Arrgghh! I am going crazy...which one to buy!

P

posigian

New member
I am in the same position that many before me have been in. I cant make up my mind which one to add to my collection.

I have some money set aside to purchase my first semi auto and cant make up my mind. I want a 45 in something I can carry if I need to.

Here is my list of choices:

1) Glock 30 or 36

I like the Glocks because of there ease of use & maintance but have some concerns with them regarding the use of reloads & the lack of any real saftey.

2) Kimber SS 3" Barrel

Would love a 1911 of some kind but I am not sure I would feel comfortable with L&C should I ever decide to carry.

3) HK Compact

Great shooter. I rented one the other day on a suggestion from the man behind the counter. That only added to the confussion as to which one I wanted. It shoots good, handles well, and I like the option to carry in condition 1 or 2.

4) Springfield Armory

I hear a lot of good things about these guns and I belive I can pick one up for a lot less than a Kimber.

So let the great debate begin. I am asking for your help because I suck at making up my mind. Money is not a real concern, but the thought of getting a Glock for $500 would leave plenty for mags & holsters. Yes, one of everything would be nice. But for now it will have to be only one.....for it will be a long time before I can ever afford a new gun. Starting a new family does nasty things to your wallet :) So I wanted to get a 45 while I still have a few extra bucks!

Thank you in advance for any feedback!
 
I had a SA1911 loaded and did not like it. I would go with the H&K or the Glocks. Which depends largely upon your needs and what you are going to use it for. If you want to conceal it go with the G36. If you are wanting it for target shooting go with the H&K.
 
Just because I am becoming reaquainted with an old friend (Ruger KP95DC), it dosen't mean that I don't like my Glocks any more. That said, for the benifit of those who have been reading my posts of late, of the choices you have listed, (What no Rugers!!) I would get the G30. The G36 is a bit over rated. The two guns are the same caliber, and operating system, only with the G36, you get the added plus :confused: of 3 rounds less firepower!!!
 
G30

Just went through the big decision on a .45 myself recently. I ended up with a G30.
I would have just got a SIG (either P220 or P245), except I already have one (not in .45) and just wanted a different style. If you haven't already ruled out a SIG, I would highly recommend you try one before you buy anything.
For me the main decision came down to the G30, G36, or a Kimber.
My first impression regarding the Glocks is that the G36 would be the ticket. After handling them, I was surprised to find that the G30 simply felt much better in my hand than the G36. The decision was made when I stumbled upon a used, but unfired G30 for over $100 less than the G36.
I'd still like a Kimber some day, but my G30 ended being almost half the price of some of the cheapest Kimbers.
I haven't been a big fan of Glocks in the past, so I figured I would try the G30 (because the price was so cheap) and then sell it or use it for trade on a Kimber if I didn't like it.
Now that I've had the G30 for a couple months, I am in no hurry to get rid of it. It is unbelievably accurate and very pleasant to shoot. I really like the G30. It has quite the following. Almost everyone who tries it, likes it.

Reloads in glocks are no problem... just don't use lead. I have also heard it recommended to stay away from the combination of heavy bullets & fast burning powders.
If you want to experiment with hot loads or want to use lead bullets, then just get an aftermarket barrel (ie: Federal $89) which has a fully supported chamber.
I, myself, stick to standard loads w/ stock guns and after 1000+ rounds thru Glocks, have seen no problem signs.
I believe most of the reloading problems (aka Kbooms) with Glocks were related to 180 grain bullets being reloaded in .40 S&W.
 
Don't believe you mentioned what you wanted this particular gun for. If it's for concealed carry the G36 or the Kimber would be the ticket. I recently had to choose between the two and chose the Glock because I needed a tough,reliable street gun. As an all around gun the H&K has a fine reputation and some people swear by SA. Tell ya though,if price isn't an issue an STI Trojan or a Wilson Millenium Protector might be worth considering. Whoops,have I made things worse? Yeah well,I go through this every three months. Ask a lot more questions and in the end ask yourself,"What do I need"? In the end that's what your decision should be based on.:)
Ronin
 
First a few questions:

Are you only limited to your listed choices?
What are the intended uses of the gun? You seem to be all over the map in size with sub-compacts, compacts and full-size guns.

