Planning to move into the .45 acp realm

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k5blazer

New member
I am planning on purchasing a .45 acp this year. Given the paltry selection of firearms in my locale and the fact that the nearest range which rents handguns is three hours away, making a selection is difficult. In the past year I have been really disappointed in the triggers of pistols and revolvers I have purchased. If I am going to spend $700 on up I would expect the trigger to be light and sweet.

Are the triggers on 45's better? Which gun has the best out of the box trigger? Colt? Kimber, Springfield? Sig? Not interested in Ruger. Absolutely hate the triggers on their P-series.

I must admit I did handle a Sig 220 at the local gunshop and liked the feel. I haven't handled a 1911 to compare. Since I will probably have to order via the internet I am a little wary of buying a gun without first handling it.
 
Let me be the first unrepentant 1911 fan to recommend the vaunted SIG P220;) . In my experience, it is the finest DA/SA .45 ACP, capable of absolutely apalling accuracy. If you need a 1911, there are lots of great choices out there from Colt, Springfield and Kimber in the same $$$ range.
You can never go too far afoul with a .45.
vanfunk
 
Which other guns have you owned?

There are a lot of great choises in 9 mm.
Every Sig 220 I have handled has been great.
If you like the Beretta 92/96 then the Beretta Cougar 8045 is a good choise.
I have a Kimber, and it has a great crisp trigger. Springfields are also good 1911's.
 
Nothing wrong with the Sig, except that DA/SA pistols are for sissies.

Get a 1911.

Triggers on Kimbers, Colts, and Springfields are around 5 lbs +/- 0.5 lbs.

My suggestion is go to a big gun show with a lot of dealers, and look at a bunch of 1911s, and check the triggers... it will save you the cost of a trigger job.

I did this not long ago, and ended up with a Colt XSE with a 4.5 lb trigger that breaks as clean as a Wilson trigger (and cost a ton less).
 
I bought a (gently) used Les Baer Premier II not too long ago for a bit over $1000, which included 3 magazines and six boxes of factory ammo. So far it's been 100% reliable - the first .45 I've had that I can say that about - and the trigger breaks crisply right at 4 pounds.
 
It's hard to do better than a P220, and I'm also a Colt fan. However, FWIW, my personal fav .45 is the Glock 30. :)
 
The guns I presently shoot are:

Browning Hi-Power
Feg PJK - 9HP
Ruger P95DC
S&W 547
Ruger 22/45
Super Blackhawk .44 Mag
Blackhawk .357 Mag
SP101 .357 Mag
Taurus 605 .357 Mag
Bisley Single Six

As you can see I am a little partial to the 9mm. Of the guns listed above the 22/45, 547 and Super BlackHawk have light crisp triggers. They are a joy to shoot. The others need trigger work or I have worked on them. I was thinking a .45 acp would be a nice addition to the collection. I just don't want another handgun that I need trigger work on. Since I am not the greatest marksman in the world (pretty well suck at it) a light crisp trigger with very little travel helps my accuracy and my confidence.

Many friends and acquaintenances rave about the model 1911 guns and how accurate they are. All I would use it for is punching paper.

Haven't looked at the Glocks yet.

Thanks for all the info so far.
 
k5blazer,

It may be worth the three hour drive to that rental range. I recently purchased a Sig P220 after trying it out alongside a 1911 -- I went into the store expecting to love the SA 1911, and walked out with a DA/SA Sig. Go figure.

It's all about subjective fit and feel. At your price point $700+ everything you buy will be reliable, accurate and (theoretically) come with a decent trigger pull. What really makes the difference between a satisfied shooter and someone still hungry for "the perfect fit" is how it shoots in your hand.

Failing a live fire test, I second the recommendation to hit a local gun show. Fondle everything, pull triggers (after checking the chamber, naturally), rack slides, fiddle with controls

I love my P220: it's comfortable for me to shoot; I love the bar-dot sights; Sigs are friendly for lefties. It is the perfect .45 for me.

Best of luck in your search.
 
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