Lookin for some schooling on .45 Pistols

Joekingnf

Joekingnf

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Hey, I'm looking for thoughts on what might be some of the best .45 Pistol's out there and why. I'm fairly new to the gun world and so far can only narrow down what i want to the size of the bullet. I don't want a revolver. i like the ldea of being able to switch to 22, i've noticed a lot of conversion kits on this site recently, but that's not a deal breaker.

I'm looking for reliability and accuracy in a .45. Also i would rather not spend an arm and a leg.

Thanks!
 
Hey, I'm looking for thoughts on what might be some of the best .45 Pistol's out there and why. I'm fairly new to the gun world and so far can only narrow down what i want to the size of the bullet. I don't want a revolver. i like the ldea of being able to switch to 22, i've noticed a lot of conversion kits on this site recently, but that's not a deal breaker.

I'm looking for reliability and accuracy in a .45. Also i would rather not spend an arm and a leg.

Thanks
 
Welcome to CGN. You'll get more results in the pistols and revolvers forum. Aside from that, how much do you want to spend. Is this your first handgun? If so you might want to think about starting with a .22. They're great for learning fundamentals and you can shoot all day for cheap. Starting on a gun with more recoil might create bad habits and make it harder to rectify them down the road. Do you want a 1911? Or do you want something like a M&P which are very reasonable for price in the under $700 range. Of course there's always a glock, I've never been a big fan of a glock, never fit my hands very well.
 
Thanks for the Welcome! i already have a ruger 10/22... that's about all the 22 action i need for the moment. Yeah this is my first handgun, i've shot many others, and own several long rifles so it's not my first gun. I'm going with the 45 because i like the kick and it seems like more of a challenge, honestly i'm bored to tears with the 22 round. i'm willing to spend just over $1,000 depending on how much i like the weapon.

Here's a newbie question.. what is a 1911? is it a style of pistol? I've noticed it's not specific to any one gun maker. Is it like the AR-15 in that regard, just a template?

I'm actually talking to a guy with a second hand glock 21 i might buy. he's selling because it doesn't fit his hand well. I have giant hands so hopefully that wont be a problem.
 
Joekingnf said:
Thanks for the Welcome! i already have a ruger 10/22... that's about all the 22 action i need for the moment. Yeah this is my first handgun, i've shot many others, and own several long rifles so it's not my first gun. I'm going with the 45 because i like the kick and it seems like more of a challenge, honestly i'm bored to tears with the 22 round. i'm willing to spend just over $1,000 depending on how much i like the weapon.

Here's a newbie question.. what is a 1911? is it a style of pistol? I've noticed it's not specific to any one gun maker. Is it like the AR-15 in that regard, just a template?

I'm actually talking to a guy with a second hand glock 21 i might buy. he's selling because it doesn't fit his hand well. I have giant hands so hopefully that wont be a problem.
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You nailed it with the 1911, everybody makes them! If you've got big mits, honestly your best bet is to hit your local gun store and try a few on. Or better yet, get to know some folks at the range and see and shoot theirs! There truly isn't "one great 45", there are lots of them. It comes down to your own personal taste. WRT semis, some guys love 1911s, others like polymer guns like glock and Springfield, etc., while still others like all metal guns like many of the Berettas and Sigs. 45 is a lot of fun to shoot and there are so many great 45's out there...let us know what you end up going with.
 
I'd have to agree with runningfoot. Best way to find what you want is to fondle as many guns you can get your mits on. Since your set on .45 I'm partially biased to a 1911. The weight of a 1911 makes the .45 very pleasant and satisfying to shoot. Also I'd recommend going through a bunch of the sponsors websites at the top of the page. It will give you an idea of what's out there for .45s and what they cost.
 
Gotcha.. i was kinda hoping this would be more cut and dry, but i'm not surprised it isn't. That being said, is there anything i should stay away from?
 
