Thinking about getting a .45

[Liberty1911]

I have a Glock 19 gen 4, which is nice, but I think I'd rather have a .45 for home defense and use the Glock to carry.

I love the 1911's but I think I'd rather have something more basic. You 1911 guys might be able to convince me otherwise though.

After doing some basic research, I think my top two contenders would be a Glock 21 or Springfield XDM (The competition series looks awesome).

Let me know what you think about these two or if I'm missing out on another good choice. Thanks,

 

[sgtonory]

Love both my G21s

 

[Que]

I would suggest staying with the Glock if it will be strictly for home defense. No need in getting a different format to familiarize yourself with and become confused at 3AM.

Question though... what's the difference between a .45 for home defense and a 9mm for daily carry? I'm definitely not trying to start a caliber debate, but I'm just curious.

 

[Colts]

If you want something in 45 acp (Automatic Colt Pistol),

then I suggest a Colt 1911!

 

[bcskypilot]

Check out the Glock 30sf. It's the reason I haven't taken my Shield to the range yet...

 

[spyder]

I just posted this on another thread... I'd go with Hk. Of course if you are used to Glock's, I would go with the G30. If you are going to go with a different breed however, Hk is where it's at. To get a 1911 that compares, you are looking at the guy below.

If you go with a different platform, like I said, look into Hk. The first in the picture below is an Hk USP 45 Compact, the next is the normal USP 45, and the last one is the Hk45. The Hk45 has a different handle, a lot more like a 1911 and not so much like the normal USP's blocky grip.

 

[halfmileharry]

Put each of your choices in your hands. For some of the 1911s are like an old friend as soon as they get to your hand.
Glocks are a good gun. They do NOT fit me at all.
Find what fits you best and what you'll be most comfortable with and shoot best.

 

[jmanrogers]

The 1911 format pistol VS a (any other .45acp) is a PC vs. MAC type argument.

The 1911 is a proven, reliable format pistol. The constant is the design...not the quality between manufacturers.
All MAY work and most need tweeking for absolute reliability.
The consistent characteristics are they are single action, safe to carry cocked and locked (as designed), you MUST depress the grip safety gripping the pistol to fire and then press the safety down to fire.

The trigger pull is always the same and consistent...no double action and then single action like other .45's....nor a long cocking and striker fire like a Glock.
The clean, consistent trigger pull of the 1911 leads to consistent accuracy, based upon the shooting experience of the operator.
Nothing to decock to render safe to re-holster like some other .45's.
Just thumb the manual safety up and as it is holstered, removing your hand from the frame activates the grip safety from the frame.

The classic 1911 is a single stack pistol taking a 7 or 8 round magazine plus one in the chamber.
As a single stack pistol, it is basically flat and conceals well with a quality holster.
Classically, it is chambered in 45acp...the bench-mark round for self-defense to which most other pistol rounds are compared.
At it's classic 230 grain FMJ bullet, it is a proven stopper and less likely to over penetrate or bounce.

1911's are not all created equal, except in controls and function. You get what you pay for ! Spend less..tolerate more issues..spend more..it's all about quality and features.

ANY semi-auto pistol should be fired a minimum of 200 to 500 rounds before being considered broken in and reliable for carry/self-defense.
Lower end 1911's may need reliability tune ups for function with all types of ammo.
Triggers may need to be cleaned up for a crisp and clean pull.
On the original GI style the addition of a beaver-tail grip safety and a round commander style hammer will eliminate hammer bite on your shooting hand from firing and spread the recoil our better.

Best recommendation is have a friend let you shoot one...and see what you think.

Recoil is manageable and custom features range from ambi safeties to better sights to suit your specific needs.
The 1911 is a building platform that allows for many add-on creature features to suit your changing style or wants.
They are not for everybody and 45acp costs more than 9mm to shoot....but try one and see if this American classic peaks your interest!

 

[whocares]

Smart

I would suggest staying with the Glock if it will be strictly for home defense. No need in getting a different format to familiarize yourself with and become confused at 3AM.

