The “I need a .45 but do I need a 1911?” thread

[45dotACP]

People have it twisted.

The best Glocks are the ones in 45 ACP.

The best 1911s are the ones in 9mm.

I have not fired a single .45 that was as soft shooting as a Glock 21 and I have not fired a single (non 1911) .45 that was as accurate as a Glock 21. And I have not fired a single 9mm Glock (even the gen 5s) that was as accurate as a Glock 21.

Similarly, I have never fired a single 9mm that was as soft shooting as a 5" 1911

If you want a plastic people popper in 9mm that will give you X ring accuracy all day long, you aren't looking for Glocks. You probably want a VP9 or a PPQ or a M&P9 with Apex goodies because most every plastic 9mm people popper is reliable, most every one will hold 15+1, so for me the deciding factor is going to be accuracy.

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[MattyD380]

Plus a shooting session with it also counts as a upper body workout!


For the OP - I’ll be honest, if I could only keep one of my .45s to shoot - I would most likely keep my M&P. To my mind it shoots every bit as well as my 1911s, has a wonderful Apex trigger, a perfect balance of magazine capacity and size, manual safety plus a few passive safeties, and is just as ergonomic. My 1st gen M&P45 has been a wonderful pistol, I can only imagine how much better the 2.0 is.

My USPc LEM would be a close second just because the damn USP is such a solid functional gun and the compact version is actually small enough I can shoot it well.

You ain't wrong. The 4506-1 is a semi truck of forged, stainless... masculinity. But it shoots damn good.

I've heard the M&P45s are excellent. Never tried one, though. I had a USPc .45 (DA/SA) for a while. It was so nicely made and a good size overall. I wanted to love it, but... the grip just didn't agree with me. I liked the HK45c better, overall. But still--the Sig .45s (P245 & P220) always shot better for me than the HKs.

I'll say that I normally can't stand Glocks or Glock-like triggers/ergos... but the one time I shot a G30 & G36, I found they both shot right on POA and grouped well. The G36 also had a FTFeed. The G30 didn't.

1911s obviously shoot great. I've had two Colt Commanders and neither experience was stellar--though they were accurate AF.

Another damn nice .45 I had was the Beretta Cougar. So smooth, soft and accurate. I had FTFeed issues with mine... but, in retrospect I think it was because I was overlubing the cam track with super heavy moly grease (because I thought that's what you should do). Beretta currently makes the PX4 in .45, as well--I'm sure it's a great shooter.

[awp_101]

Why do you need a .45? I abandoned the caliber when I sold my 1911s, and have not regretted it.

If I had to use .45, it would be in a Glock 21.

*I* don’t, this is the generic “I” covering anyone who isn’t sure if they just want to launch a .45 or if they want the 1911 experience as well.

My non-1911 choices would be M&P or USP but the odds of any new .45s moving into the safe are very very slim. My hands just won’t tolerate much anymore.

[JonInWA]

For me, it's been a Gen 3 Glock G21. Mine has seen thousands of rounds through it, has been used for duty, EDC, competitions (IDPA, steel plate, GSSF), hunting, wilderness hiking and has literally had precisely 1 hiccup-with a mis-sized bullet that was probably .47 caliber (Winchester White Box atound 10 or so years ago).

I feel very well holstered with either an Olen OWB, a old-school Blade Tech IWB, a Glock Sport-Combat OWB (probably THE, and pretty much the only value in a sub-$20 holster), and a Tactical Tailor custom tactical thigh holsters.



I have no issues with a HK 45 or USP 45. Perhaps unfairly (especially given the glowing reviews here on p-f) I still residually tar the M&P 45 with the endemic issues that plagued the M&P 9mm (at least until the 2.0s came out), so I would have no intention of getting one unless issued.

While I've previously used a segment of mountain bike inner tube on the receiver grip area, then a Warren Grip Assist sleeve, I'm not experimenting with Hogue's HandALL Beavertail grip sleeve. While it seems somewhat counterintuitive given the relatively large girthed G21 (especiall mine, a Gen 3 "Big Butt" (non-SF). I was previously pretty satisfied with the Warren Grip Assist, albeit with the fin cut down by about 50%:



Glock Extended slide release, Warren/Sevigney Carry irons (with the face of the front sight flourescent orange on topa of a white basecoat), Pierce Grip butt plug. Pretty sure I'm currently running a Glock "dot" connector with a Glock ciol trigger spring.

Best, Jon

[OlongJohnson]

I've seen so much garbage coming out of S&W factories across multiple model lines that I can't get my brain to take the idea of an M&P semi-auto seriously. I'm down to my M&P 340 J frame written about elsewhere on this site and a couple of 3953s that I'm leaning more and more toward getting rid of.

[Trukinjp13]

I’ve done the non 1911 .45 deal quite a few times.

If I am taking one into the shit- Hk45 in some flavor. Find whatever trigger/grip fits your needs and don’t look back.

For Sao fun- Sig p220sao is a damn fun and reliable setup.

Striker pistol-S&W M&P for me. They have very 1911ish ergos. The midsize is a sweet happy medium and you can have your safety if need be. (Sorry Sir Glock)

Just this dudes opinion. There are many many options out there.


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[JTQ]

... I still residually tar the M&P 45 with the endemic issues that plagued the M&P 9mm (at least until the 2.0s came out), so I would have no intention of getting one unless issued.

from DocGKR https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....thoughts/page8

From 1986-2010 I primarily used .45 Auto custom 1911's. In 2011, I switched to the M&P45. Like Angus McFee, the M&P45 was the pistol that caused me to stop using my beautiful custom 1911's. The M&P45's I've shot are nearly as accurate as a custom 1911, at a fraction the cost and are much easier to maintain.

[El Cid]

As mentioned in the other thread, a Gen 4 Glock is the same as an SF Glock. Unless you live in California, and you don't, there is no advantage to buying an SF Glock over a Gen 4.

I know the grip dimensions are the same. But does the SF use the double recoil spring like the Gen4/5’s do?

[randyho]

I came to 45 acp via a g21 sf. It's large, I'm not. But, I shoot it better than most of the guns I own, and it has never malfunctioned on me.

I picked up a pair of .45 acp 1911's since covid (enablers here are as bad as the mods) and am amazed by the triggers (first few pistols were glocks and I had no idea what I didn't know), but if there's a bump in the night, the 21sf's my preference.

This thread's a good argument for try them all first.

[DDTSGM]

I just got a Smith & Wesson 4506-1. In its inaugural range trip, I found it to be a wonderful shooter: accurate, comfortable, reliable, shoots right on POA.

I shoot those well in terms of accuracy at around .20 and .25 split speeds, but they never felt good. The grip seemed oblong to me, too narrow, for it's for and aft reach.

I've always loved shooting the Sig 220's.