Recommedation for .45ACP ?

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Thank you for that -- the PX4 Type G looks really good. If I ever have to replace the SIG P220 I will be looking at that one.

And FWIW I had the same experience with the Redhawk.
 
Originally Posted by CCI
Looking for recommendations on a .45ACP to meet specific criteria.

Light weight preferable
DA/SA is essential
Feeds critical defense/hollow point ammo reliably
Likely to fit smaller hands well
Highly reliable under severe environmental conditions

Any thoughts?


With you wanting DA/SA you're really limiting your choices. There are a LOT of great striker fired .45ACP guns out there.

The PX4 Storm is probably going to be the best choice. Make sure you modify the PX4 to be de-cocker only.
 
Nothing is worth going to prison for! Especially; an inanimate object. Now if he would have purchased his tax stamp, but the SN scratched?
 
This....

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How critical is DA/SA? Because Id say that the various Sig P250 variants can be had quite cheap these days, and some parts interchange with the P320, so availability should exist for a while.

Ive seen subcompact P250 .45 for
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/789267896

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/784797941

DAO though. Which I personally like. Dont mind DA/SA either though... But an HK45/HK45C is a good deal more $$$, as are 1911s.
 
I like SIG, those look good, I understand striker fired has its place, and I see why some people have a well-reasoned preference for them. In this particular case, the DA/SA is a highly desirable feature, eclipsed by the ability to de-cock. If getting the first shot off in a timely manner were the only consideration I'd be more favorably inclined toward striker-fired, but there is a safety consideration here as well that I need to be mindful of. Being able to de-cock with a round in the chamber is pretty important in this case.
 
I've made this recommendation before: S&W 4506. Stainless steel. 3rd generation. Reliable. Accurate. Feeds everything. Well built. Heavy. DA/SA. Safety/Decocker.

Meets all your criteria except weight. But with that weight comes reliability.

You can still find them.

I just did.

With original box, magazines and tools.

1BE90EB0-C2BB-4D91-B578-72986BB68944.jpeg


351E9701-D6B8-4340-814F-69219A75AD70.jpeg
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
I've made this recommendation before: S&W 4506. Stainless steel. 3rd generation. Reliable. Accurate. Feeds everything. Well built. Heavy. DA/SA. Safety/Decocker.

Meets all your criteria except weight. But with that weight comes reliability.

You can still find them.

I just did.

With original box, magazines and tools.



Handsome pistol, Astro!

If you get a chance, shoot it side by side with a 1911 just for comparison's sake and post your thoughts.
 
Thanks John - very pleased with the purchase. I've been wanting one for a while. This one is so clean and nice, I almost don't want to shoot it! LOL... I'm a fan of the 3rd generation of S&W auto pistols. My first gun ever was a S&W 5906. Carried that one in combat in 1991.

I should probably compare the 4506 with my .45 ACP 1911. I should probably also compare it with my Sig P227, also a .45 ACP, also a DA/SA, but with just a decocker, not a safety.

I would've recommended the Sig for the OP, but it's an expensive pistol. I particularly like the feel of the grip and the ergonomics on the Sig. It's been perfectly reliable, and it holds 10 rounds of .45 without compromising the grip size. It's also lighter than a 1911, and a lot light than the 4506. I should really get a scale...

OP - have you considered the Sig P227? Seems to meet your requirements...
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
OP - have you considered the Sig P227? Seems to meet your requirements...



Well perhaps not.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted by Astro14
OP - have you considered the Sig P227? Seems to meet your requirements...



Well perhaps not.



Well, let's examine that, shall we?

Originally Posted by CCI
Looking for recommendations on a .45ACP to meet specific criteria.

Light weight preferable
DA/SA is essential
Feeds critical defense/hollow point ammo reliably
Likely to fit smaller hands well
Highly reliable under severe environmental conditions

Any thoughts?


Sig P227

Light weight preferable. Partial yes. It's an alloy frame. Lighter than my all steel .45s. 32oz according to Sig
DA/SA. Yes
Feeds reliably. Yes
Likely to fit smaller hands well. Yes, the frame is no larger than the P226
Highly reliable. Yes.

Yep. Looks like the Sig fits the bill, if you're willing to pony up for one. I actually found mine, a full size Nitron with Siglite sights, for $750 on sale.

MSRP is high, which is why I didn't recommend it at first, but the Sig does meet the OP requirements.
 
Those 3rd gen Smiths are great guns. My first semi auto duty weapon was one in .40 cal. Carried it from 93 to 2000, I don't ever remember a single malfunction with it in countless thousands of rounds other than those intentionally set up for training purposes.

It was heavy though, great in the shooting but for all day belt carry you definitely knew you had it.
 
It hadn't occurred to me, and I think that could be an excellent choice.

I carry the P220 and I like everything about it a real lot except for the weight.

Thank you for posting this.
 
Originally Posted by CCI
Looking for recommendations on a .45ACP to meet specific criteria.

Light weight preferable
DA/SA is essential
Feeds critical defense/hollow point ammo reliably
Likely to fit smaller hands well
Highly reliable under severe environmental conditions

Any thoughts?


Any reason that DA/SA is a must? You're limiting yourself as there are a LOT of really good striker fired .45ACP handguns out there. The M&P45c RAP45 Compact just to name a few.

The Sig P227 or the PX4 Storm Compact would be good ones if you MUST have DA/SA. The Sig has not manual safety and the PX4 safety/decocker can be made into a decocker only. The HK45 Compact would be another one.
 
Originally Posted by stchman
Originally Posted by CCI
Looking for recommendations on a .45ACP to meet specific criteria.

Light weight preferable
DA/SA is essential
Feeds critical defense/hollow point ammo reliably
Likely to fit smaller hands well
Highly reliable under severe environmental conditions

Any thoughts?


Any reason that DA/SA is a must? You're limiting yourself as there are a LOT of really good striker fired .45ACP handguns out there. The M&P45c RAP45 Compact just to name a few.

The Sig P227 or the PX4 Storm Compact would be good ones if you MUST have DA/SA. The Sig has not manual safety and the PX4 safety/decocker can be made into a decocker only. The HK45 Compact would be another one.


I second the HK45c with its adjustable backstraps.
 
Looks like the SIG P227 is the winner.

"Any reason that DA/SA is a must? "

I definitely don't want to be the one to initiate a discussion about which is better, even inadvertently -- they're both good of course.

Partly this is user preference, the individual this weapon is for did formerly carry a Glock .40 and liked it OK, seems to like the SIG a lot more.

As for my criteria, while there's clearly no question that there are some great striker fired handguns in .45ACP and no doubt whatsoever that with adequate training the striker fired handguns are a good choice, just my opinion, in certain environments under certain conditions the DA/SA with the decocking lever offers some distinct advantages, both for safety and for staying in a ready-to-fire condition, which are two high priorities for me.

Big thanks to all who joined in here, this has been most helpful.
 
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