Question though... what's the difference between a .45 for home defense and a 9mm for daily carry? I'm definitely not trying to start a caliber debate, but I'm just curious.

I would have said the Springer 5.25, its the only polymer frame pistol I am interested in. When you look at it like this though the Glock makes sense

 

[NHT3]

The G-21 is kind of large for some people so don't overlook the Glocks in 45 GAP, Models 37,38, and 39. Same frame as your 19 but 45 ACP ballistics and bullet weight. I have a couple of them and really like em. Of course there's NOTHING wrong with a 1911
Just my .02
[FONT=&quot]NRA Life member [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
Gunsite graduate Certified Glock armorer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1911 Mechanic[/FONT]

 

[LCSOSgt11]

I have two 1911's, however, I would not be against say a Smith revolver in .45 ACP. You would, however, need to have full or half moon clips for that revolver.

 

[spyder]

The 1911 format pistol VS a (any other .45acp) is a PC vs. MAC type argument. I have worked on many and see it as more of a computer from the 90's, and one from today. Yes, the old ones do work still, but for every application, the guns of today, work better.

The 1911 is a proven, reliable format pistol. The constant is the design...not the quality between manufacturers. The 1911 is a proven design, just old. There are better pistols out there when people put away the nostalgia however.
All MAY work and most need tweeking for absolute reliability. Most need tweeking for accuracy also. Why buy a gun just to spend more money on it when you can buy a better gun with the money of an expensive 1911 that will just keep up?
The trigger pull is always the same and consistent...no double action and then single action like other .45's....nor a long cocking and striker fire like a Glock.
The clean, consistent trigger pull of the 1911 leads to consistent accuracy, based upon the shooting experience of the operator. Trigger pull is something learned, and can be learned on any gun out there. Some people shoot better with the pull of a Glock, than the short crisp pull of a 1911 (I do love that about a good 1911 trigger though).
The classic 1911 is a single stack pistol taking a 7 or 8 round magazine plus one in the chamber. Which is a draw back from the pistols now that can carry 12, or 14 in a mag, and one in the chamber.
As a single stack pistol, it is basically flat and conceals well with a quality holster. A regular 1911 is no flatter than most other 45's at the handle.

1911's are not all created equal... No truer words have been spoken about the various brands. A Rock Island, to my Nighthawk...

ANY semi-auto pistol should be fired a minimum of 200 to 500 rounds before being considered broken in and reliable for carry/self-defense. This is something of old. The better manufacturers today use better materials, and coating that don't need a break in time.

Recoil is manageable and custom features range from ambi safeties to better sights to suit your specific needs. Thinner grips, wider grips, textured parts...
....try one and see if this American classic peaks your interest!

I am unlike most I guess, going against the grain and saying that there are better options than the 1911. I don't care for nostalgia. I have 1911's, and have had good, and bad ones. I would rather have a gun that holds more rounds, while being just a couple oz heavier than a plane jane non railed Colt 1911 empty, and is more accurate, and reliable.

The G-21 is kind of large for some people so don't overlook the Glocks in 45 GAP, Models 37,38, and 39. Same frame as your 19 but 45 ACP ballistics and bullet weight. I have a couple of them and really like em. Of course there's NOTHING wrong with a 1911
Just my .02

The only thing that I don't like about the GAP, is the fact that shooting the normal round from it, is like shooting a +P round from a normal 45 because of the pressures. I do however like the smaller package.

 

[DustyDawg48]

If you've got the Glock, stick with the Glock. Switching platforms from the Glock to another in .45 basically nets you nothing. As Que said, your familiarity with your current 9mm Glock will carry over to your .45 caliber Glock. I'm a fan/advocate of standardizing as much as possible especially when it comes to guns you are specifically designating for carry, defense or competition.

