Is the 45 acp "dead"?

[44 AMP]

I was wondering about the death of the 45 recently - I have a 45 shield that’s been on consignment for 3 months now...

If no one was looking at your handguns, it was probably due to condition and/or pricing, not the fact that they were revolvers and .45s.

OR it might simply be the fact that no one (so far) has been interested in your Sheild simply because of what the design is. Not everyone is interested in that kind of pistol. I for one, have zero interest in any plastic framed hammerless centerfire pistol, no matter what caliber it is in, or how many rounds it holds.

I think declaring something is "dead" because it is not currently holding the number one sales slot in your local area is more than a bit unrealistic.

 

[PolarFBear]

For Frankenmauser and others, I was NOT declaring the 45 dead NOR attempting to start a controversy. Just asking about interest from other parts of the country rather than my narrow scope of NE TN. The goods were of high quality and fairly priced. Sigs, S&Ws, Springfields, Paras, Rugers (held my Colts back). Did OK on smaller calibers, both plastic and steel. The long guns moved on as well. Seems what is really in demand these days are small revolvers. The high interest in those sold and the ice-cold shoulders to the 45s really surprised me. I reload and pour my on lead so 45 cost is not too high.

 

[GeauxTide]

Love the ACP. Have a Springfield 1911 and an AR that takes Glock mags. SAWEEET!!

 

[FrankenMauser]

But what percentage of those sales of 1911s are 45 ACP versus other cartridges?

Feel free to enlighten me. I have many connections in the gun world, but I don't know production numbers for every company.

I for one, have zero interest in any plastic framed hammerless centerfire pistol, no matter what caliber it is in, or how many rounds it holds.

You're not the only one. My interest level may be greater than zero, for a very limited number of designs, but it is still very close to zero and own only one polymer-framed pistol (which is now 24 years old).

My most recent handgun acquisition was, in fact, a 1911 in .45 Auto (built, not bought). But not for me. I don't care for the cartridge in handguns, nor do I care for the 1911. It was for my young son, who doesn't like plastic guns. He wants steel-framed, classic designs; and I don't think I have influenced his taste in that regard. I believe he came to that entirely on his own - probably in no small part because the classics are identifiable, they don't disappear into an indiscernible sea of lookalikes, with the plastic gang.
(That is something I gathered from talking about pistols with him: He could identify a Hi-Power, a 1911, a Luger, and some others; but when it came to plastic, he was a democratic muckraker: Everything was a Glock.)

 

[TunnelRat]

Is the 45 acp "dead"?

Feel free to enlighten me. I have many connections in the gun world, but I don't know production numbers for every company.

I don’t seem to remember saying you personally should know. It was me wondering out loud.


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[platform]

@PolarFBear -- if I may, i would like to make a suggestion:
Use the strength of your collection to compete, not the weaknesses.

The weakness is that the .45 cannot compete with the current micro-compacts for carry options.

The strength, is that .45s with forged frame 1911, glocks and a few others -- are 'platform' guns.
That means that they can be 'transformed' to various forms to accomodate specific purposes.


So if possible, what you should be doing is packaging your items for sale with those strength attributes.
the .45s should be packaged with conversion barrels + magazines -- as multi-caliber packages.

If you can invest in getting some to have additional conversions in to .38 Super, .400 corbon, .40 super, .460 rowland.

If you have a Ruger that can swap cylinders between .45 LC and .45 ACP -- I would package that with a .45 ACP semi auto and sell it together.

And so on.
My point is - your audience should not be the 'micro-compacts' crowd.

 

[chris in va]

I had a CZ 97 and loved it until it broke, fortunately I've been able to get a Citadel functioning well and shoot it a lot as I cast for it. Nothing like a 225gr LRN smacking the steel.

 

[Lavan]

Could be that it's high time for a .46 ACP.

 

[44 AMP]

So if possible, what you should be doing is packaging your items for sale with those strength attributes.
the .45s should be packaged with conversion barrels + magazines -- as multi-caliber packages.

If you can invest in getting some to have additional conversions in to .38 Super, .400 corbon, .40 super, .460 rowland.

If you have a Ruger that can swap cylinders between .45 LC and .45 ACP -- I would package that with a .45 ACP semi auto and sell it together.

And so on.

OK, I'm confused....
are you actually suggesting that the op buy more stuff? Conversion barrels and magazines, and even a Ruger convertible to make a bigger "package" that would POSSIBLY appeal more to someone looking to buy a .45acp??

That sounds counterproductive, to me...

 

[TunnelRat]

OK, I'm confused....
are you actually suggesting that the op buy more stuff? Conversion barrels and magazines, and even a Ruger convertible to make a bigger "package" that would POSSIBLY appeal more to someone looking to buy a .45acp??

That sounds counterproductive, to me...

Personally I agree with you.

In my experience conversion barrels and whatnot have appeal to a small subset of buyers. If you find the right buyer it can add value, otherwise you often end up selling them for practically no financial gain. I definitely don’t see it as a way to make more money.


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[jar]

I am in the time of life to pare down the "inventory". Did a local gun show and had half a dozen 45 acp using firearms on my table. It was a mix of SA, DA-SA and revolvers, all quality pieces. Not a single person gave any of them a look! What was under review by patrons were 22's, 9's and .380. What has happened to the "manly" caliber? Out of spite I bought another (actually traded a 22) 1911, a Springfield, and went home happy.

