45. ACP under 600

[kingpin008]

+1 for a Rock Island or Charles Daly (same company, different brand names) 1911. Easily found under $400, excellent quality 1911's. Lifetime warranty, and great customer service.

And you save a few hundred for ammo to feed it!

 

[CPshooter]

You have lots of good choices:

Sig P220 (used or CPO trade-in)
1911
M&P 45
XD 45 compact
Ruger P345
maybe a used USPc in .45?

I don't see any of those being unbearable to hold even with smaller hands.

All those are defintiely not too bad for people with smaller hands.

 

[DWARREN123]

I have asked about and looked at the CZ 97B and they do need large/extra large hands to shoot properly.

 

[cpark_12]

i love my taurus PT145. the 3rd generation fixed all the glitches. i paid $300 NIB at a local gun shop. shoots good, fits my hands ok and is pretty well concealed.

 

[the pistolero]

I'd go with either the Springfield Mil-Spec or the other Ruger P-Series .45, the P90. That one was my first .45-caliber sidearm and it's been flawless. It's no beauty queen, but doggone if I can't count on it.

 

[elkhuntingfool]

i love my taurus PT145. the 3rd generation fixed all the glitches. i paid $300 NIB at a local gun shop. shoots good, fits my hands ok and is pretty well concealed.

Same here! The P345 is a good option as well - same with the XD45

 

[abarth]

Check out the RIA FS Match. Take a look at the review here. I can't think of any 45acp pistols around 600 that can shoot 1"+ at 25yrds.

 

[JP from Phoenix]

the more i look at that Ruger P345 the more i dig it. I was never much of a fan of the looks of Ruger Semi auto pistols but i like this one. The Price is right thats for sure and if its a ruger you know its built like a tank

 

[Texastbird]

Having had a P89 for years, I was all set to get a P345, but it didn't feel right in my fairly large hand. For someone with small to medium hands it ought to be great. That being said, I picked up a Taurus PT1911 and couldn't put it down. Has ambi safety (I'm a lefty) and it only took me about 2 minutes to decide that the straight 8 sights are really easy for me to pick up. About 5 or six hundred rounds through it so far (mostly handloads) and it is only getting smoother shooting each time out. You've got a hard choice ahead of you, ha, ha.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If you're looking for a 1911 then buy one from Rock Island. If you want plastic buy a S&W M&P 45 without a doubt.

 

[JP from Phoenix]

i checked out some rock islands on gun broker and man they are some nice looking guns, great prices too. I still have some time to stew over it though, I figure my latest piece will be paid for in 1-2 months

 

[kansas45]

For the under $600.00 1911's, I have a Taurus PT1911, a High Standard 1911 & a RIA 45ACP & a RIA 38 Super 1911. The 38 Super is brand new & I have only a few rounds though it. The Tarus has around 5000 rounds through it, the RIA 45 is around 1500 & the High Standard is 500 or so. All of these are worth the money.

 

[karlsgunbunker]

Another +1 for Rock Island.
$329 at SOG

Well Made and shoot well right out of the box, at least mine did.

Have you looked at Cobra Patriot?
SOG has them for $210
Thinking about getting one for the wife.

Anybody have experience with Cobra's?

 

[JP from Phoenix]

i handled a few when i picked up my Beretta today, I like the Ruger P345 the M&P .45 and the PT1911 in my price range alot. I dont think i can really go wrong any way i go. I'll be happy to add another piece to my collection when the time comes in a month or 2

 

[JohnnyOrygun]

I give my vote for the Springfield Armory mil spec 1911, I have one and I really like it. Its a good shooting gun and I have never had any ftf or fte, I havnt shot thousands up on thousands of rounds through it, yet. But I have over 1000 rounds through it. If you want a concealed carry gun I would probably look at a polymer framed gun. I am a big guy, over 300 lbs, but I find the full size, SS framed 1911 just a little too heavy to carry all the time. I was looking at a Taurus 24/7 this week and it seemed like a really sweet little gun, that fit my big hands very well and was very light.
So I think you need to make sure that the gun you buy not only fits your hands well, but if you plan on carrying then you need to think about weight and such, living in AZ your carry options are much more limited then here in cooler Oregon. I think you might stick out like a sore thumb in AZ wearing a flannel shirt, but here everyone wears them. I used to live in Bullhead City, so I know how hot AZ gets. Just my $.02

 

[Slugless]

You asked about improvements to the milspec?

I have a Springfield 1911A1 and my gunsmith did a $60 trigger job. That's all I've done to it & it's very nice now. I don't plan on any other upgrades.

I asked THR about the beavertails, get them only if you need them, e.g. you get the "Browning bite" when you shoot the milspec.

 

[rantingredneck]

Count me as another vote for the Ruger P345. Have had mine for about 4-5 months and it is my daily carry weapon. In my Bianchi Minimalist OWB holster it disappears under an untucked shirt. I can also stack three magazines worth of bullets on top of each other at 15 yds free handed. At 25 yds I get 2-3 inch groups free handed. It is definitely a tackdriver. It also has eaten everything I've fed it without a hiccup.

It'll even feed empty cases.

 

[SWATcashJeremy]

I have to agree with those who said S&W M&P 45

 

[possum]

For smaller hands, check out the Ruger P345. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Mine's been great, but I have very large hands, and the grip is definitely a bit small for me. Should be somewhere around $450 NIB I think, maybe even a little less. And it's not a bad looking gun.

yep i bought mine for $369 plus tax. the blued model and with the rail, it is the most accurate handgun that i have ever owned. i have small hands as well and it fits me great.