new impression on full sized .45's

[Guest dizzielizzie]

I'm sure Packinmama will get right on board with this...

Went to New Hampshire to visit family, and I had the opportunity to try out my dad's Kimber... My first time shooting a 45, and I'm in love! I'll have to ask him again what model it was... I was able to get my shots grouped within an approx. 6" circle "just messing around." Sad part was he had a box of 250 rounds, but wouldn't let me use up the box... Something about 50 cents a shell... Guess I'm not Daddy's little girl anymore.

Anyway, I'm sure a full size 45 must be difficult to conceal for a lady, but I must admit it was nice to shoot. I'm wondering if the sub-compact models handle as well as the full size, the whole experience makes me reconsider wether I'd rather have a sub-compact 45 than a compact 9mm. I know you gents will say "yes" but I gotta hear it from the ladies...

[PackinMama]

Your post made me smile! Yeah, something about getting older makes Daddys a little less generous with their little girls.....especially when it comes to shootin' up all their ammo! LOL

My ex had a Colt Government 1911 and it was pretty cool to shoot. However, I always preferred shooting my Glock .40 over the 1911 when we'd go shooting together. Have you ever tried a .40 Dizzie? That's mainly what I prefer to carry for self defense......although I have been carrying a 9mm KelTec this summer because it's lighter and thinner than my Glock .40's. I thought the .45 was ok, and I wouldn't mind having a Glock .45 someday......but I don't think I'd really want a .45 1911. Too big and heavy and not enough round capacity for it's size and weight. That's just me though.....I know there's a lot of die hard 1911 .45 fans on here that I'm sure will be along shortly. LOL

I do know someone that has a Springfield Micro Compact .45 and he has several thousand trouble free rounds down the pipe and carries it every day.....but he's a guy and doesn't mind the weight. I personally think the .40 is an excellent compromise between a 9mm and a .45. They can be had in a lightweight model with a high round capacity......not as many rounds as most 9mm's, but more than most .45's. I think it's really all a matter of what you like and what you can shoot and carry comfortably. If you like it and it works for you, go for it!

BlackBeltChick might want to add her .02 here for you. If I remember correctly, she carries a .45.......

[JReedEsq]

Make sure that you shoot a subcompact .45 before you consider buying one. Contrary to what the caliber war threads may say, I think recoil and shootability has more to do with platform than the caliber. For example, I think even a .40 has quite a snap in a subcompact, but I could shoot my full-size .40 all day long. With revolvers, I've shot .357 loads through full-size revolers but after shooting .38 specials in a snubby, I have no interest in even trying a .357 snub. Of course recoil is subjective, but I've found that I really don't mind the loud noise/flash/push of a powerful round out of a big gun. What I don't care for is when a small gun feels like it's jumping out of my hand.

[peejman]

Make sure that you shoot a subcompact .45 before you consider buying one. Contrary to what the caliber war threads may say, I think recoil and shootability has more to do with platform than the caliber. For example, I think even a .40 has quite a snap in a subcompact, but I could shoot my full-size .40 all day long. With revolvers, I've shot .357 loads through full-size revolers but after shooting .38 specials in a snubby, I have no interest in even trying a .357 snub. Of course recoil is subjective, but I've found that I really don't mind the loud noise/flash/push of a powerful round out of a big gun. What I don't care for is when a small gun feels like it's jumping out of my hand.

This.

I carry a PT145 and I've no issue with the recoil in the relatively small gun. .357's in a snubby? Not a chance.

... I don't think I'd really want a .45 1911. Too big and heavy and not enough round capacity for it's size and weight. ...

And this.

Accuracy (under stress) is far more important than caliber. Use whatever gun you shoot well, period.

[Guest friesepferd]

45 is a nice caliber. if it is something you are interested, i suggest trying a variaty of carriable 45s to see what works best for you.

there are light wieght (AL frame) smaller (subcompact) 1911s. thats what I carry (but happens to be in a 9). Shot many subcompact 45s with no problem. plenty of subcompact polymer 45s out there too. look around and you are bound to find one that you like.

if its the 1911 that you liked (seeing you shot a kimber), you may also want to look into the 9mm 1911s. have the same feel and accuracy of the gun you shot but with with a smidge more capacity and a smidge less recoil and a lot of ammo $ savings.

I carry the Kimber ultra Aegis II, which is a 3" alloy framed 9mm 1911. i love it.

