looking for a .45acp

[jeager361]

I am looking to get something in a .45cap. I am leaning towards a 1911 style handgun, but I am open. I am looking for something that is fun to shoot at the range, good quality, and affordable (up to $700). I am curious what you all would suggest.

 

[Mango]

Midrange 1911 for sure

 

[LD36]

I'll be the first Glock lover to sound off.... Glock 21SF or Glock 21 Gen 4. Its my favorite 45 that I own, and that says alot. I have an H&K USP (full size), Sig Sauer P220, Sig Sauer 1911 Scorpion Carry and Kimber Crimson Carry Ultra. Though I'd say the USP and the P220 is a very close tie for second place.

 

[sliptap]

There are plenty of quality 1911's in that range and they are fun to shoot. I personally prefer double-action only pistols and carry, though.

The only .45ACP I've personally owned is a Glock 30SF. It was fun and easy to shoot. It is big enough to range but small enough to carry. Either way, best of luck with your purchase!

 

[Encore460Mag]

Taurus pt1911 is a great gun for the price I have the stainless with acc rail and really enjoy shooting it,it has lots of features on it from the factory that would cost you extra if you purchased a basic 1911 then started upgrading...

 

[totenkopf]

If you're looking for a .45, it's hard to go wrong with so many of the different choices available. When I went looking for one, I found myself preferring the Sig P220 over the traditional 1911 platform, but unwilling to pay the price which a new Sig generally commands. I ended up purchasing a very nice police trade-in P220, and I frequently carry it. It feels good in my hands, features decent accuracy out of the box, and I can carry 10+1 rounds in the magazine as opposed to the traditional 7+1 of the 1911. In terms of quality, the P220 is regarded as one of Sig's best. For a shooter wanting a .45 without spending a substantial sum, I think the 220 is one of the best options around, and I definitely would say it's a fun range piece.

I realize it's outside of your stated price range, but Sig does have the P227 supposed to come out this year, and I'm leaning towards purchasing one. My understanding is that it is essentially the Sig 226 in the 45ACP offering that many of us Sig pistol fans have been wanting for quite some time. If urgency is not a factor in your buying process, it might be worth the wait.

 

[Cowboy45]

1911 is the way to go.. I personally carry either a Springfield Ultra Compact or a Kimber Pro Crimson Carry and love em! I also own a few more Kimbers as range guns.. I have a soft spot for 1911s in general.. They just look really good.. I have personally never owned anything but what I have mentioned.. But there are a lot of reasonably priced 1911s out there Rock Island, ATI, Auto Ordnance.. To name a few..

 

[bloodandgutsmurphy]

Last week my only recommendation for you would have been the Gen 4 Glock 21 and I would have advised you to stay away from everything else. After shooting 100 rounds through the H&K USP 45 full size I fell in love with it. I am debating whether to sell one of my rifles to fund the purchase of this pistol. I think I mite do it if I can find a used one for under $850.

 

[WhitleyStu]

Don't overlook the S&W 625. It makes a great target pistol...

 

[Ninja1310]

My dad really likes his FN-45. I've only shot about 4 rounds through it so I can't chime in too much on it, just throwing another option out there to try. You can easily get a mid-range 1911 for that price though and come out fine.

 

[MikeDVB]

Nothing wrong with an XDm-45. I have one with a 4.5" barrel - not quite as accurate as my 1911 but was 1/5th the price at $600.

Reliable and they carry 13+1.

Don't get me wrong, I love 1911's but if I were going to get one - I'd want a custom shop gun [i.e. hand assembled by skilled workers] and you aren't going to get that for $700.

 

[Obiward]

HK USP45. If you look around you can get a decent deal on a used one. I love mine. It's one of the many pistols that I will never part with. It was stupid accurate even before I dropped the match trigger kit in it. Never had a FTF FTE etc. Recoil is very low compared to other 45s I've shot. The only drawback is that it is a big pistol, so if you have small hands, it may not be as comfortable as it is to me.

 

[jgreiner]

I am looking to get something in a .45cap. I am leaning towards a 1911 style handgun, but I am open. I am looking for something that is fun to shoot at the range, good quality, and affordable (up to $700). I am curious what you all would suggest.

I got the gun in my avatar for Christmas. It's a S&W 1911sc E series bobtail......and after shooting it, it has become my daily carry, go to gun. It's unbelievably accurate, smooth to shoot, and just plain SWEET.

 

[MolonLabe7]

Glock 21 or a Sig p220. can't go wrong with either one. Do you want a striker fired pistol or a hammer?

 

[jwh20]

I am looking to get something in a .45cap. I am leaning towards a 1911 style handgun, but I am open. I am looking for something that is fun to shoot at the range, good quality, and affordable (up to $700). I am curious what you all would suggest.

I own two .45 ACP handguns. A Gen 2 Glock 21 and a Springfield XDs. Both are really fine handguns. As far as shooting, the Glock is the winner hands-down. It's a full-frame with a long slide, so it shoots very smoothly with the .45 ammunition. Recoil is "soft", even less perceived than my Beretta 92F 9mm. (Of course that's subjective.)

The XDs is a great CC choice and it does shoot well but the small size makes it a bit tiring after a while at the range. There is no getting around the physics that a larger mass handgun is going to recoil LESS than a smaller mass one.

So if you are looking only at range shooting, the G21 is great, but I can't imagine CC-ing it. I just don't have that much room inside my waistband!

I have never liked the 1911 style guns. I don't own one but have several friends with them. I just don't care for them, but that's more personal preference. You really can't argue with success since there are so many 1911's and derivatives of all shapes and sizes out there.

 

[E'villeGunner]

There are plenty of quality 1911's in that range and they are fun to shoot. I personally prefer double-action only pistols and carry, though.

The only .45ACP I've personally owned is a Glock 30SF. It was fun and easy to shoot. It is big enough to range but small enough to carry. Either way, best of luck with your purchase!

I'll second that on the 30sf!!!

 

[in625shooter]

Don't overlook the S&W 625. It makes a great target pistol...

^THIS^

 

[Indy 1911]

I am looking to get something in a .45cap. I am leaning towards a 1911 style handgun, but I am open. I am looking for something that is fun to shoot at the range, good quality, and affordable (up to $700). I am curious what you all would suggest.

I saw a Ruger SR1911 stainless last week in Terre Haute for 660.00. It is a great gun, and that price is about 130.00 less than I paid 4 months ago. It is my favorite handgun to shoot.

 

[jkwparrott]

1911's are great and I love them. But most seem to have pretty sharp edges and things that get in the way when I carry. For that reason I went with a Ruger P345 as my everyday carry piece. Now if you're not interested in carrying your .45 then a 1911 is your best bet. I really like the Ruger SR1911.

 

[rockhopper46038]

If I were you I would go beg, borrow or rent a couple 1911s and try them out. You will either love them...or you won't. If you love them, there is nothing else that will adequately fill that void. If you don't like the 1911, then I would say the SIG P220 is the next best available for the caliber. But if you buy anything other than a 1911 without trying the 1911 first you might as well resign yourself to the fact that eventually you'll feel the need to try a 1911 anyway.