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If you wanted a general purpose auto for plinking, kill shots on deer, home defense / carrying when needed what woud you get.

Glocks seem to be pretty widely used but I still don't like the trigger / safety setup. A 45 seems too big, and a 40 too hot, and a 9mm too small.

Of course these are more feelings without alot of experience behind them. I've always had large cal revolvers, and only went auto with 22's.

I plan to go to a indoor range and shoot a variety and pick what I like best. I'm currently looking to try a Kimber 45, H&K USP, and a Sig.

Any words of wisdom / recommendations on trying others?

Spot

I've done a little of all of your quest and quite a bit of most of it.
Big game rds. in an auto are pretty limited. The 10mm comes to mind. It is none too hot for big game. Actually, I prefer the .44 or the .41 Magnums for that.
I much prefer revolvers for hunting. They, especially Smiths can provide that all important "glass rod" trigger break.
But an auto is far more rugged and more easily concealed as a personal defense gun. My first choice there has always been a 1911 like a Kimber or a Colt in .45 ACP.
Actually, except for it's lack of big game killing power, it will do all your chores very well. Forced to choose just one, I'd go for a good 10mm like a 1006 Smith or a 1911 Kimber, or a 1911 in the .45 ACP.
The .45 ACP is a fully adequate defense rd. and a super target and plinker rd. Not the best as a big game rd. The 10mm will handle the big game role, but it's a bit much as a plinker or a target rd. in the current 1911's like the Kimbers or the older Colts. The much more user friendly Smith are no longer made. E

I�ll second the vote for the 10mm. For plinking, I�d recommend handloading and loading them light. Full power loads like the Norma 200gr JHP will get the job done on Deer out to around 100 yards. A steady diet of full power 10mm loads will wear a 1911 out, so stick to the lighter loads for most everything but hunting. 10mm is needlessly overpowered for most self defense situations which is why the FBI had it loaded down to .40 S&W levels.

Another option would be a .45 Super, which is primarily a hotrod .45ACP. It requires thicker brass which is available from Starline, and it takes a heavy recoil spring in the 24-26lb range. Simply swap recoil springs to an 18.5lb and you�re back in the .45ACP business. It�s a cool cartridge, but if you like your hands in one piece, resist the urge to load .45 Super in .45ACP cases, there�s just not enough chamber support to pull that one off.

My first choice is always a Commander-size 1911 in 45 ACP, and of the current ones off the shelf, I line S&Ws 1911PD the best. Only go with a 1911, though, if you're willing to get get the training and put in the time to operate it properly, so that it's every function is second nature. Otherwise, forget it.......

Another solid choice is a Sig 229, which is a traditional double-action semi-auto, and an extremely well-made, accurate, and safe pistol. I have one in 40 S&W, but if you want something a little smaller that packs more punch than a 9mm, you can also get the P229 in 357 Sig, which is an excellent cartridge in every way..........

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I don't like the 1911 pistol design for carrying or self defense. It's good for target shooting of course. It's just too complicated. Double action pistols are available and thats what to consider.

If you mean deer dispatching and not deer hunting an expanding bullet from a 9mm will be fine. I have put them away with a .22.

You have a good plan to try them at the range. Try a Para Ordinance if you must have a 1911 look gun. They are pricey but have a superb trigger system that operates like a DA.

Para Ord.

I've owned a Colt commander, Officers ACP, Remington Rand, and presently own a Kimber Tatical which has an aluminum frame.
The Kimber is my all time favorite.
Also own a Hi Power .40 and a S&W 639 9mm.
Good luck in your quest.
Virgil B.

Spot,

Q: If you wanted a general purpose auto for plinking, kill shots on deer, home defense / carrying when needed what would you get.

A: Two or three different handguns.

I think you partially answered your own question with �a 45 seems too big, and a 40 too hot, and a 9mm too small.� There are a number of .357 Mag revolvers that suit your range of duties, especially factoring in .38 Special, but I don�t know of a semi-auto that does ALL the things you want very well. Compromising too far in one direction or another just leads to a handgun you aren�t very happy with for anything.

�Legal� for deer in Minnesota starts at a .357 Mag, but a 10mm is probably more realistic in terms of pistol availability. The laws in your state might be different, but the logic still holds � using anything less than .357 Mag is getting dicey. So using the 10mm as a baseline, the pistol will be expensive, lots of recoil, expensive to feed, and bulky to carry in most situations. At one end of your range you have an�okay�deer handgun and on the other a crappy plinker.

