I am trying to decide between two guns . . . new shooter, looking for a defensive gun

[Mom]

Looking for help deciding between two guns - new shooter, defensive gun

I have never done this before so I hope this is right. I am trying to decide if I should get a Colt Defender 45 ACP or a S&W CS45. I am a woman and want to use this for a defense gun and to target shoot. I will try both of these guns but I have owned guns in the past and know people who are using them know how good they are. So can someone tell me the + and - of each of these guns.
Thank you

P.S. How do I know if anyone will answer this post? As I said I have never posted anywhere before so I really do not know how this works!

 

[BullfrogKen]

Mom, I copied your post here.


Guys, this is no place to tell a woman she needs a .38 Special J frame. Condescending, chauvinistic nonsense will be deleted without warning . . .

 

[HM2PAC]

Mom,

If you are familiar with 1911's, I would say go with the Colt Defender. My preference would be that you purchase a Gov't model. The added barrel length will help with ballistic performance.

S&W auto's unfortunately do not enjoy the same reputation as S&W revolvers.
I do not have any experience with the S&W's, but have heard both positive and negative about them.

On a side-note, a J-frame 38 Special is not a bad weapon. I sure would not want to be hit with one.

 

[Lonestar49]

...

Hi Mom, the one concern, and it reared its ugly head with my wife's P232 380, is with the action of the slide, meaning, you're having to cycle it, to get it cocked and locked, if you go with the Defender 45..

I say this only because I bought my wife the little Sig P232 SL 380, and not only was, and is, hard for her to cycle the slide, but that little gem belts out some recoil as well..

So, I checked out the new Springfield 1911 EMP 9mm, and I'm VERY confident that she will be able to chamber it with ease, along with it has a 9 round single stack magazine, for a 9+1 max load. A very CCW 3" mid-weight 1911 SAO, which IMO, for her, is far better than Sigs long, hard, DA/SA action trigger, as it's always the same, locked and cocked, and has the thumb slide-lock safety along with the palm-grip safety.

Very docile in recoil as well.. You might want to check one out too. You can take a look and read here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=292991


http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=225870


I wish you well,


LS

 

[KC&97TA]

Have you ever fired a 3" 1911 style .45acp before? I have a 4" Mil-Spec Champion, it has Lot's of Recoil, and it's LOUD, I keep it because it was one of my 'dream' guns, build just like Alpachinos in the movie Heat, it's 100% reliable. I've shot 3" Colt CCO's before, basically the same thing you're looking at, the Recoil from 230gr rounds was rediculous and they weren't reliable to feed or extract.

The good side; Both Pistols you're looking at are; slim, compact, pack one heck of a punch with a .45acp round, are magazine feed so they reload quickly and they have a huge hole in the end to scare the crap out of anyone... but you already know this.

The Bad; 3" 1911s can be VERY picky and moody when it comes to reliability, as said before, RECOIL, noise isn't that big of a factor in defense.

I love the 1911-A1 style of pistol, I own 4 of them currently, I like to carry my Champion, but it's more of a BBQ gun. I've carried a 5" 1911 in the waist band, without problems, but I'm an athletic 5'9" man who wears alot of sweatshirts and longer T's.

I would how ever, recomend a "no nonsense" Springfield XD45 in a compact, the XD compact has a 10 round mag and the reload capability to a 14 round mag, aditionally it was the NRA handgun of 2006... the XD .40 is a good gun as well - I don't recomend the Glock for CCW or Purse gun, but it's a proven LEO weapon, truely point and shoot, but that's also a liability - the S&W M&P .45acp, currently being looked at by the Marine Special Operations Battalion West is a nice handleing pistol, and boasts changeable back straps to help size the pistol to your hand.

I don't want to talk you away from the .45acp, but a .40 S&W with hollow points does a great job as well. Alot of LEO are carring the .40 in a Glock 22 and in the Springfield XD40. I'm actually considering giveing my mother a Glock 19 - 9mm

 

[.357 magnum]

Wecome to THR!

