Need new 45 ACP Recommendations

[Formidilosus]

This project is finally elevating on my to do list. Any reason not to get a dan wesson valor?

No. DW’s are generally very solid guns.

 

[Steel Rain]

Does an FNX .45 Tactical fit your requirements?

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Through the course of this thread and additional learning I've decided a 1911 is a better option for me.

 

[TradLife406]

I love my FN FNX45 tac. I swapped the spring out and run Supers through it for griz. Joel Turner had me shooting it out to 200 yards and getting hits on a pumpkin sized rock last spring.


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[ResearchinStuff]

That's very impressive

 

[Thegman]

I love my FN FNX45 tac. I swapped the spring out and run Supers through it for griz. Joel Turner had me shooting it out to 200 yards and getting hits on a pumpkin sized rock last spring.


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What's your take on the safety that can also act as a decocker? I had an HK USP 45 for a short time for running 45 Super. It didn't seem to happen, but I had concerns the safety could be depressed too far and decock the pistol, especially coming from shooting a 1911. I assume one just doesn't run the safety the same way one can run a 1911 safety...(?). I didn't seem to be able to shoot the HK as easily as a 1911 so I didn't have it very long and haven't messed with that kind of safety since then.

 

[RockAndSage]

What's your take on the safety that can also act as a decocker? I had an HK USP 45 for a short time for running 45 Super. It didn't seem to happen, but I had concerns the safety could be depressed too far and decock the pistol, especially coming from shooting a 1911. I assume one just doesn't run the safety the same way one can run a 1911 safety...(?). I didn't seem to be able to shoot the HK as easily as a 1911 so I didn't have it very long and haven't messed with that kind of safety since then.

I personally had this problem back in the 1990s, when I first evaluated the USP as an EDC gun to replace the high-cap 1911s I just couldn't get sufficiently stone-cold reliable for EDC use. With 1911 manipulation being so deeply ingrained, I thought I'd carry a USP cocked and locked, 1911 style. And every damn time I drew, the muscle-memory had me decocking the hammer. That experience alone was enough for me to laugh any time I've heard the BS internet-meme of people saying "you'll forget to drop the safety on your 1911 in combat!!!". It's just not true, if you've actually trained on 1911s.

Rather than training myself out of that though, I decided to carry hammer-down. But general experience with USPs in that carry mode ended up causing me to go with Sigs instead. Specifically the 229. Nothing wrong with USPs, but the classic P-series Sigs were just a much better fit for me, especially with the 229's footprint, and substantially better triggers.

All that said, the 1990s were a long time ago. I still love my .45s, and haven't sold off my .40 S&Ws. But you couldn't pay me to carry them instead of a high-cap 9mm with modern HP ammo - the tradeoffs just aren't worth it. The older guns and bigger calibers are still entirely viable - but not as viable, or as optimal anymore. And with the advances in machining and design, the reliability of the better high-cap 1911s in 9mm seems just about optimal for getting work done as quickly and dependably as possible.

 

[johnw3474]

Obviously not, but I wouldn't carry a bolt action inside a full containment holster either. Plus pistols have other safety options, like beavertails.

Any 1911s specifically that I should consider?

I have a Kimber Custom II that was my FILs. I already had one 1911 that was my grandfathers. Always liked shooting it but due to how much that gun represents my grand father I rarely leave the house with it. I kinda figured my 1911 needs were covered though. I would have never bought that Kimber for the usual reasons people say they don't like 1911s (heavy , only holds 7, all the safetys, etc.), but I absolutely love that gun. I now am one of these guys that doesn't like the "toy" (plastic) guns. Its fun to shoot, extremely accurate, reliable. You mentioned church carry... l and am considering getting one of the carry sizes to wear with a shoulder harness at church. The full size one is just a little too big and shows under a sports coat for me. You don't have to use the thumb safety, but in any event it is in a very easy place to get use to. I would at least find one to shoot before you rule it out.

 

[RockAndSage]

So right after sandy hook/before deployment, I stockpiled a significant amount (~10k rounds) of 45 auto ammo and components, plus a couple XD45s, since it was unclear whether that stuff would be legal when I returned, I didn't know better, and it was available. flash forward to now, and I still have about 1k rounds loaded and components for another 8k. I've beent trying unsuccessfully to find a buyer for the components, and can't stand the thought of continuing to shoot the XDs another 9k rounds, so I'm starting to shop for a new pistol as a contingency. The main purpose of this pistol will be target shooting/skills development, church security, and maybe some local USPSA matches.

Criteria, in priority order:
45 acp
DA/SA, or DAO - from what I can tell, this basically cuts the list to sig, HK, and FN
factory optics cut - HK drops out
Eligibility for at least one USPSA class other than open, ideally USPSA carry optics legal - nothing left, the optics cut sig P220 Legion and FNX 45 tactical aren't on the USPSA production list

Is there something out there that I'm missing that hits the above criteria?
Are there any striker fired 45s with decent triggers (IMO, glock and xd triggers blow)?
I know there are a gajillion 1911 clones and derivatives, do any of those get you away from the cocked and on-safe in the holster situation? I've never carried a pistol with a side safety, and am very disinclined to start doing so.

Thanks for the help

In looking closely at this original post from a year and a half ago...the current USPSA production list looks ancient. And extremely limiting - there are a lot of "production" guns not on there, especially with the most recent guns coming from the factory with optics cuts.

Someone above mentioned the FNX-45, and that probably is one of the better options with optics cuts, if you want high-cap mags.

I'm currently not aware of a production high-cap 1911 in .45 that is reliable for EDC use, and has an optics cut. @Formidilosus, are you?

The only one that might fit that bill would be the Kimber 2K11 in .45, but it's definitely not on the USPSA production guns list.

 

[Speaks]

I would for sure go 1911. I have a sig 220 and while I like it there is no reason to take it over your XDs.

 

[Formidilosus]

I'm currently not aware of a production high-cap 1911 in .45 that is reliable for EDC use, and has an optics cut. @Formidilosus, are you?

No. But I haven’t really looked either. If there are, it would probably be Bul or Tisas.

The only one that might fit that bill would be the Kimber 2K11 in .45, but it's definitely not on the USPSA production guns list.

Yeah no. 1911’s/2011’s are specifically not allowed in Production or Carry Optics.

 

[RockAndSage]

1911’s/2011’s are specifically not allowed in Production or Carry Optics

That really does say a lot, that it creates enough of some sort of unfair advantage that they're banned. WTF.