Spot...,

I've a couple of friends who had bad reliability problems with Kimbers recently (.45ACP). Sent back to company...still not fixed..that sorta thing. The Sigs I've shot have all had really heavy, long trigger pulls. Personally,I'd stick with S&W.

Cartridge wise you've limited yourself to the 10mm or maybe,.357 SIG. A buddy has a Glock in .357 Sig. You do not want in front of that round!

Your only other option may be a Desert Eagle in one of their monster rounds.

good shooting.

JOG,

If he went with a 1911 design, he would have an okay deer pistol, but if he dropped a good .22 conversion unit on that 1911, he'd have a first rate plinker.

That's the great thing about the 1911, the versatility. If you go with a lightweight design like the S&W 1911PD then it's not a half bad carry gun...I carry mine all the time in a good IWB holster and it�s quite comfortable to carry�And comforting.

There's absolutely nothing complicated about a 1911 - if you know how to use one.

A Kimber 1911 in .45 makes an excellent all around gun for what your looking for. If a 1911 is not for you, my next favorite is the Sig P220. With either, I'd limit any hunting to bow ranges.

GunGeek,

That's a great point about the .22 conversion units, but a guy would still run afoul of the law in Minnesota using a .45 ACP on deer. Can the same .22 conversion be used on both 10mm and .45 ACP 1911 frames, or are the frames different?

One problem with the 10mm is trying to download it. You can change the springs quickly on a S&W 1006, but the Glocks use the jet force of the gases to push the barrel back and unlock the breach. If you download a 10mm to .40 S&W power, you have to change the mainspring there, too, and I have seen that still not eject many of the loads.

Another problem with the .357 and .45 for hunting is that some states have specifically written the legislation to make the .45 ACP not powerful enough, and required barrels of 4.5 or 5.0 inches minimum, which eliminates some great revolvers, like the Colt Trooper MkIII with the small grips, a very conceable and accurate handgun.

A 6-inch Trooper or S&W cut down to 5 inches would be good for concealed carry and hunting.

A Glock or Springfield XD in 10mm and long slide in .357 Sig would be hunting legal in most states, too, but a bit less concealable, and they do not have the sights of a revolver.

I am a big fan of .22 conversion kits. You can get them for:
1911s
Glock
Beretta 92
Browning High Power
Sig 220 frames (.45 and .357 Sig).

Sig also makes a nice .22 in the size of one of their compact 9mms.

I would look for a super clean second-hand S&W 6-inch .357 for about $325. For about $325 to $400, find a matching K-22. Total cost, less than a top quality new autoloader.

JOG,

The frame size is the same for all calibers in the 1911 (Springfield compact .45GAP and Hi Cap�s excepted)

I'd go with a Kimber Stainless Classic w/out the external extractor in 45 ACP. Then I'd look to pick up a 22 conversion and a 460 Rowland conversion. Each will set you back about 3 bills. The Rowland is a handload only proposition but will give 41 to 44 mag performance out of a 1911 frame. My Rowland looks like it will be a good shooter but I've only shot 100 or so rounds out of it. Not even broke in yet. I picked up 500 new brass so I may get it broke in this year yet.

GunGeek,

That's good to know and definitely ups the utility of the 10mm - an expensive round for even a reloader. If I had to stick with one pistol per Spot's original post, the 10mm and .22 combo would be a front runner for me.

I wondering though, does that count as a pistol and a half? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'd also go with Allen's pic, comander sized 1911 in 45acp. I grew up shooting a 1911, and it just feels right to me. Everyone's hands are different, so need to get what works in your hands.

Who's making 10 mm's outside of 40's? I remember the old delta elite had rail cracking problems.

There are some good ideas here I didn't think of.

I did some more searching and am now wondering if I shouldn't go with a smaller carry pistol, and a larger plinker / home defense version.

I'm gonna keep chewing on it, some good ideas though.
I would really like to get one (point well made that one won't fit all purposes too well).

Keep'em coming, I learn slow - but what's the first question's answer - who's making a 10mm today?

Thanks,
Spot

I've got a Kimber and a P90, both .45 ACP. The Kimber is the nicer gun, by far.... but I've killed more stuff with the P90, just because I had it with me.

Got my first turkey with the P90. A 255gr. SWC doesn't tear up much of the bird, it was delicious!

I got my second turkey with a 500 Smith. Half of it was delicious.

Ricky..,

That's just flat out funny,dude.