First jump into semi auto

[SSBN617b]

Hello Friends,
Been thinking for a while but life $ got in the way. Anyway I am still looking into a 1911 but am caught up in the .45 vs 9mm conundrum. My issue is based on ammo cost for the most part.
Long term I think .45 might suit my personal protection but am thinking cost of ammo in favor of 9 mm.
I could buy one and sell and move on but looking for advice.
Mitch

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I like my .45s, but dont shoot them that much.
I shoot my 9mms all the time and dont flinch at the $$ of every round when I pull the trigger.
Hope that helps.

 

[dh1633pm]

I sorted all my pistol brass from all the shooting I did during the year. Must have been over 1K 9, 300 45 ACP, 400 .357, and 80 45 Colt. Not exact counts but good guesses. I too seem to shoot 9 the most. Didn’t count all the 9 I didn’t collect from the corn and hay fields.

 

[Armored farmer]

That debate continues to rage without a winner.
I like my 1911 in .45acp....but i like shooting my 9mm too.
I'm guessing that you don't reload?

I think folks really like their 9mm 1911s.
I would look at those.
.45acp is pricey if you're not loading your own.

 

[Riomouse911]

Ive had .45 Auto 1911’s starting roughly 30 years ago, I sent one packing but I still have three in the stable (6” longslide .45 Super, 5” SA loaded, Ruger commander). But, I’ve shot my CZ97B .45 more this year than all three .45 1911’s combined.

I bought my first 9mm 1911 in 2020. I now have three of them as well. Those 3 guns (5” Kimber stainless target, SA 4.25” Ronin commander, Kimber 3” Ultra Carry) were shot a lot more than my .45 1911’s were, too.

I like the .45 1911’s, but ammo cost and availability brought me to the 9-side of the 1911 pistol.

You can’t go wrong with either the .45 or 9mm, so if $$ is an issue the 9mm is a bit cheaper to shoot. But, no matter which one you start with I’ll bet that you will have one of each caliber before you know it.

Let us know what you choose to buy .

Stay safe.

 

[SSBN617b]

I do believe I will start with 9mm due to cost as I do not reload, but was thinking of 45 for house protection due to penetration for condo living. Main use would be woods walking / home protection.

 

[nettlle]

I am lucky enough to have both 9mm and 45acp 1911's. I reload both so ammo isn't a problem. For range accuracy my 45acp 5" steel framed Government is the best. Not only for me but also for others that have shot it. For carry I like a 9mm 4.25" aluminum framed Commander. If I were to only to be able to have one it would be the 45acp government. The 45acp the more powerful of the two.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I do believe I will start with 9mm due to cost as I do t reload but was thinking of 45 for house protection due to penetration in condo living.

There is little if any difference base on caliber. Bullet selection would make a bigger difference.

 

[trackskippy]

If youre going to go 9mm, Id suggest going with something like the Beretta 92's or SIG P226's, or maybe one of the Glocks, S&W's, etc, if youre OK with a gun without a manual safety, over the 1911's. At least for your first gun. The 1911's, especially in 9mm, can be a tad finicky.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

First time I've seen you here! Welcome to THR, Shipmate!

(My first boat was the 625, gold crew, same class as the Hamilton.)

Anyway...my opinion on your conundrum hinges around the fact that you don't have to limit yourself to just one gun.

Also, there are 1911 platforms in 9mm.

My Colt 1991A1 has been a sweet gun ever since I bought it in '91. Plenty of affordable 1911s out there, but I'll let others with first hand experience speak to them.

As for ammo...yeah, it can be pricy. Here's my advice on that:

Make it a point to buy a box or two on a regular basis, whether you're shooting or not. It hits harder when you decide to buy a bunch at once to support a trip to the range over a weekend.

And keep an eye out for bulk deals, too.

There was a period of several years where I didn't do much shooting...but I always kept a $20 bill in my wallet specifically for trips to Walmart. At the time, 100 round Winchester White Box was going fire $9.95 for 9mm and $19.95 for .45 ACP.

A box or two here and there adds up.

 

[gwpercle]

If you are going to get a 1911 ... get a 45 acp . Then never sell it ... it will always be the preferred round ...every handgunner should have one 1911 in 45 acp .
Cost of ammo ... reload with a Lee Hand Press Kit and a set of Lee Dies ... $125 will get you everything you need to make all the 45 ammo you want . A 200 gr. cast SWC bullet and 4.5 Grains Bullseye is about as economical a load as you can ask for .
Plus to reload for the 45 acp ... it is like taking a walk in the park on a sunny day ...enjoyable !
If you want a 9mm ...get the Browning High Power ...you want a 1911 get a 45 acp .
I've owned a Colt G.I. , a Colt Gold Cup , Colt Commander , Star model PS , Star Firestar and a stainless steel AMT Hardballer ... The AMT is sitting on the desk as I type this , feels good knowing it's there ... yeah ... 45 acp that's what you want .
Gary

 

[jmr40]

If it's a 1911 it has to be in 45 for me. If you want a 9mm I think there are better options. The obvious answer is one of each. Pick one now and get the other later.

Which 9mm is a different thread. I like the modern plastic wonder 9's. I have Glock 19 and 43, Sig M17, M18, and 365. I like the Smith M&P's too. But there are a lot of good choices.

 

[nettlle]

If you can find a plastic fantastic 9mm that has a trigger better than a 1911 trigger go for it.

