The best .45acp ever made

[barnbwt]

"Too many problems with too many brands."
The same could be said of certain Colt trim-lines...

As with anything produced across multiple generations (centuries?) it's natural to expect some variance in quality (and everything else). The best bet is to simply learn how the gun works, what elements are critical to good function, and figure out how to find them in the various offerings on the market.

"Boberg XR45. Best .45ACP pistol to deliberately engineer inherent ammunition sensitivity into the feeding portion of the cycle of operation that can result in the feeding of a primed and powdered case missing a bullet?"
I love how so many people think a push feed design is significantly less sensitive of ammo design, given all the feed ramp 'polishing' being done out there . The Boberg is a crimp sensitive design, if anything, which translates more to ammo quality than design. Our beloved Browning 1919 & M2 feed rounds the same way, and manage to work well (with crimped-in bullets) . In any case, I would prefer feeding a primed/powdered casing, to a dangerously set-back cartridge, so there

"45ACP Luger. Best .45ACP pistol that has intrigued many people but many more people would not choose as a self-defense pistol instead of a M1911?"
I think if 45ACP Lugers had gotten on the American commercial market in time, there'd be a whole lot more of them (and subsequent copies) than 9mm/30cal models, and they would have their own rabid cult following by now (hey, if it works for Lahti pistols and SAA's...)

"M53. Best .45ACP pistol that unfortunate circumstances prevented from having sufficient opportunity to challenge the supremacy of the M1911? Remington I hope you are listening."
45ACP fits in the R51's magazine lips, and I think it has less bolt thrust than 9mm +P. There is lots of extra room for a larger diameter bore, barrel, and spring inside the slide. The fixed barrel design means that there are fewer expensive critical tolerances like locking lugs for a barrel replacement. If Remington had a brain (they do not) they would have rolled out 9mm, 40S&W, and 45ACP offerings off the bat, and offered promises of 38super and even 10mm in later steel-framed or reinforced deluxe versions.

TCB

 

[Cee Zee]

In part it is the decline in sig quality over the years. I'd take an HK45 over the 220 without hesitation.

But the OP's question was about the best .45 "ever" made. That would include the older P220's that were made in W. Germany. I don't think they are the most accurate guns ever made but they are among the most reliable and most durable IMO. And they are pretty far up there in accuracy too. I haven't shot a newer P220. I know people say the quality is down. That happens with stuff I guess. Companies try to cash in on the reputation it took them years to build and the quality gets pretty low sometimes. But I've not heard that the newer Sig P series .45's are terrible or anything and again this is about the best "ever" made.

 

[AustinTX]

I don't think they are the most accurate guns ever made but they are among the most reliable and most durable IMO.

It's reliable and accurate, but P220s with the stamped slides are definitely not among the most durable .45 pistols, although workmanship and attention to detail with the materials used was excellent. For that matter, no P220 with an aluminum alloy frame is going to be among the most durable, regardless of which slide is used.

But I've not heard that the newer Sig P series .45's are terrible or anything and again this is about the best "ever" made.

They're definitely not terrible, or even bad. But SIG Sauer Inc. (not SIG Sauer GmbH) has been cutting corners in quality for many years now under Ron Cohen, stuffing their guns with more and more cheap and often low-quality components, all while steadily raising their prices -- cashing in on the company's previously hard-earned reputation, as you say. The guns aren't even close to what they used to be in quality. Somehow this sacrificing of quality for profit hasn't caught up to the company yet, but I imagine it will eventually.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I'm really surprised how many people are saying the USP. Not that it is a bad gun but the hk45 and its variants eclipse the USP. I say that as a USP owner as well. The HK 45 basically has all of the good of the USP but with notable improvements. The only reason is ever take a USP over the newer HKs would be if the price was too good to pass.

HK fans like to debate the relative merits of the two. In some respects I think the USP is superior, in some ways inferior. It's a little more overbuilt (rated to fire .45 Super with no modification to the gun, unlike the HK45). It's a bit more modular than the HK45 and trigger types can be changed by the user in three minutes with nothing but a flat tip screwdriver. It has a better trigger, especially in the LEM versions. In fact the USP family has the best possible LEM trigger of all the HK lines. The Match Trigger is better than the trigger of the HK45, too. Lastly there is no false reset issue to deal with with the USP (although it's not super common on HK45s either).

One big advantage of the USP45 is that it holds 12 rounds instead of 10. Granted the HK45 is a bit slimmer but it's a bitter pill to have to give up two rounds. The FNP 45 Tactical holds 15 in the mag but the USP45 Tactical is a much better gun. I ditched the FNP in favor of the HK.

