.45 ACP not good for a first handgun?
- Thread starter TransAm1991
- Start date
TransAm1991
Regular
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
Wow, lots of replies, I like this..
I can't imagine myself starting with a .22, I'm sure it's a good suggestion, but if a box of 50 .45 ACP is only $25, that's not really bad, 20 .303 British is about $1.50 a bullet, and it doesn't bother me one bit to fire off 40 of those in an afternoon.
Another one too, and I'm sorry to offend any of the pro china guns, I won't buy any firearms made in China, it's important to me.
I can't imagine myself starting with a .22, I'm sure it's a good suggestion, but if a box of 50 .45 ACP is only $25, that's not really bad, 20 .303 British is about $1.50 a bullet, and it doesn't bother me one bit to fire off 40 of those in an afternoon.
Another one too, and I'm sorry to offend any of the pro china guns, I won't buy any firearms made in China, it's important to me.
MauserMike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Buy a Norc. Spend the difference on some reloading gear for .45ACP.
Get good shooting. Buy a better 1911 if you feel the need.
Get good shooting. Buy a better 1911 if you feel the need.
I would suggest that you not buy anything just yet.
Get out to the range of the club that you will be joining, talk to folks. It is very likely that you will have the opportunity to shoot a variety of guns. Most shooters are more than happy to let a new shooter try different equipment before making a purchase. You will also be able to decide if you will be happy at the club. Or if they are accepting new members. Without club/range access, you won't be shooting anything.
Get out to the range of the club that you will be joining, talk to folks. It is very likely that you will have the opportunity to shoot a variety of guns. Most shooters are more than happy to let a new shooter try different equipment before making a purchase. You will also be able to decide if you will be happy at the club. Or if they are accepting new members. Without club/range access, you won't be shooting anything.
Just a couple of points. first off my ruger mk 11 with bulk cci blazer ammo will out shoot just about every centrefire i know. ie less than 1" at 25 yards. second everyone keeps saying how expensive .45 is. Try saving your brass and putting it on the EE - you can get about $5-$6 per box of once fired .45 brass - try that with 9mm.
my 2 cents
Andy
my 2 cents
Andy
Better yet, save your brass and reload it. .45 ACP isn't that much more expensive to reload with cast bullets (either homemade or store-bought) than 9mm. Assuming a $6/50 salvage value for brass, you're still paying a lot more than for 9mm factory ammo.
for similar money to the remington, the Ruger will most likely be a better choice IMO.
Go for it. Just a few considerations:
- That you factor in how much shooting you intend to do while "learning" and the (slightly) higher price of ammo. Not a concern for most, but each person's situations is different and an honest evaluation goes a long way in mitigating future problems.
- That you enroll yourself in a good pistol shooting learner's program that stresses on the fundamental of target shooting. Videos help, but I have noticed there is no substitute for hands on learning coupled with supervised range time when grasping the basics of handgun target shooting.
- Try to handle as many pistols as possible so that you can evaluate if the grip, ergonomics and the dimensions work for your hand. This will become important as you seek to gain maximum accuracy and enjoyment from your new acquisition.
Other than that, enjoy your new handgun and be handle it responsibly!
- That you factor in how much shooting you intend to do while "learning" and the (slightly) higher price of ammo. Not a concern for most, but each person's situations is different and an honest evaluation goes a long way in mitigating future problems.
- That you enroll yourself in a good pistol shooting learner's program that stresses on the fundamental of target shooting. Videos help, but I have noticed there is no substitute for hands on learning coupled with supervised range time when grasping the basics of handgun target shooting.
- Try to handle as many pistols as possible so that you can evaluate if the grip, ergonomics and the dimensions work for your hand. This will become important as you seek to gain maximum accuracy and enjoyment from your new acquisition.
Other than that, enjoy your new handgun and be handle it responsibly!
Unless you are made of money, .45 is an awfully EXPENSIVE way to go. Retail, give or take, 50 cents a shot.
Personally, I'd rather buy a brick of 500 rounds of .22 and get in a few hours of shooting, than spend $30 on 50 rounds of .45 and be done in ten minutes.
Personally, I'd rather buy a brick of 500 rounds of .22 and get in a few hours of shooting, than spend $30 on 50 rounds of .45 and be done in ten minutes.
TransAm1991
Regular
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
I checked that Ruger 1911 out online, man, I like that alot better..
Hopefully they offer some more models up.
For the money I think it will be tough to beat...I haven't shot one yet (in fact I'm not sure if they're in country yet) but it looks well thought out.
I hear they consulted heavily with a well-known 1911 smith in order to get the thing right, but I haven't had any luck finding out who. Still you don't bowtie a 1911 frame by accident...somebody put some thought into that thing.
I hear they consulted heavily with a well-known 1911 smith in order to get the thing right, but I haven't had any luck finding out who. Still you don't bowtie a 1911 frame by accident...somebody put some thought into that thing.