I won't have a glock because the ones that I have held just do not fit my hand well. I have a STI Spartan which, in my opinion, is a good value for the money. Others may have a different opinion. As said above, get ye to a gun store and try as many as possible on for size!!
 
Joekingnf said:
Gotcha.. i was kinda hoping this would be more cut and dry, but i'm not surprised it isn't. That being said, is there anything i should stay away from?
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Para Ordnance if yer look'n at 1911. [putting on flame suit]

You got some homework ahead of you and best to go to your local brick & mortar location and try out a few and hopefully the sales clerk knows his stuff. Check out some of the site sponsors sites above just to get a taste of what's out there.
 
Okay so there are three catagories you need to look at; 1911s, other metal framed 45s, and polymer framed 45s.

In terms of 1911s, there are many great ones out there and the one that is right for you will be determined largely by how much you are looking to spend. In my opinion the Ruger SR1911 is one of the best out there in terms of value for money(Norinco is good for this but only because of their crazy low prices).

For other metal framed 45s, the Sig P220 pretty much takes the cake. Not much more needs to be said there.

The catagory of polymer framed 45s has many options but the most popular are probably the Glock 21 and the S&W M&P 45. HK also makes some great polymer framed 45s but they can be pricey.

It would be good if you could go to the gun shop/range and handle some of your potential choices and see how you like them. Also if you have the chance to fire any of them before you make a choice that would also be beneficial.
 
Check out a bunch at your local gun store, and do some online research. For pure historical value and a platform that has stood the test of time, a 1911 is the way to go. You can get modified Norinco 1911s from ARMCO that work very well and don't cost much. Or if you want the latest tacticool pistols there are all kinds of alternatives out there. It comes down to what style you want and how many cubic $$ you want to spend.
 
well it looks like i have some guns to shoot then, that's some manageable homework! :D

Thanks for helpin out the new guy. I'm loving this website.
 
Joekingnf said:
well it looks like i have some guns to shoot then, that's some manageable homework! :D

Thanks for helpin out the new guy. I'm loving this website.
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Happy to help, remember guns are social creatures, they need friends to keep them company. Glad your enjoying the CGN, my wallet hates this site.
 
I just got access to the equipment exchange yesterday, switched to Kraft Dinner and the bus today. Hahaha

I'm definitely developing a gun addiction very quickly, glad to have found some like minded Canadians. My buddies like shooting, but they aren't into it like i am. I'd go every day if i could.
 
HK45...pricey but worth every penny. They also hold at least 99% of their value if a re-sale ever should happen.
 
Majorroman said:
Just to shorten your learning curve. Did you know glocks can easily be converted to several differen't calibers easily ? There are basically two types. Large mag , and small mag. A glock 22 .40 S&W (and every other 'small mag.') can be converted to a 9mm,& .357 sig. And this is the best part of all; a Glock 20 (or 29) can be converted to .45 acp, 40 S&W, .357 sig, 9x25 (wow); With a simple barrel swap (no gunsmithing for a newb.). Buy a glock you and won't regret it (just think of all the time you can save by not having a manual safety). Then you can have your 45, and as you learn you can move to 10mm just like an Albertan (Couldn't Resist!) as you progress ...Peace.
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I love that! I'm looking at a second hand glock 21 this week, your telling me that I could swap the magazine/barrel out and shoot all sorts of different sized rounds from it? That's AWESOME! That's the kinda stuff I was hoping to learn here. I was starting to lean away from the glock 21 and more towards the HK45, but the hk is double the price pretty much.. Can you do the same thing to the HK45??

I know it's stupid, but the HK45 looks way meaner than the glock and I like the single action on the hk. Both of those features are basically useless, yet I'm drawn to the ###iness of the HK! Does this make me a shallow gun owner? Hahaha
 
I'm also looking into a .45..It's a toss up between a Ruger SR1911 and a STI Spartan..Both under $900..That said a .45 is an expensive beast to feed, so you may want to take
that into consideration. I reload so cost isn't that much of a factor.
 
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