Ergonomically though it's all HK45. Replaceable backstraps and more contoured grip make it more user friendly to a wider range of shooters.

 

[bannockburn]

Colt 1911
SIG P220
H&K P9S
CZ97
Glock G30S

 

[agtman]

There's only one ...

WW1 Colt 1911.
Started it all.

 

[Nom de Forum]

"Boberg XR45. Best .45ACP pistol to deliberately engineer inherent ammunition sensitivity into the feeding portion of the cycle of operation that can result in the feeding of a primed and powdered case missing a bullet?"
I love how so many people think a push feed design is significantly less sensitive of ammo design, given all the feed ramp 'polishing' being done out there . The Boberg is a crimp sensitive design, if anything, which translates more to ammo quality than design. Our beloved Browning 1919 & M2 feed rounds the same way, and manage to work well (with crimped-in bullets) . In any case, I would prefer feeding a primed/powdered casing, to a dangerously set-back cartridge, so there

barnbwt I’m blushing. I had know idea you had such strong feelings of affection for me! Just kidding, I am not among the people who think a push feed design is significantly less sensitive of ammo design. I spent too much time shooting and servicing 1919A6s and M2HBs to not know that the Boberg has something in common with both. I have no idea how feeding reliability of the Boberg will turn out once they are out in the World for awhile. I do know some firearm operating concepts do not scale-down or scale-up well. As you know there is a big difference between the quality of ammunition made for Browning MGs and commercial .45acp down at the LGS. Only time will tell how the Boberg does with commonly available ammunition. My original comment about the Boberg was made because the Boberg is the only .45acp semiautomatic pistol I know of that could possibly yank a primed and powdered case right off a bullet during the feed cycle. The Boberg is not the only semiautomatic pistol to pull rather than push ammunition from the magazine. Let us hope it is a more viable and commercially successful design than the Gabbet-Fairfax Mars pistol.

"45ACP Luger. Best .45ACP pistol that has intrigued many people but many more people would not choose as a self-defense pistol instead of a M1911?"
I think if 45ACP Lugers had gotten on the American commercial market in time, there'd be a whole lot more of them (and subsequent copies) than 9mm/30cal models, and they would have their own rabid cult following by now (hey, if it works for Lahti pistols and SAA's...)

I agree, but if that had happened the mystique surrounding the so rare .45acp Luger would have never existed to intrigue so many people and end up as a plot device to elaborate on the wealth of the Gordon Gecko character in the movie Wall Street.

"M53. Best .45ACP pistol that unfortunate circumstances prevented from having sufficient opportunity to challenge the supremacy of the M1911? Remington I hope you are listening."
45ACP fits in the R51's magazine lips, and I think it has less bolt thrust than 9mm +P. There is lots of extra room for a larger diameter bore, barrel, and spring inside the slide. The fixed barrel design means that there are fewer expensive critical tolerances like locking lugs for a barrel replacement. If Remington had a brain (they do not) they would have rolled out 9mm, 40S&W, and 45ACP offerings off the bat, and offered promises of 38super and even 10mm in later steel-framed or reinforced deluxe versions.

We can only hope Remington will get their act together on the R51. I will buy a R51 one in a New York minute if they do.

 

[Armor Snail]

CZ97
Pardini GT45
S&W 625
HK45
Dan Wesson Valor

 

[Cee Zee]

It's reliable and accurate, but P220s with the stamped slides are definitely not among the most durable .45 pistols

The torture tests I've seen of the P220 prove that pistol is incredibly durable. I've never seen any other torture test that came close to what I saw the Sig go through. From being dropped from a helicopter onto concrete to being shot with another pistol and having the gun still fire after that and far more (including being exposed to a hand grenade blast) I can't imagine a gun being more durable. Stamped parts don't equate with less durability. Neither does the presence of alloys. Steel is not the only strong material in the universe.

You can read the report of the torture test on this page but the pictures are gone. It's an old test and the only place it's available is on the Internet Archive. But just reading the text will give you plenty of insight into just how durable those guns are.

https://web.archive.org/web/20070623194602/http://www.americanhandgunner.com/Lasermax.html

 

[Jaymo]

That is impressive, indeed.

