3 Nice .45s - What Would You Do?

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I looked at three really nice .45s today and would like your thoughts on each for a general purpose home defense and range gun.

RUGER
The first gun I looked at was the Ruger SR45. I have looked at these in the past and keep coming back to it for what seems to be good build quality, excellent ergonomics, nice trigger, and really low price at about $450 locally. The gun just seems like a tremendous value. I did however handle a well used range model and the slide would not consistently remain open on an empty chamber. I'm not sure if this is a frequent issue for them or just the mag on the one I handled.

CZ
The second gun I came across was a new CZ 97b. Wow. I have never handled a CZ 97b and found the build quality and looks of the gun to be fantastic. The new ones come with a fiber optic front sight, polished trigger, and really sweet grips. The primary thing about the gun that I'm not sure about is the lack of a decocker. I'm not sure I would ever feel good about manually lowering the hammer inside my house...so I guess that leaves the best option as carrying it cocked and locked which is FINE but for the safety lever being so small. The gun retails locally for $610 which seems like a good deal to me. If the quality and long-term reliability is significantly better than the Ruger than the extra money is worth it to me. Are these good combat pistols or more of a fun range/game gun?

DAN WESSON
The third gun was a Dan Wesson Specialist. The gun seemed to be built as well as any Wilson or Ed Brown I have ever handled. Maybe it was just this particular specimen, I don't know, but it was on another level from everything else in the case including a Springfield TRP. The price tag was just under $1,500. If I could make it work financially is it worth it in the long-run over either of the other guns? The only downside on this gun is a slightly lower mag capacity and the price tag.

COLT
I know I said 3 guns but there was a 4th. The Colt Special Combat Government. The gun was about $1100. It looked really nice in the case. When I handled it the build quality didn't seem to compare to the Dan Wesson but it also wasn't as expensive. And of course it's a COLT.

I know this is sort of an apples and oranges list but they are three guns, after handling quite a few, that I really gravitated to. I'm leaning towards the CZ but worry it may not be the best option for my purposes. What do you think?
 
My 1911's are all other makes, so I'll only comment that all the CZ's I have both rifles and handguns are by far the best bang for the buck. I've had one experience with the gunsmiths at CZUSA and they were A+. CZ has a fervent fan base, if the 97 fits you ...go for it. Worst case, they are easy to resell.
 
Buy the colt. That's a reasonable price within your budget (or sounds like it is), and it is indeed a colt. A very nice colt.

Edited to add: nothing against the cz, that's a nice pistol. It is huge, so you must have big mitts like me. But it doesn't have the colt's trigger, profile, and it's not a 1911. Once you try the 1911 Sao trigger, you might not want anything else.
 
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All great choices. If budget isn't an issue, I'd go with the Dan Wesson. If it is, I'd take the CZ.
 
CZ
The second gun I came across was a new CZ 97b. Wow. I have never handled a CZ 97b and found the build quality and looks of the gun to be fantastic. The new ones come with a fiber optic front sight, polished trigger, and really sweet grips. The primary thing about the gun that I'm not sure about is the lack of a decocker. I'm not sure I would ever feel good about manually lowering the hammer inside my house...so I guess that leaves the best option as carrying it cocked and locked which is FINE but for the safety lever being so small. The gun retails locally for $610 which seems like a good deal to me. If the quality and long-term reliability is significantly better than the Ruger than the extra money is worth it to me. Are these good combat pistols or more of a fun range/game gun?
Click to expand...

I carry a CZ75B at half cock. The newer CZs are made to be carried in this manner. To lower the hammer is nothing scary either if you use the right technique. Put your thumb in front of the hammer, pull the trigger so the sear clicks, let go of the trigger and then ease the hammer down to the half cock notch. No chance of a ND with your thumb in the way! :)
 
I've heard a few times, that a 97b should shoot on par with most sub $1K 1911's.
I would love to handle one but can never find them (or any CZ's) locally. Closet I've been was a older EAA small frame, well used at a gunshow about 6 months ago. I thought HARD about it at $275. Felt great in the hand, just a little small, a 97b I've always thought should be just perfect for my giant paws.

They don't come around often, seen a whole lot more Colts. That Dan Wesson is pretty interesting though. If you could swing it, if that Dan Wesson has all the bells and whistles you'd want anyways, grab it. If you think you're gonna change a bunch of parts, grab a Colt as the base gun if you're set on a 1911.

Truth be told, if I wanted a full size .45 I'd probably be looking at the CZ before a Glock, XD, et al. I'd probably buy it on the spot if I saw one (i'm not particularly short on .45's) and get a feel for it, and decide to keep or sell, which shouldn't be hard considering their fan base, glowing reviews, and limited supply (Their like a czechoslovakian Kel-Tec!).
 
I really think the Dan Wesson really is worth in the long tun over all the other guns mentioned. It is right in the sweet spot of mid-priced 1911s of value for money spent...it is certainly worth the premium over the cost of the Colt. The difference between capacity of .45ACPs isn't that large.

