Why .45?

Nisei

New member
I use .45 because it's a REAL AMERICAN CARTRIDGE!

Seriously though, .45shooter hit the nail in the head.
 

DasFriek

Moderator
You mean not every gun is a .45? well thats just silly.....

Ammo is a bit more expensive compared too 9mm but the .40 is almost the same price as the .45

WHY A .45? If i were going to war i wouldnt pick a slingshot over a rocket launcher.
 

Kyo

New member
For me its all about the confidence.
I can shoot a 45 just as well as a 9 or better, but not as well as a 40. My 45 feels like it has the recoil of a 9. I can't remember the last time I shot a 9mm. I know when my dad was looking for guns, he wanted a 40 real bad, and then shot it. Too much kick compared to 9's and 45's. His logic was "its the same recoil as a 9mm, so why not just get the 45?" and I partly agree with it. Its easy to shoot.
Its easy to reload.
Its way easier to know if you hit something with it.
I am more comfortable carrying it, giving me more confidence when I do. This in turn gives me the mental ability to do what I need to when I need to.
Honestly I would be more intimidated looking down the barrel of a bigger caliber than a small one. The thought of pain is worse than the pain itself.
 

yrralguthrie

New member
GoJoBrian

If they made more 1911's chambered in 9mm more folks would shoot 9mm.

The truth of the matter is trifold. Some my gun is bigger than yours, but what is wrong with that?

Second the 1911 has been around for about 100 years. It is a very well designed gun. It is fun to shoot. It can be made very accurate, more so than the polymer guns or the Beretta 9mm.

Third a .45 is a nicer caliber to shoot than a .40 caliber. Easier to control and doesn't have to terrible barking harsh sound of the .40's.

9mm is a pretty good round to shoot, but the .40 caliber and the da/sa guns in general are carry and self defense guns. They are not shooters, except to practice for protection.

While I'm on the subject, I have a small .380 Keltek. It makes my hand bleed every time I shoot it, has almost no sights, and while I can keep the hits in the kill zone at say 20 feet, I can't hit a bullseye. I can exercise my shooting skills with the .45.

But the real question I have for you is why you are so critical of other people when it really makes absolutely no difference in your life what they shoot.
 

NGIB

New member
No machismo for me, I just enjoy shooting .45 from a 1911. If all I was concerned about was ammo costs, I'd shoot nothing but .22 I guess. I like bowling pin shoots and the .45 is the round of choice for me. We have some folks that use 9mm, but they don't really fare that well versus the big bores. BTW, my everyday carry is a .380 pocket gun (due to where I work) so I have no problem with smaller calibers...
 
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Skans

Active member
How many .45 rounds do you really need? I'd say 13 at most if you have a double stack .45. If not then only 7 or 8 rounds. You mean you can't get your hands on 13 rounds of .45 ammo?:eek:
 

doc540

New member
because sometimes size does matter

1276751468_l.jpg
 

mathman

New member
I like that picture...but to be fair, I'd like to see a 124 grain 9mm Ranger fully expanded.

But, like I said...the 45 bullet in that picture...yikes! :eek:
 

DasFriek

Moderator
because as ex-black panther huey long once said................a 45 stops all jive.
Can you dig it? that is the real question!

I do carry 2 .45's but im also in the market for a 9mm and a .380 down the line.A .45 isnt the only answer as it cant do alot of things smaller calibers can.
Like be cheap,sure handloading helps but those items needed arent cheap either.
Small,a .45 can only get so small before i blows up or rips tendons in your wrist apart.
We wouldnt be having so many calibers and this conversation if a .45 could be put into an LCP sized gun and it was $7.99 for a box of 50 and it had the recoil of a .22
But they are getting smaller all the time,my PT745 is almost as small as 80% of the 9mm's on the market.Shooting it isnt as much fun as my 1911 tho.
 

bignz

New member
I like the 45 for many reasons listed here. I'll add one more:
It operates on relatively low pressure. That gives me more confidence in working up reloads with different bullet/powder combinations.
 

Skans

Active member
Size may matter, but speed also matters. What really matters at the end of the day is how much "shock" and damage the round deliverd to the BG's body.
 

christcorp

New member
I admit that the price of ammo has gone up, but 45acp isn't all that bad. But for practice/plinking, I mainly shoot a 22LR or 9mm Makarov. Both are inexpensive. And the makarov is a very good carry gun. But I use the 45acp because it can do something that the 9mm, 40sw, 10mm, or just about ANY other traditional defensive handgun CAN'T DO..... It's makes a BIGGER HOLE. And the bigger the hole, the more blood loss and better chance of hitting a vital area. With a 45 caliber, your odds go up of stopping the attacker. And I'm not talking about "Stopping Power". That and similar statements like "Knock Down Power" are not accurate statements. The only knock down power out there is truly a shotgun and some rifles. Handguns aren't really capable of that. So, you compromise with a handgun for portability and concealment.

Yes, there are times that I carry a 32acp, 9mm makarov, or the 45acp. But each one has their compromise and their benefits. The 32acp is something I can carry while dressed in a formal function. The 9mm makarov is something I can carry every day or when not wearing a lot of outer clothing. But if I could only have 1 caliber, it would be the 45acp. The larger the hole, the more damage that can be done. But in all fairness, if a person only had 1 gun, and they were trying to use it for home defense and self defense, then there is something to be said for a 9mm/40sw. (Personally, the best all around caliber/gun out there is the 357 magnum). It has the greatest selection of ammunition and the greatest purposes. But for anyone who can afford more than 1 hand gun, the middle calibers of 9mm/40/10/etc... are not needed. You should go for the 45acp because it makes the biggest hole and doesn't kick like a 44 magnum. And then have a smaller caliber to carry when the 45acp isn't practical. A caliber like the 32acp/380/9mm makarov. The in between calibers just aren't needed. Again, if you only have 1 gun, get a middle caliber; or better yet a 357 magnum. If you can have at least 2 guns, get the largest traditional defense gun (45acp) and a smaller caliber for when the 45acp isn't practical.

As far as "Shock" and "Speed" goes, I just don't buy a handgun being capable of doing that. Until you start reaching around 2000 fps, hydrostatic shock and such aren't an issue.
 
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