i went to an indoor firing range this past weekend with my walther-colt 1911-22. there was one other customer at the other side of the range. we were about 30 feet apart, i'd guess. the other guy was firing a .45 glock.
i have never fired a .45 handgun and never been in the vicinity of one being fired. every time he fired it, it seemed like the building shook! i could feel the concussion in my chest. i couldn't help but think, "Man, i would not want to get shot with that thing!" i think if i was in some combat situation and somebody was shooting at me with that gun, i would become unmanned very quickly. it would be like having a howitzer aimed at you personally.
i also thought about the recoil. i fired some .38 through my sw 65 and i noticed that the recoil from that was making me a bit uncomfortable (getting old and haven't shot much the past 6-7 years). but how much worse would that .45 be. i wonder if i could manage it at all.
My first introduction to concussive blast was from a 357 S&W Model 66 2 1/2” barrel.
It's all relative. You're used to shooting a 22LR for now. That's more kick and noise than 22 LR out of a rifle. (and also a lot less power)i believe that i will hunt up a 1911 in 9mm whenever i get ready to move up from .22. or a .380. though i would at least try a .45, if i got a chance, and find out what it's like.
I bought my first 9mm 1911 a couple of weeks ago. It’s a great shooting gun that has all of the wonders of the 1911 experience (shootability, great trigger pull, all-around ergonomics) with less recoil and an extra shot in the mag.
i believe that i will hunt up a 1911 in 9mm whenever i get ready to move up from .22. or a .380. though i would at least try a .45, if i got a chance, and find out what it's like.
I can still remember the BS about the 45 ACP by profession gunriters in my very early years. "A hit in an arm will tear it off and death follows quickly", Horrendous recoil", etc. Not being into handguns except for rabbit and prairiedog hunting I didn't even consider anything larger than a 22 rimfire until into my thirties and I had a chance to purchase a Colt Gold Cup National match 1911 at a very good price so I bought it. I didn't know exactly what to expect except that it wasn't going to live up to the hyperbole I had read about it and sure enough it didn't. My first thought was, " If this is horrendous recoil I must be exceptionally tough" which I knew I wasn't. Even today with a bum wrist I can still shoot the 1911 with no problems.