Is the .45 now a thing of the past?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Oh,nooo,I just went and bought a thing of the past a few weeks ago!Now what am I gonna do?I bought a Sig P320 Compact in 45 because I decided it was time to try a striker fired gun and see if I could shoot one.The local sheriff dept. ordered a dozen P320 Compacts from the LGS and then decided they only wanted 8,so the store manager offered them to preferred customers for the same price and I bought one.And I like it.So much that I went back and bought a M17 two weeks later.The 45 stays in my truck because once in a while I have to put down a crippled deer that's been hit by a vehicle.I like the 9 I bought pretty good,and there's something to be said for having a pistol that came with a 17 and two 21 round magazines.With one in the chamber,that's a 60 round payload,and that's hard to beat.But,I won't shoot a deer with my 40,and damn sure won't use the 9 on one.The 45,on the other hand,will do just fine,thank you.And I'm certainly not going to call the 308 a thing of the past.I have 3 of them,what am I supposed to do,rebarrel all 3 to the 6.5 Manbun?
 
gun'sRgood said:
Well, the 6.8 will take the .308 & 5.56 out of the money round. Done deal. Suppress at 3,900 and accurate at 2K. Well at least that's what they say. I'd like to know what they mean by "accurate" at 2K.
Click to expand...

I find your comments kind of odd. If you are talking the 6.5 Creedmoor, understand that it is just a rehash of 6.5mm cartridges that have existed about as long as smokeless .30cal cartridges. If you are trying to stretch the legs of the .308, there is always the .30-06, etc, if you are talking absolutes. If you really want to get silly, there's the .50BMG. Further, there is far more less expensive ammos available for the .308, even if it's surplus or ball ammos. Done deal... not so much.

If you really want to discuss the viability of the .308 vs another cartridge, you should probably start a thread in the appropriate section.
 
Nah, .45 is still good.

It’s just not as far of a gap in performance these days and there are more efficient carry guns. Hard to beat, in terms of an all around full size gun, a 1911 or Glock 21 in my book.
 
gun'sRgood said:
Or is that just me?
Click to expand...
Yep.

I rarely check profiles, even of short-term members who've not participated on the forum much, but I checked the OP's. I would've presumed he was a younger chap, at least a millenial or possibly a Gen-Z, but alas, the profile notes age 63. I'm a tad bit shocked at this, as everyone of my generation who is a gun owner and shooter is normally quite aware that the .45 ACP is not only alive and well, its acquaintance is being made daily by the younger generations of shooters.

.45 ACP. America's caliber.
 
I feel a large number of new entrants into the defense market have chosen 9mm due to misconceptions on several key points. Marketing hypes capacity to a fault, size as well. I think the other factor is recoil: people see that “big bullet” and think ouch where the opposite is true. I’ll take the push of a .45 over the snap of a 9mm any day.

At some point I feel choices made will lead to a disinterest by a good percentage of new shooters as they tire of underwhelming ergos with sub and micro 9mms. Then you’ll see things balance again.
 
gun'sRgood said:
It seems that with all the tech. in 9's that the .45 has become a thing of the past. [As well as the .308?] I remember when wheel guns dominated the gun cases. Then the autos and now mostly 9's. Or is that just me?
Click to expand...
Yep - thing of the past - for now. Don't worry though. It's just a matter of time until something crops up and the 9mm doesn't get the job done and all the lemmings run towards the .40S&W, 10mm and .45acp.

That's been the pattern for decades.
 
Nope .45 is not going anywhere. In this day of the less recoil and more rounds is better crowd the marketing gurus are taking advantage of it. The .45 has been taking care of business for over a hundred years and always will. The same goes for the .308. It has been taking care of business as well and will continue to do so. Carry on...
 
I recently sold off my last 45ACP carry gun, since I always find myself opting for a high cap 9mm pistols instead.

I think if I lived in a state with a magazine restriction I would still prefer a 45, since if I can only have 10 rounds I want them to be 10 big rounds.... but I don't live in a restricted state. I can have 15+1, or 17+1 9mm in the same size gun! I have confidence in the 9mm Federal 147gr HST round.
 
TomJ said:
No. I picked up a 4 inch Shield chambered in 45 today as one of my woods guns. I don't look at this as a contest between calibers. There's a place for 45, 9, 10mm, etc.
Click to expand...

