The .45 ACP Cartridge Is Dead Sexy

[Joe_Pike]

I don't know why, but I am finding myself more and more drawn to the .45 acp cartridge. There is something about .45 ball ammo sitting next to other cartridges that just makes it stand out. Maybe it's because I can identify with it....short, fat and slow. Anyway, my credit card company is probably really loving me right about now since I have picked up a Colt Defender and a Sig P220 Scorpion in the last month. I had pretty much stopped buying firearms until this new infatuation started.

I still carry a 9mm of some sort daily because I like smaller carry guns, but maybe one day I'll move to a .45 acp if I can bring myself to start dressing around the gun.

[TunnelRat]

Well okay then.


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[Joe_Pike]

Too much information?

[Dave T]

I started reading Jeff Cooper's writing in G&A in the early 1970s. About the time I graduated from the academy (Dec '73) I was developing an interest in the 45 ACP 1911 Colt. In January I bought a new MK IV Series 70 Government Model when a friend working in a local gun shop told me there was going to be a price increase soon and it was the last one they had at the old price of $125.

In April of '74 my department authorized carry of semi-autos for the first time. We had to qualify, with our own gun and ammo by the way, then we could carry them on duty. Qualification was in April. I carried one Colt 1911 model or other (Government or Commander) for the rest of my LEO career and for over 10 years after retirement.

Started fooling around with Glocks (in 45 ACP of course) in the early '90s and carried them for a while. In 1994 when I started my own firearms training business I went back to Colt 1911s and carried them until I closed the business 10 years later.

In my advancing years I've developed considerable arthritis in my hands and the Colt 1911 frame bashes the swollen thumb knuckle on my shooting hand. The wider, plastic grip of the Glocks doesn't do that so it was back to carrying Glocks, which continues to this day. Oh, and the are 45 ACPs.

And for fun, I have 3 revolvers chambered for the 45 ACP as well.

Dave

[Joe_Pike]

I think a lot of the infatuation for me recenty is that I've been finding some really good prices on .45 acp ammo. Traditionally, factory ammo has been priced quite a bit higher than 9mm, but I just picked up some 9mm and .45 acp and the .45 was only $3.00 more a box than the 9mm.

[JoeSixpack]

Nothing wrong with 45acp, I actually don't own any atm but it's a good round pitty not more double stacks out there.

I prefer 9mm though, it's the .40 I look at as a red headed step child.

[Siggy-06]

I was thinking about adding and XDM in .45 to my collection soon.

[cw308]

Joe Pike
Have you fired the Defender yet ? I picked up a new Colt New Agent in 45 ACP it came with black crimson trace laser grips . Its the same gun as yours but with trench sights , the recoil is light for a 3" , great carry an so mush fun to shoot , you will be surprised how accurate it
is , I'm shooting 230 gr. hardball through it . Just love the gun.

[Model12Win]

I know what you mean. Those nearly half-inch slugs are impressive to handle.

[ritepath]

You don't have to dress around the gun. Get a Shield in 45 and a nice OWB leather pancake holster.

[Hammerhead]

For me it's all about the 200 grain SWC. @750 fps it's a fine target round, @850 it's my combat round. (don't really have anything else)
Takes a good gun to feed them reliably.

[Joe_Pike]

Have you fired the Defender yet?

Not yet. I figured I would wait until I get the P220 and try them out together. (Dang, still got to figure out what to sell to pay for these two before my credit card bill gets here).

[reddog81]

Today I found a Colt Gold Cup National Matchfor $850 and couldn't pass up that deal. I think out of the last half a dozen or so purchases 4 have been .45 ACP's. A Sistema 1927 Argentine model 1911, A S&W 325 PD, and a 1917 Colt. That .45 round has taken a bite out of my wallet this year.

Every time I go to the range lately it's only .38 special and 45 ACP. My other guns are starting to get lonely.

[SA1911]

The .45 ACP has a new accolade added to its innumerable list of accolades: dead sexy! I love it.

[Water-Man]

Give the S&W Shield 45 a try. It carries small but it's all business.

[agtman]

Compare the long clean lines of the 10mm AUTO, ... now that right there is sexy, I don't care who you are.

Easiest cartridge to handload you can find!

I reload for both the .45 and 10mm, and it's a dead tie as far as ease. Cost of factory 10mm tends to quickly incentivize you to set-up to reload for it though.

[Mike Irwin]

Get a room, Joe.

A reloading room...

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Drop the stupid sexual innuendos.

[Model12Win]

Time to shut this one down?

[smee78]

Short, fat & slow..........sounds alot like me these days. Lol. When ever I hear the phrase dead sexy I think of fat ba$tard from Austin Powers.

As for the 50 in a rifle you could always go 50 Beowulf?

I also have found a few deals on 45's but that was about a year or two ago.

[Joe_Pike]

I also have found a few deals on 45's but that was about a year or two ago.

I don't know if you have shopped SG Ammo or not, but a week or so ago they had a couple of different brands of .45 for $233 a case (plus shipping).

[arquebus357]

The .45 ACP does not play fair...

[Bob Wright]

Just for fun, here are some ACP cartridges from earlier times:



The two on the left vintage WW I, the right from WW II. The .45 ACP has been around a loong time. And it hasn't survived these years just on looks!

Bob Wright

[tony pasley]

I have carried a .45 acp for almost 50 years never thought of the round as sexy, effective, solid hitting, the reason I am still here, but never sexy.

[smee78]

Sorry, I meant a few deals on 45acp guns, not ammo.