Recommendations for a 45 cal pistol

[greenlama]

Any recommendations for a 45 semi auto pistol under $650? I'm looking at a Ruger P345 (new), a Firestorm 1911 (new) and a S&W MP (used). Glock, Sig used. Kimber, Colt etc out of my price range. Thanks for your help!

[Stooperzero]

HOw bout a Rock Island??


Easy Under $450

[greenlama]

Yeah I looked at an RIA at a local gun show under $400. The Ruger goes for between $420 and $450 while the Firestorm is around $400. John

[H22ate]

Any recommendations for a 45 semi auto pistol under $650? I'm looking at a Ruger P345 (new), a Firestorm 1911 (new) and a S&W MP (used). Glock, Sig used. Kimber, Colt etc out of my price range. Thanks for your help!

I have an XD and love it 13+1 you can find them used fairly cheap. My dad has the Ruger P345 I cant remember the cpacity maybe 9+1? But anyway straight out of the box his Ruger was very accurate I like it alot and its a slender pistol for being a .45. Its overall a very nice gun.

[Rule10b5]

Glock 30. Cheap, insanely accurate, reliable, tons of accessories.

Sig P220. The SAO variant can be had in the $650 range if you shop around. Sweetest SA trigger short of a well-tuned up 1911 you're ever going to find.

The Ruger P345 is a solid gun, but I'd go with a P95 if I were buying a Ruger --that model is built like a tank.

Or look at a used H&K USP45.

Any one of the above will almost certainly run 100% with everything right out of the box, demonstrate above average accuracy, and stand up to abuse.

The Glock 21's are spotty in terms of feeding, the XD is not as durable as its fans contend, M&P's choke (feed and/or trigger issues), and 1911s have a host of issues that can show up (out of the 7 or 8 I've owned (Kimber, Colt, S&W, Springfield, Nighthawk) only one has worked right out of the box and stayed that way).

Personally, if I had to sell all of my .45s but one, it wouldn't be a hard choice -- I'd keep the Sig P220 SAO.

[MrGlock45]

I just got an e mail from Glockmeister today. They have the 45 cal Glocks available all thru December for $569. I think that was the price. I would give them a call, or check in your area at the LGS for their prices on new G21/G21SF or G30/G30SF.
Good luck and always stay safe.

[Grumpa72]

I bought my two Colt 1911s used and both were in the $625 +/- range - so it isn't out of your price range. In addition, I bought my Sig P220ST in .45 acp used for $625 and that included 9 mags. I was in my favorite gun shop and they have at least a dozen 1911s in various flavors for under $700.

[QuakertownRich]

Glock 30. Cheap, insanely accurate, reliable, tons of accessories.

Sig P220. The SAO variant can be had in the $650 range if you shop around. Sweetest SA trigger short of a well-tuned up 1911 you're ever going to find.

The Ruger P345 is a solid gun, but I'd go with a P95 if I were buying a Ruger --that model is built like a tank.

Or look at a used H&K USP45.

Any one of the above will almost certainly run 100% with everything right out of the box, demonstrate above average accuracy, and stand up to abuse.

The Glock 21's are spotty in terms of feeding, the XD is not as durable as its fans contend, M&P's choke (feed and/or trigger issues), and 1911s have a host of issues that can show up (out of the 7 or 8 I've owned (Kimber, Colt, S&W, Springfield, Nighthawk) only one has worked right out of the box and stayed that way).

Personally, if I had to sell all of my .45s but one, it wouldn't be a hard choice -- I'd keep the Sig P220 SAO.

Is this personal experience or just conjecture? I've had two Glock 21's and both have been flawless, hp's..fmj's ..reloads..whatever I fed them, they ate.
G21's are not for everyone. They have a grip that small hands will struggle with. For me, they fit like a glove and I couldn't ask for more. I got mine from gunbroker for under $500 NIB.
Also, my Springfield Loaded 1911 has been flawless from the get-go. No problems feeding anything and very accurate. Not sure if you've had alot of bad luck with weapons, believe everything you read on the internet, or are just full of sh**, but I'm not all that confident in your above assessments.

