Maybe a new .45?

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Spats McGee

Spats McGee

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So I'm headed to the gun show later today, and I'm hoping to wind up with a little extra cheese in my pocket.... #fingerscrossed

Here's my situation:
  • I have CC covered, with pistols in sizes Pocket, Small, Medium, and Large.
  • My Large CC pistol is my beloved 1911. It's also
    • My only .45 pistol; and
    • My only CC pistol with a thumb safety, though it's exceedingly rare that I carry it.
  • I have a whole bunch of .45 right now, in a variety of flavors. It's all ball, but some is FMJ, some is lead, some large pistol primers, some small pistol primers.
  • I have a buddy who's trying to sell me his Gen4 G21 at a really good price. I know I like G21s, though they're just a teensy bit large in my hands. My only concern is the lead bullets I have and I don't want to have to buy an extra barrel.
As I said above, I have CC covered, so this would be a range and possible HD gun. It needs to be in .45 ACP and be ready to eat anything I feed it, including lead. If I come away with an extra, say $500 at the gun show, what should I look at? I'm thinking M&P, or maybe a CZ? I like the idea of a Sig, but they're out of my price range.
 
CZ97B!
You're welcome!

Mine shoots anything I feed it, even LSWC handloads. Soft shooting, accurate, nice ergo's and a pretty nice stock trigger. I really like the thin black aluminum grips mine came with!

You need to try one at the show or LGS. DA trigger reach is loooong but the SA trigger reach is fine for me.
It comes with either a traditional safety (for cocked & locked use) or a decocker model. I would carry use it at home decocked, safety off in DA/SA mode.
The FO front sight is nice. Comes in red, I switched to Green.

The recoil is very low in my opinion. Very pleasurable to shoot.
 
The M&P .45 is a good choice. Another option is the Beretta PX4 in .45 Auto. It will probably be above $500, as will the M&P unless it it is used, but it would be less expensive than a SIG P220.

Here's a Beretta PX4 .45 review from the late Stephen A. Camp.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/shooting_the_45-caliber beretta PX4.htm

One of his key statements is near the end of the article...

For me, the 45-caliber PX4 “feels” more comfortable in the hand than the Glock 21, Springfield Armory XD, SIG-SAUER P220 or FNP 45. I admit that this is entirely subjective and does not hold true for all shooters. The PX4 also seems smaller “in person” than its “paper dimensions” suggest.
Click to expand...
 
I'm really liking my Ruger American in .45. I bought it to carry while the SIG 320 issue gets worked out.

Even though my SIG is in 9mm, I figured having the. 45 wouldn't be a bad one to add to the stables.

The RAP is certainly full size, but the grip size is smaller than the 21, IIRC. So it's a chunky gun that is lower in perceived recoil due to the mass and low bore axis. Seems built like a tank (basically, ya know, a Ruger). I've had zero feed issues, field strips easily, and the best part was that a local Rural King had an everyday price of $399.

Two things to keep in mind: Some people find the fat-butt beaver tail to be a thumb knuckle smacker. Most don't have an issue, but it did bother me. I took a Dremil and simply polished it ever so slightly and the issue went away.

Also, while the RAP is modular, be extra careful taking the chassis out of the gun. It's not like a SIG where it stays together. It will come out in one chunk, then a piece will come loose and you'll be left with a trigger in one hand and your phone looking up youtube videos on how to pop it back together. Not difficult at all, but I don't recommend taking it out unless you need to.

All around, for $399, it's been a fun shooter that I haven't been afraid to mess around with due to the price.
 
I own some of the 45's that the OP mentioned (S&W M&P 45 and Sig P220) or previous posters recommended (Beretta Px4) plus several more (Sig P250 full size, S&W 457 and 4506-1). For years my West German P220 was the king when it came to accuracy. Last year I picked up the M&P and added an Apex duty kit to it. The King is dead, long live The King! The M&P is scary accurate. I just shot the attached target last week, 50 Round of federal 230gr fmj at 20 yards offhand. 49 hits with one miss. I would highly recommend an M&P.
 

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    M&P 45 50 rounds at 20 yards.jpg
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I know they are taboo right now from the internet court of opinion.... but the XD series are amazing in .45. I have 2 and I feel that's where the 45 is where the XD is better than others (where the others are better in 9mm and .40).

I've seen the Mod 2's for sale (fiber optic sight and amazing ergos) for around $420 on sale online. You just have to deal with the tacky "grip zone" text. I got one of my 4" XDs for $325 like new.

13+1 rounds of 45 ain't nothing to sneer at. Plus, it shoots like a 9mm and has the grip angle like a 1911.
 
I have the Ruger RAP45 like and utilize it very much. With that said I also have other 45ACP pistol such as examples from Colt, Glock and S&W.
 
