Stick with 9, or add a 45?

J

Jacket67

New member
Ok, this is NOT, NOOOOOOT, meant to be a 9 vs .45 debate. I love both calibers, and am not comparing ballistics, stopping power, accuracy, or any other statistic.

What I AM asking is which should I be considering for my next handgun based on my situation. I currently only have a 9mm shield as my handgun. It's great for concealed carry, and feels really good in my hand. I've been thinking about what I want my next handgun to be. I've been planing on it being a 1911 (as one of my previous posts stated), but currently wonder if that's the right decision.

I like the idea of only needing to buy 9mm to feed two handguns, but also wouldn't mind having a .45acp in the mix because I simply enjoy the caliber. The more cost effective option is 9mm, but there are some instances (albeit just a few) where I'd probably like to have a .45acp. Reloading is not currently an option as I am a college student who will be moving soon, and don't really have the time to get into it.

Should I actually be looking at something like a full or midsize double stack 9mm to keep my caliber range small, or continue looking into the 1911 platform? What about a double stack .45acp?



Thanks in advance.
 
I'm always of the opionion that having multiple cartridge options is desirable, but I also believe more than one in any given caliber is a good strategy, so can't tell you which road to pursue first.

The only suggestion I can make is to go with .45 if you go with the 1911.
 
If you have the money to shoot a lot of 45, then a full size 1911 in 45 should be very fun. But if ammo cost will significantly reduce your trigger time, I would buy a full size platform designed for 9mm which is probably cheaper than a 1911 and shoot it a lot.
 
I would get a 1911, why limit yourself to only one caliber? You wont be a college student forever and the 9mm Shield makes a great CW and a 1911 can make a good home defense/range weapon. There is nothing wrong with a good med/fullsize 9mm either so there really is no bad decision.
 
I vote .45. Variety is the spice of life and you don't put all your eggs in one ammo basket so to speak.

Having 9mm, .40, .45, .357/.38 calibers meant the ammo crunch never really hit me. There was always one ammo or another I could find to shoot.
 
I agree that the 1911 would be a lot of fun and make a great HD gun, but what I'm wondering about is only having two single stack firearms. I know I'm not going to be popping off a lot of rounds should I ever need to use it for defense, but I do find the idea of having a double stack more comforting for that purpose if for no other reason than not having to worry as much about reloading. Which is why I mentioned maybe a double stack .45 as an option.
 
IMHO if you don't reload or have a trust fund don't go 45. You'll shoot it 25 times and stop and shoot the 9 250 more times. If you get another 9 you'll go ahead and do 400 rounds in a session of shooting.

I reload and know from first hand experience my 45's got dusty before I started reloading. Now that I do reload I still shoot my 9's 5x more than the 45's still.
 
I would definitely get a 45. I love my Glock 21 with upgraded innards and nickel boron coating. It is sweet to shoot and cleans up super easy. 1911s are great also
 
I like the variaty of different calibers. My primary and CCW is 9mm but also have several other calibers i use to change things up at the range. I like 1911 but you may want to consider something with a similar trigger style if you plan on using it for defense.
 
A double stack 9 makes more sense for your next purchase. Then Perhaps a nice 45. Welcome to the very big crowd of folks with a constant "want List" Mabey you should consider a Sig MPX or Scorpion EVO or Kriss Vector and stock up on lots of 9mm
 
I definitely plan to get whichever I don't get next at some point down the road. I may opt for the 9mm next, and then save and research and get my perfect idea of a 1911. I've definitely considered it being a gift to myself once I get out of school and get into my career!

I'm going to retract my earlier proposal of a double stack 45. I'd just rather have the 1911 over any other.

The 9mm I'd be looking at is the m&p 2.0 compact. By the time I'd be getting one, the kinks (if any) should be well established and worked out. It's about half the cost of a good Colt 1911, and I'd stick to just 9mm. Then I'd treat myself to a Colt later on, and make it a special purchase all the way around.
 
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