Advantage Arms 1911 conversion kit

[MW surveyor]

Thanks to the Tac-Sol thread and the latest voyage to one of my LGS today, saw an Advantage Arms Target model 1911 22 cal conversion kit. I'm starting to Jones at the moment want'n something else to shoot. :2eek:

Lord knows I don't get all of my pistols into regular practice enough but......seems like I gotta have a conversion kit for the Para so if they ask if I have only one gun to shoot at the range, I can say sure.;) (We pay by the gun at my local outdoor range, not by the hour and not by the person. You could bring one gun and 50 of your closest friends still the same price of $7.51)

So, I did a quick Google search as far as reviews go and found that most people have had good luck with the Advantage Arms conversion kits. Just wondering if any one here has one or knows of someone that has and uses one, etc and what are your/their impressions.

BTW- this is the fixed barrel model so the top of the slide does not move when you shoot it.

[Bawanna]

"BTW- this is the fixed barrel model so the top of the slide does not move when you shoot it. "

The barrel doesn't move or the slide doesn't move? Slide has to move to feed don't it? Maybe like a Smith 41 set up. Top stays middle moves?
I've heard rumors of good reports on the Advantage kits but I have no first hand knowlege. A friend has one for a Glock I believe.

How much does this unit run ball park? I've been contemplating a conversion or a GSG complete pistol. Still pondering.

[MW surveyor]

Bawanna,

The barrel remains fixed along with the top of the slide. There is a bolt that does move and to c0ck the gun you pull back on the bolt. The bolt is the only thing that really rides on the slide to chamber a round and c0ck the hammer. Top stays back end moves.

My LGS has it for $335 which is actually about $14 or so dollars less than on the Advantage Arms web site. What is also semi cool about this is that the "sight rib" is held on by machine screws. You can also order a scope rib for it and install a red dot or what ever. If you don't want to order the sight rib, I believe that some of the scope rails available will fit. Got a nice red dot sight that would work on it if I wanted to go that route.

[gb6491]

I can't speak to the 1911 conversion, but I have one for my G27. It's well made. I like that it locks the slide back. Accuracy is decent. It functions well, but needs cleaning at about 200 rounds. When it was new, the position of the top/first round in the magazine was critical, but it's not fussy about that anymore. It's also rather light in weight; combine that with the baby Glock frame and the whole package has an almost toy like feel.
http://i43.tinypic.com/fpcfti.jpg
Regards,
Greg

[MW surveyor]

Thanks Greg.

The LGS had three of the Glock conversion kits and two for the Sigs, found the 1911 kit behind the Sigs. Seems like Advantage kind of specializes in the Glock but I have found some reviews dating back to 2007 or so, so they have been making them for a while.

Not sure but it seemed like the upper in the Advantage kit for the 1911 was somewhat heavy. Not as heavy as the 1911 slide but still kind of substantial. It is the target model so that might be the difference. Also supposed to work with the 23 pound hammer spring.

That last round in the mag looks a bit weird.

[gb6491]

...
That last round in the mag looks a bit weird.
It does and I never really noticed that angle before, but they all are in there kind of crisscross to one another. They stagger like that in my wife's Walther P22 as well.
Regards,
Greg

[MW surveyor]

They stagger like that in my wife's Walther P22 as well.


I've got a P22 as well and now that you mention it, you are right. Got the P22 as sort of a short barrel trainer for another short barrel 9 mm pistol that I used to have. Now I use it for short barrel training for the CW9 DA action and sight radius mostly. However, the DA on the P22 is no where close to the CW9.

MW

[CJB]

For me it was a hard decision to make between the TacSol and the AA. I went with the TacSol because it is all steel. Part of me wants to change that steel Picatinny rail that its wearing. Heavy unit.

I think the AA probably has the edge in accuracy, but to tell ya the truth, the TacSol has been very good so far. I like that they did steel inserts in the aluminum on the AA, classy bit of engineering there. What I'd LOVE to see, is if the magazines are inter-changeable.

Keep in mind, if you have a dedicated receiver, you can get some insanely crisp and light trigger results on either of those conversions. The recoiling part is just so light that there isn't much jostle when the slide goes home. On a 1911, the slide moving forward, tends to move the trigger itself backward... with the resultant hammer follow. That predicament is pretty much a non issue on the AA or TacSol conversions.

[MW surveyor]

I've pretty much made my mind up to go and get the AA for the 1911, but have to stick here at the house for a bit longer and force myself to continue to write reports from my last trip to Mexico. Man what a drag.......and wouldn't you know, it finally started raining here in Houston. Been so long I really don't remember the last time it rained. Oh well, hope that they don't sell the AA until I can get there!

Hope that the conversion kit is at least as accurate as my old S&W 422 with the 6" barrel!

[gb6491]

Hope that the conversion kit is at least as accurate as my old S&W 422 with the 6" barrel!
I like those. They fly under a lot of people's .22 handgun radar, but most that have them seem to like them a lot. I have a 4" 422 and a 2913. The magazines for the 422 are pretty handy to have: the Model 41 uses them and they would work in my long gone, SIG Trailside.
http://i33.tinypic.com/15x4ky9.jpg
http://i35.tinypic.com/24edxe9.jpg
Regards,
Greg

[MW surveyor]

When I first started back into shooting I took my 422 to the range. None of the ROs knew what it was and one of the younger one asked "Where's the barrel?" LOL.

