Why can't I like a 45acp

[Guest Nitroexpress]

Was in the gun business for 35 yrs. Sold all calibers of guns. Talked to many, many folks in Law Enforcement over the years, and heard many stories. Always thought a 9mm was fine, a 357 I thought even better until I heard a story about a trip that took two guys, one local pd and one a county deputy out to a house one night. The perp was down at the end of a hallway, the two LEO officers were headed down the mentioned hallway one right behind the other when out of the bedroom door on the left comes a arm with a pistol firing. The lead officer put two 9mm into the armpit of the perp, but did not knock him down right away. The perp got off two more shots, one clipping the lead officers pistol, and the second shot caught the second officer in the right eye killing him on the spot. If the lead officer had a 45acp, the perp would most likely never have gotten off any more shots. I have both, 9mm and 45acp. I also have small hands, I found after looking quite a while a Star PD, dura aluminum frame, single stack in 45acp, small, light, easy to carry. I started reloading long, long, time ago because I could see in the future ammo was going to be hard to get, and what u could get would be very expensive. Use to sell 357 mag for 14.99 to 19.99 a box, now it's 40+. So glad I reload.

[Moped]

Those old Star PD's were good pistols!

[mikegideon]

[Major Kong]

I may have missed it in the discussion but if you like the XDS why not just get one in 9mm? That leaves more 45 acp for me...

[hipower]

I may have missed it in the discussion but if you like the XDS why not just get one in 9mm? That leaves more 45 acp for me...

Speaking of 45acp, major; I've been cleaning up my storeroom/tool/safe area today. Found some goodies that I'd put out of the way on a shelf and had covered it up.

2 cases of Seller&Bellot 230gr 45.

Wonder what else I've mislaid?

[mikegideon]

Speaking of 45acp, major; I've been cleaning up my storeroom/tool/safe area today. Found some goodies that I'd put out of the way on a shelf and had covered it up.

2 cases of Seller&Bellot 230gr 45.

Wonder what else I've mislaid?

 

Almost as good as finding an uncashed paycheck!

[hipower]

With ammo costs still higher than I like, it's better.

 

The receipt showed 329/1000. Not bad.

[hipower]

 

:drool:  :drool:   Dang that's beautiful!

[Patton]

I may have missed it in the discussion but if you like the XDS why not just get one in 9mm? That leaves more 45 acp for me...

No reason not to, it's just there is a lot more small 9's on the market I think I may like better. Mainly a Shield or a G26 that have cheaper mags and a lot more holsters.

[Major Kong]

Speaking of 45acp, major; I've been cleaning up my storeroom/tool/safe area today. Found some goodies that I'd put out of the way on a shelf and had covered it up.

2 cases of Seller&Bellot 230gr 45.

Wonder what else I've mislaid?

That's quite a find! I'm happy if I come across a half a box I've misplaced.

[mikegideon]

No reason not to, it's just there is a lot more small 9's on the market I think I may like better. Mainly a Shield or a G26 that have cheaper mags and a lot more holsters.

 

I want a Shield. Not badly enough to go on a serious chase, but I'll wind up owning one.

[Patton]

I want a Shield. Not badly enough to go on a serious chase, but I'll wind up owning one.

I had the 40 and I would have kept it but had the itch for another j frame. I also wished it would have been the 9 for lack of having a 9 at the time. The shield carries like a small pistol, but shoots like a full size. The XDS carries like a small pistol and shoots like a small pistol.

[Patton]

I want a Shield. Not badly enough to go on a serious chase, but I'll wind up owning one.

I had the 40 and I would have kept it but had the itch for another j frame. I also wished it would have been the 9 for lack of having a 9 at the time. The shield carries like a small pistol, but shoots like a full size. The XDS carries like a small pistol and shoots like a small pistol.

[frankmako]

45 acp, 40 s&w, and the 9mm all have done the job for many years.  sometimes better than others.  sometimes not so good.  there is no one shot stop with the three.  carry what you got.  

[hipower]

I had the 40 and I would have kept it but had the itch for another j frame. I also wished it would have been the 9 for lack of having a 9 at the time. The shield carries like a small pistol, but shoots like a full size. The XDS carries like a small pistol and shoots like a small pistol.

 

That's the best commentary for these two pistols I've heard. I think I'll steal it and pass it off a mine. LOL

[JAB]

I solved the issue this week.  I got a 9mm 1911.

