Notes from my (ridiculous)quest for my "ultimate" carry gun.

[Greg Bell]

Well guys,

I decided a while back to put together a carry gun that married all the characteristics I desired in a carry gun. Given my indosyncratic desires it wasn't as easy these days as it would have been in the past. But I am 50 now so I just do whatever I want so here's what I wanted...

1. .45 ACP or 10mm. I know, I know. OK boomer, etc. I have been pilloried here but I still believe that there is a benefit to 230 grain .45 caliber projectiles over 124/147 grain 9mm projectiles. Yes I understand the FBI now says different. Just my opinion and the arguments otherwise are not persuasive to me. I feel the same way about 10mm but I don't like the selection of 10mm guns.

2. DA/SA. I love DA/SA. I love the safety of the first DA shot. My main concern is bump in the night handling of the gun, but I also like the added margin of error during draws.

3. Bomb-proof reliability.I am talking about boring, Toyota reliability here. I am a huge 1911 fan and have always owed one (I currently own a CQB), but they are not boring in the reliability department.

The above three are all tied and were deal-breakers. And realistically, I have dozens of pistols so there really isn't any reason for me to deviate from the plan.

4. Concealable. Now, I am old enough to have concealed full size 1911s, SIG 220s, G17s, Beretta 92s, etc. So I am pretty flexible, and I carry a J-frame in my pocket unless I am in the shower or in bed, so I don't need a micro pistol. I was thinking compact carry guns like G19s, Not Shield/Kahr/Hellcat stuff.

5. Accurate. Duh


Anyway, so I picked up a HK45C. I have owned them in the past, and have always had perfect reliability with all types of ammo so I knew it covered 1 and 3. I considered LEM but I really wanted the DA for a little extra security so I picked up one of the ArmsUnlimited B&T imports from Germany. This was stupid. I should have just picked up one of the very reasonably priced American Hk45cs that litter the gunshops around here. But at first I was beguiled by the extended barrel and the fact that they were German guns. That was dumb.

Well, out of the box I swapped in some HDs. These are my favorite sights so that was a no brainer. I picked up a black point IWB but quickly discovered I didn't like the extended barrel sticking into me while I drove around so I picked up a std length barrel. I also swapped out the extended base plates for flat base plates for $7 each. I don't need the extensions and it does trim the gun up a bit.

GOOD STUFF..

Base Gun. Great idea

HDs Good IDEA

Flat Base plates. Good for me (I wear medium to large gloves depending on the brand, so your milage may vary).

Standard Barrel Good Idea (I guess I have an extended barrel for shooting with my tirant.

Then I got stupid....

First, I picked the slim slide levers. I did this 1. To improve concealablity. That is silly, and truly guilding the Lilly stuff. I guess if it was an LEM it might offer something but if you are keeping the regular lever it is basically pointless. But 2. I prefer low profile slide levers to minimize accidental slide lock when shooting on the move, shooting behind barriers and other non-standard shooting positions. Skip this

Greyguns short reset kit. I guess I got spoiled shooting my LTT Beretta 92s, but the HK trigger is pretty heavy, especially in DA. It's totally manageable, but I was spoiled. Well you can't really get a match hammer spring and I didn't want to bubba up my gun, so I just left the factory spring in place. The Grey guns short reset kit adds a barely perceptible change in trigger play and reset. The drop safety spring supposedly helps but it is also subtle. I just compared it with my buddies bog standard HK45c and you really can't tell if you swap the gun from hand to hand without paying attention. Skip this change. I may even reverse it.

Take it or leave it.


1. I swapped from V1 to decocker only. I prefer this. I am trying to remove any possible failure point from the gun and missing the safety can be one. So I swapped in the proper detent plate. I like this but you might not.

2. Bobbed hammer. I like this. It actually improved my carry comfort and I am not a thumb-cocking type of guy. It is fairly involved process to swap for a novice but I am pretty comfortable inside the plastic HKs.


Anyway, I have about 770 rounds through the gun and I am carrying it. I have a very comfortable holster I picked up off eBay, a used black point. I am running it with 230 Grain HST and I keep it beside the bed with a 10 round mag and swap in the 8 rounders at night. The HDs, thankfully, were perfectly regulated for the drive the dot style of aiming I prefer. It's a very comfortable gun to carry and a comforting gun to carry. The gun is as accurate as my CQB, so there is no practical way for me to expect anything better. And the gun can be shot fast. It would be a lie to say I can shoot it as fast as my LTT or even my Glocks, but it's damn close (I am taking about splits, there is not real difference on draw from concealments and barely anything on Devil drills, etc.

What would I change? Honestly, I wish I could replicate my LTT Beretta trigger but since that is my favorite trigger ever I understand how it falls short. Other than that, the gun is perfect and is exactly what I was looking for.

