Is it wise to trade my 45 for a 22 pistol?

Canadian brother

Canadian brother

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I am now realizing how hard it is to raise a young family and shoot at the same time, I really don't have much money to be shooting 45 acp at $35 for 50 rounds a box when I can easily shoot 250 rounds in one range trip! 35x 5 gets to be way too much quick. Don't get me wrong, I love the 45 in all its beauty :) it's just not affordable for me.

So I am thinking of trading it for a decent 22 pistol so that I can actually afford to shoot until my heart is content.

Yes 9mm is cheaper - I have one, but again 22 is so cheap

I don't have nor can I afford reloading equipment.

What do you all think ?
Has this been your experience ? And if so what did you do about it?
 
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I sold my .45 and I never should have. My advice is wait a bit and save and buy the .22. if you can't afford to shoot the .45 all the time, so be it.
 
If you can afford it, keep your .45 and get a .22 pistol. Use the .22 for most of your shooting and bring the .45 out once in a while.
 
Hi. I would get the 22. If you want to keep the "feel" of the 45, get a 22 that replicates the design. Another option is to reload. You mention you can't afford the equipment. If you check out the EE here, "that" auction site, and the worlds largest online retailer, I know you could find a single stage press, a die set, use the Lee spoons for measurements until you can upgrade to a scale... get a box of bullets and a pound of something like Tightwad, and you will have a cheap source of ammo for your 45. If you don't have any brass, get 1 more box of factory stuff, then save the brass. Use lighter recipes and that brass will last for a long time. Should you be located in the lower mainland, I do have a single stage lee press that I did not use. I have other things that I can give or sell dirt cheap as well that will set you up. Hope this gives you some ideas.
 
Keep the 45 and get a reasonably priced 22. The 22 is cheap to shoot but I find myself reaching for the 45 after a few mags for some real feedback. It’s too bad you don’t reload because that would save you quite a bit. I see square deal b presses in the EE from time to time for a great price. Something to consider
 
was in the same position, bought this one, its cheap to shoot and has that 1911 feel;

1911A1Slingshot_03.jpg
 
Before you trade your .45 and regret it later on perhaps skip one range trip, put that money aside and that would
save you almost enough to buy a used 22 pistol.

I just bought a sig 1911 in 22lr off of the EE. Came with 4 mags and after I sold 2 of the mags I have only $235 invested in it.
It's a lot of fun shooting it! This way you can easily go back to centerfire when money is not as tight in the future.

I couldn't afford shooting without reloading equipment :)
If you were to reload .45 acp with plated campro's it would cost you probably about $0.30 per round so $15 per box.
So a savings of about $100 per range trip if you shoot 250 rounds.

In a few trips you would have "earned back" your reloading equipment if you bought it used. Almost all my reloading gear is
bought used and could be sold for almost the same amount as I paid for so pretty much zero depreciation.
 
Trade off that 45.

Here'a why.

Your family comes first. That's it in a nutshell.

Nobody here but you understands your financial position. Mind you, you don't mention whether you smoke tobacco, consume a lot of alcohol or drugs????

I can tell you from personal experience that quitting any or all of the above, investing the money wisely, say in a home etc, makes life a lot better overall for your family.

You don't give us enough information to help you make this decision.

If your money is as tight as you say, you aren't encumbered by addictions to tobacco/alcohol/drugs, then you are living on a financial edge and maybe shouldn't be involved in shooting sports at all??? Tough statement but reality is a beotch and doesn't care who she hurts.
 
Until recently I sort of snubbed the whole 22 handgun concept. I used to think that I needed a centrefire handgun to have fun. After buying a Ruger Mark IV Standard, I find myself shooting the 22 three to four times as much as my M&P 9mm.

Sure, recoil is practically non-existent on the Ruger, but it does what it's supposed to, which is to put a huge grin on my face every time I pull the trigger.

My M&P9 generally stays in its case until the very end of my range trip, where I may take it out for a few magazines.
 
It's a myth that reloading saves money, it's just another shooting addiction that allows you to shoot more, IMO.
I'd sell that 45, 'cause it will always be a tease and temptation to take to the range and blow hard earned money in just a few minutes.
Keep an eye on E.E. for a .22 pistol of your liking. A Hi-Standard with adj. sights, and Browning Medalists, are hard to beat for quality and accuracy.
 
bearhunter said:
Trade off that 45.

Here'a why.

Your family comes first. That's it in a nutshell.

Nobody here but you understands your financial position. Mind you, you don't mention whether you smoke tobacco, consume a lot of alcohol or drugs????

I can tell you from personal experience that quitting any or all of the above, investing the money wisely, say in a home etc, makes life a lot better overall for your family.

You don't give us enough information to help you make this decision.

If your money is as tight as you say, you aren't encumbered by addictions to tobacco/alcohol/drugs, then you are living on a financial edge and maybe shouldn't be involved in shooting sports at all??? Tough statement but reality is a beotch and doesn't care who she hurts.
Click to expand...

Very good points brother :)

I do not smoke,drink or do any drugs nor does my wife. I am a man who went from a decent paying job in construction until our Econony bottomed out and was given a layoff after 10 years in the plumbing trade - in Saskatchewan and man is it hard to find work in trades here !. I now work as a caretaker taking home 1200$ less a month and I am making all the proper adjustments to make ends meet. Family bills ect come first no question

I have sold guns as a result of my job loss - so I'm not being foolish :) I appreciate you being to the point though.
 
I'll go against the grain and say get rid of the .45. I have a bunch of guns but the ones that give me the most satisfaction are my .22's. If air pistols count then 10m AP is right in the running with the .22's. Nothing feels better than dropping .17 projectiles one on top of the other, however infrequent.

I know some guys love the big bang, but I'm not one of them. I'm also the guy who will go to the range and sometimes only shoot 20-30 shots over an hour. Which brings us to the question, why do you shoot? What makes it your chosen way to spend time and money?

Above all I agree with Bearhunter, family first, always. Figure that out and see what remains. Financially I could support shooting as much as my pre-family days, but it's time consuming as well so I get out about 25% of what I used to. Enjoy your family. If you save now maybe you can get them into it with you later? 10m AP is a great place to start.....
 
I only shoot one box of 45 in a day. Two targets and a bingo dabber. One shot on each target - mark them with dabber and consider each hit. It is contemplative lone time and every shot is important. Blasting is for rich and bored folks. Casting and reloading .45acp makes a box for about the same as .22. If you want to make your bullets cost less, care a lot about every shot and use less.
Get a .22 - then decide .
 
If you have to sell a .45 just to buy a .22 then the cost savings are irrelevant as you probably cant afford both reasonably. Keep the .45 and buy a .22 when you can. Selling pistols out of need is a futile act. You will just end up wanting to buy it back or one similar at a later date anyways and it will probably be for more money.
 
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