Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Best .45 for concealed carry?

FWIW there are multiple posts about how Kimber Montanas don't shoot worth a schit as well. The fact is that "most" Montana owners feel no need to post due to their rifles functioning flawlessly. The same is most likely true of the 1911. "Most" of us carry/shoot them with no issues and continue with life.

It's no secret that I detest Glocks for their ergos and won't carry one for just that reason. To imply that picking up a 1911 is a roll of the dice while a Glock is a sure thing is just wrong.

Hell, I would take back my old Sig220 any day before a Glock. That Sig was long ago replaced by a 1911 for carry purposes, though.

George

Don't even want to fathom how many rounds the 1911 I carry has had through it; the two previous owners were/are known to shoot the dog piss out of stuff, and I sure haven't baby'd it since.

Never a hiccup.

Of course, my Glock(s) don't falter, either.

Might just be because I have half-a-fuggin' clue, and don't screw w/stuff that's proven to work.

Ain't directed at anyone in particular, but if you're getting azz raw over it, there might be a reason why.

My carry gun is my Kimber Ultra Carry II stainless .45, with an extra mag. Never felt the need for less.

If you needed a production gun to shoot less than a inch and could only buy one rifle would you buy the Montana? I really want a Montana but will not take the chance on it not shooting.

I never said that the glock was a sure thing but I think there is lot less of a chance of buying one of them and it being a jam-o-matic than any 1911.

Dink

Kind of depends on whether you like a single action or some kind of a DA or striker type of pistol.

My preference is for the 1911 single action type & in those, any of the alloy frame sized Commander models are great.

If you want to go smaller, you can drop down to the CCO size or even further down to the 3" barreled version such as the Colt Defender or the Kimber Ultras.

Or if you can handle the full sized Gov't models, they carry quite well for many & there is a decent selection of alloy framed full size models available today as well.

I like the lightweight Commander & COO sizes for everyday carry as the weight makes them easier to carry all day.

In the right holster & depending on your body type, all can be concealed well.

MM

Not if you compare apples to apples. For example, compare a hundred randomly selected S&W 1911s with a hundred randomly selected Glocks. In that case, their reliability out of the box, using the mags that came in the box, would likely be so little different as to be statistically insignificant, and no telling which would come out technically ahead. Of course, in shooting ability, the 1911 will blow the Glock away. No contest.

The Colt Defender is a good bet. I was pleased with mine, although it was a bit fussy about which ammo it liked. With good ammo, Federal HS, it was 100%. Others report good results with theirs.

If you can find one, a Colt CCO is worth a look - it had the long Commander slide, on an Officers frame. You gain the reduced print of the smaller frame, the reliability and sight radius of the Commander.

Thought you had that dipschit on ignore..........

Why waste bandwidth?

MM

Can't speak to that model, but my H&K P2000 in 40 S&W has functioned flawlessly since day one. I've actually tried to make it jam with weird hand holds -- it goes bang every time. H&K has really impressed me.

Having said that, I've had no issues with my Kimber Eclipse II .45, but that's a full-size and not for carry. For carry, I go the other way with a Kahr MK9 Elite or S&W 642.

You'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now, wouldn't you?

I would, without hesitation. Honestly, if someone survived an excurstion into my house and stole all my hunting rifles I would take the insurance check and buy either a Montana in .308 or, most likely, order an 84L in '06 and be done. I'd scope it and put the rest of the money towards hunts.



I wouldn't have any heartburn dropping my cash on most production 1911s that are around. Likewise, if I could stand Glocks, it wouldn't bother me to grab one and run with it. I wouldn't trust my life to any gun until I put it through its paces.

I have/had 1911s from Kimber and Smith with no problems. I didn't carry them until cases of ammo were run through without a hiccup.

George

I've been pretty happy with my Kobra Carry over the past ten years or so, although I must admit that it came to me from Mr. Brown with a badly tuned extractor which caused unreliability and eventual breakage. I don't care for his customer service, either, and I'll leave that alone for now. After the extractor hook broke off I replaced it on my own, learning the technique of extractor tuning on my own from various sources. After that, it's been 100% reliable with whatever I've fed it, so I must have learned well.

If you bobbed the hammer off that wheelgun (yeah, I know it's a classic and that would be a sin but I'm a practical kind of guy) that would be the perfect combo.

Damn close to my setup, though my revolver is stainless with no hammer and I'm not classy enough to have a Kobra.

George

I know what you mean about the hammer spur, George. I was very close to sending it to TLee for removal once (he was nice enough to offer to do it for free, if I recall correctly), but just couldn't bring myself to do it.

Get a spare hammer and chop that one, put away the original.

That's a thought.

Apples to apples where are you buying $500 S&W 1911's?

I would like to see a test like this done. I don't know what the out come would be but if I had to bet I would still bet on the glock.

Will you tell your cuddle buddy something for me. The nice 20 gauge double that he posted for sale a week or so ago. One of the attorney's I know well is a bird hunter. He likes really nice double shotguns and was interested in the nice double that was for sale but since I was on ignore I was unable to send him a pm stating the attorney wanted to buy it.

Dink

Glock 30 is not a bad .45acp, if it feels comfy to you.

I went through the "choose a .45acp for CCW" many years ago and ended up with an SS Kimber Pro Carry. I found the alloy frame, 4" barrel 1911 easy to shoot, reliable, and very comfy to carry IWB.

I also used to IWB carry a Glock 19, which is overall lighter, but bulkier and therefore less comfortable. The G30 is bulkier still.

I am going to try and get this thread back on topic.
I carried various Colt 1911 models for the last 30 years. Started with the Government Model then to the Commander, finally down to the Officers Model. In all those years of having several I never had a single malfunction of any type.
I even tried a couple of different Glock's but could never get warmed up to them and their "blockiness". Good guns and I have had no issues but I never could understand why some people are so damned "it's the greatest gun on earth" mentality and defend them with the most idiotic and constant acolades. It is a mechanical device designed to fire a round of ammo just like every other firearm out there.
Having said that I currently carry a Kahr PM45. It is the most comfortable gun I have ever carried. Light, compact, accurate, and dependable. The reason for the gradual change in carry guns is the need for something lighter as the years passed on and since I travel to different climates it seemed sensible to get something easily carried while in summer attire also.
I really came to enjoy the Kahr and have since purchased a couple of PM9's also.

Maybe what you might want to do is try and get to a gunshow or visit several shops and get a "feel" for the different guns you have in mind. You'll know when that certain gun just seems to "fit". Not everyone is the same and "fit and feel" will make the gun shoot much better for you than one that just doesn't feel right.
Good Luck
WW

Kahr CW45 for me.