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45 acp, which one?

R1ch said:
Considering the HK... thanks for the notes. Why are they sighted low, is it the sight picture is different than others?
Click to expand...

R1ch,

It seems to me that HK's sight picture is slightly different from others. The target is covered by the front sight. I could be wrong(and probably am).

Check out HK's web site AND check out their own forum as well, lots of info there.

As for the why of choosing an HK, I suggested a Tactical(just under a grand) because of the extended barrel lenght(for accuracy) and the increased sight radius as well. The Mark 23($1899.00, Bachman Pawn and Gun), the Elite, or the Expert would be fine choices as well providing you can still find 'em. Big, chunky firearms, but excellent quality.


My 2 cents worth.
 
Smith & Wesson M&P 45, best fitting/comfortable grip bar none IMO, plus comes with different size interchangable grips to match your preference and hand size. Well balanced too. For the price you could do a couple of mods also, like trigger job, and be under the price of most other guns mentioned in this thread. Try one, you won't be disapointed.
 
drgrant said:
+P is nice but is often overkill. An 800+ FPS 230 gr load will kill pins just fine most of the time... but it is tempting to crank it up a bit if you're reloading. I have one load I use once in awhile that is nipping at the heels of 900 fps or so. I could go higher safely, too, but don't want to increase the
recoil too much. [laugh] I typically try to save the hotter stuff for when the pins get heavy, although one time I ran it pretty much all
day.

-Mike
Click to expand...

Mike,

Thanks for this good info. It agrees with my thinking. As the pins get heavy, go up in power. I don't load yet, but thinking about it.

At this point I'm leaning towards a nice 1911. I saw a Kimber team match that felt very nice. I thought about the SIG 220, but out of the box the trigger isn't as nice as the trigger and Barb prefers the 1911 also.
 
I really think that a quality 1911 is the answer. You can purchase any kind you want, and I would opt for something on the order of a Wilson, or a Rock River Ordnance, or one of the loaded Springfield pistols. In a traditional DA pistol the Sig p220 is hard to beat although I think the Ruger P345 has a lot to offer for hundreds of dollars less. H&K pistols are well engineered although I personally am not too fond of them, but my experience with them is limited. I think that S&W made some nice DA pistols in their 4500 hundred series, especially the Tactical line, and you might be able to get a nice one at a very fair price.

My own preference, surprisingly perhaps, is a S&W Model 22 (Model of 1950 Military) revolver in .45 ACP.: Double or single action for each shot (your choice) with full moon clips very easy to reload, heavy N frame which will absorb hot loads (although like Mike, I really don't think +P is as critical in .45ACP as in other calibers). Plenty of grip selections are available to ensure that it fits your hand properly, too. The only drawback for you is the cartridge capacity is limited to six.

The 1911 in its various forms and accessories give you the most versatality, and since you are not hampered by silly regulations and lists, shop around and get yourself a quality 1911 by a name maker and you shouldn't go wrong. It probably isn't the .45 that I would carry (my S&W revolver serves that purpose) for everyday uses, but they are great classic, guns and I do own two of them and enjoy shooting them very much.


Mark056
 
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Mark,

Thanks for the info. I guess I never realized that they made a revolver in 45 ACP until this weekend, I was at KTP and saw one. That may make a good second choice to the 1911, keeping the same type of ammo may help these days.

I may be leaning towards that Kimber I saw.... But I'm still trying to do some homework here because of the many choices available.
 
There are some very nice .45ACP revolvers around but remember, they won't give you any more capacity than a 1911 and maybe less. I like shooting revolvers because I reload and don't like chasing empties. It's also easier to load for a revolver. You can load a wider variety of loads and not worry about cycling the action of an auto. That said, I carry an auto for defense because it and the spare mag are much flatter and easier to conceal. Concealing a speed loader is like trying to hide a golf ball in your pocket. When my son and I shot pins at Westford, we used an 83/8" S&W model 29 with lead reloads at about 900fps.
 
