Help me pick a new carry gun

[armed85]

The shortest barrel I own in a 1911 is my Colt Commander at 4.25". I wont speak on your reliability concern over short barreled 1911s as I've never owned one. Keep in mind, however, that the .45 ACP is a low pressure cartridge. A .45 ACP out of a 3" or 3.5" barrel will limit your ammo selection to +P, lighter bullets, or both.

If a standard pressure 230 gr. .45 ACP reaches around 850 fps from a 5" barrel what can we expect from a 3.5" barrel? I would guess 650 to 700 fps.

I think .40 S&W is a better choice if you want a barrel of 3.5" or less.

 

[DHart]

.40 cal is definitely better when one is restricted to a shorty 3' or 3.5" barrel... as is 9mm. .45 acp loses too much velocity with the short barrels. And lighter bullets don't help... because when going from a 5" barrel to a 3" barrel, the lighter bullets lose velocity at a higher percentage than the 230 gr. does when fired from a short barrel.

Best ammo for 3" guns in .45 acp is CorBon PowRBall and DPX... or +P ammo. SPENDY! Next best choice would be 230 gr. FMJ - just go for good penetration and don't worry about expansion, cause it ain't going to happen with conventional .45 acp JHP with a 3" barrel. Better yet, stick to Government and Commander length 1911's or go to SIGs, Glocks, and HK's in .40 cal. and 9mm if you must have a short barrel.