Thin .45acp That Is Not A 1911

[mgregg85]

I like my XD45 compact, wouldn't call it slim though unless you compared it to a Glock 21, that thing is like a log.

No manual safeties(unless you buy a new version with the optional safety).

 

[MCgunner]

The G36 is quite slim and small for IWB. I don't like safe action triggers. I'd prefer the 8 lb option or, perhaps, a comparable XD with the redundancy of the grip safety. That's just me, but I've always been rather wary of the safe actions. He might like it, though, goes bang with no levers and very nice sized gun for carry.

 

[KurtC]

The S&W .45's that are DAO have a width of .83" for the slide, and 1.1" at the widest part of the grip. Since there are no safeties or decockers to stick out, they are among the thinest .45's on the market. The 4556, 4586 (TSW) and 4546 have stainless frames, while the 4553TSW and 4583TSW have alloy frames.

 

[VARifleman]

As far as CCWs go he seems to have taken on my dislike for anything where you don't just pull the trigger.

Except that taking the safety off is part of the draw, and since your thumb rides the safety, it's part of your grip?

 

[Pat-inCO]

Smith & Wesson 4506.

Not even close. The S&W is 60 to 80 thousandths thicker (depending on which dimension you look at) than a 1911 (I measured mine against one of my Kimber 1911s). The S&W is also six onces heavier that the Kimber SIS Custom (all steel).

The S&W is FAR less than a good choice for concealed carry. It is great for open carry (imposing size) and is a pussy cat to shoot.

 

[rantingredneck]

+1 on the P345. I have two of them. Very reliable and about the same dimensions as a commander size 1911. You can get a DC only or you can get one with the external safety and leave it disengaged.

 

[AK103K]

and since your thumb rides the safety, it's part of your grip?

Hows that working out for you on slide mounted safeties?

 

[hankdatank1362]

The S&W is also six onces heavier that the Kimber SIS Custom (all steel).

I'l give you that. It's a heavy SOB, but I like heavy guns.

 

[serrano]

Glock 36? It's part of Glock's slimline.

 

[Pops 1]

Beretta PX4 45

 

[Tom Fury]

There are smaller, lighter S&W's...

than the 4506; they have all been mentioned, and the guy asked about other than 1911's in OP.
I think the first requirement in a CCW is reliability; I think the S&W's have you covered better than anything else mentioned yet (IMNSHO).

Slide mounted safety can be pushed to off in the draw, just as easily as a frame mounted one; its' just a different drill.

Cheers, TF

 

[lee n. field]

What are some suggestions for a thin .45acp autoloader that dose not have a safety lever.

Glock 36 looks like it would fit the bill. 6 round single stack .45 compact. Was tempted by one a few days back, may yet get it, circumstances allowing.

 

[jocko]

kahr

PM45, litest, smallest, thinest...

kahr.com

 

[Funderb]

what about the glock 7, even lighter!

 

[modifiedbrowning]

What about a Witness .45.

 

[hso]

Make sure that he handles enough different guns to find out what fits him. Since he learned to shoot using your guns and you've professed a dislike for guns with safety levers I'll make the leap that he hasn't shot a 1911 or a CZ75 or a Sig or a...

If that's the case, we all do him a disservice if he doesn't get the chance to find out if one of these guns (or others) aren't a better physical fit for him matching his grip angle and reach more closely so that he has the opportunity to look for a variant without an external safety.

 

[SwampWolf]

I recommend the SIG 220 "Carry". No safety,reliable, slim as a 1911 and a grip that (for me at least) is almost perfect.

 

[Geno]

Thought I would post ths link for the fun of it:

http://members.aol.com/wsp45/

Now that, that is a thin .45 ACP.

 

[Monkeybear]

Taught him to shoot on my CZ75BD. I am not the only person to take him shooting, I don't even own anything in .45acp right now, so I don't know all that he has had a chance to use but I do know from our discussions that he has fired and enjoyed a 1911. He also fired my Sig P232 but was not a fan. He is a smart guy who can make decisions for himself, he just asked for a suggestion about slim .45s without external safeties. If he didn't mind an external safety he would not have specifically asked me for pistols that do not have them. He probably would not have had to ask me anything and just went a got a 1911.

We went to a few gunstores today. I was looking for a Kahr K9 to replace my G19 and he was looking for something in .45acp. We saw a Kahr CW45 that he liked alot. We handled just about everything in the stores we went to and that is the only one that really made an impression on him. I told him about the G36 but we were unable to locate one. We didn't find very many metal framed S&Ws and none in .45. I saw a Sig P250 with nightsights for $619 but talked myself out of it.

 

[Kilted Cossack]

Ahem, excuse me while I put on my flame-proof underwear. There we go.

I'll mention two slim .45 ACP pistols I've owned, and which I liked, and which worked for me. Both were from Taurus. One, the 945, felt like a SIG 220 with ambi-safeties/ambi-decockers. (While the 945 has the option of cocked and locked, you can simply use the safeties as decockers and carry DA.) The other is the PT145. Like the 945, it does have a safety, but as a DAO I never used it.

Taurus seems to have a reputation on the internet for poor QC and CS. I can only speak from my own experience---both the 945 and PT145 worked great for me. (As have the other Taurus autos I've owned, although I'll point out that I don't own a Taurus at present.)

I actually liked the 945 more than the SIG 220 I owned at the same time, and sold the SIG first. The 220 was a nice pistol, though, and I'd certainly not cry if "that's what I had."

All my Kahr experience is with an old flatside steel K9, but I like the idea of the new poly-.45s. The one that really catches the eye for me is the TP45--the 4" barrel. For a belt gun, I find the butt to be more important for concealment than the slide length, and I am instinctively prejudiced in favor of "more running room" for an automatic pistol to cycle.

On a side note, I think we share general preferences in autopistol design: I think the only controls should be a mag release, a trigger and a slide lock, and a smooth double action only trigger. Except for the "smooth trigger" part, that's a good description of my new SW9VE. (Me and the Afghan National Police!)

 

[VARifleman]

Hows that working out for you on slide mounted safeties?

I don't recall anyone even mentioning a slide mounted safety, but was responding to the poster saying that he didn't want to have to take the safety off, so no 1911s. The safety on a 1911 is on the frame, and is supposed to be ridden by the thumb.

 

[rdrancher]

Ahem, excuse me while I put on my flame-proof underwear. There we go.

I'll mention two slim .45 ACP pistols I've owned, and which I liked, and which worked for me. Both were from Taurus. One, the 945, felt like a SIG 220 with ambi-safeties/ambi-decockers. (While the 945 has the option of cocked and locked, you can simply use the safeties as decockers and carry DA.) The other is the PT145. Like the 945, it does have a safety, but as a DAO I never used it.

I was wondering when the PT145 would be mentioned. The little Taurus does look interesting, and 10+1 in a compact package is amazing. I'll be looking for one to try out, that's for sure.

rd