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I want to get a .45 acp for the woods. Should I go used? What brand would you suggest? I've liked a large S&W and a Ruger. I don't like short barrels, and I'm comfy carrying the extra weight for hours.

I've only bought new and from friends before, so I'm leery of the used guns at Cabela's/pawn shops/whatever.

Also, a lot of people suggest cheap brands. Are there any decent .45s for less than $500. I could go up to $600.

.45 Long Colt as in a revolver or .45 ACP as in one of these:

As in one of those. Revolvers are fun, but I prefer pistols.

I've used a Taurus PT1911 for years. Swapped out the ambisafety because it kept falling out and replaced the FLGR with a GI one because that's the way his holiness John Browning wanted it.

Never had it go down. Shoot IDPA CDP class with it and do very well.

For the money, Taurus is a good deal.

miamiair wrote:For the money, Taurus is a good deal.

..And if it ever gets dropped on the pavement, you won't cry like you would with an Dan Wesson or Les Baer.

.45? Has your daughter been misbehaving on Facebook?

Yeah, I saw a goodish deal on a new Taurus, and about the same price on a used FNP. Any experience with tthose. I'll have to try the Taurus. I would like to get a compensator.

And no daughters...that I know of. :D.


I will have to make a list of possibilities.

Lucas wrote:Also, a lot of people suggest cheap brands. Are there any decent .45s for less than $500. I could go up to $600.

Well, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. But a 1911 is really a 1911. You can get a fancy one that's tricked-out with a fancy trigger, compensator, etc. but it's still a 1911. Or you can get a cheapie and trick it out yourself, putting your own choice of custom parts on it as you choose.

A similar story goes with AR-15's.

I had a Rock Island Arsenal 1911, and there was nothing at all wrong with it, other than it was a 1911.

I need to get another 1911, just to have it laying around. I also need to get another gun or two that out of embarrassment I will not mention in public.

Queso wrote:I need to get another 1911, just to have it laying around. I also need to get another gun or two that out of embarrassment I will not mention in public.

A .25 for your murse?

Queso wrote:

Lucas wrote:Also, a lot of people suggest cheap brands. Are there any decent .45s for less than $500. I could go up to $600.

Well, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. But a 1911 is really a 1911. You can get a fancy one that's tricked-out with a fancy trigger, compensator, etc. but it's still a 1911. Or you can get a cheapie and trick it out yourself, putting your own choice of custom parts on it as you choose.

A similar story goes with AR-15's.

I had a Rock Island Arsenal 1911, and there was nothing at all wrong with it, other than it was a 1911.

I need to get another 1911, just to have it laying around. I also need to get another gun or two that out of embarrassment I will not mention in public.

I don't mind tricking it out myself, and my biggest thing is the compensator. Right now, I'm coming from the standpoint of seeing some of the work done, and shooting with custom guns, but I've not personally ever made any modifications. That makes it a bit of a chore, but one I'd be happy to learn.

I really just don't want to end up with Hi-Point crap. Though the most miserable, POS firearm I ever fired (barring a shoddy ex-Soviet rifle) was oddly a Kimber 9mm. Probably a fluke.

For price and reliability right out of the box, nothing beats a Glock 21. Holds 13+1, fewer moving parts than most, no external safeties to forget at the wrong moment but internally safe to make sure it doesn't go boom until the trigger is pulled, and if you do need a replacement part they're easy to come by. Being a Glock it doesn't have to be meticulously maintained or heavily oiled, and they've been shown to take a severe beating and still keep going. And if the standard frame is a little long in the grip, a Short Frame (SF) version is available.

Heck, depending on what type of critters make their home in your local woods, you could even consider stepping into 10mm Auto for a little extra stopping power. For a woods gun in auto, the Glock 20 (SF or non) in 10mm would actually be my first choice.

I don't recommend Glocks for casual carriers. If you want a .45, go with a 1911. Want the Hi Cap? Go with a Para Ordinance. Don't get me wrong, I love Glocks, have several of them and carry it every day, I think unless you practice with it, it can bite you in the ass.

Lucas wrote:I really just don't want to end up with Hi-Point crap.

Your price range (around $500 but up to $600) would exclude Hi-Point pistols. I wouldn't want to carry one around, either. They do have their place in picking the right tool for the job, but that's for another thread.

If you want a 1911 Springfield Armory makes some very nice budget models, as does Rock Island.

Other than a 1911 I would say a Glock or XD

All of the above avoids everyone saying "ewww a Taurus."

I think Glocks are nice, but for the reasons mentioned, I think I'll avoid them. I've had a lot of people recommend Taurus.

I'll look into a Taurus, Para Ordnance, and FN first.

People casually carry Glocks every day. I am not a fan of them but if you want something cheap that goes bang every time and is cheap to support it is the way to go.

A large portion of the police in the US are beyond ignorant about guns. Most of them carry Glock and aside from a few very isolated incidents of poor gun handling they do so without incident every day.

I think I would be more concerned with others using it than me, and the solution to that is, of course, to limit its use to me. I'm massively cautious around firearms. I just don't know if it would be worth the consideration.

Since I'll try way more than my primary three, maybe I'll find some great attraction to it.

Rock Island Armory Milspec .45

Around $400 and very reliable

I'm going to the range to shoot my duty weapon today. We carry S&W 4563's and they are pretty good. They are a bit older but still do the job. Check out S&W's .45 line.

I don't recommend Glocks for casual carriers. If you want a .45, go with a 1911. Want the Hi Cap? Go with a Para Ordinance. Don't get me wrong, I love Glocks, have several of them and carry it every day, I think unless you practice with it, it can bite you in the ass.

Yep, I agree. I'm a huge Glock fan but they should only be carried by experienced shooters.

-Delta767-300ER

Delta763, the best and most fun .45 I've ever had the privilege to shoot was a custom built one by S&W. Just a blast.

I've finally decided that I want a FN .45 hi-cap. I have combed Billings high and low to find one.

There are apparently none. The closest I found was a FN .40 at a gun seller, and he said they're few and far between right now. Then he showed me his personal FN .45, but I was not allowed to purchase that, as it's his baby.



There are two other places I didn't try, but none of the other gun shots thought they'd have them.

Lucas, check to see if budsgunshop.com has one, then have it FFL transferred to you.

Thanks, Click. Looks like they're OOS right now, which is a shame. I see they have some on GunsAmerica, but I'm not sure if getting it will be a convoluted mess.

Is there a run on these things right now?

Click Click D'oh wrote:Lucas, check to see if budsgunshop.com has one, then have it FFL transferred to you.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Bud_s_Gun_Shop/
Looks like a bunch of pissed off customers.