What's out there for a DA/SA .45 ACP under $600?

They still make the CZ 97, they typically go for around the 650 range on some of the online retailers.
I picked up a police trade in P220 this summer for 475, Ive since tricked it out.
IMO the CZ 97 is superior to the P220.
Look into the SAR K2, a CZ 97 kinda clone, double stack holds 14 rds, Ive seen them in the 400-500 range.
With FN's track record with pistols, they've already discontinued some of the FNX and FNS models, I would touch a FN pistol with a ten foot pole, and I own one.

Unfortunately they go for just above that and at that price I question what a $600+ H&K is giving me that something like the Bersa .45 or Ruger P90 is for quite a bit less.

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Having experience with all three, I can verify the USP 45 is easily and objectively the superior gun to the other two. It’s just better made in terms of fit & finish, has a better standard capacity, shoots better (in my hands anyway), and it also has a proven history of reliability and ruggedness under hard use that the others just don’t possess.

It’s also much easier to find parts and accessories for. Ruger has stopped supporting the P-series pistols, and Bersa support can be spotty.

Don’t get me wrong - the P90 is a solid gun, and the Bersa (being derivative of the awesome Walther P88) is intriguing. But while you may pay more for a USP 45, you are definitely getting more gun.

And if you keep your eyes out for a reasonably-priced used full-size example, you may not actually be spending that much more (the compacts tend to cost more used, however). USP 45s are extremely overbuilt, so there should be no hesitation to buy used. They are large guns, though, so if you are thinking concealed carry, you may want to look elsewhere.

TTv2 said:

I'm willing to wait for the prices to go down

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They may never go down.. all depends on GA run-offs.
Options now are very limited at any price point

I paid $500 for my 1995 USP 45. (pre-covid)
It will give you better accuracy and reliability.

TTv2 said:

... I question what a $600+ H&K is giving me that something like the Bersa .45 or Ruger P90 is for quite a bit less.

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For one, unlike the Ruger P90, the HK USP is still in production and still supported by the manufacturer.

TTv2 said:

I didn't know Bersa made a .45,...

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The second thing is, uncommon guns are typically uncommon for a reason.

Seriously, price point aside there's no one single reason to prefere a Hi Point to a SIG or a HK. Customer service? You are probably not going to need SIG or HK customer service.

I would suggest the EAA Witness or if want a nice carry option Springfield XDE

In addition to the 220, Sig made a 227 in .45 Not sure if that’s an option.

Absolutely nothing wrong with a nice P90. Accurate, reliable, stable in the hand. An excellent bedside gun.

EAA Witness or a S&W M&P. Not sure about the prices today but I have both, as well as several other 1911s. The Witness would be my first choice, new or used. My M&P is a police trade in from a dealer on Missouri, it was about $450 with an extra magazine if I remember correctly. I got lucky with mine, looked like it it was just taken out of the box, not a mark on it, slight lead in the barrel. Just remembered, it’s striker fired, not DA/SA, the Witness is,

TheWarhammer said:

Glock and Kahr are both single action only.

Taurus made several SA/DA pistols in 45, but doesn't any longer. They should be under $600 on the used market. (Or they would be in normal times. Currently, who knows what crazy prices they might be going for?!?!)

Edit:
There's a Taurus PT845 (poly frame, double stack) on Gunbroker right now. The current bid is $110.
Also a three listings for PT945 (steel frame, single stack). One, the bidding is up to $400, one has a starting price (no bids yet) of $425 and one is priced at $550.

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I have a Taurus 92FS that is DA/SA in 9mm but bought it 30 years ago. In these times it will be difficult for OP to find one in the price point he wants, they are out there but patience and a lot of leg work is needed.

TTv2 said:

I notice that no one has yet to mention the S&W 45xx pistols. Is there something wrong them or are the Sigs and HK's just better thus making the S&W's not worth it?

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Nothing wrong with them, I was trying to stay within your price point and with demand being so high profiteers are taking advantage of the situation.

TTv2 said:

I notice that no one has yet to mention the S&W 45xx pistols. Is there something wrong them or are the Sigs and HK's just better thus making the S&W's not worth it?

