Lafayette local, want suggestions on 45 acp handgun

[Joe Williams]

I know this is probably going to start a flood of post slamming my suggestion but you can get a brand new 45 Hi-Point for less than $150.00 they have a lifetime warranty and shoot great right out of the box... the downside is they are a pain in the rear to break down far enough to clean properly, weapons are like cars if you maintain them right they are dependable... of course there are exceptions to every rule like the Jennings with guns and the Monza with cars.

don't get me wrong... I have many name brand weapons ie; Colt, S&W, Taurus, Rock Island, ect.ect but for the price and warranty I bought a 45 and 380 Hi-Point, put hundreds of rounds through both and had one jam in the 380 and none in the 45 ... but I do my own service, repair and tweaking on all my weapons... I guess it's a military belief that if you can't maintain a weapon properly you shouldn't have it anyway

Whatever else the Hi-point .45 may be, I don't see how it can be realistically considered a carry gun. The darned things are the size of my truck!

 

[banjogore]

Whatever else the Hi-point .45 may be, I don't see how it can be realistically considered a carry gun. The darned things are the size of my truck!

I guess if you're a wennie arm you could carry a Taurus PT25 like my wife

 

[Hoosier45]

Or you could try a Stoeger Cougar.

 

[Aggar]

Go over to Applied Balistics off Concord Rd on Olympia drive. Talk to Stan. He's a good guy and has some guns you can rent to try and see what fits you better. I think a 9mm would be a good introductory handgun and then you can trade up later on as you get more comfortable.

 

[Claddagh]

Re: the "Phillipine Insurrection" Argument.

The U.S. dug their remaining old Colt SAA's out and contracted for the Colt M-1909 revolvers in .45 Colt because of the feeble .38 Colt cartridge's lack of oomph. Judging the 9mm P.'s potential by that yardstick ain't exactly valid.

The .38 Colt put out a 150 gr. LRN slug at c. 750 f/s while the NATO-spec 9x19 pushes a 124 gr. FMJ at about 1100 f/s. Very different proposition, IMO&E.

The dismal record of the .38 Colt and its platform against the Moro tribesmen might've arguably been a large part the impetus behind what became the standard caliber and the load ballistics of the 1911, but you've got to remember that a sidearm of whatever caliber was never a general-issue weapon at that time, except for cavalry troops and officers.

IMO, the key word there is "cavalry". The .38 Colt had also been found to be dismally ineffective against both horses and people of whatever ethnicity, so when the decision was made to modernize to a semiauto pistol for issue they went back to the caliber and approximate as-issued ballistics of the old BP .45 Colt cartridge because the new pistol's primary function would still be arming cavalry, where those were well-proven to perform.

Also just MO, but given modern projectile technology and ammunition manufacturing methods one should not feel "undergunned" with a 9x19. Only hits count, no matter what diameter the bullet is and putting those where they need to go, on demand and repeatedly until the threat ceases, is the "sine qua non" with any handgun round.

Again, just MO but training and regular, dedicated practice are going to be required no matter the cartridge or its caliber. I think you'll be about twice as safe with the 9mm that you can afford to engage in regular practice with than the .45 that you can only shoot half as much.

 

[viiiupndhead]

I love my Springfield Champion 1911. If you have never handled a 1911 or a polymer pistol such as a Glock or Springfield XD, I'd suggest you try them. Some people prefer one over the other, some don't care. The Springfield 1911-A1 and the full frame glocks are nearly the same price depending on what you choose.

 

[arma73]

I recommend a quality 45 for your first purchase, dont waste time money and effort with a cheap gun. In the long run you'll find with a little experience that a quality gun make a world of difference in every aspect of shooting,weather you are a begginer or experienced marksman.

 

[arma73]

Take your time and save your money and buy a quality 45. Buying a cheap gun because your in a hurry you will regret it in the long run. Stay with a a good quality gun and you will be happier.