Also in the paring down mode but curious what the 45acp models happened to be?

In my paring down my 45acps so far are not even close to getting on the "To a Forever Home" list.

 

[ChimpMunk20]

Truth is 45 is just about dead everywhere.

I'll shoot it some in Single stack, but as arthritis gets the better of me 9mm sees the most action these days.

As to the OP question, YES. 45acp is dead in limited. Really for serious competitors, all things being equal, there's no reason not to shoot 40 in Limited.

 

[zaitcev]

How many new handguns have been introduced in 38 Super, 10MM Auto, etc. ?

Oh man, tons of 10mm guns are new on the market recently. And it's not just the CMMG. Every pistol manufacturer who's not asleep at the wheel is rolling out the 10mm. It started with XDm, then SIG, and now S&W. The latter even rolled out a 10mm revolver, model 610.

 

[zaitcev]

Feel free to enlighten me. I have many connections in the gun world, but I don't know production numbers for every company.

A few years back I took a look at the annual ATF report. The take for .45 was something like 27%. The 9mm took 45%, and the third was .380 with about 13%. However, the ammo sales are more lopsided than that (from various notices by sellers, because Lucky Gunner no longer publish the breakdown). I concluded that people still bought a bunch of .45 but they basically did not shoot their purchases. The .380 people also shoot less, mostly on the account of 1. not having much of .380 PCC, 2. their magazines being overall smaller, 3. competing and practicing less. But apparently the shooting of .45 declines so fast that pretty soon you'll see more .380 and 10mm brass on the floor.

 

[Smaug]

That's a funny story.

I think that the health of 45 ACP will be directly related to availability of reloading components. Got to be a rich cat indeed to shoot factory ammo in a 45, unless really limiting oneself.

Prices might've been too high.

 

[44 AMP]

I would caution against judging the numbers of people who have and sometimes shoot .45s simply based on current market sales and reports.

Or by the amount of fired brass you find at the range. You won't find ANY of my brass left at the range, if I can help it.

PERHAPS, based on recent sales, you might make an argument that the .45ACP is on its way to niche status (though I suspect a few million folks might disagree) but I think its a long, long way from "dead".

 

[Scorch]

People have been predicting the demise of the 45 ACP for decades. I have been involved with firearms for 50 years now, and I can't remember a time when the 45 wasn't being called dead or dying. It was never really "popular", but it seemed like most people had one just in case. In the 1960s it was dying because of the 357 Magnum and the 44 Magnum. In the 70s it was because of the 357 magnum and the 41 magnum. In the 80s and the 90s it was because of the 357 and the 9mm. In the 2000s it was because of the 9mm and the 40. And so on. It has been declared dying by most gun rags for the past 50 years and yet it's still going strong. I get it, 9mm is easier to shoot, plastic guns are lighter, you can get a 1911 in 10 mm now, and so on. But the 45 remains.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

So if possible, what you should be doing is packaging your items for sale with those strength attributes.
the .45s should be packaged with conversion barrels + magazines -- as multi-caliber packages.

If you can invest in getting some to have additional conversions in to .38 Super, .400 corbon, .40 super, .460 rowland.

If you have a Ruger that can swap cylinders between .45 LC and .45 ACP -- I would package that with a .45 ACP semi auto and sell it together.

And so on.

OK, I'm confused....
are you actually suggesting that the op buy more stuff? Conversion barrels and magazines, and even a Ruger convertible to make a bigger "package" that would POSSIBLY appeal more to someone looking to buy a .45acp??

That sounds counterproductive, to me...

I agree with 44 AMP. I can guarantee -- with about 98.73 percent certainty -- that going out and buying all the "stuff" to make those pistols convertibles might -- at best -- get the seller back about 10 to 15 percent of the cost of all that "stuff."

 

[JustJake]

Is the 45 acp "dead"?

Well, it’s nowhere near as dead as the .40S&W.

FBI said so.

 

[JJ45]

Hollow point bullets have been around since late 19th century. Lyman made molds for the bullet but didn't sell ammo. Lee Jurris (sp?) and Hi-Vel or was it Super Vel company? popularized JHPs in the late 60s.

Before this, if we had to use the ammo available, we would probably select the 45 ACP as probably the best man stopper other than maybe the 357 which didn't appear until the mid 30s or the older 45 Colt in a revolver.

I own 45s but they are not as fun to shoot or economical as 9mm and with modern bullet tech the 9 is certainly an adequate SD cartridge. So why own a 45. The 45 ACP will never die as won't the 45 Colt. I reload the 45 Colt for deer hunting and although I have the dies, etc. for 45acp ,I don't see the practicality. I only load a minimum for the the 45 Colt as I don't go out and shoot a hundred plus rounds as I would want to shoot 45 ACP and do 9mm.

Heck, I was carrying concealed a CZ82 or a Makarov (just to be different in 9x18, loading the 12 round CZ mags with six rounds of Hornady Critical defense followed by six rounds of Russian steel case and all 8 HPs in the Mak, but wouldn't you know the 9x19 is now about half the cost of 9x18! Used to be the opposite, Dang politics!