Which Polymer 45 ACP are you enjoying for target shooting

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XD Mod2 is the one my wife shoots the most while personally I like the large frame all metal Tanfoglio Witness. But I'll shoot them both.
 
Isn't it great we have so many quality handguns today that we can have a discussion like this? I tell you, you can probably shoot any one of a dozen different .45s and like something about all of them.

For me it would be either a M&P 2.0 or a Sig P320.
 
Look at a Glock 41 its a gen 4 and it comes with 4 different backstraps to better fit your hand. It has the built in capability to mount a red dot.
I shot mine for the first time Saturday and I was impressed with the groups it shot almost as good as my target 1911.
 
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I like my polymer Tanfoglio Witnesses pretty well. I got a used 45acp and a used 40 caliber for about $250 apiece on Gunbroker.

My favorite polymer 45acp is probably my S&W M&P, though. I got a police turn-in one for crazy cheap, something like $225. It is a very good shooter.
 
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I carry Glock and shoot them often (40 and 10mm). I've had an XD and still have an M&P. The M&P and XD do nothing for me. I don't like their grips, I think the xd is atrocious (and hated the old american flag boxes when the gun wasn't even made here), and I havent liked a Smith auto since the 1006. In 45 you have high end 1911s and sig and HK and a few true match versions of others. After that you drop down a tier in accuracy IMO (Glock. XD, M&P ETC ) you may get a very accurate one, but the average versions won't be. Kings has M&P 45s for 250 bucks so that's an option. As anyone to ever read my posts would tell you, I'm no HK fan. That said if I were looking for an accurate 45 to shoot high round counts, I'd find a usp. I personally prefer a sig 220, but the OP said polymer, and the 220 has the capacity and weight of a 1911 anyway. Both of my USP have been great shooters and really reduce recoil. My 40 has been used a ton and still impresses. My 45 mk23 is more of a safe queen but is very accurate. The ergonomics are pretty awful and I hate the mag release. And springs, mags etc. Are stupidly high, more so than any other brand I knows of. Everything is subjective though. Shoot them all, (or collect them them all like many of us do) something might stand out. The HK is easily the most overbuilt gun I can think of. If your talking about high round counts I'd choose that.

The fnx tactical is a nice gun with better ergonomics to me, but it isn't quite up there in accuracy with any of my USP or Sig 220s. I'm a fan of the witness guns but not so much the poly versions. 45 isn't a caliber that's particularly hard on guns. Plenty of good options out there. Those are just my opinions.
 
I have two 1911's in 45 ACP and I really enjoy shooting them. I do pretty decently at 15 yards and sometimes OK at 25. On a good day I can put 3 out of 5 into a two inch group at 25 yards. The last two shots are not far off. Not fancy shooting, but not shabby either.

Anyway, Spring is in the air and like every other fool I am thinking of some way to spend money. 800 or so would be a max price tag! I am just wondering what polymer 45 ACPs you find you enjoy target shooting at 15 yards and beyond.

I am thinking the H&K 45 or the XDM 45, but I would be open to other suggestions. I have read a few things about the EAA P witness 45 and I might even take a chance on it despite the poor reviews regarding warranty support, but I must admit I am surprised at how widely varied the reports are on the SA trigger. Some reviewers gush about the 3.5 lb SA trigger and others say it is a nice 5.5 in SA. I would have thought there would have been more consistency than that.

Anyway, any thoughts appreciated for what you like for trying to get good groups at 15 yards and beyond.

I will say thanks here and await to see what people are enjoying.

I already responded, but after rereading your post, and based on the assumptions that you would like to shoot a .45 ACP beyond 15 yards, want a polymer gun, and want to keep it under $800, I'd like to expand on my answer with three options, in order:

1. Glock 41 MOS: This is a good gun out of the box, and can be made into a really sweet range shooter pretty easy. I personally have a Glock 21 Gen 4, which shoots excellent, but if my primary focus were a range gun or a hunting gun, this would be the one I'd have. This is a very soft shooting .45 ACP. Tons of aftermarket support. Triggers aren't bad after a few thousand rounds and a "$0.25 trigger job", but tons of after market options. And this Glock model comes with adjustable sights...
CONS: Ergo's may not be loved by folks with medium or small hands. Also, if this is your first Glock, it may become habit forming...just saying....and hey, take it easy Glock Haters! :what:

2. Springfield XDm 5.25: Once upon a time, I had an XDm 4.5 in .45ACP. Sometimes, I kick myself for selling that gun...it was a shooter. No regrets settling on the G21 Gen 4, but if you are a 1911 shooter, you will probably like the XDm line better than the Glock. I generally find the stock XDm triggers to be mushy, but www.powderriverprecision.com can definitely solve that problem with an outstanding trigger they produce for XD handguns. Very accurate, same capacity as the Glock, and every bit as reliable 9we have an XDm 9MM that's never misfired on me in over 6K rounds.
CONS: Probably the grip safety, if that's not your thing.

3. Last one for me is the Walther PPQ 45: Had one...shot it very well, sold it because I wasn't comfortable with the trigger...it was very light, but that made it very accurate in my hands. Still, I didn't like the couple double taps I fired unintentionally (at the range...on target). Just a VERY accurate gun. Decent sights, 12 round magazines. You won't go wrong with this gun if you like light triggers.
CONS: Stippling/grip texture is weak...like a Glock Gen 3. If I'd have kept it, I would have had it professionally stippled. Also, aftermarket support is weaker than both Glock or Springfield. On the bright side, this gun is pretty much ready to go out of the box (other than the grip).

Good Luck, Brother.
 
