User Panel
Ruger, S&W, Springfield, Desert Eagle, Bull Armory and Kimber.
I think they all make a aluminum frame model in both 5" and 4.25. |
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Quoted: Can someone please clarify this for me? Why the reference to sexual preference when looking at the issue of whether someone utilizes a light on their gun?? Thanks View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I regularly carry a Colt Competition in .45 that I got for under 8 bills not long ago. But it doesn't have a rail because I like females, so there's that. Can someone please clarify this for me? Why the reference to sexual preference when looking at the issue of whether someone utilizes a light on their gun?? Thanks Really? He’s saying he thinks the rails on 1911s are gay. |
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I carried a 1911 for many years. Springfield full-sized LW model with a bunch of parts swapped out for tool steel. It's sitting about 10' from me as I type this.
Is it reliable? Yes, absolutely. Would I ever - knowing what I know now about modern hollowpoint terminal performance and things like that - start over and go back down that road? Oh heavens no. A proper 1911 is a thing of beauty to carry, hold, and shoot, but costs 4x what a perfectly functional polymer 9mm costs, holds half the ammo, and gives no significant advantage in terminal performance. And even if you start with a under-$500 "Just as Good" 1911 clone and spend some money trying different magazines and running a ton of ammo through it to be certain it's reliable and you're reasonably certain no parts are gonna break......you still end up with a greater initial investment than a 9mm polymer gun that'll run reliably out of the box, you don't save any money, and you still have a low ammo capacity. *shrug* |
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Quoted: I carried a 1911 for many years. Springfield full-sized LW model with a bunch of parts swapped out for tool steel. It's sitting about 10' from me as I type this. Is it reliable? Yes, absolutely. Would I ever - knowing what I know now about modern hollowpoint terminal performance and things like that - start over and go back down that road? Oh heavens no. A proper 1911 is a thing of beauty to carry, hold, and shoot, but costs 4x what a perfectly functional polymer 9mm costs, holds half the ammo, and gives no significant advantage in terminal performance. And even if you start with a under-$500 "Just as Good" 1911 clone and spend some money trying different magazines and running a ton of ammo through it to be certain it's reliable and you're reasonably certain no parts are gonna break......you still end up with a greater initial investment than a 9mm polymer gun that'll run reliably out of the box, you don't save any money, and you still have a low ammo capacity. *shrug* View Quote I've never had a deer shoulder stop a .45 |
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Quoted: I've never shot a deer in self defense so I can't help you there. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I've never had a deer shoulder stop a .45 I've never shot a deer in self defense so I can't help you there. Do you think a bullet acts differently in self defense vs hunting? |
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Quoted: Do you think a bullet acts differently in self defense vs hunting? View Quote My point is that I see no reason to engage in anecdotal caliber arguments where you offered no context to even allow me to identify the exact argument you're making. Proper modern 9mm hollowpoints behave similarly to proper modern .45 hollowpoints. This is well-documented truth. If you want to argue otherwise, I won't play, because it's pointless. |
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I carried light weight Colt Commanders for years and loved them (still do) but I recently started carrying a Colt Defender and I'm enamored with it.
Light weight and easy to carry OWB and it's dead nuts reliable as well. The recoil is surprisingly light and feels about the same as a Commander sized pistol or perhaps a bit less. I can only guess that the dual recoil spring is the reason for this. They can be had for under a thousand at various places but they do sell out quick when Colt produces a run of them. Colt Defender .45 acp $899.99 |
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I’d recommend a Colt of some sort or a Springfield TRP (go up like $300 on your price).
I owned a Colt Commander 9mm and carried it for a while and it was ridiculously easy to shoot and reliable. My TRP has had maybe 1 bobble with a new magazine (which sucks) but it’s had like 7-800 rounds through it now and no other issues, including lots of 230gr HST. Carry the TRP every so often, usually in R. Grizzle leather with a suit. Going to send it out soon to get it cut for an RDS. Edit- I have not had luck with the Wilson ETM mags. My TRP hates the one l have for some reason, so I highly recommend Wilson 47Ds. I am going to test some other mags (Checkmate, Mecgar, CMC) in it as well, but my 47Ds have been flawless from day 1. |
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I carry a Girsan Officer’s model or a Ruger SR1911 Commander in 9mm.