[Default.mp3]

Why not send it off for a trigger job if you want a nicer trigger (LWG, GGI, TheSigArmorer)? It won't be as good as a worked-over SIG P22x or Beretta 9x, but by all accounts, it'll be nicer than stock.

[camsdaddy]

I read the title and immediately thought this was a J frame thread. Glad to read the J frame still has its place. Looking forward to a detailed life with gun review.

[JAH 3rd]

I respect your wanting a 45 acp pistol. My only observation is that you have limited yourself by not considering a 9mm or other caliber.

I love me some 45s. I am a DA/SA fan for concealed carry. Just my preference. My two favorite pistols are a Beretta PX4 Storm compact and HK P2000, both in 9mm. The Beretta has the safety lever on the slide, and the HK a decocker on the rear of the slide.

Hope your HK 45c works out for you. And keep us updated on this platform. I have an HK USP 45 full-size. I occasionally toy with the idea of a compact in either the USPc or HK 45c, but I really can't justify it money-wise. Anyway, sounds like you know what you want (45C) as well as accessories for it. Again, all the best and keep us updated.

[HeavyDuty]

After years with mostly Glock and a few 1911s, the last few years I’ve been enjoying dabbling with other platforms like Beretta 92s and PX4s. However, I’m finding the H-K LEM P90s are ergonomically working better for me than the Glocks, and I’m in a slow switch to them for serious uses.

My G26 has almost completely been replaced with a P30SK (still need to RDO it,) a used P30 I picked up with RMR is replacing multiple G19s with dots and a new P30L is expected to fill the spot of my G34, just shorter. (I’ve never had a G17.)

I do like my .45s, though and have been considering a LEM P45c. It’s not a direct 1:1 for my G41, but it’s also a more reasonable size.

I’ll be watching your experience with interest.

[feudist]

You thunk it through and got what you wanted.
Money well spent IMO.

[LockedBreech]

Kudos to putting the work in. Sounds like a well thought out and vetted setup. Extra points for helping fellow shooters avoid wasting money on things that might not be value-adds.

I amuse myself reading my older posts from 2014-2017 when I was on the quest for grail guns for all sorts of purposes. I would never have predicted I'd have standardized to bone stock Glocks and M&Ps with night sights for everything but here I am.

It's anybody's guess what unicorn I'll be chasing in 2028 but I guess that's part of the fun.

[theJanitor]

Damn, we just tricked everyone into believing 1911's were boringly reliable.

[JonInWA]

Greg, a couple of my thoughts;

The HK 45C is a superb platform. It sounds like you've got it pretty much where you want things to be, but I'll throw out two potential considerations for you (or for you to ignore):

1. Consider trying LEM; but possibly with modification(s) to the trigger pull, via swapping trigger return springs-I like a more "revolver-like" pull on my LEM/DAO pistols, with a constant pull weight from inception to break. That's eminently achievable, and HK US Tech Support was happy to help me work out what worked out best for me with my P30L LEM, which we switched from V1 (Light) to V1.5 (between V1 and V2, merely by replacing the trigger return/rebound spring to the HK Medium one ).

2. Consider trying a used Ruger P90 DA/SA-another one of Ruger's unsung metal-frame P-Series guns, which tend to be superbly accurate out of the box, with decent triggerpulls. There tend to be plenty available, and a reasonable prices. While Ruger P-Series guns have a reputation for being box-of-Wheaties sized and duty-holster oriented as opposed to concealed carry viable, that reputation is overstated; I can easily carry concealed my similarly sized P89, usually in a kydex IWB.

Or just drive on with what you've got. I'm of the jaundiced opinion that some decent range time (for both you and to burnish the components together on the pistol) and judicious application of appropriate lubricants at appropriate points can yield much of what custom work/components try to lure you in with their siren song.

Best, Jon

[Greg Bell]

I definitely am familiar with LEM. I basically learned how to shoot anything years ago with an LEM equipped P2000 ( I kept up with it on HKPRO on my "Break my P2000" thread). It was so weird after I got through learning it I could pretty much shoot anything else without much drama. Obviously, this was the classic LEM, not the much nicer stuff pioneered by Todd an others. I just love DA/SA. No doubt a light LEM setup would be a fantastic setup and as a bonus I could get rid of the control lever. Maybe one day I will revisit LEM.

I definitely need to add a classic Ruger to my collection. I have had a few through the years and I have always found them to be good guns. I remember back in the 90s when you could get them for cheap and everyone would turn their nose up on them for being cast junk only to get a sig with a sheetmetal slide held on by a roll pin. lol ( I love classic sigs, I own many, but I also enjoy the gun shop snobbery)

Thanks!

Here are some pics with my G19. Very similar in profile. The Hk45c is a touch larger, but nothing significant to me.