You might be able to find a P220 used for around that, seen a few out there. Even find an occasional P245 which is good for carry and with xgrip extensions still shoots like a full size 220.

A CZ 97 would ve wonderful but I've yet to see one in the wild.

More pricey but I think my next .45 will be a SIG 227 carry, good size for both ccw and range fun, for me at least.

Then again, I already have a Glock 21 and 30.
 
JR24 said:
A CZ 97 would ve wonderful but I've yet to see one in the wild.
Click to expand...

I've only held one once. Amazingly well build, however it was so unnecessarily bulky and massive especially for having a mag of 10.

For a CZ style firearm, I'd look no further than the Jericho/Baby Eagle in .45 from IMI/IWI/Magnum Research. Or an SAR K2-45. Or an EAA Witness.
 
The CZ97 is a wonderful weapon, but the grip is pretty big, almost too big for my medium long, wide hands. Mine can be finicky a times with SWCs, but overall it does well. It loves the Zero 185 Gr JHP. I put a competition hammer in mine and it is sweet.

CZ 97B -CH - Pic 1.JPG
 
Spats McGee

I'm with JeeperCreeper and Walkalong: the CZ97 is a fine pistol but if you have smaller than usual hands like I do, you might have a hard time coming to terms with that large of a grip frame. I had a Browning BDA (a.k.a. SIG P220), in .45 years ago and while it appears to have a large grip, it's very comfortable to use, totally reliable with just about any ammo I ran through it, and really soft shooting in terms of felt recoil.
 
Walkalong said:
The CZ97 is a wonderful weapon, but the grip is pretty big, almost too big for my medium long, wide hands. Mine can be finicky a times with SWCs, but overall it does well. It loves the Zero 185 Gr JHP. I put a competition hammer in mine and it is sweet.

View attachment 761139
Click to expand...
I agree about the grip size. However, the aluminum grips are thinner than any wooden grips and make it possible for my medium sized hands and fingers.
 
$500 is your limit?

I can work with that.

A CZ97 is gonna be a little over that ceiling, but would be excellent if it trips your trigger.

A police trade in Sig 220 should be around if not under the $500 mark.

About two years ago I bought a 3rd gen S&W 4566TSW with three mags and not completely burnt out night sights for $350. I would rank one of these very high on your list. An excellent shooting stainless steel 45.

Have you given any thought to another 1911? You could set it up differently than your CC 1911. There's a few models with a rail within your budget I believe. Add a mag funnel, night sights and a light and you'd have a nice bedside companion to your CC piece.
 
One thing to note, I hadn't shot a CZ 75 series in a long while and focused mostly on Glocks and 1911s. Couple weeks ago I finally got to handle a 75 Compact, figuring that I finally found the carry fun for me.

Turns out years of Glock and 1911 high as possible grips puts the CZ beavertail in a terribly uncomfotable place for me now. Sure, I could retrain my hands, but for an "every once in a while" range gun, might wanna try that 97 before you buy.
 
My first Springfield was the XDM 3.8 compact .40....When I decided to get a .45, my decision was easy....XD Mod 2 .45 subcompact followed up by the XDs .45 3.3 , I highly recommend them
 
Spats McGee said:
So I'm headed to the gun show later today, and I'm hoping to wind up with a little extra cheese in my pocket.... #fingerscrossed

Here's my situation:
  • I have CC covered, with pistols in sizes Pocket, Small, Medium, and Large.
  • My Large CC pistol is my beloved 1911. It's also
    • My only .45 pistol; and
    • My only CC pistol with a thumb safety, though it's exceedingly rare that I carry it.
  • I have a whole bunch of .45 right now, in a variety of flavors. It's all ball, but some is FMJ, some is lead, some large pistol primers, some small pistol primers.
  • I have a buddy who's trying to sell me his Gen4 G21 at a really good price. I know I like G21s, though they're just a teensy bit large in my hands. My only concern is the lead bullets I have and I don't want to have to buy an extra barrel.
As I said above, I have CC covered, so this would be a range and possible HD gun. It needs to be in .45 ACP and be ready to eat anything I feed it, including lead. If I come away with an extra, say $500 at the gun show, what should I look at? I'm thinking M&P, or maybe a CZ? I like the idea of a Sig, but they're out of my price range.
Click to expand...
Used S&W 457 affectionately known as "Hobo CCW" is the way to go, but being great bargains they're hard to find. It is equal to SigSauer at about half the cost. Relibility is on par with the Glock using both ball & JHPs.
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
+1 on used P220 or SW 4506, 4566.....or, if you can find one, the much underappreciated Ruger P90- they never seem to go for more than $400 and you can pocket the difference!
Click to expand...

Yes, Ole' Ruger is to USA what Taurus 92 is to slums of Rio de Janerio. Long and well established track record.
 
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