Best (not cheapest) 45?

RIA 1911 Tactical for around 400 bucks.

Best value out there for a quality .45

The Rock Island Armory (RIA) may be a good value, but it lacks in the other three traits.

A 1911 that has been suitably modified is a good start, but only if you'll dedicate to the 1911 cocked and locked system. This is not for the casual shooter.

The HK you mentioned is a quality gun, but suffers from a hard, long DA trigger pull. I suspect most (all?) of your shooting with it was done single action. Another downside here is, any DA/SA gun that requires a safety or decocker to be applied to make the gun safe also requires a degree of dedication to the system. Youtube has all kinds of videos of folks shooting themselves or having AD's because they didn't dedicate to the given system. (and/or are idiots!)

The easiest .45's to shoot, aside from revolvers, are the Glock 21 and 21 SF, the M&P .45, or the Springfield XD. These last two are available with or without thumb safety, and Glock may have one coming)

Go rent these and see what you think. Keep in mind the M&P has replaceable back straps in 3 sizes, so you could fit the gun to suit YOU.

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Try a quality 45 like a Kimber. By quality I mean a firearm with a very good trigger. A lot depends on how precisely you want to shoot a pistol. If it is only for home defense then accurracy and trigger are less important. I can shoot my glock accurately if I work at it. My kimber is easy to shoot accurately.

How can a Rock Island be a good value if it lacks to other 3 traits? That just means it a cheap piece of junk. I've never shot a RI but have handled a few. I've also talked to quite a few who own them and read a lot on various boards about them. People who've actually shot them seem to be VERY impressed with them. I'm not cheerleading for Rock Island but I also don't think that they should be dismissed out of hand just because they don't cost a lot of money.

I agree that you should go to a range that rents .45's and shoot as many as you can, and if you plan on using it for anything other than casual target shooting, get extensive practice with it. It is not a self defense tool for those who don't want to get to know it well.

Also, when you are talking 45's you are getting into touchy areas with many. For every person who swears by Kimber, or Springfield, or Colt, you will find someone who despises them for various reasons. So, you will never get a consensus on the "best" .45. They simply don't exist, except in the mind of whoever you are talking to at any particular time. You may have to buy and sell a few times to find THAT gun you are looking for. Good luck.

Big range of prices 1911 ways. A RIA is inexpensive and a good pistol, especially for the price. A Dan Wesson like mine is a VERY well made and accurate gun and may be one of the best value/dollar in a quality 1911. Then you get into the REALLY nice 1911's. Les Baer, NIghthawk customs, Ed Brown etc. I have handled but not shot them and they are VERY nicely made. BUt then they cost 2k+ you say money is not a problem so go check them out, buy one, post it up and let us drool.

When you say price doesn't matter, does that mean you realize that custom pistols go for $4000 and you're OK with that?

Best .45?

Anything except a 1911. The OP said a .45, but did not specify a 1911.

IME Sig P220, Ruger P90, Glock 21/21SF, HK USP etc, will be more reliable than the 1911 for less money.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

I'd stick w/ the HK45... I was in your position, only I chose the HK45c

I will agree w/ the above posters that the HK45s aren't best for ease of use though... the DA is horrendous... and removing the safety from a draw under stress probably requires some practice.

that being said.. HKs are the best for being that lightweight, reliable gun w/ a safety on it.

Guys, he's looking into a "one time purchase" he can hand down to his kids. Do you really think a Rock Island Tactical or other gun in that range is really what he needs? (not that they aren't good values).

Dan Wesson Valor 1911. Look into it and I think you'll find it combines the best of all the traits you're looking for. You'll find very very little negative reviews on them, if any. I'd get it long before a Kimber. It's probably next on my list.

If money really is no object, look into some of the custom 1911's. The semi customs will probably get you where you want to be for slightly less (Les Baer, Ed Brown, Wilson).

I too have a couple Glock 19's and a Glock 36, which I really like. But really they don't hold a candle to my 1911's for fun factor, accuracy, and "feel". My 1911's have been just as reliable as my Glocks. YMMV

CZ 97B. By far the best value, quality, and accuracy out-of-the-box.

I no longer have ANY 1911 models.

Not for those with small hands.

Steve

Depends on what you want to spend. IMHO the best production 1911 out there for the $1000 mark is Dan Wesson. For a little more (roughly $1600-$2000), take a look at Fusion. For around $2000 to $3000 you'd want to take a look at Ed Brown, Les Baer, Nighthawk, and Wilson. Springfield's custom shop would also be worth looking at. If money and a wait are not problems, then go with a full house custom. You'll get a unique 1911 built to your specs, and will be an heirloom of sorts to pass down.