Having said that, the Springfield is similar in function to the Glock but shoots and operates a bit differently. The S&W M&P45 is another fantastic .45 and probably the most Glock-like of the other polymer handguns out there. I've owned models from all 3 of those manufacturers and prefer the Glock best and the Smith second but it was more from my personal preference than any reliability issues; I think the Springfield is too tall and I don't like the grip safety but that is just me.

Good luck and let us know what you get or if you have any further questions!

 

[JetGirl]

I love the 1911's but I think I'd rather have something more basic.

I'm sorry, but that part ^ made me laugh!
It's a design that's over 100 years old. That's pretty basic.

 

[cosermann]

I have a Glock 19 gen 4, which is nice, but I think I'd rather have a .45 for home defense and use the Glock to carry. ..

Glock 30 SF as bcskypilot mentioned in post #5.

This would be a perfect companion to the G19; almost the same size except for width. Switching back and forth should be seamless for you. As Que and others have pointed out, the continuity of systems is important; especially at 3 AM.

 

[Liberty1911]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

By "more basic", I meant something similar to my glock - point and shoot - without the safety and the approximately 12,000 moving parts that a 1911 has.

That being said, I am nostalgic and love the 1911's but I want something "simple" for home defense at 3AM.

Also, since that will be it's primary function, I want a full sized .45, rather than a compact. I'm not going to be carrying it. I do like the compact Glock .45's though.

I think the best advice was to shoot several of them and see which one I am more comfortable with, which will probably end up being the Glock 21, since I'm used to their format, but you never know. I think I'll rent a couple at the range this week or next week and see.

I still love the 1911's though and no matter what I get, I'll probably be getting a 1911 sometime down the road. I can envision myself with a 1911 collection.

Thanks again for the advice and I'll let you know what I end up with. Any other advice is also appreciated.

 

[Rob377]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

By "more basic", I meant something similar to my glock - point and shoot - without the safety and the approximately 12,000 moving parts that a 1911 has.

That being said, I am nostalgic and love the 1911's but I want something "simple" for home defense at 3AM.

Also, since that will be it's primary function, I want a full sized .45, rather than a compact. I'm not going to be carrying it. I do like the compact Glock .45's though.

I think the best advice was to shoot several of them and see which one I am more comfortable with, which will probably end up being the Glock 21, since I'm used to their format, but you never know. I think I'll rent a couple at the range this week or next week and see.

I still love the 1911's though and no matter what I get, I'll probably be getting a 1911 sometime down the road. I can envision myself with a 1911 collection.

Thanks again for the advice and I'll let you know what I end up with. Any other advise is also appreciated.

The 1911 has very few parts actually. I can detail strip one in about the same time as a Glock. (less than 3 minutes or so) Same for the reverse operation.

They really are an elegantly simple exercise in engineering.

 

[JetGirl]

By "more basic", I meant something similar to my glock - point and shoot - without the safety

Just curious... What (in your opinion) other than the single action trigger, would be different between a Glock on your nightstand and a 1911 on your nightstand with the safety off?

I'll probably be getting a 1911 sometime down the road.

Well, with that screen name... Yeah.

 

[Vic_Mackey]

I'd stick with a G21/30, especially if you are well versed in the Glock trigger reset. I've carried my 21 for a while now, used to carry a 1911. But the high capacity and overall reliability of the parts and feeding/eating of any ammo you can throw at it won me over. Recently I've though about switching to a 19 not only for the cost reduction in ammo and faster follow up shots, but if you crunch numbers and whatnot the power reduction isn't really that bad. For three mags with extension you're looking at close to 60 rounds of ammo on hand.

Either way, you can't really go wrong, just go with what YOU personally feel comfortable with.

 

[Armchair Operator]

The 1911 format pistol VS a (any other .45acp) is a PC vs. MAC type argument.
I admit that I currently own two 1911 pistols but over the years I have come to the conclusion that it is really more like this:

1911 format pistols = quick and awesome to use but requires constant care. When it runs it will most likely be better and quicker then other pistols out there.

