Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Who prefers the .45ACP and why?

You said the same thing I said. But in a much better way.

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pal, I'll bet that one does hurt.

Better get you a WC Commander or a Kobra Carry to ease the pain.

I'll simply never get over that horrible blunder. Next worse perhaps was giving up a mint Colt Woodsman that, like the 1911, seemed custom made to fit my hand and were of such impeccable workmanship and the gun makers' art. Both of which made me shoot well.

OT--Now my only handgun is a S&W 640 with speed-loader; purely personal self protection. I freely admit I still cannot shoot this well, no matter Teddy Jacobson's custom fitting. It's not the gun, except for the short sight radius. One day I'll run across someone, could even be local LE, who'll freely help me get more professional training with it, as my bucket list includes completely mastering its use. Though, at 72, my physical and visual abilities are far from those of my youth.

I like my 45s. I also like my 357s. The 9mm is OK. If I got a 9mm it would be a small one like the SIG 938. I didn't like the M-9.

I like em all. I look at the 9mm as a 38 special in a smaller package with more than 6 rounds on tap. Kinda hard not to like it in that light.

45 acp. Because of the cost of ammo I started shooting 9mms early this year. I've put around 2,000 rounds through a Glock 19 & CZ 75 each. I like both guns but so far I shoot my Springfield 1911 45acp a lot better.

Exactly. When all the FIB studies and internet BS are washed off the 'modern' 9mm, you have a 38+P compacted to fit lots of them in a magazine.

My comment is still valid, most folks that choose a 9mm are always considering either a high capacity gun or a small CCW gun. I have a hard time justifying a 9mm in a 9 shot commander or G19 sized gun.

Prefer is probably a strong word.

I don't currently own one but did own a few. I certainly do not feel somehow disadvantaged when owning/carrying one. Very confident that if I needed to put it to work - it will work.

I currently have and carry a G19. Same deal - confident it will do what I need it to do. I don't prefer a 9mm either tho. Got a good deal on the G19 - it goes bang every time.

I got good deals on my 1911's at the time. All of them went bang - every time. No bs, no qualifiers, - never had a single malfunction. 2 Kimbers, 2 Colts (tho one was in 38 Super - a round I don't prefer but have a lot of affection for)

So at the end - I prefer whatever works. I happen to like my Glock, I loved my 1911's, I like my Vaquero in 45 Colt.

I can't really see myself buying any pistols other than maybe another Glock or 1911 or revolvers. Brother has a M&P, I've shot Sigs etc - meh, didn't fall in love with any of them.

While I have a Sig 228 that is close to the 19 size, I don't feel under gunned with it. The water jug tests with 147 +p HST a 124 +p GD's we did last night made me smile.

But I mostly agree that high capacity or small concealable guns are where the 9 is best.

They do also make 45 +p HST ammo that can't be any worse and even offer the Shield in 45... We don't have to choose one or the other.

You keep talking cray-cray schidt like THAT and you will crash the internet

Some rambling thoughts I'll put out here. Perhaps the more experience will correct me if my thought process is wrong.

The 9mm got a lot of R&D to improve the bullet technology because it needed the help the most . Wasn't that part of the reason for the invention of the 40S&W/10mm?

So the cheaper cost factor of 9mm is mitigated somewhat by the requirement of 9mm needing to use premium bonded hollow point ammo, usually in +p or +p+ format to help level and narrow the play field.

The lower recoil is also offset some by the higher recoil of the +p and +p+ ammo requirement, not to mention I'd think that it would put more wear & tear on your handgun.
Granted the recoil may still be lower than 45acp but not as much as initially made out to believe?

Also the recent trend toward smaller single stack 9mm and their corresponding lighter weight while helping with concealment also compounds the recoil especially with those +p or +p+ ammo.

The trend of single stack 9mm neuters the inherent advantage of high capacity of the 9mm, IMHO.


The 9mm has made great strides in it's development to narrowed the performance gap, I think the 45acp is still a viable round despite it losing the popularity contest.


With all that stuff said.

I like the 45acp because of the platform, the 1911.

Since I like the 1911, I will practice with it and shoot it more.

Some rambling thoughts I'll put out here. Perhaps the more experience will correct me if my thought process is wrong.

The 9mm got a lot of R&D to improve the bullet technology because it needed the help the most . Wasn't that part of the reason for the invention of the 40S&W/10mm?

So the cheaper cost factor of 9mm is mitigated somewhat by the requirement of 9mm needing to use premium bonded hollow point ammo, usually in +p or +p+ format to help level and narrow the play field.

The lower recoil is also offset some by the higher recoil of the +p and +p+ ammo requirement, not to mention I'd think that it would put more wear & tear on your handgun.
Granted the recoil may still be lower than 45acp but not as much as initially made out to believe?

Also the recent trend toward smaller single stack 9mm and their corresponding lighter weight while helping with concealment also compounds the recoil especially with those +p or +p+ ammo.

The trend of single stack 9mm neuters the inherent advantage of high capacity of the 9mm, IMHO.


The 9mm has made great strides in it's development to narrowed the performance gap, I think the 45acp is still a viable round despite it losing the popularity contest.


With all that stuff said.

I like the 45acp because of the platform, the 1911.

Since I like the 1911, I will practice with it and shoot it more.

I read a lot of Guns and Ammo magazines as a young man.
COL. JEFF COOPER probably is responsible.
If you look at the 200 gr Speer "Flying Ashtray" loads it is hard to carry anything else.
whelennut

Or you could come into the 21st century and use bullets that work much better. The "Flying Ashtray" has caused feed issues in many guns, had a reputation for spotty expansion, and often insufficient penetration. But when it does expand, the expansion is very impressive. But a bullet needs to do a lot more than just expand.

Correct:

They have made great improvements in bullets over the years. Really helped the 9mm perform better. But those same improvements went in to .45 bullets also. From hardcast to flying ashtrays, it is still better to start out at .451"


Know your gun.

Keep shooting it.



.....and have a beer.

Same here, although hot 9mm in a modern pistol is a good step up in ballistics from 38 Special +P in my experience, if you're comparing guns of similar size, and that's not counting on extra ammo capacity.

It is funny how some guys feel just fine with 5 shots of 38 Special, but turn up their noses at a 9mm.

I started loading with the .45 Auto, and still enjoy it. It has advantages in certain areas, and the 9mm has advantages in others. Both are good, and seem to get along fine in my holsters. The .45 sometimes has an advantage in penetrating through meat (not always), but the 9mm definitely has an advantage penetrating hard surfaces.

A G19 holds 16 rounds. That's high cap. The original high cap 9mm was the Browning High Power, that held 14 rounds.

The vast vast majority of 9mm shooting is done with "range ammo," which is cheap. Few use premium stuff for that. It's in training that one enjoys the ammo discount vs .45 ACP.