The Best 45 caliber automatic Pistol

[gdeal]

Besides Colt, who makes the best 45 caliber automatic pistol? Ruger? And is Glock in the top five?

[eng2]

sig 220. no I just don't like glock 45's.

[Beach Accord]

the one that fits your hand best and has a reputation for reliability (sig,h&k,glock.....) what have you.....

[Seven High]

Ruger P345.:)

[azredhawk44]

The "best" .45acp autos are probably going to the all 1911's:

Springfield
Kimber
Colt
Wilson
ParaOrdnance

If you ignore 1911's and stick with major companies with national and international distribution, we are left with:

Glock
HK
Sig
Ruger
Smith & Wesson
Hi-Point
Taurus
ParaOrdnance (they make DA double-stack .45's, as well as 1911's)

I'd personally rate them in this order, although I have only shot about 1/3 of the above makers' guns in .45:

Glock (own, shot)
ParaOrdnance (held)
HK
Sig (held)
CZ 97
Taurus
Ruger (shot)
Smith (shot)
Hi-point (held)

I don't like stiff triggers. My glock shoots really nice. Almost as clean as my 1911. Definitely accurate and clean.

If we must look at DA, I want my DA to be the same for every shot. That eliminates a lot of these guys from my #2 slot. Para's LDA is amazing. Maybe 6 lbs max. HK comes next purely by reputation, then Sig, but they are DA/SA which I would never personally have a liking for. Not sure if the CZ is DA/SA or SA only. Never even seen one of the Taurus 24/7's.

I hate ruger and smith autos. Personal distaste for their ergonomics.

Hi-points have bad ergonomics to me due to how heavy the slide is, and they are fugly. They shoot well enough, though. If I was broke but really needed a gun, I would get one. I'd rather have a used .38 revolver, though.

Did I miss any major manufacturers who put a .45acp (not GAP) on the market?

[GLK]

For self defense and or police type work I would go with either the ruger or glock happily. Of the two, ruger or glock? I personally would choose glock model 21. All other things equal I prefer more ammo over less ammo everytime. Unless something has changed that I am not aware of Glocks hold more ammo. For competition shooting or the fancy, cool, proud to possess, hey look at this factor there are several other choices I would pick before glock or ruger. Just my opinion for what thats worth.:D
Gary

[Jehzsa]

http://www.asai-ag.ch/

However, not made anymore.

[nobanforme]

Get a 1911 style gun. the worst 1911 is still better then a Glock!!! :rolleyes:

[JoeHatley]

[quote]Besides Colt, who makes the best 45 caliber automatic pistol?[/iquote]

Colt doesn't even compete in this league:

http://www.iowatelecom.net/~hatley/945_lc.jpg

Joe

[rn22723]

HK all the way
MK23
Elite
Expert
Tac
USPf
USPc

[k9lwt]

Quote:
"Get a 1911 style gun. the worst 1911 is still better then a Glock!!! "

Nobanforme-no more crack for you during the week, OK?

[18DAI]

For me , It's the HK USP45F. 100% reliable more accurate than I am, Light to carry all day. I spent alot of money and time arriving at my decision.YMMV. Regards 18DAI.

[model 25]

Of course I am giving you a biased opinion because I have developed it over many years. To watch and see what works the best is the way to understanding of why it is good.

Compare guns, say Sig 220, Smith 645, Kimber 1911 and look close at the design differences. Smith and Sig have a higher bore axis than the 1911. Both shoot real straight and function as good as a gun can but they never win any real shooting matches. Why

High bore axis makes the gun flip and hard to control on follow up shots. The Sig does it far less than the Smith but both have to high of bore over your grip. Look at other guns and compare. Glocks have a low bore axis.

Now before anyone comes unglued and says there gun isn't that way let me remind you this is just my opinion and there is no need to take anything I have to say as gosphel. If you want to know though go and see what wins in shooting matches that takes alot of follow up shots.

25

[stratus]

Besides Colt, who makes the best .45, you ask?

Um, Springfield M1911A1. For the money. :)

If you meant besides a 1911, the Sig P220 and the HK USP are great. But 1911s are super good.