There's quite a bit to be said for the H&K Mk23 Socom. Here's some pros and cons:

PROS:

1: Laser beam accuracy. I can consistently hit a 5" plate disc at 65 yards with mine.
2: Very large frame soaks up a fair amount of recoil/muzzle flip. (More on the frame size under cons as well)
3. Threaded barrel for optional flash hider or brake/compensator.
4. Match grade components and longer barrel. The gun has a LONG sight radius.
5. Ultra-reliable.

CONS:

1: Expensive (around 2k)
2: It's HUGE. No carrying this bad boy unless you're wearing a parka and hip waders.
3: Mags can be pricey.

Is a custom-tuned mega-buck 1911 even more accurate than the Socom? Probably, but honestly at the level that most of the good shooters on this board perform at, the bulk of us wouldn't be able to take advantage of the very subtle nuances in accuracy that a custom gun affords.

Not all of us mind you. I've seen a couple of NES shooters that could shoot circles around me, but most of us are not at a level where the differences between the Socom and a 1911 race gun are going to be fully realized.
 
I love the HK45 (not the USP 45) for the ergonomics as well as accuracy, reliability and the quality fit/finish inherent to HK products. Love the HK USP 45c for it's ability to conceal relatively easy as well as the attributes mentioned above. The Sig P220 is one of the most accurate out-of-the box 45's I've shot. The Colt Series 70 1911 is classic, fun reliable and accurate. All of the above fall within a few hundred dollar range. Try to shoot as many kinds as possible and see what works best for you. Some people swear by Glocks but I personally can't hit the broad side of a barn with one nor do I care for the way the fit in my hand.
 
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Just got my new Para GI Expert 45 ACP

IMGP0368.jpg


IMGP0374.jpg
 
i got my ruger p345 for 350$ and i love it. Accurate reliable and powerful. a few people told me that for the money, they prefer it over the sig 220 but I've never shot it so i coudlnt tell you but the ruger p345 is a good 45 auto

if you really want to spend the money then a 1911 wont let you down
 
How about a nice 1911 with a 10 round tripp mag? It might not be the most aesthetically pleasing but you have 10+1 capacity for pin shooting etc, a 1911 trigger pull and can easily be used as a carry gun just by swapping to a regular 8 round mag.
 
Shoot a bunch of them. Preferably one after the other. I'm sure anything you are thinking about buying someone here probably owns and would be willing to let you try out.If you can't shoot them all at the same time take detailed notes about each one and what you liked/disliked about it. Each of you should take your own set of notes and then compare. Are you buying just one or one for each of you? This may take some time but after having bought and then shot other people's stuff I have now learned my lesson. I currently own a S&W 1911SC. I really like it. I recently shot the Sig p220 and that was very nice. I'm still looking into my next purchase. Good luck.
 
Very pleased with my M&P45 post trigger job... Add that to the price ($65) and its still almost 1/2 the price of the 1911 or the HK... Sig's are great too, but bulkier than the M&P and depending on the model, single stack (lower capacity)...

Try an M&P post trigger job along with all the others... Easy to clean, goes bang every time. Thinner than a Sig. I go back and forth between a 9mm 226 and the M&P45 and don't really notice recoil (I'm sure it has more, but I don't stop and think "wow recoil" on the first shot) - so I guess that means its just fine...
 
Tanfoglio Elite witness,
great trigger, can be as good as a tuned 1911 trigger. Full length dust cover soaks up recoil, no grip safety and probably one of the most comfortable guns out there

Limited-08.png
 
There's one semi auto that keeps getting overlooked even though it is a fantastic gun from a fantastic company:

CZ 97B, available with or without de-cocker, though both can be carried hammer down for a DA first shot.

main297_png_637x200_q85.png
 
Jose said:
The end all-be all:

S&W .45 Cal Model of 1989:

pix239949093.jpg
Click to expand...

+1 I got one of these in a trade a few months ago and it is by far my favorite pistol. Its not even funny how much more accurate I am with this than my 1911. Funny mine is a model of 1989 as well.
 

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