With the DW, the Buy Once, Cry Once rule applies. If you wanted to spend less for a 1911 and add or tweak it later, you'd be better off starting with a Ruger SR1911 than going with the Colt. You'd actually be better off looking at a starter STI, if you don't mind their somewhat garish markings.

I've shot the CZ 97 and it is a very comfortable and easy gun to shoot. The only common objections to it are it's large frame (fit to hand) and the slide riding inside the frame rails (not enough to grab). But it you aren't comfortable lowering the hammer to the DA position, that might become a major issue.

The Ruger SR45 is a good value. Depends on if you want a polymer gun
 
DAN WESSON, CZ 97B, Colt, Ruger SR45.

Or

PARA-USA BLACK OPS 14.45

#96694 - MSRP: $1299.00
.45 ACP
5” Ramped Barrel
EGW® HD Extractor
Oversized, Flared Ejection Port
Stainless Steel frame & slide
Trijicon® 3-Dot Night Sights
Beaver Tail Grip & Ambidextrous Thumb Safety
Adjustable skeletonized trigger
Black IonBond© Finish
VZ G10 Grip Panels
Two PARA Double Stack Magazines (14 Rounds)

96694_black_ops_1445.png
 
beatledog7 said:
The CZ97, no doubt. I'm a fan of the slide-in-frame concept.
Click to expand...
+1. It is a design that lends itself to an objective change in recoil, the manner of the gun while firing, and the comfort in handling. Truly remarkable.

I'd get the CZ. It was stated by 9mmepiphany above that you may have fears of lowering the hammer on a live round to DA. No worries there, bro.

CZ makes the 97BD.
 
CZ or Colt.

There is nothing wrong or scary about lowering the hammer of the CZ or any pistol on a live round. Practice with snap caps (dummy rounds) or even on an empty chamber, and you will see it is a normal, and safe procedure.
 
If the $1,100 Colt is in the running, then forget the "good value" Ruger. You're right in that it is certainly a good value. However, I consider it inferior to the others mentioned. In other words, if you can afford the Colt, then forget the Ruger.

I'm not a 1911 guy. Personally, I'd lean towards the CZ.
 
The $1100 Special Combat is the best deal $-wise. That is a great price. Coincidentally, it would be my first choice.

Funnel
 
This isn't becoming any easier.

On the COLT is it normal that the thumb safety has some play in it - in that it continues to move down a small bit even after it has been clicked to the 'off' or down position?
 
On the COLT is it normal that the thumb safety has some play in it - in that it continues to move down a small bit even after it has been clicked to the 'off' or down position?
Click to expand...

Im not sure what options that particular Colt has single/ambi etc.

However, the thumb safety is designed to just pull off the gun from a half set position. It should be snug but not require a punch to remove.
 
The Colt is a no brainer. How can you even compare any of those against one.
It is an American made gun,( I know, so is Ruger but come on..a Ruger against a Colt ??), and it is the perfect platform to whatever you would want to do with it. There is no part that isn't available for it. It is American made and oh yeah..it's a Colt.
Nothing else is a Colt and a Colt IS THE 1911 !!
If it's a 1911 you want.....John Brownings' IS the 1911 !! It's been perfect for more than 100 years now.
I love my Sig P-220, but i covet my Colt Series 70.
 
Tough call. For me it would be the Colt or the DW. Currently I only own Colt 1911s, but I have a friend that is a CZ/DW dealer and I have been thoroughly impressed with the DW guns I have seen in his shop. Since I already have a bunch of Colts and the extra $400 wouldn't be an issue for me, I think I'd try the DW, if I didn't have any Colts then the Special Combat would be my choice.


Vulcan71 - Sorry, but I've owned several Paras and they aren't even close to being in the same class as the Colt or DW. I'd buy the Ruger SR45 before another ParaOrdnance product.
 
I have a 97b.

Out of the box it's not set up to be a competition/combat pistol. Magwell isn't flared, mag release is too short, DA trigger pull is quite hard etc.

I've since fixed these issues and do quite well with it at our matches. It took some doing though, including a conversion to SAO.

BTW the 97b isn't any 'bigger' than a normal 75b. Same width, length and height. It simply weighs more and has a deeper grip size, IE length of pull. With the Nill grips, I actually prefer the size to my P01.
 
Isn't the Colt Special Combat Government a custom shop gun that sells for $1800 to $2200 new? Those are the prices I'm seeing on GunBroker. For $1100 this gun is either used or the deal of the century and I'd jump on it. If it is as good as my new Colt Gold Cup, it will be a superb firearm capable of outstanding accuracy.
 
Isn't the Colt Special Combat Government a custom shop gun that sells for $1800 to $2200 new?
Click to expand...

Yep you are right and I totally misstated on the Colt. The gun I looked at was the Combat Elite model.

When I went back to the shop today the Dan Wesson Specialist was gone so that's now out of the equation. But they added a few other gems. In it's place they added a Guardian and a Wiley Clapp Commander also showed up. Both were quite expensive but nice. There was also a Colt Defender which felt great in the hand. 'm going to go back again tomorrow and make a final decision.
 
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