 

One of the few 1911 guns I have ever fired was a S&W 1911 style in 9mm that an acquaintance had.  I can't remember the model number but it was the one that Smith supposedly designed to be a 'production target 1911' or 'production competition 1911' or whatever.  The first time I shot it (which was also the first time I ever shot any 1911), from ten yards out shooting offhand I put that very first magful into a group that could have been covered by a quarter - and I don't consider myself to be all that great a shot, in general.  Danged thing was amazing.  The only down side (as a carry gun) was that it only held eight rounds of 9mm.  Then, again, in a gun I could shoot that accurately 8 rounds of 9mm would probably be plenty enough.  1911s aren't really my 'thing' - being a revolver fan, I prefer DAO or DA/SA even in semiatuos for carry - but one of these days I may have to get one and it just might have to be a 9mm version.

Edited November 18, 2013 by JAB

[hipower]

The 1911 platform in 9mm is a blast. Can't really explain why, but I really enjoy it.

 

Yes, the ammo is a little cheaper, the felt recoil is somewhat less, and thereby somewhat easier to shoot; but I really can't say that is the reason so many people go to the 9mm version on the 1911.

 

It's just fun.

[Duck]

It would be wrong of me to say that .45 is a great armor piercing round.  It would also be wrong to always assume that any potential bad guy intent on combat will forego body armor.  All I'm trying to say is that if my opponent is in body armor & all I've got is my G30, a hot 230 gr round will massively bruise & quite possibly take the guy out of the fight.
 
.45 ACPs bouncing off body armor?  Mr Mathews must've been strung out on some hellacious dope.

The studies I have read and witnessed indicate that 9mm and 357sig are marginally better than 45acp with body armor. I spent a lot of money and time to become an executive protection agent(too hard to find work), before that training I thought 45acp was a man stopper. Lots of testing showed me that no pistol round is effective against armor, take a head shot occasionally.
I was told the reason Mathews couldn't feel the 45acp's striking his armor was because the 230gr Hydro's were too slow and flattening out immediately on impact. I have relatives in the Chattanooga PD and this shooting changed everything, Chattanooga had just received the 220's when this occurred or they may be carrying something else today. Knoxville PD, where my brother works, almost didn't buy 45's because of the Mathews incident.

A few years ago, I was in stationed in Texas when the Tyler Courthouse Shooting occurred, another incident where 45acp left a gunman unaffected by shots to body armor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_courthouse_shooting

We are witnessing more and more assailants committing crimes while wearing armor, because of this 2 shots center mass with one or two to the head are neccessary to stop the threat.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

The 1911 platform in 9mm is a blast. Can't really explain why, but I really enjoy it.

 

Yes, the ammo is a little cheaper, the felt recoil is somewhat less, and thereby somewhat easier to shoot; but I really can't say that is the reason so many people go to the 9mm version on the 1911.

 

It's just fun.

 

I like the way a 1911 feels, but didn't want to start reloading another caliber (.45) so got a 9mm 1911 and a .22 adapter slide for a .45 1911. Both are fun to shoot. Shooting it in .45 is ok as well, though.

[hipower]

I'll never be the kind of pistolero I'd like to be with a 1911, so for me it's pretty much a range toy. Not saying I might not have one loaded and available for other forms of use, but it's not my primary.

 

But...for many reasons, some I understand, some I don't, I do shoot more accurately with the 9 in most of my 1911 frames.

[gregintenn]

I like the way a 1911 feels, but didn't want to start reloading another caliber (.45) so got a 9mm 1911 and a .22 adapter slide for a .45 1911. Both are fun to shoot. Shooting it in .45 is ok as well, though.

Why not? I enjoy loading different calibers. Variety is the spice of life.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Why not? I enjoy loading different calibers. Variety is the spice of life.

 

I'm just lazy and don't want to start hoarding yet another caliber. Only have a few hundred .45's hoarded because I rarely shoot the .45 1911 with the .45 slide on it.

 

I reload 9mm, .357, and a little bit of .380, all small primer. I don't want to hoard large primers or alternately small-primer .45 cases or .45 bullets. :)

 

Lately I use a hand-primer for all the priming, but in the past-- Previously when I was decapping and priming on my Dillon SDB press, another objection-- It only takes about 5 minutes to change the SDB between 9mm, .357, or .380, but takes considerably more time to change the SDB between small and large primer.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[Guest StorminMormon]

I understand that with modern hollow points i.e HST, Ranger T, etc., the playing field is sorta/kinda leveled. I also understand that unless you order off the internet, your probably going to be paying $1.00+ a round for that modern ammo. All so you can bridge the gap, almost, and get expansion close to and penetration near what the 230 gr .45 ACP FMJ has been doing for over 100 years.

 

Bottom line, with the .45 ACP I'm not checking sgammo.com three times a day to try and catch some 147 gr HST for .80 a round.I can load my mags with ANY 230 gr load and be ready for a fight.

 

 

Having practice ammo and duty ammo is so passe. Remember Chris Kyle. Imagine your at Owl Hollow and someone goes nuts, would you rather have .230 gr 45 ACP or 115 gr 9mm WWB?

Edited November 21, 2013 by StorminMormon