That being asked. Also consider a SIG 220 or 245 depending on size.

If this is your first semi and you want a 45, go for the quintessential 45 - the 1911 Government Model. Something about a steel frame and wood grips giving a classic, familar heft. A good all around shooter. The basic Kimber 5" should do you well. I think it is better made than the Springfield and the frame is made in the USofA, not Brazil. Some deride Kimber's use of MIM and plastic parts, but I say shoot the crap out of it and then you can replace those parts (and get a trigger job to boot) for a nominal cost.

This leads you to the other beauty of the 1911 - customization. You can tailor the gun to the way it suits you.

If price is truely not a consideration, look at a Wilson, Baer or Brown and you will have a hard time not buying one.

With a 1911, its OK if you are not comfortable with condition 1, you can always carry it condition 3 (loaded mag, empty chamber, hammer down) and with practice it can be very fast into action (its what the Israelis do).

If you are stuck on your list, the USP45Compact is really nice. Very reliable, the polymer is light and thermally inert for carry, 1911 safety system plus DA.
 
If this is your first PISTOL, my first thought is to say HK Compact.
If you have lots of experience with revolvers, then I say Glock 30.

Both are great guns. The Glock is a little easier to conceal, and the HK is a little easier to learn on, with it's DA/SA, external hammer, and external safety.

But, that's just my opinion, and probably not a very good one at that!!
 
The Glock 30, definitely the Glock 30.

Nothing else even comes close in combining accuracy, reliablility, durability, ease of use, weight, and capacity.

Just do it!
 
It's not on your list; but I highly recommend a Sig-Sauer P220, for your first .45ACP. Once you get use to the DA/SA
trigger mechanism you'll love it, I promise!!!:D:) It's
the best out of the box handgun, that you will ever
own!!!:eek: Why, waste all that money to get a tricked
out .45; when you can get combat accuracy in a standard
Sig-Sauer handgun? So, step-up to the out-of-the-box ROLLS-ROYCE of handguns; buy a Sig P220A, and see
for yourself.:rolleyes:

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Well, among your four choices, I'd go for the Glock 30.

You mentioned this would be your first semi-auto. I generally recommend folks new to semi-auto's against getting a compact.45 that will have more recoil, muzzle flip, muzzle blast, less accuracy, less pleasant to shoot, etc.

Quite frankly a 3 in. alloy framed 1911 will be quite a handful to shoot, especially for a semi-'newbie'.

The Glock 30 is a nice compromise between size (albeit it is wider than the other choices), controllability, and accuracy. Mine proved to be very accurate, soft recoiling for it's size, overall, very controllable. Not to mention the 10+1 capacity and the ability to accept 13 rd. M21 mags.

With a good holster, it can be concealable for CCW use. If you MUST have something thinner. Check out the 36. Expect a bit more recoil due to it's lighter weight.

My next pick would be the USP Compact.

If you want to move into 1911-land, I'd suggest getting a steel frame, at least for your first one. I prefer the full-size Government Model for general purpose: target, competition, even CCW in a good IWB rig. Relatively mild recoil, good full length grip, pleasant to shoot, pleasant to shoot a lot of rounds in.

If you must go compact 1911, but intend to shoot it more than pack it, check out the steel-frame Kimber Pro-Carry or Compacts. At least the 4 inch barrel and steel frame makes it less a handful than a 4 or 3 in. alloy frame. I have a steel frame Kimber Compact and it is very accurate and controllable.

Just my $.02...
 
I've got both a HK compact .45 and Kimber Ultra CDP. I used to own a Glock 21 and have shot the Glock 30. For carry, the Glock (to me) is just way too thick. Nice shooting pistol, but too wide for me.

