Tough Job: Torture Test a 1911 and Establish a World Record
Just how tough is Para’s PXT 1911? We asked that
question of World Speed Shooting Champion Todd Jarrett, and sent him cases of ammunition to find out. Along with Shooting Gallery host, Michael Bane,
we came up with the Ultimate Hot Gun Torture Test:
to see how fast 1,000 rounds of .45 ACP could be
poured non-stop through a Para PXT 1911. To warm
up, we put a 1,000 round of 230-grain ball through
the pistol. No problems. The next morning after
cleaning the pistol, we started the Hot Gun Test.
Jarrett chose some hot ammo, International’s Green
Elite NT 155-grain frangible flat point round with
a muzzle velocity of 1,150 feet per second.
With three people loading magazines, Jarrett started to shoot the new Para PXT 1911 SSP. The more he shot the hotter the pistol got. Barrel temperatures became so hot that the ramped, stainless steel match barrel turned a deep golden color. But the pistol never missed a beat. 10 minutes and 44 seconds after he started, Jarrett had put 1,000 rounds through the pistol establishing a NEW World Record on the range at Blackwater USA.
He let the pistol cool and then, using a Chip McCormick 10-round Power Mag, shot a group on a steel plate at 10 yards with all shots touching.
For the next several hours, the magazine loaders took turns shooting the SSP with both the ICC frangible ammo and standard white box 230-grain ball ammunition until 5,000 rounds had been shot. The tough pistol digested all of the ammo without complaint. We do not recommend that you torture your 1911 for 4,000 rounds without cleaning it. But if your 1911 is a Para PXT, it can take it.
PXT 1911 Single-Action Single Stack Models:
