.45 ACP a bad choice for first handgun

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sandy4570

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How can I talk to my coworker about not getting the .45 ACP for his first handgun? The ammunition is very expensive in my area and he only has $500 budget so most likely he will get Glock , Springfield XD or Springfield Mil-spec 1911. I am going to take him to the range with my reload .45 and hope that the recoil and muzzle blast might help streer him back to the 9 mm but I have a feeling that we will have so much fun at the range and my argument will be lost .
 
Tell him my story:

Bought 1911 .45. because I liked the grip.

Shot over 400 rounds through it

Stunk and got only marginally better

Sold it for a 40 and have done MUCH better.

Ammo is expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
nothing is wrong with a 45. It is my first gun and I love shooting it. Recoil is actually less than a 40. And yes, I have compared full size to full size.
 
What is wrong with a .45ACP? Hell, I dont think you can get any better than a 1911 and the Springfield Mil-Spec is an awesome pistol! Not to mention that 9mm ammo is hard to find right now.
 
Going to have a had time on this one. I find a .45 much easier to shoot in a 1911 than most 9mm.

It was one of the first guns I owned.
 
Unless you're his wife, let him make his own decision. 45acp is a wonderful caliber. My first handgun was a HK40. I shoot it ok, but do much better with my 45s.

BTW, even my wife doesn't tell me what to buy with my gun money. She told me to buy a larger safe for all the future guns I will potentially buy.
 
With ammo the way it is right now it doesn't matter what you start on because if you can afford the ammo it's sold out... if you can't afford to shoot it much most people can't either so it is mostly in stock so you pay a little more to shoot but in the end at least you get to shoot... 9mm ammo is up to $19 a box in some places while .45 is around $6 per 20 rounds so its about the same...
 
I agree....let him get what he wants. Although, you might suggest, if he gets a 1911, to have him save next for a ruger 22/45 for cheaper practice.
 
I might also suggest a browning high-power. It is my first pistol and service side arm and it is a stellar piece of equipment. Highly reliable, 9mm, 13 round mag, only weighs about 32 oz. easy to disassemble and clean. and possibly my favorite feature is that it has a magazine safety included, this means that you can not fire without the magazine in place.


Another pistol i would recommend to him would be a Colt Commander, It is a bit cheaper than a 1911 (got mine for 450$) it is a .45 cal, with a 7 shot mag. I find that this weapon is just as good as a 1911 in terms of accuracy. I do like the feel of a 1911 better though.
 
I think it depends on the way the guns feels in his hands. I loved the Kimber 1911 I shot but hated the Sig P220.
 
just teach him about dry firing and eliminating flinch and pull. A .45 can be fine as a first gun (it's what I started shooting on at age 10) - just learn to control and master the trigger. This can be done, but not at the range with live ammo.
 
My 1st handgun was a used west german SIG P220...I still have it;) The same cannot be said for many other guns that have passed through my hands!

May I suggest that he check out http://mastercast.net/amo.htm They have .45 230gr RNL reloads for ~$11.50/50. If you toss in $1/box for shipping you are at ~$250/1000 rounds...and the best part they ACTUALLY have ammo in stock;)
 
I am going to take him to the range with my reload .45 and hope that the recoil and muzzle blast might help streer him back to the 9 mm but I have a feeling that we will have so much fun at the range and my argument will be lost .
Click to expand...

So if he enjoys it, what's your argument? A couple more bucks a box for .45 ACP than 9mm? Not much of an argument. He should get something he likes, fits, and he shoots well. Don't take it personally!

Nice of you to take him to the range, though.
 
he gets the 45 cause he wants it. you help him reload to feed it. sounds like you may have a new shooting partner
 
I'll be the contrarian and agree with the OP; the 45ACP is not the ideal starter chambering because of recoil and cost issues.

New shooters need to shoot a lot. It's hard to shoot a lot when 100rds of range ammo costs almost fifty bucks. It's also hard to build proper shooting techniques when every range trip engrains a flinch in the shooter's memory.

A 9mm pistol is a far better first handgun.
 
I got a .45 ACP as my first handgun.

Let him get what he wants.
Click to expand...

+1

If he can shoot a .45 and wants to, that's what he should get.
Click to expand...

+2

Unless the buddy asked for input about his choice in caliber, I don't see where it's anybody else's business. Many people, myself included, started on a .45 and have done just fine.
 
+1; Let him get what he wants

Best way to dissuade him is let him buy the .45 and then discover for himself if he really likes the 9 better; that way nobody has talked him into anything, and he just learned something new for himself. There are plenty of us who started with a .45 and never looked back...He might be one too.

Not to be rude, but he doesn't need to be told what to prefer; experience is important too. Let him decide.

Then if he really doesn't like it. he'll have something to trade...

Cheers, TF
 
I have only one centerfire handgun, a 1911. The beauty of it is that you can easily swap in a .22 conversion kit for practice, or get a Marvel and its match accurate using the same grip and trigger. Since you reload your friend should be a good source of brass. Or you could be a trooper and make him a deal on reloads!
 
They are all about the same in the end... A first handgun is just a teeth cutter. Get what feels good, what you have confidence in and what suits your budget.
 
.45ACP is a fantastic round. Many people I've taught the basics of shooting to (I'm no master) find they prefer to fire the .45 over the 9mm.

It's a low pressure round, easy on firearms on and parts. Sure the ammo is $$$ atm, but so is everything. It's easy enough to reload, not particularly picky about components, and it's components are as readily available as anything else, usually more so..

A light caliber starter gun is fine. If you're 10. being a grown man there's no reason to sink money into a 9mm unless you really want one. I wouldn't start a guy off on a 44 mag either, but that's apples and oranges to the venerable .45acp.

I think you worry too much.
 
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