What .45?

G

Gewehrmutter

New member
Okay, I have been thinking about getting a .45 in the next few months. The problem is, which one? The only .45 caliber pistols I have shot are:

1. M1911-A1
2. Ruger KP90

I liked the way both pistols felt in my hand, but I was a little more accurate with the 1911. Plus, I really love that 'classic look and feel' of the 1911. New GI mags are also cheap and plentiful. Okay, I am going to fess up here-- I only own used/surplus guns. I am sick of cleaning cosmo, etc. and want to 'move on up' and finally get a new pistol. That would eliminate the Sistema and Bellester (sp?). It seems that most new 1911 designs are very expensive (on a budget) except one I came across recently at www.kyimports.com. The price just does not seem right- $339.99. Here is the description they give: Charles Daly 5" Matte Blue, Beavertail Grip-Safety, Ambidextrous Safety, Front Serrations Cut on Slide, Extended Slide Safety, Includes 2) Magazines with padded Floor Plates, (New in Case)------ IMO this sounds too good to be true, I mean, their used 'no-frills' Sistema cost $349.99---- WTF?! What's the 'low-down' with this gun? Then there is the P90 which has much better sights, feeds hollow point ammo better, and tough as a tank. Or, is there another good reliable .45 in the same price range, or am I just wanting to have my cake and eat it too?

Thanks,
Gewehrmutter
 
the rugers all right but for an inexpensive.45 try the cz 97b,big but quite the nice gun,but i agree, for shooting...................kimber base model is a good deal for a 1911.
 
I have a Charles Daly empire grade and have been nothing but happy with it. The only problem I had was magazine related, but good 1911 mags are pretty cheap (Clark CGW's Mags with the rounded follower work great at $18). Fit and finish is up there with the top name $1k 1911 and it has all their features as well. Accuracy is well beyond my offhand capability, and reliability has been a non-issue with any ammo I have tried. I have shot everything from 185gr semi-wadcutters to 230gr hp's with no problems. It has proved to be a wonderfull gun, It would have been a value at twice meager its price. The reason Daly's are such a good value but still wonderful guns is that they use the same materials and workmanship as the big names, but slash the cost of labor by moveing overseas. There are 2 ways to make something cheaper, use lesser materials/craftsmanship, or cut the cost of labor. They also dont have status and gun buyers ego behind their name driveing up the prices like so many other 1911 makes. Dont expect much respect from $1k+ 1911 shooters, even when your gun outshoots them with ammo their wont even feed. Gotta love underdogs.
Oh yea..one thing to remeber. In the even a Daly does jam, its because its a peice of crap, if a Wilson or Les Baer jams, its because the match grade tolerances are so finely fited.
 
New Colt 1991A1's are going for under $500 in the DFW area, and shoot as well as or better than most of the other competitive models. The competition has pretty much forced Colt to tighten up their tolerance stack up and perform really well.
 
1911

If the limit is not more then 400-450 then i would go to a gunshow or a good dealer and find a used Springfeild,Colt, or even Kimber..you can find one for under that price range and a decent shooter...its prob even already broke in..its not that well know but i have even had good results with an Auto-Ordance..
 
Whatever your 1911 choice is, if you intend on carrying it for protection I suggest only putting Wilson or Chip McCormick magazines in it.
 
KPS

Interesting suggestion, but perhaps better suggestion would be to use mags that prove reliable IN CHOSEN GUN.
Some guns like Wilsons, or Pachmayr, or Ed Brown, or Colt.
My 1911 prefers Mag-Packs.
 
For some reason Chip McCormic Mags and Daly 1911's dont go together. The loose fitting follower and long tight fed lip makes the round nosedive into the feed ramp. A magazine with a rounded, metal, tighter fitting follower and shorter feed lips works great in the Daly's. Clark Custom Gun Works magazines are pretty much identical to Wilson's in fuction, quality, design and price..they were just easier to find in my area. Dont tell me magazines have status now too. McCormics dont work in the gun..period, Clarks work perfectly, Hmmm tough choice.
 
