Which Striker Fired .45acp??

[Redcoat3340]

So I've got a couple of .45s: a nice 1911, 4 S&Ws and a Sig 220. Thinking about a striker-fired .45 but I'm wondering which one. I don't want to spend the national debt. Had a .45 Shield, but that was for concealed carry and I replaced it with a Smith CS45 and 4513TSW.

I know about M&P and PPQ, but what else is out there? Opinions/suggestions are encouraged.

 

[Plan2Live]

On a budget? Hi Point's gotcha covered.

 

[TarDevil]

Springfield XDM, Ruger American, Glock. CZ P10, coming soon.
Your two mentions would be my favorites.

 

[Tallball]

My full-sized S&W M&P is a very good pistol, my favorite striker-fired 45acp, and they are not expensive.

It's just an old police trade-in, but it's sure a good shooter.

Smith and Wesson M&P 45acp

• Tallball
• Dec 10, 2018

 

[5-SHOTS]

There are some options new or used:
Glock 21 and some other models
Springfield Armory XD and XDm
Ruger American Pistol
Ruger SR45
some polymer Kahr
S&W99 .45 (unicorn)
Mauser M2 .45 (unicorn)
some used Taurus (can't remember the models name)
Hi Point

 

[Spats McGee]

Purpose?

Here's the one I have:

 

[Lennyjoe]

I have an older XD-45 4” service model and it will never leave my arsenal. It’s my favorite striker fired .45. Extremely accurate, reliable and great to carry.

 

[tomrkba]

I do not know if your S&W pistols are M2.0 version or older guns. Their Gen 3 guns are quite good but are no longer supported.

The Glock 21.4 is an excellent gun that is a baseplate shorter than the 1911. It shoots well and you can install a KKM barrel to increase its accuracy. If you want a more compact gun, the Glock 30 is as tall as the Glock 19 (and slightly shorter with a 9 round magazine) and is extremely accurate out of the box.

I have a S&W M&P 45 FS M2.0. It has a 4.6” barrel and a 4” version is available. It is quite good and is the same size as the Glock 21. The difference is that its capacity is only 10+1 and the grip texture is terrible. I dislike the trigger as the slide jumps when it releases. This requires some serious attention to a tight grip to mitigate. It can be fixed by a gunsmith. Then again, you can save the $75 shipping cost each way and just get a Glock.

I have a P320 45 Compact. It is between the G21 and G30 in size with nine round magazines. I like it but they are nearly impossible to find for sale. Accuracy is average.

The P220 is a fine gun. An easy answer is to skip the striker fired guns and just get another P220 but the Legion version or an Elite. You will be well served by these guns.

Glock 21.4 in a Milt Sparks Criterion and spare mag in a Milt Sparks S4C holder.

 

[chicharrones]

I have a Glock 36. Most folks that want a Glock in .45 ACP get a bigger Glock.

 

[redcon1]

So I've got a couple of .45s: a nice 1911, 4 S&Ws and a Sig 220. Thinking about a striker-fired .45 but I'm wondering which one. I don't want to spend the national debt. Had a .45 Shield, but that was for concealed carry and I replaced it with a Smith CS45 and 4513TSW.

I know about M&P and PPQ, but what else is out there? Opinions/suggestions are encouraged.

Glock 21. If it feels too big in the hand, there's the Glock 21 SF. It ain't sexy but it is reliable AF and very accurate and you can easily modify it to shoot 45 super or 460 Rowland if you get bored.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

All my 45's are hammer fired. If i would go for a striker fired. Probably a SW. If Canik came out with one it would be my 1sr choice.

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend is deep into XDs. His XDm .45 is good, I can only imagine if it were a 5.25 like his 9mm.

 

[Devonai]

M&P .45 full-size would be my first choice.

 

[1KPerDay]

M&P or PPQ IMO

 

[Reinz]

For my medium hands, the M&P and XD fit the hand much better than the Glock I used to have.

I have never seen a PPQ in the wild, but if I Do, I’m sure I’ll be sold on it.

 

[Bazoo]

I’ve not had or tried a lot of the guns mentioned. But I’ve held a glock 21 and the trigger reach is too much for me. I might have fired one but I can’t recall now.

I have however fired an XD 45. It was very nice in the trigger reach department for me. A friend has it. It’s reliable and accurate. It also has a reputation for not working with semi wad cutter ammo. However, that’s not a dealbreaker for most folks.

 

[butcherman1966]

I will throw in Kahr. Mine is reliable and accurate and not expensive. Another plus is that 1911 mags work in it. Mine is CW45..

 

[Lennyjoe]

Had a CW45 but eventually let it go. Have plenty of Glocks but none in .45 ACP yet. Do have an FNX 45 Tactical but it’s not striker fired. Only PPQ M2’s I have are in 9MM and .40 as the .45 just felt too big for me.

For the OP, what’s your favorite manufacturer and see if they offer striker fired options. If not, go shoot a few at the local range and see what suites your desires.

 

[Zerodefect]

Glock 41.

 

[BreechFace]

The Ruger SR45 are some of the thinnest double stacks. One to consider.

 

[jmr40]

It was an impulse buy, but a few years ago I ran across a deal too good to pass up on a used 1st gen Smith M&P in 45. This is one with the safety. I'd heard that the APEX replacement trigger was a game changer. And I got the gun cheap enough to justify the expense of the trigger.

What a difference. The trigger rivals my 1911's and I shoot the pistol just as accurately. The grip is a little thicker, but with the new trigger combined with the safety I basically have a 10+1 Commander size plastic 1911 that is a little lighter than a steel 1911. If you're used to a 1911 this is a great option.

I'm not opposed to Glock type striker fired guns with no safety. But once the trigger is changed out to be as light as this one I think it is better to have a safety. And since I'm very familiar with 1911's it is not a handicap to me.

 

[JR24]

If it’s gotta have a striker, it’s gotta be a Glock 21 in my book.

but my favorite .45s have hammers.

 

[lee n. field]

So I've got a couple of .45s: a nice 1911, 4 S&Ws and a Sig 220. Thinking about a striker-fired .45 but I'm wondering which one. I don't want to spend the national debt. Had a .45 Shield, but that was for concealed carry and I replaced it with a Smith CS45 and 4513TSW.

I know about M&P and PPQ, but what else is out there? Opinions/suggestions are encouraged.

If you don't want to just "get a Glock...", for CCW, the XDS is worth a look. (Mine has a quite nice trigger. YMMV.)

Also somewhat off the beaten track these days, Kahr.

 

[zaitcev]

So I've got a couple of .45s: a nice 1911, 4 S&Ws and a Sig 220. ... Had a .45 Shield, ...
I know about M&P and PPQ, but what else is out there?

My experience with Springfield XDm was quite positive. It does have some issues, in particular magazines only last a 1000 rounds each. Springs rub against the insides of the magazines and wear flat spots. But it was a nicely shooting gun otherwise, for a striker-fired pistol.

P.S. My experience with Kahr P45 was a dumpster fire.

 

[Old Dog]

Yeah, I'd go with the M&P-45 (having once been issued the first gen). Although I have a couple SIG P-320s, I've never handled or shot one in .45 ACP, so to be fair, my second choice would be the XDm.

None of the Glock .45s can match the ergonomics of the M&P, especially the 2.0. If I'd ever even handled one of the Walther offerings in .45, I'd have an opinion on them, but I did like the one in 9mm I shot a mag through.