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The 2nd/3rd Gen S&Ws are solid guns. About the only issues youll run into are broken plastic magazine followers (early production examples had steel followers), scarcity of extra magazines, and cracked grips on the 3rd Gen. Unfortunately, a cracked grip module can render the gun unusable because the grip retains the mainspring strut. In that sense the 2nd Gen are superior because they used an aluminum backstrap, thus avoiding this problem.

You may still be able to find a cosmetically challenged example under $600.

TTv2 said:

I notice that no one has yet to mention the S&W 45xx pistols. Is there something wrong them or are the Sigs and HK's just better thus making the S&W's not worth it?

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The S&W 45XX are nice pistols, but like the Ruger P90, they've been out of production for a long time and getting parts and service is not going to be easy. Unless this is a novelty gun for you, service and parts should be a consideration.

Buzznrose said:

In addition to the 220, Sig made a 227 in .45

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The P227 is also out of production and it had a very short production run. In addition, it was the only gun using those particular mags, unlike the Ruger P90 and the S&W 45XX guns that had multiple models using the same mags.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

You may still be able to find a cosmetically challenged example under $600.

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I really need to unload my original owner, with box, receipt, low round count, and cosmetically perfect S&W 4506.

DA/SA .45 ACP for under $600 right now? During the height of the panic? LOL.

Anyways, I paid under $600 for all of these used.

S&W Model 645



S&W Model 4506-1



S&W Model 4566



S&W Model 4566TSW



S&W Model 4566TSW



Ruger P90



The only polymer framed DA/SA .45 guns out there that you can find used at an affordable price are the following.

Ruger P345



Beretta PX4 (the SD Model like mine goes for more, look for the non SD model)

NIGHTLORD40K said:

The 2nd/3rd Gen S&Ws are solid guns. About the only issues youll run into are broken plastic magazine followers (early production examples had steel followers), scarcity of extra magazines, and cracked grips on the 3rd Gen. Unfortunately, a cracked grip module can render the gun unusable because the grip retains the mainspring strut. In that sense the 2nd Gen are superior because they used an aluminum backstrap, thus avoiding this problem.

You may still be able to find a cosmetically challenged example under $600.

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The ES1 marked mags with black followers are rock solid. Big Blue ditched the metal followers back in the 80s before they even made the 3rd Gen 45xx series. The 645 towards the end of its life in 1988 had range polymer followers for a reason. The 45xx magazine has gone through a number of revisions.

Hogue Grips are superior to the OEM grips and only a small batch of 3906s had a issue with bad grips and cracking.

Miami_JBT said:

Hogue Grips are superior to the OEM grips ...

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... and this is absolutely the first upgrade the OP wants to get for a S&W steel-frame pistol. Also the first upgrade for a Sig P220, if that's what he gets. The CZ-97B factory grips are OK, although I replaced mine with VZ.

I have a Ruger P90, a polymer EAA (Tanfoglio) Witness, and a S&W M&P.

They are all 45acp and I got them for about $300 OTD apiece before the latest price craziness started. (They were all purchased used.)

The S&W is probably my favorite. It was a police trade-in. The Tanfoglio is also nice. It used to be pretty easy to win used polymer Tanfoglios for $250 bids.

The P90 is okay, but the trigger is kind of clunky.

Miami_JBT said:

The ES1 marked mags with black followers are rock solid. Big Blue ditched the metal followers back in the 80s before they even made the 3rd Gen 45xx series. The 645 towards the end of its life in 1988 had range polymer followers for a reason. The 45xx magazine has gone through a number of revisions.

Hogue Grips are superior to the OEM grips and only a small batch of 3906s had a issue with bad grips and cracking.

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Sure they had a reason for switching to plastic followers and baseplates- theyre cheaper.

Ive never seen a black follower crack, but plenty of the yellow ones. My all steel 645 magazines have been flawless.

All plastics break down over time and those OEM grip modules arent getting any younger. Ive seen a 4566 and a 3913 with broken grips. Both cracked right at the retaing pin hole.
No thanks.

I dont care for the rubber Hogues, though at one time they made decent wood grip modules for the 3rd Gen. Smiths, not sure if they are still available.

https://www.classicfirearms.com/sar-k245bl-k2-45acp-14rd/

Good pistol. Out of stock everywhere until the next boat from Turkey comes in.