Save a few more dollars and follow me to the dark side. Im being pulled in by forces unknown to me. Glock 30 is calling my name and will be with me shortly:D
 
I have a Charles Daly .45. It needed some help, a new hammer and sear cause the pot metal wasn't machined to the wright angle and it would double fire sometimes, swapped out the hammer & sear myself about $50.00 and now it's better. The last shot will still jam the brass backwards into the ejector and mess up the case mouth,split usually. I have some Wilson mags and it still does it. The gun is accurate though, I load my own and use 200gr. lswc to 230gr fmj it shoots fine with any of my loads group wise, 2-3" free hand @25 steps. I traded a Sigma 40 for it so I guess it was an even trade, I hated that gun. A friend of mine has a P90 and it stove pipes with wolf ammo and had a few fail to fires. He bought it used so there is no telling what it's been through from it's previous owner.....I may cuss my CD but it has been fun learning about the workings of a firearm and not with a $1000.00 gun...Now I'm leaning to a D/A revolver so I don't have to chase brass.
 
I think it all depends on amount of work you want to do with the gun vs. the amount of money that you want to spend. I firmly believe that you get what you pay for.

That being said, if you don't want to have to tinker with the gun, buy a used Sig P220 or save up for a new one. Great gun out of the box!

Don't get me wrong, I love the 1911, but in the $500 range, you'll get a gun that you're going to want to tinker with. The only 1911's that I never touched were both custom shop guns that cost $1250 and $1500 each.

So, if you're good with your hands or are willing to spend some more cash later, get the 1911. Otherwise, give the Sig a try.

-Red-
 
FLIMSY GLOCKS ??????

(rant mode on)
I'm not a huge GLOCK fan, but, I would never call them flimsy. Myself, I prefer the SIG line of handguns. The 229 and 220 in particular. The SIG's and GLOCK's, to me, seem to be an engineering marvel. (just shy of a wet dream) So before I would call a particular line of guns FLIMSY, (especially the #1 Law Enforcement duty gun) go out and put a few rounds downrange and I think that anyone would have to appreciate its' simplicity and reliability. Again, I'm really not that big a fan of GLOCKS but I must admit to them being fine guns.
(rant mode off)

To answer your question, (finally, I know) I would try to shoot as many .45's as I could and get the one that felt best in my hands. I would probably say a used SIG 220 or a GLOCK 21 would fit the bill pretty well. I'm going to go calm down now. Take Care and Good Luck. .........Whit
 
I say ParaOrd P14 'limited", because thats what I carry and shoot all the time. 14 + 1 in the chamber is a great comfort. I dont think anyone who ever survived a gunfight ever complained of having too MUCH ammo. Good gun.

michael
 
If this is going to be your first new gun, save your money and purchase a Kimber! You will not be disappointed!! I believe these are the best manufactured 1911's available.
If you look around you can find a base a Kimber for 400-500. This extra money will be well worth it. The accuracy will be much better than a stock Charles Daly.
Look for a Kimber!

As an added bonus these are great guns to build off of. If you ever get the urge Dan Burns will put a nice custom package on your Kimber!

Good Luck!;)
 
I know you said you were on a budget and want a new gun, but if you can get it possibly used, the HK USP 45 or the Sig P220 are excellent guns out of the box. I would think even used, they are still quite a gun. I own the USP 45 while my best friend owns the P220. We have had many discussions as to which is better. For myself I can hold an inch at 15 yards with the HK. My friend also has a Springfield loaded. While I love the 1911 design, I don't have a lot of first hand experience with the various 1911 makes. That being said, I really enjoy shooting my buddy's Springfield. He picked his up for $525 two years ago. I don't know if they have risen in price that much, but it seems like a good gun for the money.
 
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