Smallest Concealed Carry .45acp?

[arizonaguide]

If you were going to CCW (IWB) a .45acp, AND let your wife use it to CCW also, what would be your WEAPON OF CHOICE?

My wife is pretty small, so it's gotta be a pretty small frame, and of course the smaller the better for my IWB carry. I'm happy with say 5+ rounds or better, as it's MORE important that it's a smaller gun.

Suggestions?

 

[CamaroLovr]

Glock 36 maybe? I've shot one and after about 25 rounds of FMJ I didn't want much more but it is a pretty small and flat little pistol w/ 6+1, just not a range gun.

 

[basicblur]

Some of the Taurus stuff is pretty compact-I have a PT145, which is double-stack-think you can get 'em in single stack to cut the size even more.

'Course, I ain't gonna vouch for their QC!

 

[The Sarge]

I carry a Glock 36. It "disappears"....

 

[mjbike]

Glock 36 with a Crossbreed super tuck works great and is comfortable for me.

 

[hmphargh]

Kahr P/CW45 or PM45

More Specs on them:
http://www.kahr.com/dtlspec_cw4543.html

Not the cheapest, but probably the smallest.

 

[Echo9]

My weapon of choice?

Kimber Ultra CDP II or Springfield Micro Compact. But those are my weapons of choice, not the weapons I can afford.

Definitely look into Kahr, they're small, thin, light, and have really smooth triggers for striker guns.

The Glock 36 isn't a bad choice either.

 

[outerlimit]

The PM45 is not the smallest, but I believe it is the lightest .45acp on the market. Unless that R45 ever comes out.

 

[boricua9mm]

Compact + .45ACP ≠ Wife

 

[9mmepiphany]

the smallest .45 ACP, commonly available, that i'd recommend for carry would be the Kahr CW45...mostly based on it's thinness.

the smallest concealed carry .45 ACP, as asked in your title, would be the Semmerling LM4

 

[HexHead]

Colt New Agent. It's my primary EDC.



Here it is under a S&W 442 J-frame...

 

[Lv4snobrdg]

a metal gun, something with a lil more weight to it, may be a choice you are overlooking. Light guns make for more feeling more recoil in your arms, a real turn off for ladies that like to shoot the big .45. If yer really after a light weight over all else consider another caliber?? My lady likes my 1911's for the range but will tote around a m&p in 45 all day.

 

[mljdeckard]

I am the guy who is always lecturing about size and concealability.

Remember a few things about the 1911 first. It is the original adjustable design. You have options for grip width, back strap size, and trigger size. At the time it was issued, the average height of the American male was 5'4"-5'5". Their hands were smaller than the hands of the average male now. A LOT of women shoot full-size 1911s very comfortably.

Small guns are harder to shoot than big guns. They have less weight to soak up recoil, shorter sight radius, and to get good velocity out of compact 1911s you have to use smaller bullets. (I just hate using anything other than 230 gr.) The more you shrink a 1911 the more likely it is to have problems.

Smaller guns might SEEM less intimidating, but the truth is, they are lousy carry options for women.

 

[orionengnr]

If you are all about smallest/lightest...then check out the Kahr P45 (which I own and love), or maybe a Kahr PM45 (which I will own one day)

I own and carry mostly 1911s, but the polymer Kahrs are the ultimate lightweight/teeny-tiny .45 acps.

 

[outerlimit]

the smallest concealed carry .45 ACP, as asked in your title, would be the Semmerling LM4

I'm pretty sure he wants an automatic.

 

[Claude Clay]

amt 45 back up is pretty small.
and if you get a reliable one you got good value for the money.

simmerling is small but heavy. was fun while i had it but i would not get another.

 

[arizonaguide]

Compact + .45ACP ≠ Wife

LMAO!

 

[03Shadowbob]

S&W CS45 looks pretty small also.
I have had the Glock 36 and it was very concealable. I am keeping my eyes open for a Kimber UC or Colt New Agent.

 

[chris in va]

I had the displeasure of shooting a micro 45 1911. Never do that again. Couldn't imagine the recoil on a polymer micro 45 like the Kahr.

 

[w_houle]

No... I don't remember what it was called, but the breech face didn't move and you moved the slide forward.
Edit: "the smallest concealed carry .45 ACP, as asked in your title, would be the Semmerling LM4 "

that

 

[jwalker497]

"I had the displeasure of shooting a micro 45 1911. Never do that again. Couldn't imagine the recoil on a polymer micro 45 like the Kahr."

I am pretty sure the PM45 is the smallest semi-auto 45. And I shot one and recoil is no crazier than any other smaller handgun.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Colt Defender or Colt Agent both carry easy Use 185 gr HP

 

[Roughneck08]

AMT backup .45 ouch but small..

 

[ForumSurfer]

I don’t get why guys are saying some compacts are bad for their wives? Any girlfriend I’ve had has had no trouble shooting subcompact, compact or full-size frames. We’re not talking professional body builders, just average attractive sized women. My current girlfriend has a Bersa 380 given to her by an ex fiancée because she was “too girlie” for a bigger caliber. After a few shooting trips, she’s grown to love the 45’s more pleasant than she thought recoil. She says it seems to “shove” her instead of making “her wrist snap back” like 40’s do. She works out to stay in shape and is average sized for a woman of her height, no she-ra. She seems to have fallen in love with my Kimber Pro CDP, but she also shoots my Para p12 very well. The Para P12 was a Warthog before there were warthogs, a very compact double-stack 1911. My previous ex (whom I met at the range oddly enough) was 5’2” and right around 100lbs soaking wet, very tiny little firecracker of a woman. She carried and shot (very well!) a sub compact xd in 45.

I’m just saying that unless you stray above a 45 or 10mm, the recoil is manageable by most any human hand without arthritis. All you need is a proper grip. I’ve never understood the fear of a 45’s recoil. Nothing wrong with other calibers, I own lots of different calibers. Truth be told, the 40 cal Beretta 96 I once owned would have me more fatigued than any of my 45’s, compact or otherwise at the 500 round mark on a shooting day. I don’t get as many of those 500 round days anymore, ammo prices are such a killer.

It's all in the proper grip, that's just my humble opinion.

 

[Lv4snobrdg]

hmmm,

lets remember that women who love to shoot are rare, sexy lil numbers like ForumSurfers ex are rarer still. What we shoot at the range "for fun" and what we carry on on our hip "for defense" quite often are a little different. There has to be a level of confidence with being able to put the first round on target and any rounds after that on target. With adrenaline, anxiety and fear all in play at the same time.

A small caliber with less recoil is favorable (in a tense situation) for new shooters of any gender and experienced shooters alike.

Big caliber offers excellent stopping power at the cost of less shots available to fire (in most cases).

My wife is 5'4" and likes her m&p 45 for carry and shoots a few mags through it at the range then takes my TLE II and puts as much through it as she can. My wife is rarer still as she was in the Army and a Drill Sergeant.