Best .45 handgun for the price(vanity)

[Eagle Eye]

I have the P-14 LDA, but I sure would like to have one of the smaller, more suitable for carry models.

[wcbtinman]

Colt 1991 A-1. Classic, reliable, repairable, lots of parts around to modify at your leisure. Fairly accurate too.

Look for the deal, and you can get one under $350.

[Centurion2000]

I've heard those are actually pretty good.

[wcbtinman]

BTW, the 1991 and all of the 1911 style pistols were designed around 230 grain ball ammo. In spite of all of the exotic hollow point stuff available, Clint Smith at Thunder Ranch still recommends good ole 230 grain ball ammo.

I've fed thousands of rounds through 1991's, and I've never had a jam or a stovepipe with 230 ball ammo. I have had some feed problems with some of the exotic stuff.

[Intimidator]

thanks for the input folks, I think I'm off the .45 now and more on the .357 revolver. I want my wife to be able to use it and it should require much less training plus she'll be able to use .38 to start out with. Such a difficult decision this is.

[xp38]

This 30 ounce little cannon?

[Eagle Eye]

357. snubbies can be quite intimidating. Lots of boom and recoil, hard to hit even at 15 yards.

My wife with small hands likes my model 10 .38 sp better than the model 19 .357 even when shooting .38 sp. She hates my .45's.

You might look at Ruger GP 100's in a 4" .357. Should be comfortable for either set of hands, they're reliable, shoot well, and inexpensive.

(all opinions are mine, and mine alone, hell, who else would claim them?)

[Vinnie_Vidi_Vici]

If you don't mind a DAO you might try and find a Sig Mauser M@ in .45. I bought mine for $395 and I love it. It got bad reviews at first because of it's rotating barrel locking mechanism was thought to be prone to jams, it is NOT 500+ rounds flawlessly so far.

Don't leave home without it!

[Fletcher J]

Their website is www.cdnninvestments.com

A good site - I always check here for mags, etc.

[wcbtinman]

If Ruger 357's are your desire may I suggest that you look at the GP-100, and the SP-100 for your wife. Shoots 38 or 357, and out of the box has the smoothest action I've seen at anything like a reasonable price.

[wcbtinman]

Sorry, make that the SP-101.

[MichaelP]

Ruger KP 97, accurate, duable, light: around $350

Mike

[CCWoody]

Ahh, so you like the DAO version. I actually considered a glock .45, but decided that I wasn't really a fan of the DAO trigger. That and the dealers were a wee bit to proud of them at the time, if you know what I mean. The only problem I think that I would have with the P-14 would be the extra inch in the barrel. I carry mine in a shortcut holster outside the pants and I'm not sure if my shirts would be long enough to keep the barrel from sticking out. Plus, when sitting down, I would imagine that the barrel would be to long to be completely comfortable.

I do hear guys tell me that they like the IWB holster for full sized 1911s.

[Eagle Eye]

Yes! Don't let your wife catch you alone looking at a Para catalogue once. Rather embarrassing. It is easier to explain if it is the Blue Presshttp://dillonprecision.com/default.cfm or EAA calendar http://www.eaacorp.com/flash/low.html.

[Eagle Eye]

The trigger on the LDA is more like a tuned revolver, not like every other DA or DAO that I've tried. Even the improvements on the Taurus Millineum leave it with a very stiff, long trigger. With the LDA, just pull through, and it's responsive enough for double taps.

[CCWoody]

Don't rule out the .44 mag. I had one and I was able to handload rounds that didn't jar your teeth, but were perfect for CCW. No overpenetration, but great expansion. My wife had no problem shooting them. Of course, being a guy, I also had to load up some rounds that would send a 2' cone of flame out the barrel as well, just so the young guys at the range could marvel at my cannon.

Keep in mind that a light gun is great to carry, but harder to control in a tense moment. My wife learned to shoot with a ladies .357 mag and neither of us like to shoot that gun anymore. Talk about a horrible recoil magnified by the ladies grip. Yikes!

[Shooter 2.5]

Right.

I'm fond of saying that John Moses Browning gave me the gun, Colonel Jeff Cooper taught me how to shoot it and Mike Dillon allows me to shoot it a lot.

I should add that Suzanna Hupp[The brave lady from the Lubby's Cafeteria massacre] gave me the chance to carry it with a license. One more step toward freedom.

[CCWoody]

So many guns....
so little time.

My current trend has been in the purchase of replica cap & balls. Nothing stops a firing line better than 2 or 3 guys with .44 cap & balls filling the range with smoke. hehe!

[OXENinFLA]

I have a Ruger P90DC. But just bought a Turaus .38 special very nice for $350.00 to Carry.

[Eagle Eye]

My most recent adventure hasn't been with handguns but with a couple of relic Moisin-Nagant 7.62x54R rifles that I bought at $80 for the pair. Stripped, cleaned, and reassmbled, they both shoot OK, especially for the price. Gotta admit, I was kinda skeered firing that first round of a hunnert year old rifle and trying not to picture what that bolt would look like if it didn't hold firing that big round.

However, I'll not spend a weekend shooting 500 rounds out of them!