The only one I find hard deciding a place for is .40. It’s a fine round but for me it shoots slower than a 9mm and recoils more than I’d prefer for a small CCW, and for a larger gun I always find myself wishing I was, instead, shooting a .45 or 10mm.

It’s fine and I won’t get rid of mine any time soon (since I have most of 1000 bullets on the shelf that need to be loaded some day) but it’s the odd caliber out for me.
 
OP...1911 was designed in 1911. I got rid of all my 1911's except for a Colt Custom Shop I forgot to sell. I won't even use the Colt around the house...hate it.

I got all black plastic around the house. And I carry black plastic. Gave up on snubs.

DSC07076 394kb.jpg

Here are a few penetration tests of stacked newsprint to give you an idea how various ammo performs. .45 is pretty low penetration. Compare it to 9mm and nylon jacketed 9mm.

.22 short 5/8 inch of newsprint (snubnose)
.22 quiet 1 inch of newsprint (snubnose)
.22 HVHP 2-3/8 inches of newsprint (snubnose)
.22 Stinger 3-1/4 inches of newsprint (snubnose)
.380 ball 3-3/8 inches of newsprint (Beretta)
.38 SP Federal ball 4 inches of newsprint (snubnose)
.357 Hornady plastic tip magnum 3-3/4 inches of compressed kraft paper (snubnose) (a)
.357 Hornady plastic tip magnum 6 inches of compressed kraft paper (Ruger 4" barrel) (a)
9mm Hornady 6-7/8 inches of newsprint (Beretta)
9mm xxxxxxx nylon jacket 10 inches of newsprint (Beretta)
.45 Auto ball 4 inches of newsprint (Colt 1911)

(a) I was starting to change the tests to use compressed Kraft paper and never got round to finishing them. Kraft paper offer more resistance than newsprint. If the .357 was shot into newsprint I think the penetration would be about 25% more.
 
The love of all military guns in this country makes sure no present or former US military caliber is ever "a thing of the past".

Witness the love for .45-70 and all US military cartridges going forward. As far as the .45 in particular, I understand some specialized high speed units are still requesting, and getting permission, to use the .45.

The reports of its death are a slight exaggeration, as a famous wit once said.
 
plainsdrifter said:
Is this the same op that started dissing the .357 mag?
Whats next, the .410 ga, 16ga. 28 ga. .22 WMR?
Click to expand...
Nope! I have 5 .357's including an 8" python. Not a singe one that I consider for EDC, HD, or BUG. One is a SS, wood & rubber Ruger that's a truck under the seat or in a lock box i the SXS. But, I would say the .357 is further out of the running than the .45.
 
WVRJ said:
Oh,nooo,I just went and bought a thing of the past a few weeks ago!Now what am I gonna do?I bought a Sig P320 Compact in 45 because I decided it was time to try a striker fired gun and see if I could shoot one.The local sheriff dept. ordered a dozen P320 Compacts from the LGS and then decided they only wanted 8,so the store manager offered them to preferred customers for the same price and I bought one.And I like it.So much that I went back and bought a M17 two weeks later.The 45 stays in my truck because once in a while I have to put down a crippled deer that's been hit by a vehicle.I like the 9 I bought pretty good,and there's something to be said for having a pistol that came with a 17 and two 21 round magazines.With one in the chamber,that's a 60 round payload,and that's hard to beat.But,I won't shoot a deer with my 40,and damn sure won't use the 9 on one.The 45,on the other hand,will do just fine,thank you.And I'm certainly not going to call the 308 a thing of the past.I have 3 of them,what am I supposed to do,rebarrel all 3 to the 6.5 Manbun?
Click to expand...
I'd go enjoy your .308. Ammo for ever. But for a LD shoot? Naw. No reason.
 
Charlie98 said:
I find your comments kind of odd. If you are talking the 6.5 Creedmoor, understand that it is just a rehash of 6.5mm cartridges that have existed about as long as smokeless .30cal cartridges. If you are trying to stretch the legs of the .308, there is always the .30-06, etc, if you are talking absolutes. If you really want to get silly, there's the .50BMG. Further, there is far more less expensive ammos available for the .308, even if it's surplus or ball ammos. Done deal... not so much.