The Girsan is under 500 and the commander is around 6-700. Both have never had a single malfunction. |
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Quoted: No experience with 4.25" so can't say. View Quote I have carried all 3 types, Commander, Officer’s and full size. By far the most comfortable is the Officer’s model, it is shorter barrel and slide, and shorter grip, so it conceals better. The Commander size is next, especially a lightweight commander, same grip and frame as a full sized 1911, but a little shorter barrel. |
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Quoted: I have carried all 3 types, Commander, Officer’s and full size. By far the most comfortable is the Officer’s model, it is shorter barrel and slide, and shorter grip, so it conceals better. The Commander size is next, especially a lightweight commander, same grip and frame, but a little shorter barrel. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: No experience with 4.25" so can't say. I have carried all 3 types, Commander, Officer’s and full size. By far the most comfortable is the Officer’s model, it is shorter barrel and slide, and shorter grip, so it conceals better. The Commander size is next, especially a lightweight commander, same grip and frame, but a little shorter barrel. Albeit the Commander has the same grip length as gov mgl. |
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Quoted: Yeah? They seem really well liked but between a SA and a Turkish made gun, I would and have gone with SA. Plus if I ever wanted to get rid of it, I'm guessing a SA would hold it's value. Just thinking out loud at this point. Thanks for sharing! View Quote My wife has an EMP, pre Ronin. It shoots factory loads fine, but it won’t shoot my reloads. I think the primers are too deep for the finicky, expensive gun. I can take the shells that the EMP doesn’t shoot, load them into my Ruger and they go bang every time. It is a known issue with the EMP, but the new Ronin hopefully fixed it. Don’t discount Turkish guns over American guns. There are tons and tons of good reviews on Turkish Tina’s, and there are quite a few reviews that don’t give SA as a good of marks. |
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Quoted: Yeah? They seem really well liked but between a SA and a Turkish made gun, I would and have gone with SA. Plus if I ever wanted to get rid of it, I'm guessing a SA would hold it's value. Just thinking out loud at this point. Thanks for sharing! View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Tisas. Bought a few of them because of their price point and they’ve actually turned out to be really nice shooters. Yeah? They seem really well liked but between a SA and a Turkish made gun, I would and have gone with SA. Plus if I ever wanted to get rid of it, I'm guessing a SA would hold it's value. Just thinking out loud at this point. Thanks for sharing! I had problems with a stainless SA Garrison that I bought new. It had a failure to eject after the third round was fired. The slide jammed the fired case's mouth against the left side of the breech. This happened repeatedly until the slide jammed, half closed. I was using S&B red/green box 230 gr hardball ammo. I had to smack the muzzle against the bench to get the slide to close. When I field stripped it, I discovered that the underside of the slide was caked with brass that had been scraped off of the rounds in the mag. The "rib" on the underside of the slide had a three-digit number on it that appeared to be from a forging die. After I filed that off, the SA functioned reliably. I replaced the MIM slide stop, barrel bushing, and recoil spring plunger tube with Wilson Combat parts. I replaced the thin grip panels with a Pachmayr Signature grip. Now my SA Garrison is a nice range gun, but I don't regard SA pistols as Top Tier. IMO, a top tier defensive weapon will function reliably right out of the box. Glock's G23 is my favorite compact pistol. If I had to choose a "Commander" for CC, it would probably be a Sig, Colt or S&W. After cleaning and oiling, I would take it and 200 rounds to the range for a reliability check. |
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Quoted: My point is that I see no reason to engage in anecdotal caliber arguments where you offered no context to even allow me to identify the exact argument you're making. Proper modern 9mm hollowpoints behave similarly to proper modern .45 hollowpoints. This is well-documented truth. If you want to argue otherwise, I won't play, because it's pointless. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Do you think a bullet acts differently in self defense vs hunting? My point is that I see no reason to engage in anecdotal caliber arguments where you offered no context to even allow me to identify the exact argument you're making. Proper modern 9mm hollowpoints behave similarly to proper modern .45 hollowpoints. This is well-documented truth. If you want to argue otherwise, I won't play, because it's pointless. " gives no significant advantage in terminal performance" This is not true and there is zero documented truth to this. The 9mm works good and is cheaper, and is easier for new students to Qual, and causes less breakages on cheaper guns creating a perfect storm of perfect for use by agencies buying large amounts of guns/ammo/parts etc On the internet the above has been twisted into the 9mm is equal to everything else regarding terminal performance. It just not true. "As you increase bullet size and mass from 9 mm/357 Sig, to .40 S&W, to .45 ACP, more tissue is crushed, resulting in a larger permanent cavity. In addition, the larger bullets often offer better performance through intermediate barriers." - DocGKR |
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I had a colt defender back in the day that was flawless. Light for the time and being a 1911.