The .45 acp is an excellent choice for a defensive weapon. I know I own Four of them. Not a lot of kick and one of the Best stoppers out there. I may be a little different in my opinion then some others. I am not real big on .45's with three inch Barrels or low Mag capacity. Go out an hold a SW-MP .45 They are coming out with a 14 Rd. Mag in October. They have the BEST grip ever made on them. They are extremely thin, easy to shoot and clean. Above all they are reliable and accurate. It sounds like you are going to Conceal Carry? If you are NOT going to carry, then the Springfield XD Service model [four inch] cannot be beat. Extremely reliable, very accurate and has a 13 Rd. mag. If you are going to Conceal Carry and you want a reliable, higher cap .45 with a three inch Barrel, then go for the Taurus MILLENNIUM PRO PT145 .45 ACP. The Taurus has a 10 Rd Mag and you will have enough money left over to get some ammo. For Non- Conceal carry Taurus has a 24/7 Pro .45 acp with a 12 Rd. mag 4 inch barrel, that is very nice. [I have one Taurus and Three XD's at the moment] But I am still lusting after a SW-MP .45 Personally if you have to have a 3 Inch barrel. I would stick with 185gr quality ammo for self defense. Such as the Remington Golden Saber.

The Best to You and Yours!

Frank

 

[mavracer]

I will try both of these guns

you said it the most important thing is which one fits,which one you shoot better.
they're both well made and can be reliable and accurate.the only big difference I can think of is mode of operation the colt is single action meaning to fire the hammer must be cocked.so if you want a round chambered you carry it "cocked and locked" or hammer cocked and safety engaged.whereas the Smith is a sa/da auto if the hammer is down the trigger will have the,"double action" of cocking and releasing the hammer.once this occurs the hammer will stay cocked and the trigger will stay in the rear "single action" position.IIRC the safety on the smith decocks the hammer.
on a side note many feal it is safe to carry sa/da auto with the hammer down and the safety off, relying on the long/heavy da trigger for safety.some da/sa guns don't have safetys only decockers ie.sigs. hope this helps

ps. remington 185 golden saber is a good blend of ballistics and recoil for short Bbl.guns and the expand pretty good out of my 3" bbl. AMT.

 

[Car Knocker]

I've shot 3" Colt CCO's before, basically the same thing you're looking at, the Recoil from 230gr rounds was rediculous and they weren't reliable to feed or extract.

This is very subjective. My wife enjoys shooting my 3" Kimber UC and doesn't find either the noise or recoil objectionable. It has also been 100% reliable over the last 3,000 rounds.

Mom: Best thing to do is to test fire what you're thinking about buying and determining what is confortable for you.

 

[sig226]

Okay, Mom, time for the obvious question: What have you shot before?

What are you used to? Those two pistols have radically different trigger systems. The Colt is a 1911 platform, meant to be carried with a round in the chamber, the hammer cocked, and the safety on. 5.5 pound trigger after you thumb the safety down.

The CS45 is meant to be loaded, decocked by using the safety, and carried with the safety off and a 12 pound trigger pull to prevent an accidental discharge.

So, what are you used to? This will affect the mode of operation. A person used to hunting with a high powered rifle is used to operating a safety and a six pound trigger. A person used to shooting revolvers is used to the much heavier trigger of the CS45.

Also, both of these pistols are pretty nasty in the recoil department. I know plenty of men who don't like them and have problems with them. Neither of them will be lots of fun at the range due to their light weight and compact frames. Just by that, it seems like you really want two guns: one for carry and one for fun. That puts the Colt in a tough position because it's expensive, unless, of course, cost is not an issue.

If you don't mind the single action trigger on the Colt, and the price, I'd say get the Colt and get something else in a full size frame for the range. Otherwise, well, what are your experiences?

 

[Brian Williams]

Hi mom, I never thought you would be here , Welcome to THR, now Go visit Thecorneredcat.com
Even tho I am partial to S&Ws, it is more their revolvers, Go with the Colt.

 

[BevrFevr]

Good luck with your choice!

BullfrogKen. Last I checked, most guys around here love chicks that shoot.

Mom, there are lots of fish in the sea. Why are you so set on these?

-bevr

 

[MachIVshooter]

Well, Both are good guns, but the high bore axis and short grip of the CS45, combined with it's light weight can make them a little difficult to control. OTOH, I've never really fancied SA pistols for carry (that's just me). If you're open to suggestions, I found the Taurus PT-145 to actually be quite a pleasant little gun to fire. And with 10+1 capacity and a $300 price tag, they can be quite attractive. Regrettably, I traded mine off awhile back and have not yet replaced it. I will, though. I also know many people who are quite happy with the Kahr P45. If you want really tiny, there's the AMT Back-up. Only 5 rounds, though.

If I had to choose between the two you've mentioned, I'd go with the CS45 on the basis of it being DA.

