I still prefer the .45 ACP.

[Adam Helmer]

I own and shoot many 9mm pistols, but the .45 ACP is my gun of choice in "gravest extreme." I think the Luger P-08 is the nicest looking 9mm out there, the Glock 19 was my duty gun for 7 years, but in a hot corner, I want a .45 automatic. Second choice is a .357 Magnum wheelgun.

Today I had a few Colt M1911 and M1911A1s at the backyard shooting bench. I shot Ball, Federal 190 grain JHPs and my cast 200 grain SWC bullets at 25 yards. Ball is not as good as a JHP or SWC round for reliable performance, according to articles I have read. My best accuracy was with the Federal loads and my SWC handloads. For a comparison, I shot an accurate P-38 and 147 grain JHP factory loads.

I cleaned and put the P-38 away and stoked up all the .45 magazines I had with better loads. The 9mm is nice for target shooting and has always been fun to shoot, but in "gravest extreme" I want a .45 auto, then a .357 because sometimes calling 911 is not an option here in the country.

Adam

[HANDGUNNER]

Good point Adam. I moved to the Country five years ago. I came home from work about 3 a.m. and saw a strange dude walking down my street. Called the Sheriff's Office and they got a local cruiser out about forty five minutes later. I work in the city and can't believe that there are Departments with response times like that, ( they don't patrol after midnight.) The other thing to conisder is most "incidents" are over in less than a minute. So even if you live in a populated area, a 911 call may not be enough to save your hide.

[Swift]

Originally posted by Adam Helmer
but in "gravest extreme" I want a .45 auto, then a .357 because sometimes calling 911 is not an option here in the country.
Adam

Country livin makes me keep the .45 at the ready also.

[skeet]

Lived in tthe country all my life and the 45 is my choice also...right after the 12 ga. The 45 is much more convenient tho. Keep one at the edge of the bed all the time...and it ain't a useless gun either(you know guys...empty?). Carry one when I go around the farm too. You never know who is in the woods!! Like the guy who was trying to set up housekeeping in the woods with a lean to. Hope y'all don't get annoyed....but he WAS a Yankee! Not a nice one either. He told me he could stay where he wanted as long as he wanted Then I guess he saw the holstered 45 I was packing.. and allowed as he could leave if I really wanted him to. Never even showed it to him either. Turned out he was some homeless (as he told the police) guy from Philadelphia

[Adam Helmer]

Guys,

Good responses about country living and the .45. Here on my farm, like skeet, I always have iron on me. I like the .45 in a belt holster or shoulder holster walking the land or driving one of the tractors about. I have been confronted by hostile tresspassers who "didn't see no posted signs" and apparently rabid raccoons, chucks and a dog. The old Colt .45, loaded right, was all I ever needed. In the house I keep a 12 gauge pump loaded with 4Buck in addition to the .45.

Adam

[kt]

i love to see guns around today that are so popular and have lasted so long that we cant help but call them marvels like the 1911 and the Garand. with all the innovations when things hang around that long improving on them is trivial. the 45 acp has survived the speedy 357 sig and cheap to shoot nine. there cant be too many self defenders out there that if given one shot would choose something else based on caliber. i have shot glock pistols of all size and cal. favorite remains the 36 in .45
then their was that insult ... the .45 GAP
kt

[Rocky Raab]

Not to spit in your eye, kt, but that 45 GAP is starting to catch on.

It is simply easier to wear (in a correctly down-sized gun) and is better for folks with smaller hands.

Plus, it launches the same bullets at essentially the same speed as the bigger (but half empty) ACP case.

[kt]

dont say that rocky, it will only catch on if we let it!
youre right though i do see it getting more popular, others than glock making guns for it and all. im just very fond of the calibers that have been around and skepticle of the new ones. i havent been overly accepting of the wsm's despite how neat they are
kt
excuse me i must go find a napkin to get the spit out of my eye

[Rocky Raab]

No argument, brother. (No spit, either!)

My choice is the original 45, and it's only a half-century older than the ACP. I prefer wheel guns to those new-fangled autos, also.

The original 45 Colt had its shorter cousin, too. The longer one is still around, but until recently, nobody had manufactured guns or ammo for the 45 S&W in a century. So ya just never know, huh?

One of these years, I'll break down and buy one of those new-fangled 1911 thingies in 45 ACP. Hey, maybe 2011 would be a good year for that. The thing should have most of the kinks worked out by then, huh?

[Lycanthrope]

They did work the kinks out.....it's called the 2011 model.

[papi]

when i was working we used glock 22's.you had 16 shots before you had to reload.that is a very comfortable feeling and it has a good round.there is nothing like the 45 and prob never will be.when my dad died i got a 1911,us army,property united states,45.the actual date madw was in 1918.it is all original.dad has solid silver grips with 14kt gold trim.he had no idea what he had. the grips were held on with one wood screw and red tape.
i also have a series 70 colt 45 and a sig p220 45.they are the best

[gregarat]

Not to spit in your eye, kt, but that 45 GAP is starting to catch on.

I sure hope so.

I would love to have a Glock 38! Its the same size as my Glock 19. I may even trade my 19 in for a 38 if Im confident that the .45 G.A.P. will catch on. So far your the only person I know who does think its caching on, most people I speak with equate G.A.P. with sacrilege. Which IMHO is abit narrow minded. I think there's enough room on this planet for ACP, G.A.P., and long Colt. Geez how manny 9mm variants are there?

[GoodOlBoy]

I carry mine, and will till the day they put me in the ground. I love it and wouldn't change it for the world.

GoodOlBoy