If you really want to discuss the viability of the .308 vs another cartridge, you should probably start a thread in the appropriate section.
Click to expand...
Nope, I said what I wanted to say. Not your interpretation
Old Dog said:
Yep.

I rarely check profiles, even of short-term members who've not participated on the forum much, but I checked the OP's. I would've presumed he was a younger chap, at least a millenial or possibly a Gen-Z, but alas, the profile notes age 63. I'm a tad bit shocked at this, as everyone of my generation who is a gun owner and shooter is normally quite aware that the .45 ACP is not only alive and well, its acquaintance is being made daily by the younger generations of shooters.

.45 ACP. America's caliber.
Click to expand...
I guess you can teach an old dog, me, new tricks.
of "what I may have wanted". But thanks for sharing.
 
JDeere said:
Nope .45 is not going anywhere. In this day of the less recoil and more rounds is better crowd the marketing gurus are taking advantage of it. The .45 has been taking care of business for over a hundred years and always will. The same goes for the .308. It has been taking care of business as well and will continue to do so. Carry on...
Click to expand...
Flint locks remain deadly to this day. David did pretty well with a rock and sling.
 
highroadmember said:
OP...1911 was designed in 1911. I got rid of all my 1911's except for a Colt Custom Shop I forgot to sell. I won't even use the Colt around the house...hate it.

I got all black plastic around the house. And I carry black plastic. Gave up on snubs.

View attachment 1085774

Here are a few penetration tests of stacked newsprint to give you an idea how various ammo performs. .45 is pretty low penetration. Compare it to 9mm and nylon jacketed 9mm.

.22 short 5/8 inch of newsprint (snubnose)
.22 quiet 1 inch of newsprint (snubnose)
.22 HVHP 2-3/8 inches of newsprint (snubnose)
.22 Stinger 3-1/4 inches of newsprint (snubnose)
.380 ball 3-3/8 inches of newsprint (Beretta)
.38 SP Federal ball 4 inches of newsprint (snubnose)
.357 Hornady plastic tip magnum 3-3/4 inches of compressed kraft paper (snubnose) (a)
.357 Hornady plastic tip magnum 6 inches of compressed kraft paper (Ruger 4" barrel) (a)
9mm Hornady 6-7/8 inches of newsprint (Beretta)
9mm xxxxxxx nylon jacket 10 inches of newsprint (Beretta)
.45 Auto ball 4 inches of newsprint (Colt 1911)

(a) I was starting to change the tests to use compressed Kraft paper and never got round to finishing them. Kraft paper offer more resistance than newsprint. If the .357 was shot into newsprint I think the penetration would be about 25% more.
Click to expand...
The 1911 was not "invented" in 1911. Super common mistake.
 
Actually I've been on the hunt for a large bore pistol or revolver since ive never had one.
Maybe get both.
Put a bid in on a vaquero long colt yesterday.
Also looking at a Tisas 1911
 
9mmepiphany said:
I know you all like these caliber wars to vent some steam...but really to no purpose as no one posting is likely to change their minds.

If you want to vent some more, try to get it in before the end of the day...before the current window of opportunity closes
Click to expand...
LoL!

.45 ACP with modern bullets is a show stopper! 1911 is not for beginners. Gotta trust that thumb safety because that trigger don’t lie
 
plainsdrifter said:
Actually I've been on the hunt for a large bore pistol or revolver since ive never had one.
Maybe get both.
Put a bid in on a vaquero long colt yesterday.
Also looking at a Tisas 1911
Click to expand...
SDS T-Sauce 1911 is really nice!!! best $319 ever
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

rkammer
  • Locked
Recommendations for a rail gun
Replies
8
Views
448
SnowBlaZeR2
S
T
  • Locked
G19 front sight broke. Fix?
Replies
10
Views
654
Run&Shoot
R
P
  • Locked
New Sig P220 Problems?
Replies
12
Views
5K
MCMXI
MCMXI
B
  • Locked
Beretta Vertec...Hammer Following Slide Home...Sometimes.
Replies
8
Views
630
1911Tuner
1
B
  • Locked
Firestar 45
Replies
4
Views
658
BigO01
B
Back
Top