I'm getting the itch for a nice new revolver. The .45 lc seems to be calling me. Should I go for a nice range gun or do you folks CCW with them?
Let me know what are your favorites in this caliber large or small[ish].
Standard pressure or +P, I like the round in a single action. Oh, the Mountain Gun is a great choice for hikers and back packers who prefer DA, but I'm a single action guy, first handgun 40 years ago was a SA .22 and that's what I learned on. And, being a child of TV westerns, this round has always meant single actions to me. Hell, the Houston Astros were originally the "Colt .45s". I wish they'd kept that name, but wasn't very "progressive" I guess.
I am old enough, though, to have attended .45's ball games in their old stadium before the dome was built. When I was a kid, I even had a hat.
I own two .45 Colts, a contender barrel that also fires .410 with a choke in place, and a Ruger 4 5/8" stainless blackhawk. I like the Ruger for carry where one would carry the mountain gun. It's about the same weight and bulk as the Mountain Gun and I just prefer the strength and durability of the SA gun for field use. It is a very accurate gun, too. I'd like to maybe buy a replica SAA sometime, but it would just be a range gun and something to fondle around the house for the history. The Blackhawk does what I like a .45 to do. Yes, you can find little snubbies in .45 occasiionally, but they're in high demand. I know Taurus made one and if you find one, be prepared to pay for it. I guess there's enough big bore lovers out there to fuel that demand, but not enough to sustain a carry snubby model cause they don't seem to be produced in numbers when they are introduced.
I really got little use for the Judge. That new polymer public defender comes as close as a Judge comes to carry size and it's still too big and I have no use for .410 in a revolver, so the extra cylinder is a waste. But, I'm not real high on the old snubbies, either, as they're bulky compared to a good .38 special for carry and I don't think the .38 is inadequate for self defense, can't see why I should carry bulkier than that.
So, JMHO is get a single action or if you prefer a DA, the Mountain Gun is a good choice for outdoor carry. I don't think concealed carry is really the .45's best forte, though I realize it can be done and it's probably because I can carry a .357 mag on the hip. My normal carry is in a pocket and .38s make much better pocket guns.