22 - 45 ??
I'm another one that doesn't buy the "start with a .22". To me .22's are for people who want to shoot .22's. I have 40's, SIG .357's, .357 Magnum and a .45 ACP 1911. I have smallish hands and am not 200 pounds of muscle at age 67.
I also had a .22 conversion for my SIG's; it never got used. With all due respect to the folks who do shoot rimfires, I fall asleep with them. To me a big part of shooting is the noise, flame and wack of a good heavier gun in my hand. My guess is that the first time someone moves from 22 to 45, 95% of what he "learned" with the 22 would go out the window. I don't really enjoy shooting 9 mm's as I started with .40 and that's a fairly snappy round. I don't really enjoy shooting .38 softies with my .357 except for the accuracy.
To me it's all about fun. I run around like a 30 year old shooting IPSC and just love the thump of my 45 which to me is a softer shooter than anything else I own.
I'm another one that doesn't buy the "start with a .22". To me .22's are for people who want to shoot .22's. I have 40's, SIG .357's, .357 Magnum and a .45 ACP 1911. I have smallish hands and am not 200 pounds of muscle at age 67.
I also had a .22 conversion for my SIG's; it never got used. With all due respect to the folks who do shoot rimfires, I fall asleep with them. To me a big part of shooting is the noise, flame and wack of a good heavier gun in my hand. My guess is that the first time someone moves from 22 to 45, 95% of what he "learned" with the 22 would go out the window. I don't really enjoy shooting 9 mm's as I started with .40 and that's a fairly snappy round. I don't really enjoy shooting .38 softies with my .357 except for the accuracy.
To me it's all about fun. I run around like a 30 year old shooting IPSC and just love the thump of my 45 which to me is a softer shooter than anything else I own.
My take on this is caliber is fairly immaterial if you develop your pistol shooting skills through dryfire practice. A desert eagle cost the same as a cz-75 to dryfire. You can master sight alignment, trigger control, mag changes transition firing on the move all through dryfire. The only thing that you can not master is recoil control. So to me caliber does not really matter.
I shot ipsc with a 45 acp for years and had a great time. When they changed the rule on 10 round mags for the 1911 I switched to the 9mm. While I was not thrilled that the game forced me to change mags I was happy with my choice. 9mm brass is basically free, nobody picks it up. 45 ACP used to be 10 cents a piece now it is hard to find at any price.
With a heavy gun 9mm recoil is pretty much negligible. The advantage of the 45 is that it makes a neat half inch hole in the target that is easy to see.
I shot ipsc with a 45 acp for years and had a great time. When they changed the rule on 10 round mags for the 1911 I switched to the 9mm. While I was not thrilled that the game forced me to change mags I was happy with my choice. 9mm brass is basically free, nobody picks it up. 45 ACP used to be 10 cents a piece now it is hard to find at any price.
With a heavy gun 9mm recoil is pretty much negligible. The advantage of the 45 is that it makes a neat half inch hole in the target that is easy to see.
TransAm, you can't compare shooting rifle and handgun. Two boxes of rifle rounds is good for a whole afternoon of shoot, check, shoot, wait for barrel to cool, check, shoot, etc. Well, at least unless you've got an SKS.
Handguns, on the other hand, will sail through a box of 50 easily in less than a half hour and feel slow and like you're just slumming peacefully while doing so.
Most IDPA day long matches will have round counts up around 120 to 160 for a 5 stage day. IPSC will be more up around 200 to 250. The speed steel club matches I go to will use up a cool 150 per match (2 matches per day) IF you hit every one. If you miss a few like the rest of us you'll use up around 200 to 250 for a half day match and the same after lunch for the afternoon session.
So you're going to want to factor in ammo costs pretty seriously for anything more than the occasional couple of hours of casual plinking.
And you're right in thinking that IDPA and IPSC are hellishly fun. It's why I even bothered to get into firearms. If we didn't have these events active in Canada I'd soon end up selling off the toys other than for maybe one or two which would see the light of day maybe once a month or less. Standing and perforatting paper gets old real fast.
Handguns, on the other hand, will sail through a box of 50 easily in less than a half hour and feel slow and like you're just slumming peacefully while doing so.
Most IDPA day long matches will have round counts up around 120 to 160 for a 5 stage day. IPSC will be more up around 200 to 250. The speed steel club matches I go to will use up a cool 150 per match (2 matches per day) IF you hit every one. If you miss a few like the rest of us you'll use up around 200 to 250 for a half day match and the same after lunch for the afternoon session.
So you're going to want to factor in ammo costs pretty seriously for anything more than the occasional couple of hours of casual plinking.
And you're right in thinking that IDPA and IPSC are hellishly fun. It's why I even bothered to get into firearms. If we didn't have these events active in Canada I'd soon end up selling off the toys other than for maybe one or two which would see the light of day maybe once a month or less. Standing and perforatting paper gets old real fast.
