I know I am coming late to this thread but this struck me.Catbird wrote:Since there are lots of .22 automatics and not a lot of .22, 1911 conversion kits in gun stores, it's safe to say they aren't very popular.
The reason that there are lots of .22 automatics and not lots of conversion kits at the gun stores, is that the conversion kits legally aren't guns. So I can buy the Kimber conversion kit for $399 at Gander Mountain or for $300 at Midway. I can't, however, get Midway to ship a Ruger Mark III right to my door like that Kimber conversion kit.