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I've got an FNX-45 Tactical that I really enjoy shooting—the first time I had it out (and having not shot at 50m for a few years) I shot one of my best targets. I wrote a detailed post here when I first got it a couple of years ago.
 
Kahr CW45. No, it's not a target pistol, per se, but I like to shoot it and it's accuracy with the right load isn't too far off the beaten path. I really can't pick any other, because my other .45's are aluminum or stainless.
 
M&P .45 M2.0 Compact 4..0".
I haven't shot the full-size but it's a pussycat with 230 Grain +P..
 
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I'll be 70 on my next birthday and I swore that I'd never own a plastic gun but that changed a few weeks back.

On a local forum a fella had a full size 45 ACP Glock 21 Gen 4 for sale for a good price with all the accessories that he swore had only been fired 68 times, he also had $90.00 worth of factory ammo available for a little extra $$$.

I noticed that the ad had ran for three days with no takers so having a little extra jingle in my jeans I sent him a note asking what his rock bottom price was and he not only lowered his price on the gun but also threw in the factory ammo.......we met FTF just a few miles away and the plastic gun was mine.

I like my M1911's but I'll have to admit that after putting about 150 rounds of my 230 gr. FMJ ball reloads through it I'm really starting to like the Glock.......having big paws I installed the larger of the two beaver tails before heading to the range and after seeing how it was patterning close up I started hitting a 10" steel gong at 25 yds consistently.

I'll probably not purchase another plastic gun but this one is a keeper.

Glock-21-gen-4-.jpg

Glock 21-4.jpg
 
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The only 45 I own that isn't a 1911 is a Glock 21 SF. It's a great gun, and I have carried it as a sidearm when bear hunting.
 
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Got to shoot the new Glock 41 MOS using just the adjustable sights. The guy who was shooting it was doing really well at 15 yards with it. .

The trigger is very different from what I am used to. He said it took him a while to learn to the trigger and they key was pulling straight through rather than expecting a define wall and knowing the trigger would then fire with just a tad more pressure.

Don't know if that is something Glock users in general would advice but it did seem to help my a little. But again, a very different trigger, at least compared to what I am used to with my two 1911s in 45.
 
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Glock 21 Gen4. It is currently my only polymer 45ACP. It is accurate and a lot of fun as I only use it for a range toy.
 
Whatever brand you choose, be sure to take a look at the compact versions. Sometimes they balance and feel better than their service sized counterparts.
 
I like my full size SIG P320 in .45 ACP. I find it as pleasant to shoot as a Government model 1911, which I think is saying something. And it is quite accurate, at least within my capability of judging accuracy.
 
There's only 2 45's I've ever enjoyed shooting---Colt 1911 and Ruger P90

Have owned and ditched quite a few others----mainly because they never felt right---or because of some other problem (cough, cough HK POS).
M&P 1.0 .45
M&P 1.0 Shield .45
Ruger American .45
HK USP .45
Beretta PX4 .45
S&W CS .45

And yes, I've never been tempted by anything else HK-------Hi-point makes a better gun as far as I'm concerned.
 
Quote: And yes, I've never been tempted by anything else HK-------Hi-point makes a better gun as far as I'm concerned


Uh Oh! Someone's knickers will get in a twist after reading this!! ;)

But thanks for the comments.
 
I picked up a used Sig p320 compact 45 acp on a trade; I took it to qualify for my CCW licence (the instructor was squeamish about my 1911). I did not practice before qualification and shot my best ever with it. I have since moved to p320c or sc in all my carry pistols. The p320c in 45 is soft shooting, the grip fits me just right, the trigger is excellent, and I can hit most anything with hit. I highly recommend it.
 
I'll be 70 on my next birthday and I swore that I'd never own a plastic gun but that changed a few weeks back.

On a local forum a fella had a full size 45 ACP Glock 21 Gen 4 for sale for a good price with all the accessories that he swore had only been fired 68 times, he also had $90.00 worth of factory ammo available for a little extra $$$.

I noticed that the ad had ran for three days with no takers so having a little extra jingle in my jeans I sent him a note asking what his rock bottom price was and he not only lowered his price on the gun but also threw in the factory ammo.......we met FTF just a few miles away and the plastic gun was mine.

I like my M1911's but I'll have to admit that after putting about 150 rounds of my 230 gr. FMJ ball reloads through it I'm really starting to like the Glock.......having big paws I installed the larger of the two beaver tails before heading to the range and after seeing how it was patterning close up I started hitting a 10" steel gong at 25 yds consistently.

I'll probably not purchase another plastic gun but this one is a keeper.

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Hi IKE,

Welcome to the dark side.... :evil:

LOL!
 
I've had a bunch of .45s over the years, ranging from semi-custom (not custom, but a lot of gunsmithing done) 1911s, to several SIGs (a GSR, 220s, a 220 Match, a 220 Super Match), some Tanfoglio/Witness guns, ncluding a nice Sport Long Slide -- but none of the current line of SA Match/Hunter guns, a Glock 37 and 38 (which I like a lot and shoot well), several S&W 4506s, and a Springfield XDm Competition.

For me, the Springfield XDm Competition is the best shooting of the .45s I've owned, but getting use dto the Grip Safety took a range trip or two. I'd prefer a farme-mounted safety, but it's not a big enough issue to make me want to get rid of it. (I bought it new, at a very good price, and the stock package came with 5 magazines, a holster,a mag carrier, and a mag loader (sort of a copy of the Uplula design.) A lot of gun for the money!
 
Still yet to find a gun that I like to shoot more than my HK Mark 23. It's the softest shooting .45 I've ever shot. It's also a great silencer host that my wife likes to also shoot.
 
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