It was pricey at $700 almost 20 years ago though. I think they are going for more now. |
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Quoted: " gives no significant advantage in terminal performance" This is not true and there is zero documented truth to this. The 9mm works good and is cheaper, and is easier for new students to Qual, and causes less breakages on cheaper guns creating a perfect storm of perfect for use by agencies buying large amounts of guns/ammo/parts etc On the internet the above has been twisted into the 9mm is equal to everything else regarding terminal performance. It just not true. "As you increase bullet size and mass from 9 mm/357 Sig, to .40 S&W, to .45 ACP, more tissue is crushed, resulting in a larger permanent cavity. In addition, the larger bullets often offer better performance through intermediate barriers." - DocGKR View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Do you think a bullet acts differently in self defense vs hunting? My point is that I see no reason to engage in anecdotal caliber arguments where you offered no context to even allow me to identify the exact argument you're making. Proper modern 9mm hollowpoints behave similarly to proper modern .45 hollowpoints. This is well-documented truth. If you want to argue otherwise, I won't play, because it's pointless. " gives no significant advantage in terminal performance" This is not true and there is zero documented truth to this. The 9mm works good and is cheaper, and is easier for new students to Qual, and causes less breakages on cheaper guns creating a perfect storm of perfect for use by agencies buying large amounts of guns/ammo/parts etc On the internet the above has been twisted into the 9mm is equal to everything else regarding terminal performance. It just not true. "As you increase bullet size and mass from 9 mm/357 Sig, to .40 S&W, to .45 ACP, more tissue is crushed, resulting in a larger permanent cavity. In addition, the larger bullets often offer better performance through intermediate barriers." - DocGKR Agree, @03RN. Sure, a 9mm hollowpoint might behave just like a .45 in expansion because the design is optimized for a particular velocity. That does NOT mean terminal effects are the same - and they're not. I've tested 147gr 9mm HST and 230gr .45 Auto HST personally and the difference in frontal area of expanded slugs is significant. In .45 they open up just shy of an inch. Since handgun rounds don't cause hydrostatic shock, you want big holes. 9mm not expanded: 0.0989 square inches .45 not expanded: 0.1597 square inches 9mm expanded: 0.33 square inches approximately, from my testing .45 expanded: 0.71 square inches In other words, the .45 auto HST expands to approximately 215% of the size of a 147gr 9mm HST. 8+1 of .45 auto expanded: 6.39 square inches 15+1 of 9mm expanded: 5.28 square inches Now, obviously 9mm splits will be a little quicker and the expanded slug doesnt make a hole that size all the way through, but number dont lie. The expansion numbers here are from my testing, not from lucky gunner or anyone else's numbers. If you want to complain that my teats are invalid or whatever, go ahead, I do not care. I'm not going to get into methodologies because I did the tests for myself - not to make money or for any other reason. Someone will come along to say "oh but 9mm is so much easier to shoot I'll shoot them more times and faster and blah blah blah..." Attached File Is capacity important? Sure, it is helpful. Is 8+1 of .45 Auto all of the sudden a limp dick, "okay boomer" carry because most 9mms have greater capacity? Hardly. If you shoot something well and it is chambered in a good defensive cartridge then carry on with confidence. This trend of 9mm being the ultimate carry round "because the ammo tech has gotten so much better" and pretending that no other calibers benefit from the same technological advances is stupid at best. |
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Leaning toward Tisas Stingray. Under $415 shipped from Grab A Gun.
9 vs 45? I have probably 2-3 dozen 9mm guns. I have 2 45's. For a 1911 I might carry...thoughts on caliber? Thanks! |
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I've carried a 938 for years. One of them has a couple thousand round through it. Most of that Gold Dot or Underwood XPS rounds. The other is too new for that many miles.