I find myself carrying the HK a lot - light, more rounds than my Kimber (8 vs 6), although the Kimber is slimmer for carry. Hard to go wrong with either choice.
 
I own an HK USPc .45, Glock 19 (had a 36), and have a Kimber custom classic (base model).

I use the Kimber for its astounding accuracy and pointability.

I use the glock 19 for plinking fun (cheap ammo!)

I use the HK for EVERYTHING else.

If I had only one? Well, the HK gives you the options of cocked and locked, decocked and locked, decocked and unlocked, 8+1 rounds, ultra reliability, polymer (as in lightweight) frame. If it helps any, I got rid of the G36 because the HK did everything the G36 did and held more rounds.

I recommend the HK USPc with night sights and don't look back.
 
Arrgghh! I am going crazy...which one to buy!

I posted the same question on Glock Talk just to cover all my options. I’m now thinking I might go with a Glock. Now I need to decide the 30 or 36?

Ronin 99 made a me think when he said "Ask a lot more questions and in the end ask yourself,"What do I need"? In the end that's what your decision should be based on." So I gave it some thought! I really don’t need one but:

1)I want to add a 45 to my collection while I still have the money. Amazing what a new family does to ones pocket book!

2)Should I ever be allowed to carry, it would be nice to already have something in my collection that is capable of CC without a lot of bulk.

3)I am getting started in reloading and needed an excuse to buy 45 dies :)

So bottom line. What I need is something in a 45 that CAN be concealed well and still be plain fun to take to the range!

The more I talk about it, the more I keep convincing myself to get the 36. There is one here locally that is used for $475. At lunch I am going to go put some $$$ down on it :)

Thank you to everyone for your feedback!
 
Hey, a subject I can help with!

I've got a Glock 30 and a Kimber Ultra Carry. In my humble opinion, both are superior to the G36. The 30 is a bit more bulky but fits my hand better than the 36 and has more firepower. The Ultra Carry also fits my hand better than the 36, has 1 more round with Wilson mags, and actually recoils (subjectively) less than the 36.

I've fired both the HK and the Sig 245. For me, I'd take the 245. The HK had a huge amount of torque (more so than any other .45 I'd ever fired). The 245 seemed to come back more or less along a straight line. The 245 also seemed to have less recoil and be more controllable. I'm planning on getting a 245 sometime in the near future, as well as a 220.

For all around use, I'd say either a Glock 30 or a Sig. Both are great range guns and excellent CC weapons.
 
All of the pistols offered by the manufacturors are fine choices.

Which choice is best for you can only be determined by you. Everyone has their own preferences. What are yours?

That said, I favor the 1911s. I own a SA1911 that I plan one customizing in the near future- the total cost will be around $900. My next pistol will be a Kimber Compact, which will also be slated for work at a total cost of just over a grand. (Give or take a hundred or so bucks.)
 
Wrt to reloading and Glock, I'd be very careful reloading for Glocks. Of course, Glock says you shouldn't use reloads, but lots of folks still do. You can probably get more info as to particulars on the Glock forums, but I just wanted to mention that if you do decide to reload for the Glock, watch the wear and tear on your brass. Glock's are basically harder on your brass, with it looser chamber dimensions and less headcase support. I know guys who do reload for Glocks, but they tend to track their cases in lots and dump them after a certain point, well before they can become a potential problem. I'm sure you know, if you've been on the Glock forums, that Glocks are much less forgiving than steel or alloy frame guns, if you should have a headcase failure...

It is also recommended that you shoot FMJ, not lead bullets. If you must reload lead, make sure it is cast very hard to avoid/minimize lead build-up in the barrel, which has been known to be a cause of kB!'s, and make sure any residual lead is scrubbed out religiously...

I prefer to just shoot factory FMJ ammo and try to cut cost by finding case deals, etc. for my Glocks.

Enjoy you new Glock!
 
Of the ones you mentioned the Glock 30 would be my choice but the Ruger P97 would be my first choice also the P90 but not for carry.
 
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