[Tweek]

Well, Iowegan's thread about triggers got me to thinking.

I've never had a .45 auto that I really loved. I've had a few I liked</u>, but never any that made me say 'this is the ONE'.

.45's I've tried include:

Colt M1991A1
Kimber Stainless II
Springfield XD45
Ruger KP345PR
Colt Double Eagle
Para LDA Carry

I kind of liked the Ruger 345, but it gave me so many headaches, I never really got to know it well enough. I took what I could get for it on a trade because of all the fits it was giving me.

The trigger on the Para LDA carry was nice, I'd like to try one in a full size model.

.45's I haven't tried yet:
Anything from CZ
Kahr
HK USP
Glock
Ruger P97
Others?

Maybe I just needed more practice with the ones I fired, but of course, I'd like to have one I could lay my hands on, fire a few rounds thru it, and know I'm not going to have to 'get used' to it.

Currently, my only .45 auto is the Colt Double Eagle.

What are your experiences with various .45 autos?

 

[Calvin Wiles]

If you can, try a P97. It fits me better than any of them. I have two and they are very accurate and dependable. Try all you can until you find that one that feels it was made for you.

 

[Tweek]

I did see a new Stainless P97D today for $389. May have to go back & handle it.

 

[Iowegan]

Tweek, Yes, I've run the gauntlet too. In addition to many 1911s, I have owned at least a dozen other 45 ACPs. My story was the same with a P-345. It went back to Ruger twice for the click-no bang syndrome then got sold. I've also owned a couple P-90s, a P-95 and a P-97. They were great guns but didn't fit me at all. The best DA/SA 45 I owned was a SIG P-220. No doubt the finest workmanship on the market. With Hogue finger groove grips, it fit me like a glove. It was very accurate, good trigger, fed any ammo, and functioned perfect. I recently sold it because I couldn't hit a thing on the first shot from a draw (DA mode) which is part of my "selection criteria". I hated the Springer XD45 and sold it after one short range session.

I keep going back to my Colt Commander for a carry gun and any one of my several 1911s for target or tactical shooting. Of course many years of carrying one and lots of training may have influenced my decision.

Keep up your quest. Someday you'll find a gun that fits and shoots straight for you. Don't discount any gun until you spend a bunch of money on grips, holsters, sights, etc. That ought to keep you busy and broke for a few years.

 

[Baldy]

Give S&W a try there Tweek. I have 2 a commander scandium and a stainless steel government. They both fit my hand good and are way more accurate than me. I have had one stove pipe in over 4,000rds between the 2. It was my fault as I think I drug my finger on the slide. These are out of the box guns with no mods.

 

[wetidlerjr]

I carry a Colt Combat Commander and own many more Colt 1911s. Everything else just wants to be.
(But I do have a P90. )

 

[white dog]

Nice looking gun Bill. I don't know why I don't own a 1911 because I've wanted one for a long time. Maybe its because I've put so much money into the old house the last few years. After I get my Mark 111 maybe I'll start looking for one. Just before Christmas I put $405 in vet bill and nearly$500 in dishwasher. I hope thats all the setbacks I have for a while. I always wanted a Hi-Power and finally got one about 10 or 12 years ago. Maybe..Maybe...Maybe

 

[2400]

 

[Heavy J]

Try a Glock 21 if you like full size, or a Glock 30 in a compact size. They even make a "slim Line" singal stack in .45acp in the Glock 36. I'm a old Glock fan but I am really warming up to Ruger, I have a (new to me) P97, I have not messed with it to much but what I have done has been good. It seems like it is built like a tank.

 

[sheepdog]

I've had the P97DAO and P97D-both were wunnaful wunnaful---Now I have P90-may be even better-Ruger knows how to build 'em strong!

 

[mercutio545]

I tried out a glock .45 at the range the other day. It loaded and fired flawlessly, but felt a little bulky (the mag was a double stack and I'm used to the single on my P345) and I really wasn't feeling it.

Just out of curiosity though Tweek, what were the problems your 345 was giving you? I have a KP345DPR and I noticed some weird things going on with it, and jamming a lot.

 

[Tweek]

Well, it'd be easier to tell the things that didn't go wrong with it.

First, it developed feed problems. Nose up, 2/3's the way into the chamber is where they would often stop. Sent it in to fix the feed problem, got it back a few weeks later. The feed problem seemed to be gone, but after a couple hundred more rounds, it started failing to fire (click-no bang). Then the trigger started to fail to reset after firing some of the time. I also noticed once when I dropped the slide stop with an empty mag in (I know, probably not the best practice), the hammer followed the slide home with the safety off.

Called Ruger again, and they kindly offered to replace it, which I took them up on. The replacement gun shot great for the first 70 or so rounds, then had a few rounds here and there that wouldn't go into full battery again. I traded the replacement on another gun (another new Ruger) shortly after that.

 

[Tweek]

Well, I went to 4 gun shops Saturday looking for a .45 that I liked the feel of.

Handled a few 1911's, a HK USP, a Glock 21, another Ruger 345, a Smith something or nuther, and came home with:

A Magnum Research Baby Eagle .45 ACP.

This thing just felt right for me. Slapped a Hogue Hand-All on it, and it REALLY feels nice now.
Range report soon.

 

[mercutio545]

Oh wow. That is definitely not a good thing. Hopefully it was just a case of bad luck and not a plague for all of them. Mine does the same kind of jam yours did, more like halfway in, but it usually only jams when I'm pulling back the slide and releasing it. If I have the slide locked back and press the release down, it never jams. I've also noticed a slight clicking sound when the trigger is pulled, RIGHT before it releases the hammer. But again, this has not affected performance so far. I wonder if anything does happen later on down the road, if they'll still replace it. I didn't see any warranty in a set time, but I would expect them to replace anything for at least a couple of years.