.45 Minor Defense

[Jim Watson]

1. Tolerance. My nerves and arthritis let me shoot 9mm regularly. USPSA Minor isn't winning me anything but a Major Flinch wouldn't either and be a lot less fun. Major or full power .45 hurts and will kick me into a flinch in short order. I load .45s way down to keep from retiring the guns. My carry and house guns are mostly 9mm.

2. Recommendations. A lot of people consider .38 Wadcutter to be suitable for self defense.

3. So what about .45 Midrange? Would I be reasonably well armed with a 185 gr at 775 fps? That's about all the fun I can stand for a reasonable practice with the Commander.

[45dotACP]

I run a barely major PF load in my Springfield RO that I use in USPSA. The government model 45 auto I shoot it through has less felt recoil than a Commander framed 9mm IMO.

Most handgun rounds are not great, so I would focus on being able to get good hits and focus on the ammo as a secondary concern. If the lessened recoil of a .45 minor load improves your shooting I can't imagine it being bad in any way except that you might need to change springs.

Why not carry a 9mm government model though? That would be even easier to shoot.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[358156hp]

It seems to me that one of the military shooting teams is shooting 185 gr 45 ACP loads that use a Nolser hollowpoint bullet, but I'll be darned if I can remember which branch is using it. Somebody like Wilson Combat, or Georgia Arms might have a version of it. I'm hoping somebody here will see this and fill in the blanks for me.

ETA- Nosler offers such a match load but doesn't list the velocity.

[BehindBlueI's]

3. So what about .45 Midrange? Would I be reasonably well armed with a 185 gr at 775 fps? That's about all the fun I can stand for a reasonable practice with the Commander.

Assuming a non-expanding bullet, probably be just fine. I think an expanding bullet likely wouldn't do very well in that combination of light-for-caliber and slow speeds. With a non-deforming bullet I'd be surprised if you didn't get 18" or so of penetration in soft tissue only hits, so I would plan on over penetration.

I thought Buffalo Bore offered something like this, and a quick Google later: https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...t_detail&p=340 A touch faster and they claim about 20" of penetration.

[Jim Watson]

Asym 185 JHP at 775 fps f 143 is what I was looking at. Unlikely to expand, probably penetrate ok.
Atlanta AMU is a good deal hotter, 185 at 910, f 168.
Wilson has a 200 HAP at 770, f 154 but only in "remanufactured."

Of course I can handload (gasp!) anything that seems suitable.

Over the past few years, I have slid from Hornady 9112, a 200 XTP at 900 fps (Mr Browning's 1905 load) to Barely Major, 200 at 840 or 230 at 750 and now looking Minor.

Sure, I can - do - do a lot with 9mm, but I'd like to keep the .45s working.

[jetfire]

If you can 1) find it, and 2) your gun will feed them, the Federal Gold Medal Match 185gr JSWC is an incredibly easy to shoot round that is about a 140 PF, if memory serves. I ran them the year I shot a .45 ACP at Bianchi Cup and they were quite accurate and fun to shoot.

[HCM]

1. Tolerance. My nerves and arthritis let me shoot 9mm regularly. USPSA Minor isn't winning me anything but a Major Flinch wouldn't either and be a lot less fun. Major or full power .45 hurts and will kick me into a flinch in short order. I load .45s way down to keep from retiring the guns. My carry and house guns are mostly 9mm.

2. Recommendations. A lot of people consider .38 Wadcutter to be suitable for self defense.

3. So what about .45 Midrange? Would I be reasonably well armed with a 185 gr at 775 fps? That's about all the fun I can stand for a reasonable practice with the Commander.

A lot of people consider .38 wadcutter the best compromise for lightweight 5 shot revolvers or extremely recoil sensitive people in larger guns. But it’s a compromise.

Improved shot placement is what makes the compromise worthwhile.

I would say your midrange 45 load would be viable for the same reason. Assuming your gun runs it (or can be made to run it) reliably.

Just understand the compromise you are making vs a 9mm with modern ammunition.

[HCM]

It seems to me that one of the military shooting teams is shooting 185 gr 45 ACP loads that use a Nolser hollowpoint bullet, but I'll be darned if I can remember which branch is using it. Somebody like Wilson Combat, or Georgia Arms might have a version of it. I'm hoping somebody here will see this and fill in the blanks for me.

ETA- Nosler offers such a match load but doesn't list the velocity.

Atlanta Arms AMU load but it’s listed as being 900 Fps.

https://atlantaarms.com/products/eli...185gr-jhp.html

[Jim Watson]

I know.
Which is why I have revised my opinion of the DWX-C. Commander size, 15 tries.
I have about a 3 or 4 for one turnover in mind to get one if the live reviews match the hype.

But I'd like to keep the Commander On The Street some, too.

[Hambo]

It seems to me that one of the military shooting teams is shooting 185 gr 45 ACP loads that use a Nolser hollowpoint bullet

USMC. I'm not sure if they still use it or not, but it was about accuracy, not defense.