Uses for Full Size .45s

I take it to the range and shoot it. Carry it occasionally.

My 45acp government size 1911's are my go to bed stand guns. 100 years of reliability is proof enough. And they are my favorite semi auto range gun.

Other than a range toy it’s a bed table standby.

Just about everything you can do with a handgun. Well, I don't hunt though.

The one on my bed stand has 27k through it and runs like a scalded dog.

carry, competition and everything in-between.

My father's 1942 made, 1943 issue war take-home, pristine Govt, gets a few mags a year and otherwise is simply admired. My adjustable sights RIA is a summer woods and winter sometimes carry.

after carrying my 220 for 20+ years, just dropped it off to get cerekoted and a armorers inspection. retired it from service 2 years ago and made it my night stand gun. Cannot wait to get it back and onto the range again!! It is like any other weapon I own, it goes into the range rotation to keep proficient on it.

rjk2475 said:

I have two very nice .45s; a custom 1911 and a nineties Sig P220; they've been in the safe for quite a while. What do you guys do with your large frame low capacity .45s?

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Low capacity? 10 rounds of 45 Auto is far from low capacity IMO.

Shoot them or sell them to someone who will.

rjk2475 said:

I have two very nice .45s; a custom 1911 and a nineties Sig P220; they've been in the safe for quite a while. What do you guys do with your large frame low capacity .45s?

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I don't have any low capacity 45s but I carry my STANDARD capacity 45 when I feel like it and I shoot it when I feel like it.

Not to be a too much of a wise guy but.... I shoot them. Often. I also keep a 1911 as a bedside gun and I do occasionally carry one but mostly I carry an officer sized 45 acp.

The big framed .45's are my favorite to shoot.

tarosean said:

carry, competition and everything in-between.

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This ^^^^^^^. 1911s are what I own I use them for everything.

I used to carry my P220 before replacing it with my Mark 23.

Low capacity? The 1911 I have on me right now has 1840 grains of projectile in total. I think that's pretty good. With the right holster, a 1911 isn't a big deal to carry IWB. Try it, you'll like it.

I've carried both the 220 and 1911 in the past, the 1911 most. 1911s are my favorite range platform, I've competed with them and a 10mm 1911 is my woods/hunting sidearm.

The only reason the HD guns are 9mm is my wife cant wrap her tiny hands around my 1911s (that's what she said) and shoot them nearly as well as my Sig 229 and 226 in 9mm.

Else my bedside gun would probably be a doublestack 1911.

Just for completeness let me mention that the 1911 at least can be converted with a number of different readily available products to a phenomenal .22LR with an conversion slide and mags. One source of the conversion slides is CWAccessories.com which I recommend very highly. Others are from Marvel, Nelson, and Advantage Arms. The conversion process just takes a few seconds. It is like field stripping and reassembling the gun. So there is no hindrance to using the gun to shoot either cartridge even in the same range session.

rjk2475 said:

I have two very nice .45s; a custom 1911 and a nineties Sig P220; they've been in the safe for quite a while. What do you guys do with your large frame low capacity .45s?

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I use it as a range gun. With Surefire 300 it makes good HD gun.

Mostly for the range and for handload development though I have carried a Colt Government on occasion. I also have a Lightweight Government that's fairly well suited for either use.

I shoot mine and carry them. What else should one do w/ them?

Basically my .45 ACP Government Model is a favorite for shooting at the range, carrying around the woods at the camp, sometimes I'll carry it "around town" and sometimes it pulls nightstand duty. I find I generally prefer its shooting and handling qualities to most of the other handguns I own. And in handgun calibers, I favor 200-250gr .44 or .45-caliber bullets at moderate speeds versus smaller bullets pushed faster.

Of course, I should mention that I reload. The .45 ACP is possibly my favorite handgun cartridge to reload. It's large capacity case and low operating pressure are pretty forgiving of what projectiles and powders will work well. It also costs less than factory 9mm ball ammo while giving me better accuracy. Yes, yes, I can and have reloaded 9x19mm too. A lot of it in fact. I'll still pick a .45 ACP (or .44 Special) 80% of the time if it's an option.

I do plan to add a Lightweight Commander eventually, as I think it keeps the best attributes of a 1911 while addressing the one major issue (weight).

I got my most recent Commander length .45 to be a range blaster. It’s a bedtime gun too now.

wanderinwalker

I do plan to add a Lightweight Commander eventually, as I think it keeps the best attributes of a 1911 while addressing the one major issue (weight).

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My sentiments exactly though I always liked the heft of the Combat Commander in .45 while preferring the lighter weight of the Commander in .38 Super/9mm.

How can you not enjoy shooting a full sized government .45acp?

It's a great gun--shoot it!