Any other format .45 pistols - I will just talk about two that I own right now. Springfield XD and Sig 220. While they certainly don't have that classical look they will work every time 100% of the time. They are certanly not safe queens and will take quite a bit of abuse. In ideal circumstances on the range they will get beaten by good 1911's most of the time but when it comes to being all around good gun and getting job done Sigs and XD's are hard to conquer.

The 1911 is a proven, [STRIKE]reliable[/STRIKE] format pistol. The constant is the design...not the quality between manufacturers.
All MAY work and most need tweeking for absolute reliability.

The consistent characteristics are they are single action, safe to carry cocked and locked (as designed), you MUST depress the grip safety gripping the pistol to fire and then press the safety down to fire.
No argument here, carry on.

The trigger pull is always the same and consistent...no double action and then single action like other .45's....nor a long cocking and striker fire like a Glock.
Completely true but I have seen it multiple times where guys who shot 1911's their entire life would do very poorly with any other pistol because they were used to short trigger pull of 1911 while guys who would try 1911 for the first time would improve for the same reason. Some people use 1911 trigger as a crutch when it comes to their shooting.

The clean, consistent trigger pull of the 1911 leads to consistent accuracy, based upon the shooting experience of the operator.
See my previous comment.

Nothing to decock to render safe to re-holster like some other .45's.
Just thumb the manual safety up and as it is holstered, removing your hand from the frame activates the grip safety from the frame.
One of the reasons why I eventually switched to carrying my Sig. Only safety on there is my 10lb DA trigger. No safeties, no added complications. While it might be faster flick the safety off on a 1911 it does not take much longer to cock the hammer and use my gun in SA.

The classic 1911 is a single stack pistol taking a 7 or 8 round magazine plus one in the chamber.
As a single stack pistol, it is basically flat and conceals well with a quality holster.
Grip thickness between my Springfield 1911 and my Sig220 are almost identical for the purposes of CC.

Classically, it is chambered in 45acp...the bench-mark round for self-defense to which most other pistol rounds are compared.
At it's classic 230 grain FMJ bullet, it is a proven stopper and less likely to over penetrate or bounce.
Amen to that. I do like recoil of 45acp better then 9mm or 40.

1911's are not all created equal, except in controls and function. You get what you pay for ! Spend less..tolerate more issues..spend more..it's all about quality and features.
Pretty much goes for any firearm but specially for 1911's. While I would never justify spending over 2k on a gun, $1100 seems to be a pretty good sweet spot for a good quality 1911.

ANY semi-auto pistol should be fired a minimum of 200 to 500 rounds before being considered broken in and reliable for carry/self-defense.
Lower end 1911's may need reliability tune ups for function with all types of ammo.
Not just lower end. My Springfield TRP and Range Officer just won't eat certain types of ammo reliably or of they do it won't last long. Seen Kimbers behave this way as well. This last summer I have not cleaned my Sig for three months while putting around 1600 rounds through it of various brands of ammo, mostly Agulia, white box (a lot of it since it was cheaper) and some federal. Worked flawlessly except once slide failed to lock back due to a cheap ACT mag that I was using. Try doing that with your shinny 1911.

Triggers may need to be cleaned up for a crisp and clean pull.
On the original GI style the addition of a beaver-tail grip safety and a round commander style hammer will eliminate hammer bite on your shooting hand from firing and spread the recoil our better.
1911 design was great innovation but it is time to break off from nostalgia and at least consider other options. Other guns have certainly borrowed from a 1911 designs but it does not make them bad, just improved.

Best recommendation is have a friend let you shoot one...and see what you think.
Could not agree more, I still love mine.

Recoil is manageable and custom features range from ambi safeties to better sights to suit your specific needs.
As a left handed shooter I love my TRP with ambi safety.

The 1911 is a building platform that allows for many add-on creature features to suit your changing style or wants.
They are not for everybody and 45acp costs more than 9mm to shoot....but try one and see if this American classic peaks your interest!