[Te Anau]

Your'e all wrong on this one.There isnt a Colt,Sig or HK made that can touch a S&W 4506 and win!

[Marcus]

That`s easy, LAR Grizzly. Why? They were very well made and fitted ,accurate,reliable,convertible to 4 calibers AND they`re the only 1911s chambered in .45 Winchester Magnum. You said .45,not .45 ACP. :p Marcus

[Hammerhead]

I just bought a Glock 21. I had one years ago as well. I think it should be in the top 5.
Power to weight ratio that can't be beat, and soft recoil to boot!
H&K's are awesome too, just wish they fit my hand better.
Never had any luck with JMB's 1911 clones.

[stratus]

Your'e all wrong on this one.There isnt a Colt,Sig or HK made that can touch a S&W 4506 and win!
Oh, I see. Well I'll correct my point of view accordingly and go with the one true choice.

[Te Anau]

Oh, I see. Well I'll correct my point of view accordingly and go with the one true choice
Its never too late to see the error of your ways.

[dsk]

Get a 1911 style gun. the worst 1911 is still better then a Glock!!! :rolleyes:

Trust me... I'm a bonafide, card-carrying 1911 fanaddict, yet there are some 1911's out there that I wouldn't choose over a Hi-Point. I'm serious.

[clu]

Compare guns, say Sig 220, Smith 645, Kimber 1911 and look close at the design differences. Smith and Sig have a higher bore axis than the 1911. Both shoot real straight and function as good as a gun can but they never win any real shooting matches. Why
If you want to know though go and see what wins in shooting matches that takes alot of follow up shots.
High bore axis makes the gun flip and hard to control on follow up shots

I believe Ernest Langdon won a IDPA championship shooting a Sig P220 in the Custom Defense Pistol division running against high-end 1911's. A higher bore axis can be beneficial in that it mitigates the shock felt by the shooter during recoil; firing a handgun produces both flip(rotation of gun) and shock(the vibration tranmitted to the shooters hand), handguns with a low bore axis firing powerful ammo have less flip but that energy goes straight back into your wrist; a higher bore axis allows the weapon to roll more naturally after which it should more or less snap back down due to the grip being applied by the shooter. Of course this is only my oppinion Im not taking any one to task on their thoughts, one way or the other.

[WESHOOT2]

Colt 1911's are not normally considered in my "Top Five 1911's" because I have never touched a decent new one, not neverever.

So, "Best".
Ruger P90
SIG 220 ST
Ruger 345
H&K 'Expert'
and of course, Les Baer / Ed Brown / Clark / Nowlin / etc (or one built by EGW on Caspian frame-n-slide, ay?)


Your results may vary, but I'm still right :rolleyes:

[High Planes Drifter]

Boy did you ask an opinionated question. No one right answer here. An easier question would have been " So do you like blondes or brunettes?" .

[cavediver27]

Boy did you ask an opinionated question. No one right answer here. An easier question would have been " So do you like blondes or brunettes?" .

*********************************************************************************************************

Okay, if you put it that way then I would prefer a sexy long legged blonde with a Ruger P345. Now I understand the original question much better:D

[FirstFreedom]

Among various blondes & brunettes, there are still some that stand out.

Among the 'brunettes' (non-1911s), I'd say the HK P9.

http://www.hkpro.com/p9.htm

A few were chambered in .45 acp. Asai 1 Pro is up there, as is the HK Mk23 soccom pistol.

Among the 'blondes' - the Anna Nicole Smiths would be the 1911s from various top makers (Ed Brown, Wilson, Baer, & true custom shops).

Of course, then there's the redhead - the SWPC 945 - it's about half 1911/blonde, half not, and it's no slouch.

[CobrayCommando]

If you want to know though go and see what wins in shooting matches that takes alot of follow up shots.


Ummm... Langdon won against 1911s using a SIG P220 stainless which was about the same weight as a 1911. So it appears that at least in this case bore axis had no considerable effect. Of course if you use the aluminum version there is going to be more kick/flip, because the ammo will stay the same in the grip while the rest of the gun will become lighter. But I doubt a whole lot of that is from bore axis.