An Overdue Discussion on .45 Auto

[Robert Richardson]

It gets the job done.

 

[bobzilla]

.45acp, the choice of gingers around the world. It doesn’t just kill it steals the soul…. Just like us

 

[JAL]

Hail Browning, full of genius, Samuel Colt is with thee. Blessed are you among firearms designers, and blessed is the fruit of thy brain, the 1911. Hail Browning, pray for the glockateers, now and at the time of their strikering.

Amen.

 

[chadm]

“Wonder 9s” are nice and practical, but there is nothing like the feel of a single stack 1911 in 45acp.

Here is a pair of Baers.

 

[Hookeye]

Grew up shooting 1911s. Carried a Commander for couple decades.

Got out of the .45 acp game. Capacity was my reason.

If i get another 1911 itll be 10mm, for hunting

 

[Dentoro]

They are fun and easy to reload too. Pretty good array of choices to pick from.

 

[GunsCarsPlanes]

Got out of the .45 acp game. Capacity was my reason.

Same here, S&W is nice because you get 8 rounds instead of 7 with the Colt. Capacity appeals to me, I wanted to stay with 45acp so I went with a G30sf and the 13+1 is really really nice. If I carry a single extra mag I have 27 rounds of 45acp and that just feels right in my mind.

Not the same as carry 17 rounds in the 9mm. A 9mm pistol with 1 extra mag carrying 35 rounds is pretty sweet. I carry less with the 45 but 27 rounds is still alot. Too bad the G30sf don't carry like a 1911.

fun and easy to reload too

I have a Dillon 550 all set up and ready to go, all I need is primers/powder/bullets/chronograph. haha now as I type that out is sounds like I need everything but I'm comparing it to the mountain of things I've accumulated getting ready to reload.

 

[Robert Richardson]

I've noticed that most people who carry a single stack 1911 with 7 or 8 round magazines are perfectly comfortable with them.
Most people that carry 9mm anything aren't comfortable unless the gun holds 15 rounds or more.
I'm thinking some must be thinking that the little 9mm is not up to snuff, dunno.

 

[Bassat]

I've noticed that most people who carry a single stack 1911 with 7 or 8 round magazines are perfectly comfortable with them.
Most people that carry 9mm anything aren't comfortable unless the gun holds 15 rounds or more.
I'm thinking some must be thinking that the little 9mm is not up to snuff, dunno.

I must be an odd duck, or just getting old. (Really? That happens?) Anyway, 30 years ago I carried a 1911 in 45acp. 8+1, and a spare. Somewhere along the line, my BUG - Keltec P32 (6+1, and spare) became my EDC. There is certainly something to be said about 6+ ounces vs 3+ pounds. After recently experimenting with hicap 9s, I am comfortable with my Kahr CM9 (6+1, 2 spares). I liked the 10+1 of the P365 and 12+1 of the 365XL, but I couldn't get past the weight, and very slight trigger pull. I also found both of them too heavy, and the XL too large for pocket carry. Hence the CM9. It is a wonderful little gun with a beautiful trigger. One thing still surprises me: the slide seems to lock back pretty fast. Six rounds seems a bit paltry. To make up for that, I put 2 six-round spares in my left pocket. So yeah, even with my 6+1 CM9, capacity matters.

 

[bobzilla]

Don’t get me wrong I loved the 10+1 of the little Taurus I had. But I didn’t shoot it as well as I did the 1911’s. I carry a full size mag as the spare so that’s 8 and 8 in the gun itself. If I can’t get it done with 16 I think I screwed myself long before that point. Yes it’s 5 round less than the 24/7 (21 total) but they carry better.

 

[Hookeye]

I've noticed that most people who carry a single stack 1911 with 7 or 8 round magazines are perfectly comfortable with them.
Most people that carry 9mm anything aren't comfortable unless the gun holds 15 rounds or more.
I'm thinking some must be thinking that the little 9mm is not up to snuff, dunno.

I think the world has changed (not for the better).
IMHO higher capacity isn't about the cartridge, its about engaging more targets.

 

[Basher]

I've noticed that most people who carry a single stack 1911 with 7 or 8 round magazines are perfectly comfortable with them.
Most people that carry 9mm anything aren't comfortable unless the gun holds 15 rounds or more.
I'm thinking some must be thinking that the little 9mm is not up to snuff, dunno.

Maybe for some, but my EDC at the moment is a stock G48, so I’m at 10+1 with a reload and I feel fine.

Statistically speaking, the likelihood of needing more than a few rounds in a typical defensive encounter is quite low. The likelihood of needing a reload is even lower (this according to the observations of John @ Active Self Protection on literally thousands of defensive encounters captured on security cams).

However, I still carry a reload, and prefer a higher capacity if I can (I’m moving to a slightly larger EDC in the near future). I’d rather be over prepared than under, I guess.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I've noticed that most people who carry a single stack 1911 with 7 or 8 round magazines are perfectly comfortable with them.
Most people that carry 9mm anything aren't comfortable unless the gun holds 15 rounds or more.
I'm thinking some must be thinking that the little 9mm is not up to snuff, dunno.

*S&W Shield enters the chat*

 

[92FSTech]

I've noticed that most people who carry a single stack 1911 with 7 or 8 round magazines are perfectly comfortable with them.
Most people that carry 9mm anything aren't comfortable unless the gun holds 15 rounds or more.
I'm thinking some must be thinking that the little 9mm is not up to snuff, dunno.

It all depends on the demands of the environment. Most days putzing around the house or walking the dog out in the country, I'm perfectly comfortable with a 5-shot J-Frame. Out and about on my own time 7+1 and a reload is probably going to handle anything I need it to, because I live in a pretty quiet area and I'm not an aggressive, confrontational guy when I don't have to be. At work where I might get sent to a bar fight with guns and knives, I want all the bullets I can get.

 

[Ghostface]

I’m not a 1911 guy but I do like the .45…

 

[BugI02]

I’m not a 1911 guy but I do like the .45…

New York reload!

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I’m not a 1911 guy but I do like the .45…

I own more copies of P220s than any other gun. It's kind of my "if you could only have one" answer. Big enough to shoot well, thin enough to conceal well, compliant for travel to cranky states, parts are reasonably available, etc. I have those same grips as well as the gray version. Excellent texture, really Goldilocks for me in how rough it is.

 

[Leadeye]

45acp is not impractical, nor is it inefficient. There is no caliber that gets more downrange effect from 4 grains of Bullseye, than 45 acp.

I have two question for the thread:

1. OP...where did you score the chamber inserts? Briley? (You are fixing to get me in a HELL of a lot of trouble here).

2. Leadeye, a) where did you score the Broomhandle 45, and b) how do I learn to extract my video game fantasy guns into real life?

Long time back for me on the big broom, but you do see them show up on GB from time to time. They are hard on extractors.

 

[Leadeye]

Because this thing isn't in 9mm

Solid shooters, among my favorites.

 

[penguinship]

It doesn't have to always make logical sense, the heart wants with the heart wants