Jason

If you're used to a Glock Auto, take a look at a Glock 45ACP first. If that doesn't float your boat, I'd move on to the H&K or SIG 220. A 1911 is going to be so far away from your Glock operationally, you'd probably be better off with a DA revolver first. Coincidentally, I've had a USP, SIG 220 and Kimber Pro. In retrospect I'd take the SIG if I was limited to only one. Just my 2 Cents.

I am really looking for a one-time purchase of a semi-auto .45 that I can shoot forever and will to my kids.

Click to expand...

Whether a pistol will last "forever" depends upon how much its shot and how well its taken care of.

In modern pistols the H&K or the Sig 220 are both very high quality, reliable DA pistols that with the proper care will last a couple lifetimes.

A Glock 21 would be just like your 19 in manual of arms but larger in the .45 ACP. They last forever but don't have much aesthetic appeal IMO.

In 1911 type pistols a Colt is probably the best for long term value, all others are just knock offs though they may be very good ones.

You can spend a lot more on a custom or mass produced custom for a specialty pistol (bullseye, IDPA, combat) but the value is in the use and a high end specialty gun is wasted on someone who's not a serious competitor.

I would go with the Sig P220 for "best" and "not a 1911" in .45 ACP, but only because this is the autoloader forum, and I can't say, Smith and Wesson model 25

you do not list size/weight, capacity or concealment .
by 'value' do you mean at time of purchase as in value for the money or retained value? anyways, i would go for a med/high end 1911; kimber, springfield or S&W. if you are going to be putting a lot of rounds through it and/or a lot of holster work i suggest stainless. if your hands are anything less than med/large try thin grips and a stippled or checkered front strap to aid comfort and control.

Without a doubt, the HK45, finest overall gun I own.

Go ahead and make fun but, I paid $399 for a Ruger P345 and have no regrets. Its very ergonomic, single stack magazine, its a DA/SA with the requisite manual safety systems (decocker, magazine safety, and loaded chamber indicator), I shoot nothing but winchester ranger 230gr hot stuff (duty ammo) and never had a FTF. Its combat accurate, and actually fairly easy to concealed carry.

Just my 2 cents, but Ruger's are often overlooked unjustifiably as I believe they are a great value.

Seams like noone has mentioned the 3rd generation S&W 45's I have a 4516 although it is heavy for a 3 1/2 " bbl . it has a sweet D.A. trigger and never fails to go bang.

Since you really enjoy your G19 I'd go with something with a similar manual of arms. Unfortunately Glock doesn't make a "right" sized .45. I'd go with a S&W M&P. Overall function and trigger feel is very similar to your Glock and the full size is not overly huge like the G21.

I think the M&P fits all 4 of your criteria.

I have nothing against high end 1911's they are just not my thing and may not be the best option for a new shooter especially since you are already shooting a very different type of gun. Just my opinion of course.

Impossible post to answer, since price could range from the hundreds of dollars into the many thousands of dollars. And really, as is already evident from the replies, it is a matter of both personal experience (what guns a person actually has knowledge of) and a matter or pure preference. You will never get a consensus opinion to a post like this.

I currently own 2 .45acps - a Taurus PT1911, and an FNP-45. Both are great pistols and I am very happy with both purchases. Are there better pistols in .45acp? Sure, maybe, probably, possibly - I could not say. I want and will likely buy a P220 this year or next, and there is a whole universe of 1911's out there to explore. I love the CZ-97, but it is just too long a DA trigger pull for my hand.

At the very least, the criteria in the OP need to be narrowed down - price range, 1911 or non-1911, intended use(s), size and weight bounds, steel or polymer, hi-cap or single stack, ...

if its an heirloom why dont you get a colt? COLT is the .45acp standard bearer... a gazillion parts available, classic styling... a true automatic pistol... get a colt

added note: when I was 10 or so my dad let me choose one of his two pistols while the other would go to my brother. The choices were a Colt 70 series Gold Cup (1911) and a Nazi Luger with matching numbers and little swastikas... (Im sure to the dismay of others on here) I picked the Colt. It was what a gun was to me. plus he had a .22 conversion to go with it

I have a masters degree in history and fully appreciate the historical value of the Luger but I have NO regrets choosing the 1911- Great symbol of American ingenuity

By the way, the Rock Island pistol says made in the Philippines... heirloom?

S&W 4506. It hold well in all 4 areas, scores a big one in value. I dont really like the 1911 platform but I cant say enough good things about the 3rd gen S&Ws. I have the 9mm version and love it, and it will outlast you and the next 2 generations if properly cared for. But that said its all preference and how much you like one design over another. Id hate to buy a S&W and find I dont like it so look and see if a local gun range lets you rent different models so you can try them out.

Another vote for the HK45 or 45c. These guns are amazing. I know some people over at hkpro.com have already LEM'd the HK45c. I don't know if it's a factory option yet or not. The DA/SA with the safety and decocker is great too. Can't go wrong with a H&K.