Why yes. They made them in a variety of calibers. The Pachmayr Dominator was made as a steel silhouette and hunting handgun where a 1911 frame was host to a breach loading, rim spaced single shot that went up to a number of rifle calibers.

I found one in a local shop. It intrigued me.



It was a Springfield Armory Inc. frame, that left as a frame only.



The pistol had basic GI parts. I imagine that the original owner experienced uncomfortable and unreliable accuracy.



Upgrades were in order.



Parts from Cylinder&Slide, EGW, 10-8, and Nill, meant a real handful was in order:



It was way, way low and left, but I walked it into this, at 60yds.



Now that I know it's on, next time I'll give 100 a go.

It's an unusual, perhaps impractical piece, but it is accurate enough to be both challenging and rewarding.

Long range scoped pistol shooting is loads of fun, but as you will find there's there's a learning curve, all sorts of variables to try and keep consistent, things to worry about that just aren't there when shooting a rifle. It's frustrating and rewarding.

Some of my greatest times at the range were with my single shot pistols, making rifle shooters feel bad.

This piece will tell you exactly what you're doing, to be sure.

A pistol shot at a range typically meant for rifles, can only be satisfying.

I didn't know about these pistols. Got to say that looks pretty neat. Let us know how she does at 100!!!!

Designed for metallic silhouette shooting. http://www.ihmsa.org/index.html

It is nice with the upgrades and that optic on top certainly has my attention.

That's a neat snapshot of different thinking from a not so distant time.

Looks like a fun project

quote:

Originally posted by jjkroll32:
That's a neat snapshot of different thinking from a not so distant time.

Designed around IHMSA competition and handgun hunting.

We may have touched on this before, there were a couple different systems built around the same idea.

The Springfield 1911-A2 SASS that was a tilting barrel design.







And the Clerke Xtender which was a flip up breach.

Until I stumbled on the Dominator, I didn't really know there had been so many attempts at single shot pistols, and so many that used 1911 frames.

The downside to the Dominator, is that reloading isn't speedy or graceful. But, in the context of what these pistols do, it's just something to consider. Not a strict fault or dealbreaker. From what I've seen of other available options, or should I say "available," since you don't see many of these things, the Dominator works well, and the major plus is the 1911 trigger potential, and available grips.

Modern factory retail options are severely limited. I'd love to find a Dominator in .223, but I'd be happy with a TC contender.

About the only other currently made option from a cursory search is from Freedom Arms, and for me they're out because I don't like what I'll call the "cowboy" grip shape.

I'd consider another single shot pistol in either .223 or .45-70. Both I've shot in pistol form before, and would do again. Larger rifle calibers are a novelty, but begin to be genuinely uncomfortable.

Long range bullseye with a pistol is a challenge, and impractical when compared with a rifle. Still, if you can accurately hunt with it, I can see why you'd still take one into the field. If you can take almost half as much gun and still have range and accuracy, OK.

Really though, it's challenging and fun, that is enough. Key though, is that the weapon delivers when you do your part. Without that, this thing'd already be back behind glass at the fun shop or Gunborker.

Nice!

Not really having an extra 1911 frame as a permanent host, this does look cool.

Now I think I'll have to get a scope for the .44 and take it out more.

Single-shot long-barreled .44 Magnum with a scope?

Perfect for your future career as head of an ultra-violent band of post-apocalyptic junkyard misfit raiders in a quest for control of an oil refinery.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
...an ultra-violent band of post-apocalyptic junkyard misfit raiders in a quest for control of an oil refinery.

Did go to the junkyard last week. Didn't raid anything or see the refinery, but I did get a radio from a Mazda RX-8 for $15.

I would at least untie those two guys on the front of the truck after I found out there were no extra CDs in the radio.

Ugh hockey mask. Still need goggles when the wind picks up and then being scary takes one to the grapes...

Risking thread drift, what do you think of the flat trigger in a 1911. Never owned one, but they seem to be popular enough online.

I'm not crazy about the look, but I love em. I have fairly good sized hands, so I like the longer ones.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfe 21:
Risking thread drift, what do you think of the flat trigger in a 1911. Never owned one, but they seem to be popular enough online.

I'd not done one in a 1911 until now, and I don't mind them, but I'm not blown away. I could see how finger size might make some curved triggers unpleasant.

The 1911 trigger is a straight back movement, I think that a flat trigger would have a more distinct feel than a curved trigger, in any pistol where the trigger pivots. I'll be trying one in my G19.

No harm in trying it, but I don't think that everyone is guaranteed a noticeable benefit.

I will say I like the solid one you used better than the skeletonized ones shown above from a purely aesthetic perspective.
Thanks for the opinions.

I would agree. I believe some of the skeletonized ones have inserts that let you change the length of the trigger.