, drivers and many other rear area troops to deal with on a daily basis. The US Army made the M1 Carbine because it was much easier to train soldiers to shoot accurately. The M1 Carbine was an excellent semiautomatic rifle shooting a beefed up pistol round of 7.62x33mm or .30 caliber. It weighed around 5.5 lbs with an effective range of about 200 meters with 300 meters the outer limits. The US Army ordered well over six million M1 Carbines making it more produced than the M1 Garand. The M1 Carbine was a vast improvement over the Model 1911 .45 caliber pistol. So there is some wisdom here about regular ordinary people like me learning to shoot a .45 caliber pistol. It isn't worth the effort to master the .45 handgun. The reputation of the .45 caliber pistol being heavy with lots of jolting recoil makes this pistol a poor choice for anything other boutique novice shooting. The M1 Carbine killed many tens of thousands of Germans, Japanese and later on North Korean and Chinese soldiers to prove its superiority over a handgun. A good rule of war is never take a handgun to a long gun battle. I think this blows the whole concealed carry handgun theory out of the water because handguns are so inaccurate. Police SWAT teams always have a long gun or a shotgun with buckshot using their handguns only for close range backup. www.sandboxx.us/blog/why-the-m1-carbine-became-an-american-legend/

"Extraneous variables".... I think I know what that means, what I do know is your vids are always a pleasure. Thank you for your continued content and the time and effort you put into bringing them to us.

I continue to believe that you are the most honest person expressing real data in whatever you choose to research!! Thanks for everything you continue to do! ( I am one of the group who stay to watch results from cone a Graph.( Phone ain't working for spelling). Sorry 😐 enjoyed as always your content. Thanks 👍

Pop Tarts without sufficient frosting are a crime.

Thanks for the video! I was a bit surprised that the 230 grain JHP rounds didn't do better in the five-inch barrel.

Love it. Everyone is so focused on statistical results and a significant difference that they for get the physical characteristics are what determine what is significant. In this instance 25 fps show it to be the difference of the bullet expanding or not. MVery interesting discovery and demonstration. Wonder what the bullets would look at higher velocities?

Paul's Chronograph: "Alright, Imma gonna head out; need a va-cay."

I enjoyed watching this test as I am 45acp fan. I believe that the 45acp 230gr hollow points lack of consistant expansion has been well documented over the years but with little said on solving the problem other than saying just stick to hardball. I would like to see, as further iterations of this test how would std velocity soft, or pure lead bullets perform. Then the next level of soft lead, being the polymer coated soft lead, and the last being a Berry's type copper plated soft lead bullet. It seems to me that one of those choices might be a good solution over the more expensive goochi self defense rounds.

I don’t own a .45 or a 1911. I do have my grandfather’s Model 1903 .32ACP. Wow does it shoot great! Incorporates many design features that went into the 1911, ever since shooting it now I’m wanting an official 1911…no money for that though. Maybe some day.

This presentation makes me want to see the results from 45 acp Underwood defender ammo.

I'm not going to lie. If I walked past a cookies and creme poptarts at the store WITH paul harrell on it... I'd be buying it.

I have a Dan Wesson Bruin and Kodiak along with a Springfield TRP all in 10mm and all have a 6 inch barrel. To me the long slides are a pretty cool addition to the collection if you're a 1911 fiend like me and I've taken several hogs and deer with those handguns. That said I tend to like 4.25 to 5 inch 1911's much more regardless of what they're chambered in you just have to pick and choose the right bullets with 45ACP. Great video as always keepem coming brother!!!

My key takeaway ... investigate your carry gun and ammo to make sure your combination will achieve hollow point expansion.

How weird you would think that most if not all 45 acp hollow point ammunition would be optimized for the standard length 1911 since it is the most popular 45 ACP firearm

Nice comparison. I'd love to see a similar review comparing the Glock 17 vs 34, or 34 vs 17L.

Excellent analysis

Good video as always. Was very surprised to see that the Rem G/W box 230 gn hp didn't expand at 5 yrds.

Outstanding job Brother Paul! Thank you for being so thorough ❤️🖖🏼🇺🇸

Well, that's disturbing... Or it would be if my wife ever carried her Colt Defender. That little 3" barrel isn't doing it any favors regarding muzzle velocity. It's much handier than a Government, but now I'm really hoping we bought light-for-caliber ammo.

Saweet, there's a Part 2 coming!!!!

I have a Glock model 40 in 10mm. It’s a MOS model so it has an optics platform. I use a delta point pro by leupold as my optic. With the long slide I feel like I get a little bit more out of it. Plus the barrel is more centered because the bushing is further out. It may be a confidence thing. It it works well

Long slide 1911's in 45 ACP were originally made for NRA precision target shooting. The long slide did dampen muzzle rise and, more importantly, provided a sight radius closer to that of the target revolvers that were popular so many decades ago. 45 ACP in standard pressure form gains little velocity from a barrel longer than 5 inches.

I would say that we need to investigate all .45acp hollow points with a large amount of suspicion. I hope Paul or someone, does a test of all the .45acp hollow points he can get ahold of to find some good ones that actually expand reliably. I doubt this is much of a problem on other calibers like 9, 38special etc but it would be nice to have some good options for the 45acp guys. God bless Paul and the whole crew for the work they do to help us all.

I believe that magnum handguns have the greatest leaps in velocity and performance with long barrels. I'll also include 10mm and .357 SIG in this category and it is a shame those are rarely found with 6"+ barrels.

Contrary to popular thought the 230gr bullet is the biggest hindrance to the .45's performance. My carry load in .45 is an Underwood 200gr Gold Dot at 1100 fps or an Underwood 185gr JHP at 1200 fps. Both of these totally outclass any 230 gr round ever offered and make the .45 a real SD weapon.

What I learned from this video is to not load my defensive 1911 with Remington Green and White Box 230 grn jacketed hollowpoints. Federal HSTs 230 grn for me!!

I had this problem with hollow points not expanding in 45s acp and long clots, after seeing a couple of wrecks were. The cars hit tires and the damage was extensive, I got the idea to fill them with black RTV I got good results. I called several bullet manufacturers and discussed it with them Hornaday was one of these.