Really like mine even if it is the non-target model that you have to apply Kentucky windage to shoot. POA is not POI (at least vertically)

[TonyT]

Thanks to the Tac-Sol thread and the latest voyage to one of my LGS today, saw an Advantage Arms Target model 1911 22 cal conversion kit. I'm starting to Jones at the moment want'n something else to shoot. :2eek:

Lord knows I don't get all of my pistols into regular practice enough but......seems like I gotta have a conversion kit for the Para so if they ask if I have only one gun to shoot at the range, I can say sure.;) (We pay by the gun at my local outdoor range, not by the hour and not by the person. You could bring one gun and 50 of your closest friends still the same price of $7.51)

So, I did a quick Google search as far as reviews go and found that most people have had good luck with the Advantage Arms conversion kits. Just wondering if any one here has one or knows of someone that has and uses one, etc and what are your/their impressions.

BTW- this is the fixed barrel model so the top of the slide does not move when you shoot it.

Your model is the more accurate of the two they offer. It is much like the original Marvel unit which is the bullseye shooters choice.

[CJB]

BTW- this is the fixed barrel model so the top of the slide does not move when you shoot it.

The Marvel, the AA and the TacSol are all based upon the old Kart .22 conversion, which in turn was based on another .22 conversion from the late 50's that I've seen but cant remember the name of. They're all a little bit different, but the Marvel and AA are pretty much the same, with the exception of the steel inserts and slide stop working on the AA unit. The old Kart unit was/is the gold-standard by which the others should be judged, but you can't find those to save yer life these days, as they're in the hands of those who know enough about them, and shoot well enough to want to keep them.

Got a used set of Herrett National's today - I need to modify them a bit to clear my bolt on detent spring housing (EGW's). Also to clear the bases of the TacSol magazines.

There's something very soothing about .22 bullseye shooting.

[MW surveyor]

So went and sprung for the Advantage Arms conversion kit for the 1911 on Tuesday but it was raining. Hoped to have tested it out yesterday but the range I used was undergoing some much needed upgrading and modifications. In any event, here's a photo of the 22 conversion kit on my Para GI frame. Note how the barrel and sight rail remains forward and the lower is slid back.

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l605/MWsurveyor/advarms1911conversion.jpg

BTW - the slide stop is in two pieces. Took the longest time to figure out that you had to hold the lock/unlock part in position then put the pin in.

Spent an hour or so yesterday trying to run down some solid 40 grain bullets that weren't Federals, PMC or Western. Advantage does not recommend the preceding but does recommend CCI mini mags, Rem. Golden bullets. Have both of those so that's what I'll test with.

Range report to follow (probably Tuesday or Friday)

[gb6491]

Remington Golden Bullets - I almost forgot about this, the cases on these would bulge when I used them with my AA kit. They feed, fire, and extract just fine, but the empties are bulged. Golden Bullets seem to generate more chamber pressure than any other .22LR ammo I've used. I won't use them in any of the double action revolvers I have because there are problematic to eject.
Regards,
Greg

[Bawanna]

So went and sprung for the Advantage Arms conversion kit for the 1911 on Tuesday but it was raining. Hoped to have tested it out yesterday but the range I used was undergoing some much needed upgrading and modifications. In any event, here's a photo of the 22 conversion kit on my Para GI frame. Note how the barrel and sight rail remains forward and the lower is slid back.

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l605/MWsurveyor/advarms1911conversion.jpg

BTW - the slide stop is in two pieces. Took the longest time to figure out that you had to hold the lock/unlock part in position then put the pin in.

Spent an hour or so yesterday trying to run down some solid 40 grain bullets that weren't Federals, PMC or Western. Advantage does not recommend the preceding but does recommend CCI mini mags, Rem. Golden bullets. Have both of those so that's what I'll test with.

Range report to follow (probably Tuesday or Friday)

Thats really sweet. I've been looking for an affordable Marvel for years. Didn't realize that the AA is similar or the same.
Looking forward to your range report. I bet it's gonna be a fun shooter. And you don't have to mortgage the farm to shoot it. Cool.

[MW surveyor]

Greg - +1 on the Golden Bullets but if they work in the AA and I can't find anything else cheap.Not going to reload them anyway.LOL I have a few problems with them in my P22 and my 422 particularly with extraction and there are enough duds to make me p'off (but I still use them). Only thing so far that will reliably cycle the P22 other than the CCI mini mags.

Bawanna - I also hope that it is a good shooter. I'm looking around for some cheap bulk pack ammo with a solid bullet that it will eat. AA says that the gun is more accurate with the solids. May have to go to ***choke*** :puke:Gander Mountain to see what they have. However, not going to pay over 4 or 5 cents a round for ammo for this gun unless I have to.

[DKD]

In have a conversion unit for my 4" Kimber Pro Raptor and it will also work on my 4" Colt Officers Model. It works on all 1911's with a 4" or 5" barrel. They to
only recommend CCI Mini Mags 22 LR. Remington Yellow Jackets also seam to work well. The slide won't lock open on the last round other than that the upper 5" bareled slide is all steel and operates just like the conventional slide. I believe it cost around $ 200.00

[Bawanna]

There are a few right now on Gunbroker. I like my Smith 41 so much I'm having a hard time convincing myself that I need one. I for sure want one but where does it fall on the list.
I better now look at this thead much anymore, bad influence.