Thinking about a .45, depending on new firearms laws

[factorx81 0]

I have a SIG 1911 its my favorite gun I have an XDM9 5.25 and an EMP in 9mm great guns but the SIG is my favorite. I have put 2000 rounds through it since I bought it last year and I have never had a problem with it. Everytime I take out a new shooter, which I try to do as often as I can, they also always favor the SIG by the end of the day it is just a pleasure to shoot.

[Combat Auto 174]

^{I'll admit up front, I am biased to the .45 cal acp..With the federal hydrashok round, you have a statistically 94% one-shot stopper...This is exactly what you want for personal defense 1 shot - 1-stop...Never got the 9mm thing - sure fine for uspsa and what not...But I would easily give up several pmm rounds for 45 acp...There are many exeples of Cops riddling the bad guy with many 9mms - and they don't necessairily go down...Tough to find examples of that with th 45 acp....Sure yo can even go heavyier with 44 mag, 50 mag - but then you do indeed have recoil challanges....The 45 acp is managable as far as recoil but will require practice (the rewards are wonderful though :-))...It is the perfest trade-off of stopper vs controlability, IMHO.}

^{So given I sold you on the 45 cal ;-), chosing the actual gun depends on lots of things...First off your price point?...The best/accurate of these 45 autos seem to be Wilsons ~3K$, Kimbers ~1200$, and HKs ~1000 (and I am sure others can add to this list)....The 1911 platform, is a known, proven, 100+ year gun. The feel is awsome and the are sweet shooters...It is in fact the original "Tactical-Pistol" still carried by many eliete forces (I shot my first one in the USN back in the 70s)...BTW, the HK is not a 1911 but is a great platform of itself....You can also get a revolver in 45 acp from S&W (I just learned this today myself and I may be getting one too!)....You also need to decide what size you want - all these come in various sizes.}

[Combat Auto 174]

1911 is a novelty pistol once it wears off you like me won't care for the platform. 1800.00 safe queen I own now. 1911 are for showing your friends!

[Combat Auto 174]

^{I'll admit up front, I am biased to the .45 cal acp..With the federal hydrashok round, you have a statistically 94% one-shot stopper...This is exactly what you want for personal defense 1 shot - 1-stop...Never got the 9mm thing - sure fine for uspsa and what not...But I would easily give up several pmm rounds for 45 acp...There are many exeples of Cops riddling the bad guy with many 9mms - and they don't necessairily go down...Tough to find examples of that with th 45 acp....Sure yo can even go heavyier with 44 mag, 50 mag - but then you do indeed have recoil challanges....The 45 acp is managable as far as recoil but will require practice (the rewards are wonderful though :-))...It is the perfest trade-off of stopper vs controlability, IMHO.}

^{So given I sold you on the 45 cal ;-), chosing the actual gun depends on lots of things...First off your price point?...The best/accurate of these 45 autos seem to be Wilsons ~3K$, Kimbers ~1200$, and HKs ~1000 (and I am sure others can add to this list)....The 1911 platform, is a known, proven, 100+ year gun. The feel is awsome and the are sweet shooters...It is in fact the original "Tactical-Pistol" still carried by many eliete forces (I shot my first one in the USN back in the 70s)...BTW, the HK is not a 1911 but is a great platform of itself....You can also get a revolver in 45 acp from S&W (I just learned this today myself and I may be getting one too!)....You also need to decide what size you want - all these come in various sizes.}

btw, you can get the best 1911 10 round 45 acp sticks from Tripps...

[GunByte 2]

During the last AWB my main gun was a CZ75B with 10 round mags. I had no problem with that for home defense/competition and carry less than that most times now. My 2 civilian encounters found me with a 5 shot .357 mag snub nose loaded with .38 +P's. It seems that it is true that most people do not want to be shot with anything as the mere display of my gun ended all bad intentions towards me both times and one of those times involved 3 men who surrounded me in a parking lot. After 62 years I tend to prepare for the possible that is most likely to happen rather than the unlikely merely because it is possible. Keep the gun. It is one of the great guns of all time and most people can shoot 9mm faster and more accurately than a .45 plus the cost of .45 ammo will make you practice less. I recently sold off all my .45's in favor of 9mm's. I can shoot them faster and more accurately and with the new ammo around they do perform well in real life.

[Combat Auto 174]

GunByte, Thanks foir sharing your interesting encounters...Yikes, why were 3 people after you - what was the context? (Always good for orhers to learn from these experiences).

 

I agree that most bad guys will back off at sight of gun (and unfortunatly go after a weaker target), unless you get a mega-phyco path like the CT/Colorodo shooters for example.

 

I also agree the 9mm can do the job, but statistically the 45 is a more powerful round - but your point about shoot what you feel confident shooting is valad and there are so many variables so we each make our choice...The .357 mag is right there with the 45 as far as stopping power and I think a great self-defense round also.

 

I will say though, all things equal:

Statistically,

44 mag, 50 mag - stop a bear - but lots of recoil/recovery-time.

45 acp, 357 mag - proven man stoppers, managable recoil.

9mm, .38 - less effective 1 shot man stoppers - easer to shoot (they say, I've never shot these)

[mcbethr 42]

Take a look at this:

 

http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/printable/node/7866

 

Basically, there is no appreciable difference between .45 and 9mm. Still, I would want a .45 if I were limited to 10 rounds.

 

Read the link above. If you take anything away from it know this: if you want a 1 shot stop, use a shotgun.

[70gto 142]

I know its not a 1911 but my goto /ccw is a glock 30sf small reliable. its like a pocket freight train 45 acp 10 in the mag plus 1. its pretty much dummy proof , thats why I like it and very accurate.