 

[defjon]

From your post, I think you want a 45. I'd go that route, grab a box here and there as recommended above. Don't have to eat the elephant all at once. Wait for the good pitches, when you see a decent deal grab a couple, and so on.

For pure fun and ammo cost savings, consider a 22. With mini mags, it'll be pretty reliable. You could get a gsg 1911 in 22 or a 22 conversion for your 1911. Just spit balling. Welcome aboard!

 

[cfullgraf]

Get into reloading and then the "cost" of 45 ACP is a non-issue.

If a 45 ACP handgun is what you want, then that is what you should get. The discussion on which is better, 9x19 or 45 ACP will continue until the cows come home. Both sides have their advantages and disadvantages. But it all comes to to how reliably you can hit the target and either will work with the appropriate amount of practice.

I'm a big fan of the 1911 especially one's chambered in 45 ACP (I have 1911's chambered in 8 different cartridges. 45 ACP, 40 S&W, 357 SIG, 38/45 Clerke, 38 Super, 38 Special, 9X19, and 22RF). A good hit with a 45 ACP is a more reliable stopper than a "pray and spray " shooting with a high capacity 9x19 handgun.

But, I will admit, an H&K P30SK with a V3 (DA/SA) trigger is my most used carry gun although the V1 LEM trigger is growing on me. While I enjoy shooting my Glock 17, I will not carry it due to my feelings on the safety of the trigger.

I like the safety features of the P30SK over even a 1911.

A steel 1911 can get a bit heavy to carry whule the aluminum frame Commander may be difficult to learn to handle the recoil of 45 ACP.

There are always trade offs.

 

[tuckerdog1]

If you intend to carry this pistol, you'll likely wind up with a commander sized 1911. So 9mm will not only be less expensive, but recoil will be easier to manage. And it's just a fact, the more rounds you put down range, the better you'll be with your firearm. If you like the 1911, you'll still want a 45 ACP, but get that later.

 

[Hartkopf]

OP, what do you shoot best? Especially under stress while moving and half asleep?

I started with the 45ACP. Over a couple of years at the range I did LOTS of testing and comparisons of calibers. I can admit that I am not a stone cold Incredible Hulk. I shoot the 9mm better and now carry a 9mm.

If you’re not sure which one you are better with, just get the 9mm. I thought because I’m athletic and strong I could overcome the 45’s muzzle rise and get just as quick follow up shots as a 9mm. Shot timer said otherwise.

 

[mljdeckard]

I have two .45 1911s, (A Kimber Custom II, and a Para Ordnance SF-45A,) and I like them, I'm not getting rid of them, but I carry a RIA double-stack 9mm. I like 1911s, but I like 18+1 in 9mm. I reload primarily 9mm, and my wife's guns are 9mm. It's convenient to standardize.

And (here we go again,) with modern bullets, I think that the difference in effectiveness between the two is negligible, if any.

 

[Smaug]

If you’re thinking about cost of shooting and you don’t hand load, the clear choice is 9 mm.

If you hand load, the clear choice is 45 ACP.

 

[aaaaa]

I agree with those who say get the 1911 in 45 and find something else for the 9mm. I am paying 24 cents a round for 9mm FMJ and 42 cents a round for 45 FMJ. I don't mind the extra cost for the 45. Rarely shoot my 9mm.

 

[Tallball]

I have a 9mm 1911 and a 45acp 1911.

They are both reliable and fun to shoot.

If I could have only one, I would take the 9mm for ammo cost and availability.

For HD there are less penetrative rounds.

Between the 9mm and the 45, most of us bought one first and then the other. The exact order isn't so important.

 

[CDW4ME]

If there is potential for you to maybe carry a 45 with FMJ but a 9mm would get a good HP for sure, stick with 9mm. They don't all "fall to hardball"

I've got Ruger 1911 CMD lightweights in 45 acp and 9mm, recoil from the 45 is not objectionable but the 9mm is less and offers two more rounds.

If you decide to look at options other than a 1911 then Glock 30 offers 10 rounds 45 acp and many 9mm (Glock 48. Sig 365, Hellcat) do.

In the comparisons above where capacity is similar, or slight loss I could go 45 acp; Glock 19 with 15 rounds versus Glock 30 with 10 rounds, I'm going 9mm.

 

[SSBN617b]

My first time I ever shot a pistol was a 1911 in boot camp 1973. That gun just felt sooo natural in my hand. 2 mags later the chiefs were all over me asking me how long I have been shooting and if I still compete. Never shot before I said . I did well because I listened to the instructions and had no bad habits. Fast forward I guess I am revisit that first time love.

 

[jar]

Work up an estimate of annual ammo costs based on what you actually expect to shoot.

Yup, 45acp will be considerably higher.

Now compare the annual ammo cost totals to other things you might enjoy. Look at the expected savings between the two calibers.

When I look at my annual ammo costs regardless of caliber compared to what I spent on golf or bowling or skiing or my sports cars I realized that ammo cost simply paled in comparison.

Find a range where you can rent handguns in both calibers and figure out what you shoot best and what you would actually carry and then look at the annual estimated cost difference. Remember, hopefully you will not be shooting lots and lots of the higher priced Self Defense rounds so base things on what you'll use at the range.

 

[FL-NC]

The more rounds you fire, the more proficient you will become with a gun.