[Exbiker]

AF BOYER HARDWARE (just a sampling from here)

Glock 21
Sale Price: $515.99

FNP 45
Sale Price: $571.99

Ruger P 45
Sale Price: $422.99

Taurus 24/7 45
Sale Price: $366.99

Taurus PT-1911DT
Blue|Stainless Steel
Sale Price: $559.99

[Rule10b5]

Is this personal experience or just conjecture?

Personal experience. To say that I'm a handgun whore is an understatement I probably buy and shoot more handguns in any given year than most shooters do in a lifetime. Don't even get me started on how much ammo I go through. I don't bullshit about guns, and I rarely put any stock in internet nonsense -- I don't have to. If I want to check out a particular gun I buy it, shoot the snot out of it, and then come to a conclusion about it.

Ask those on the board who know me personally, they'll confirm it.

I've had two Glock 21's and both have been flawless, hp's..fmj's ..reloads..whatever I fed them, they ate.
G21's are not for everyone. They have a grip that small hands will struggle with. For me, they fit like a glove and I couldn't ask for more. I got mine from gunbroker for under $500 NIB.

I probably should have been more clear: I meant that they're unreliable when compared to other Glocks. That's not "unreliable" -- that's just unreliable for a Glock. I've personally seen more G21s choke than any other Glock model. I've seen them stovepipe on the range, and I've seen them flat out choke during IDPA matches. In each instance the shooter was of above average stature, very experienced and well-trained.

The thing that really puzzles me about it, though, is that I've never seen a G30 choke. You'd think that whatever is causing the G21 to choke would extend to the G30, but it just doesn't seem to happen. No clue why.

Larry Vickers and a couple of other professionals (Hackathorn, IIRC) have noted the issues with the G21. While neither their words, nor mine, are the definitive, the fact that people who have a real good idea what they're doing
have noted the issues speaks volumes. Especially given that Vickers thinks the G17/19 walk on water.

Also, my Springfield Loaded 1911 has been flawless from the get-go. No problems feeding anything and very accurate.

The plural of anecdote is not data. I'm glad you got a good one.

How many 1911s have you owned?

I've owned quote a few. I've shot them on the range, at training courses, and in competition. The only one I've owned that was utterly flawless in terms of function is my Nighthawk Talon I. The second most reliable was a Springfield GI, which was flawless with ball ammo, but not HP. All of the others choked for one reason or another.

What's the standard of reliability you require for a carry gun?

I require as close to 100% as possible, no exceptions. If a gun doesn't work well enough that my reaction to a malfunction is "Holy Shit! How did THAT happen?" I'm not going to carry it. Most people don't require that level.

How much do you compete?

I probably shoot 3 matches a month. Want to know which type of gun I see choke more than any other?

The 1911. At any given match I see at least 3 1911 malfunctions. Other malfunctions (excepting the M&P) are so rare that when they do happen everyone on the squad is stunned.

How to you address the fact that the feed path of the 1911 is uniformly accepted as one of, if not the, most complicated of any gun design?

Below bore round placement in the magazine, strip the round, cam the nose DOWN, bounce off the frame feed ramp, nose up beyond the chamber, bounce off the hood, and finally seat in the chamber.

And don't even get me started about barrel lockup, bushings, or plunger tubes and staking.

Hackathorn called the 1911 (which he LOVES) the king of feedway stoppages in a late 2003 article in American Handgunner. Anyone who says Hackathorn doesn't know what he's talking about, doesn't know what he's talking about.

I love shooting the 1911, and I enjoy carrying one from time to time. But I don't pretend that it's panacea, and I don't get my dick caught up in the issue of tool selection. Anyone who tells you it's the king of handguns in terms of reliability is getting his ego involved, or simply doesn't shoot enough. The gun has issues. They can usually be worked out, but pretending that handgun design peaked 100 years ago is insane, and nothing more than a marketing tool.

Not sure if you've had alot of bad luck with weapons, believe everything you read on the internet, or are just full of sh**, but I'm not all that confident in your above assessments.

The above was neither necessary, nor appropriate to civil discussion. If you want to state the basis for your position, go for it, but ad hominem attacks don't advance an argument. I'm happy to take the Pepsi challenge in terms of handgun expertise with you. Let me know the next IDPA or IPSC match you're at, and I'm happy to squad with you so that you can see that I genuinely know what I'm talking about when it comes to handguns. Loser buys the first beer.