[PackinMama]

I pretty much agree with friesepferd. I carry a Springfield EMP 9mm micro 1911 (in cooler weather), which is very similar to the Kimber Aegis II. It's incredibly accurate and cheap to shoot. With the technological advances in todays best 9mm self defense ammo, I feel very adequately protected with the 9mm.

[Jonnin]

I don't get the gender issue. Im a gent, sure, but I say the same thing I would say to a man asking this question.

The recoil is a factor of several things, and really is a per-gun thing. In general, a 6 inch 20 ounce 45 is going to kick more than a 9 inch long 1911 that weighs 3 pounds. The only way to know if you can handle it and like it or not, though, is to try the gun in question, as there are a ton of factors in "recoil" including the springs used, the grip, balance, and more.

I personally dislike most small .45s. The "small" ones are still mostly over 6.5 inches (I consider that to be a large gun for concealed carry), and the few that are not all have some sort of drawback like a DAO trigger or 5-6 shot limitation. How small do you want it, thats an important question, and how many shots can you live with?

The good news is that there are a lot of options and, unless small 45 recoil is too harsh for you, you can probably find what you want. Medium size, heavy, lots of shots? We got that, para makes a .45 that is about 6.5 inches, 32 oz, 10 shots. Want it light & small? Taurus makes a small, light 45. Double action only, small, designed for carry? Khar makes a good one. Small at all costs, a pocket pistol? There are derringers from 2-5 shots out there in tiny packages, some not much bigger than a 380, though they can be hard to find.

I dont have much useful to say, most of my .45 experience is with the big ones, but the important thing to take from this is that your ability to handle a gun is not easy to judge until you actually fire that gun. If one small .45 kicks badly, another may not, due to a difference in weight, springs, design, or other factors. All of the small ones are going to be a little bit more stout than a full sized 1911, however odds are you can find one that feels good to you in the medium-gun size range.

[dunndw]

I have seen many many women look at a 1911 in fear...until they shoot it. I've had numerous ladies in classes that have never shot a handgun before. They start out scared of anything larger than a .22. When we get down to the time to shoot for score, many of them have rented one of my 1911s to qualify with. The weight of a 1911 makes it a challange to carry, but that weight, along with the "push" recoil of the .45 vs the snappier recoil of a .40 makes is a easy gun to shoot (in my opinion)

[Lumber_Jack]

My opinion is carry as much caliber as possible. With that said I would encourage you to try several 45's out. You will notice that the recoil is a little different going from 5" 1911 to a 3". But it will definitely be different that shooting 45 in say a sub-compact glock. Some of the 3" 1911s have reliability problems just do to the design being compacted so much, but they can be reliable just be aware they can be picky. I personally carry a Kimber 4" and love it, but to your point it may be a little more difficult for a lady to conceal than myself dependent on clothing style. Just my 2 cents

[Guest ab28]

With modern hollowpoint ammo, there isn't really much practical difference between 9mm, .40, and .45, with a handgun of any caliber, it is most likely going to take multiple hits to stop someone, so I like 9mm for faster followup shots.

I have heard of several coroners not being able to tell what the guy was shot with until they dug the bullet out. Never have an expectation of how many shots it will take to stop someone, just keep shooting until they are no longer a threat.

Edited April 27, 2011 by ab28

[gregintenn]

With modern hollowpoint ammo, there isn't really much practical difference between 9mm, .40, and .45,

:stunned:Did you say that with a straight face?

[Dolomite_supafly]

With modern hollowpoint ammo, there isn't really much practical difference between 9mm, .40, and .45, .

:stunned:Did you say that with a straight face?

+1,000

Now I am getting ready to start carrying a 9mm again but saying it is the same as a 45 ACP is crazy.

Compare the two links:

terminal 45 acp

terminal 9mm luger

In a quick look it appears that the 45 ACP expands to a larger diameter almost every time when compared to 9mm. 9mm is not going to expand to the same OD as a 45 ACP, not possible. The larger the hole the more likely you are to hit something vital.

Take Federal HST, in 45 ACP it expanded to .987". Same bullet in 9mm expanded to .629". Hardly the same.

Now I wouldn't want to be hit with a 9mm but it is hardly the same as 45 ACP. I have been hit with a 45 ACP. It wasn't instant incapacitation as some think but then again it was a leg shot also.

Dolomite

[quietguy]

Did you say that with a straight face?

These discussions (as one who recently allowed himself to get dragged into a couple) never end well. Only thing I would add is that a 9mm may expand, but a .45 won't get smaller.