 

[banjogore]

I agree, you'll be happier with a better quality weapon (who wouldn't?) I was just throwing out the Hi-Point option... if you're not into driving out roll pins to take down a weapon, then the Hi-Point is not the weapon for you... because a dirty weapon is a useless weapon, if you don't clean it properly it will stop functioning, it just a matter of time... some weapon break downs aren't for the beginner and the reassembling is even more important, if you put one together wrong you could cause some serious damage to the weapon or even worse yourself... I would hate for someone to get hurt because of my advise... I will jump into servicing any weapon on the market with no hesitation but I practically cut my teeth on a 22 Winchester rifle....oh yeah, go with the 9mm it's alot cheaper

 

[scottka]

If you're wanting to go the .45 route for cheap, I don't think there's a better recommendation out there than the Ruger P90. Many believe it to be the best semi-auto Ruger has produced. For carry, it is probably going to be a little bulky, but its doable with a good holster and belt. Very reliable and no doubt it's built like a tank.

 

[karodger]

I agree, do some more research about the 45ACP. You may be surprised when you read some facts instead of just relying on the opinion of others. Overall I would go with something less expensive because if you can't afford to practice, having it won't really do you much good. With modern day ammo, you don't have to have the biggest round to take down the bad guy. I'm a big fan of 40S&W myself and with hollow points you could definitely take down the bad guy, especially if you're proficient and place good primary and follow up shots. I would place much more importance on your own personal ability over the ballistics of a round, though that is important too.

 

[Bill of Rights]

for Applied Ballistics and Stan and Dave. Good guys and won't steer you wrong.

for 9mm also. That's what I carry. If you can't afford to feed it, it could be a Desert Eagle and it won't stop a BG unless you get lucky when you throw it and hit them in the head. Shot placement is your friend. Shoot for center of mass to stop your enemy's attack, but shoot for the golden triangle (between the eyes and the top of the upper lip) to hit the brainstem and drop 'em like a rock.

The break-in period you sound like you want to avoid with the "ready out of the box" stipulation ignores the issue. You need to break you in! It's a new pistol. You need to learn it and get some muscle memory built up.

Good luck and may you never need your pistol other than on the range.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[TopDog]

You really got a lot of good common sense responses to your question. I think you have enough information now to understand that shot placement is always more important than caliber. You are the first step in making your weapon effective, not the other way around.

A lot of us old guys that grew up in the military with the 1911's have a real love affair with them. Sometimes we don't want to come to grips with the fact that with modern ammo the 9mm and .40 can be just as effective as the .45 ACP. The reality is with the rising cost of ammo and the difference in effectiveness really being how well you shoot rather than the caliber, seriously consider getting what you can afford to shoot and train with. That will serve you better than setting your sights on a .45 ACP above all else. Good Luck and Stay Safe.

 

[tradertator]

Lot's of good suggestions on here. Personally, I love my 45's, but $400 to $500 is going to be the price range your looking at for a quality 45 such as glock, springfield, smith, kahr, ....

I personally prefer a .380 for a concealed weapon. I don't fight much crime, so a well place smaller bullet fits my needs. A small single stack gun will be much lighter, slimmer, and all around easier to conceal. A small caliber pistol in your back pocket is going to be much more effective on a bad guy, than a larger caliber one on top of your dresser at home.

 

[seamusalaska]

Another Ruger P90 vote. You should be able to find a good used one for $330 to $400. Get the Hogue after-market grips. Big, but accurate and dependable.

 

[Love the 1911]

Glock 30 or Kahr CW45. I know you said you don't want to "break it in" but you do need to shoot whatever you get enough to become proficient with it.

I agree completely. Need to shoot regularly and need to test your self-defense ammo to make sure your gun feeds it. You may also consider some revolvers. Less maintenance, fewer overall problems that semi-autos can have, and, if you're a newer shooter, double action can help you avoid negligent discharge. If you can't afford to practice, you probably can't afford to carry.

 

[Wheeler78]

I too am new here and to buying a firearm but my 2 cents in this whole thing is to not only look at the cost of the weapon/ammo. but also consider other cost you might not of thought of. a CCW, a good holster, (if your new to shooting, or haven't shot in a long time) a safety class, a safe to store it in, cleaning supplies. some of these you can go without but jut think about owning and carrying it the entire time and what you will need to make sure that if you need to use your gun then it'll be there for you.