 

[10-Ring]

I'm not a fan of S&W semi autos mostly because their grips don't feel right in my hands...for this reason, I'd go w/ the Defender
Oh, & welcome Mom to THR!

 

[MICHAEL T]

I say Defender That my main carry nowdays. 160gr Corbon DPX non +P . This load for SD in 3" pistols. A pussycat to shoot.

 

[Trebor]

How "new" of a shooter are you? You say you are a new shooter and you also say you have owned guns before. Is this your first handgun?

Depending on your experience level you may want to take the NRA Basic Pistol class before you buy a gun. If you are new to handguns it would give you a solid grounding in the fundamentals. The more you know, the better you can evaluate what gun best meets your needs.

The NRA also has two "Personal Protection" classes you might want to check out. One is geared towards home defense and the other towards concealed carry.

Picking a gun is a very personal thing. The best advice is to try as many guns as you can and see what works best for you. Any particular reason you gravitated towards these two guns first? Or have you been shopping around already?

 

[Sylvan-Forge]

Hi Mom,

If you decide to pick one of these small frame .45 autos ..

I would recommend full metal jacket type ammunition for the extra reliability factor it will give you.

I'd say the Colt would be the superior of the two.
Looks like the sight radius is a tiny bit longer and it has the excellent 1911 trigger design. Plus it holds one more round than the Smith.

Best wishes in whatever you decide to do!

 

[BevrFevr]

I wonder if moving Moms second post was a good Idea. I wonder if she knows where it is at now?

 

[76shuvlinoff]

Unless you have fired both of your choices above. Buy nothing now, test (rent or borrow) many and get an experienced trainer to help you make YOUR choice.
I am a .45 fan but I haved fired 9mms that were as smooth as a sewing machine and made me smile...... Then I carry an XD40. go figure. Different tools for different situations.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

[/I wonder if moving Moms second post was a good Idea. I wonder if she knows where it is at now?
QUOTE]

pm her?

 

[FerFAL]

Nothing wrong or “condescending” about a good 38 loaded with +P. I know some very serious shooters who carry them as backup for their autos. I drop my 3” Colt PPS in my jacket’s pocket every now and then as BUG for my auto.
I personally like 3” better than 2”, and its’ more accurate and less frustrating when target practicing, so you might want to take that into account. Hides almost as well as a 2”, 2” not being an easy self defense handgun to master.
I’d go either with a 2” or 3 “ 38 revolver or a compact or subcompact Glock in 9mm, depending on your hands.
I’d try to avoid safeties as much as possible, specially when it comes to DA/SA autos.
1911 or Hi Powers are also good choices, but carrying a cocked and locked auto requires years of familiarization, so it depends on how used you are to SA autos.
I’d go with either Glock or a 3” 38 revolver. Good, proven guns.

FerFAL

 

[BullfrogKen]

BevrFevr said: I wonder if moving Moms second post was a good Idea. I wonder if she knows where it is at now?

She got a PM with the link to this thread the night I copied her post here. It would never have been noticed where she originally posted it.

 

[Lonestar49]

But maybe..?

Quote: She got a PM with the link to this thread the night I copied her post here. It would never have been noticed where she originally posted it.
---------------
...

Hey BK, my only thought is being her "first time ever" she may not even see, let alone, know, what a PM is.

Maybe a Post by you where she originally posted (this thread) for the/her first time, by you, telling her where it is, forum- wise, and you can bump-it for a while, as she has not posted any replys yet, and she may be lost.

We could have a lost Mom out there..


LS

 

[pogo2]

Colt Defender a good choice

I can't comment on the S&W CS45, as I have never fired or handled one. But I have had a Colt Defender for about 1.5 years and it is an excellent gun, reliable and easy to conceal. I have fired about 600 rounds through the gun with no problems. It does have a healthy recoil, as you would expect with a 25 ounce gun in .45 ACP. I would recommend that anyone considering the Defender should try out a rental gun at the range first, to see if it agreed with them.

Here is my Defender, which I have modified somewhat with different grip panels, grip safety, mainspring housing and trigger.

 

[warwagon]

I'm going to go against the flow somewhat, and recommend the CS45.

Mine has been shot by women with no adverse reactions, in fact, quite the opposite, they seem to like the size, and the recoil seemed to be very manageable.

It has also been 100% reliable with several brands, and configurations of ammo.

 

[AndyC]

Shoot them both yourself - no other way, really.