Standard ammunition develops more energy in the Iver Johnson carbine’s 16.25-inch barrel.Ĭhances are, I have only scratched the surface of this firearm’s potential. It is fast into action and a shooter that struggles with a pistol may get good hits quickly with this carbine. The Iver Johnson 1911A1 carbine offers a lot of fun, good conversation, and is much easier to shoot well than a pistol.Īs for serious use, many long guns are not safe to keep fully-loaded at home ready. It is what it is, and this is true to the GI gun in most ways - including the feed ramp’s original less-than-optimal design. While I consider the piece primarily for recreation, I like to be able to use a wide range of ammunition.Īfter managing to work up excellent cycle reliability with the long barrel and a standard operating action, you would think feed reliability would have been addressed. The carbine does not feed hollowpoints, at least not all hollowpoint ammunition. The carbine isn’t difficult to disassemble. When firing, the sights are closer to the eye than with a pistol and this makes for good accuracy potential.Īmong the most accurate combinations is a hard-cast 200-grain SWC over enough Titegroup powder for 1,100 fps (899 fps in a pistol). Fast shooting and tracking on targets is fun.Īt four pounds and with a few more ounces when fully-loaded, the Iver Johnson carbine doesn’t recoil very much. The 19-inch length of pull is what you make of it.

The stock seems rigid enough, but I would not stress it over much. Remember, the lower part of the grip is taken up by a stock attachment. Getting a grip is a bit complicated, even cramped for some hands, but it can be done with practice. Factory hardball 230-grain FMJ loads also did well.įiring from a benchrest, the carbine is capable of a two to three-inch group at 25 yards, all we may ask. I was pleased with performance of lead SWC and RNL loads. A truly interesting firearm and fun to shoot as well! Test FiringĪll standard 1911 magazines worked well, locking in place and feeding. I don’t think it was an easy task to convince a carbine with a swinging barrel link and barrel bushing to operate reliably, but the 1911 carbine works well. I can see 200 grains at 1,100 fps without any problem - near 10mm Auto ballistics. 45 ACP loads, as an example, perk up to over 1,000 fps.įaster loads are even faster with some 185-grain JHP loads breaking 1,125 fps in the carbine. The 16.25-inch barrel generates a big gain in velocity over the five-inch barrel pistol without increased recoil. The grips have the famous Iver Johnson Owl Head logo. The carbine is nicely finished and the sights are larger than GI types. SAM of the Philippines supplies the re-branded Iver Johnson. A specially-designed mainspring housing mates to a shoulder stock to create this carbine. The Iver Johnson is a shoulder-stocked factory carbine, not a stocked pistol.

Iver johnson 1911