If you can bring yourself to part with another couple hundo or buy used. They have been reliable and accurate for me. |
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Quoted: I carry a Tisas 4.25 stingray carry 45, bobtail, alum frame, nice trigger, undercut trigger, no rail. It is noticeably lighter than a colt 5 inch. https://palmettostatearmory.com/sds-imports-1911-stingray-carry-45-acp-4-25-8-1rds-dark-gray-cerakote-10100103.html View Quote Tisas has what you need. This one if you’re dead set on .45 SS. But that check out the Turkatto DS 9mm. Less than a grand, and if it gets great reviews? It shall be mine. |
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Quoted: Leaning toward Tisas Stingray. Under $415 shipped from Grab A Gun. 9 vs 45? I have probably 2-3 dozen 9mm guns. I have 2 45's. For a 1911 I might carry...thoughts on caliber? Thanks! View Quote I was hardcore anti-9mm in a 1911 until I fired one. 9mm for everyday carry. But start building your collection so you have a choice. WE have 2 officer’s models, one in 45 one in 9mm 2 Commanders in 9mm 4 full size in 45, and one in .22 lr |
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I own three Tisas. I don’t carry them but they have all been reliable and I wouldn’t hesitate to carry one if I needed to.
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Quoted: I have carried all 3 types, Commander, Officer’s and full size. By far the most comfortable is the Officer’s model, it is shorter barrel and slide, and shorter grip, so it conceals better. The Commander size is next, especially a lightweight commander, same grip and frame as a full sized 1911, but a little shorter barrel. View Quote Colt made a CCO version (commander slide on a officer frame). Rock Island has one as well, around $530 something on gundeals. |
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Quoted: Oh look, more proof that GD is getting dumber. Great. Couple of hundred is not even a proper break in for a 1911. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Lol, 1k seems like it's meme worthy. A couple hundred will tell you all you need to know. Couple of hundred is not even a proper break in for a 1911. A properly built 1911 shouldn't need a break in |
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View Quote I want one, but I can't stand the bobbed grip... :( |
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Quoted: A properly built 1911 shouldn't need a break in View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Lol, 1k seems like it's meme worthy. A couple hundred will tell you all you need to know. Couple of hundred is not even a proper break in for a 1911. A properly built 1911 shouldn't need a break in |
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I'm pretty set on a 9mm Stingray at this point. While it might disturb some here, it's a toss up between this and then either the P365/Hellcat. Or might get both and use the polymer frame in the pocket and the Stingray on the hip.
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View Quote Did you swap out the sights/trigger/controls on that or is that how it came? If so....why? Thanks! |
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Under 1K:
I have 3 Colt Competitions, all 3 perfect out of the box My Ruger SR1911 (full sized, stainless, .45) Has been perfect since I got it when they first came out. I think I only paid $610. My Springfield Garrison in 9mm is a fantastic pistol but like EVERY SPRINGFIELD I HAVE EVER BOUGHT it had to go back to make it run right. To thier credit, customer service is always excellent, turnaround is very fast, and it now runs like a top. I would (and do) carry any of the above. |
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Quoted: Did you swap out the sights/trigger/controls on that or is that how it came? If so....why? Thanks! View Quote Yes I had a bunch of parts swapped for Wilson Combat bullet proof parts. I didn't really need to, I went kind of overboard. It was a good pistol when I got it now it's an awesome pistol. |
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Quoted: Yes I had a bunch of parts swapped for Wilson Combat bullet proof parts. I didn't really need to, I went kind of overboard. It was a good pistol when I got it now it's an awesome pistol. View Quote That's what they are called....bullet proof parts? Or is that just how you see them. Only thing I have Wilson is the mag in my SA Mil-Spec. Do the Wilson parts drop in or need machining/fitting? Do they make the gun noticeably smoother? Thanks |
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I've carried them all
-Government -Commander -CCO (Commander slide on Officer frame) -Defender I prefer the Defender- lightweight, accurate, reliable. More accurate than any little gun has a right to be! Someone posted a Colt Defender in .45 with night sights for $899- that is a bargain these days. During the pandemic they were going for $1200 and up. |
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Quoted: My first vote for a carry gun would be a $350 CZ P-10C, but you want ancient, heavy crap for some reason. Stick with a 4-5" gun, the little 1911s tend to suck for reliability. As far as reasonable offerings, I'm pretty impressed with Tisas for the money, Springfield Ronin is also a good deal. Once you buy it, get some good mags (Wilson or CMC Powermags) and shoot it, a lot. Run a shitload of your chosen carry ammo through it before trusting it. View Quote @anesvick Or Checkmate mags. |
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