 

[el Godfather]

Mk 23 is at the top: fire any hot round through it or even the hot .45 Super all day long.
Sig Sauer 220 Elite for their grip and SRT
Colt 1911 for being the first and possibly best platform profile wise for .45 (I have DW, but any top brand)
Glock 30 for size and capacity it the best

There is no #5

 

[jjones45]

Well this is really tough to only choose 5 but here goes.

1. 1911 (the granddaddy of 45's)
2. Hk MK 23 (a beast of a pistol that can take a beating, real life go to war pistol)
3. Sig p220 (what sigs were designed to be)
4. Glock 21 (great track record, total utilitarian pistol)
5. Cz 97/FNX 45/Hk45 (pick one)

 

[Saleen322]

1-3. 1911 X 3
4. 625 S&W
5. Sig P220 Match Elite. Only list it last because of the bad trigger but it makes the list as it is very accurate.

 

[Dframe]

Colt 1911 pattern
Colt new service
S&W model 25 variants

 

[agtman]

The torture tests I've seen of the P220 prove that pistol is incredibly durable. I've never seen any other torture test that came close to what I saw the Sig go through. From being dropped from a helicopter onto concrete to being shot with another pistol and having the gun still fire after that and far more (including being exposed to a hand grenade blast) I can't imagine a gun being more durable. * * *

Well, on the DA/SA .45 platform, the Sig 220 is a fine pistol (I have a pre-Wall tear-down model, i.e., made in "W.Germany.") But it isn't more durable than the all-steel tanks of S&W's 3rd Gen. 45XX-series line. Arguably, the downside of these Smith 45s was they were heavier than the Sig and their triggers were never as smooth.

S&W 4566

 

[agent109]

I would say the Glock 21, 41 and 36 pistols are the best .45 caliber guns that I have ever shot.

 

[Reinz]

Baer
Nighthawk
Brown
Wilson
Clark

Switch em in any order you please.

The reason I did not include Customs such as Heine, Morris, Vickers, etc, is that they are basically unobtainable or tough to get.

 

[jamal28]

Agtman.... i like that s&w 4566 its beautiful. And ur correct the s&w 3rd gen .45's are the definition when it comes to durable .45 auto... the sig 220 is right with it. Both set the standard for all other da/sa .45 cal handguns.

 

[burk]

You could almost have a separate list of top shelf 1911's, but the reality is anything above a Dan Wesson Valor or maybe the Colt M45A1 is basically a custom gun. To me it's not fair to include true custom guns. And if you can't make a good gun for $2000 plus you should find another business.

Also I'm not interested in competition guns, I'm interested in good SD accuracy, reliability, and value. So here's my list

1) Colt M45A1 1911
2) Dan Wesson Valor/Specialist 1911
3) HK45/45c
4) Glock 21/30S
5) FNX 45/45T

All of these guns are guns I would feel fine going to war with, without a lot of break-in, or modification. While S & W M&P45 is a fine gun, I've owned two and had some QC issues with the finish on both, plus the trigger is fair at best, same with the HK USP's (triggers not finish). The XD is a good gun, and probably the best gun I left off the list. They've never fit me good, and I always have nagging doubts because of their lack of acceptance in LE. The Sig 220 has had reliability issues off and on, and I don't feel it's their best offering, plus I'm not a huge fan of DA/SA.

My personal choice is the Glock, and I carried 1911's for years. But cost, and the combination of great support and availability of aftermarket upgrades put me squarely in the Glock fan boy squad.

 

[Tallball]

1911
Ruger single action with 45acp cylinder

The rest

 

[george burns]

How about the best one is the one you have on you.

 

[HKGuns]

Quite a few crappy lists in this thread. The best one is the one you shoot best.

 

[jamal28]

Ok lets leave the competition style guns off the list... im thinking more along the lines of self defense pistol and a duty or service pistol. And not a custom 1911 made for target shooting.

 

[Elkins45]

1911 of course, but only if you stop at Commander length guns. The design didn't translate well to compacts.

Sig P220--my personal favorite

Glock 30--if you can hide it, it's a great gun

S&W 3rd generation, either full-size or compact as you prefer---it's essentially the same gun.

I'm not quite sure what to put here in 5th place: maybe the Para Ordinance LDA???

The OP specified pistols, so that excludes the great S&W N-frame revolvers.

 

[Float Pilot]

I carried 3 West German Sig P-220s over a 20 years period as duty side-arms.

They were all great for reliability and accuracy. They did become less accurate over time because I fired them every week and the frames took a battering.
( Firearms instructor which a huge ammo allotment )

While I do like a nice 1911 style pistol, I think the Sig 220 is a better all around carry gun. At least for my hands.