.45 AARP—Meme or Misunderstood?

[DeathNinja]

I stopped in Eau Claire WI Scheels last week to purchase a G-19X, aside from a small selection of 1911's, which were as I recall just three display cases containing a pair of Colt's, a single Ruger, and a whole bunch of Kimber's, all in .45 ACP, aside from those three cases, keeping in mind that Scheels is a big time pistol stocking store, every other new pistol in the store was a 9mm, not a single .40, or .45 beyond those 1911's!

[artoter]

Like someone posted earlier, you pick your weapon/caliber, for what you think will be the intended role. If you feel you need a large caliber for personal defense, then that is your choice.

A Desert Eagle in .44 Mag or .50AE would most certainly stop just about any human threat your probably going to run across, but I don't feel like carrying around five pounds of handgun, thus I go for something smaller and in a smaller caliber...besides, I don't have the back anymore to handle such a large piece.

Animals are tougher/more ignorant than most humans. Most people, even after getting hit with a pellet, would be hauling ass and saying to themselves "oh crap, I just got shot"!

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Plenty of .45s around these parts. HK45, S&W M&P and shield 45s, Glocks, XDs, Walthers. We are a patriotic bunch. .40s are in desperate decline.

[MistWolf]

It's ok in dim sum?

It's ok, but the soy sauce makes a mess of the Glock. It's better to just use chopsticks.

[26 Inf]

It's ok, but the soy sauce makes a mess of the Glock. It's better to just use chopsticks.

You win.

[spence]

This has been done to death and you can find statistics to support whatever you believe.

I shoot and carry 9mm because it's affordable, the guns tend to hold more rounds, and it's easy to shoot accurately.

I've also shot and enjoyed .45 ACP but not having to pay more for it.

Choose your pill and rock on.

This right here. When I first started in handguns, practice ammo in .40 ran around 20% higher than 9mm, .45 was 45-50%. Now it seems it's more like .40 is 50% and .45 double that of 9mm. In my early to mid 20's I was in that camp of "bigger is better, 9mm is unnecessary in full sized guns". (I did carry a .380 pocket pistol for a while, but variety of reasons switched out to a .32, but don't hold that against me too much).

Relatively recently I went full bore 9mm. Gel tests on line, and any redneck science tests of my own put out some really impressive results in .45. I just don't like the .45 as much. 9mm is cheaper. More rounds. I've bought thousands of rounds of 9 in the past six or seven months. Shot, at least for me, a heap of it.

I'll keep my .45's, and maybe even shoot it some, but it's just not for me in every day use.

[Firefly]

Honestly as much as I like .45. For disclosure I am actively stockpiling 10mm and 6.5 for the boogaloo.

[sundance435]

Took out my Colt repro 1911A1 and Glock 26.5 the other day. Haven't shot a .45 in years and a 1911 even longer. As soon as I shot that old boy, the nostalgia came back. Even with the crappy WWII sights, I was just more accurate with it than the Glock, but that also could've had something to do with having to focus on the sights more - plus, as FF said, there's just something pleasant about the recoil from a 230gr out of a full size 1911. That said, follow ups with the 26 were much quicker and I had 2-3 more rounds on tap in a smaller package. I should've brought my 19 to compare against the 1911, but that wasn't really what I was going for. So here I am, trying to convince myself I don't need a modern 1911, since everything I have is Glock-centered and that's what I shoot 99% of the time...there's just something about 1911s.

[pinzgauer]

I've come and gone from commanders 5 times in as many decades.

Lately I had converted over to tupperware in 9mm+p (PPQ / P90). Good solid pistol, in the +P, I really like the 124 grain loadings, etc.

I still shot 1911s in 10mm for fun and hunting, but had the urge for another LW commander in 45. Had been shopping them, but the LWs had blued slides. So I was looking at cerrakoting one.

Then I found a vintage (early 70s) orphan at a show that had been something-coated (we think duracoated) from a vet at a table selling personal guns who clearly needed/wanted to sell it. Had been a labor of love. Told him i could not do his asking price, but would give it a good home and held out some ben franklins.

He took it and I had a LW Commander again. In light OD mysterykote with khaki g10 grip panels.

I half expected it to be a problem, but the durn thing shoots great, had 3 wilson 8 round mags. So i did a bunch more shooting with including with HST carry ammo.

I had forgotten how good lightweight Commanders carry. And the first two or three shots with this one I am dead nuts, better than any other pistol I have. And even after several mags I'm comparable to what I am with Tupperware.

I've got to get more contrast on the sights and may go to some combat sights, but it rewoke the 1911 Commander love.

Intellectually I know the Tupperware makes more sense, but I do not feel under-armed with the commander.

Lately I keep my 45 and 10mm perversion to myself, as I know the right answer is "all you need is a g19 and a case of ammo". But I'll fess up since I know Im not alone now.

everyone loves shooting it, though for fun I usually stick with 185g just to try to save the alloy frame longer.

I can usually pick up 45 plinking ammo $2-3 more then similar 9 mm plinking at the local mega gun store. HST online was a bit more but not much more then 40 or 10 mm or any of the other non 9 mm calibers.

[Firefly]

You need Glocks, 1911s, 10mm, 6.5, LMT tranny rifles, and HK stuff if you want even a snowballs chance in Hell when the boogaloo happens.

and like....crates of .45 for the aftermath