I have had a Firestar 45acp for at least 15 years. It was my carry gun for a long time & has seen quite a few rounds down the range to boot. Only had a few stovepipe jams, probably from a loose grip - nothing mechanical. Growr is correct in his observation that their weigh makes them manageable. I can confirm that even for a short barrel & frame 45acp, it is quite an easy pistol to shoot. It took a little getting used to the trigger though, as it is hinged and not a straight pull like a 1911 design. Accuracy was as good as I could stand, probably better than I can shoot anyway. Mine is blue finish & it has held up quite well for a daily carry piece. I finally retired it from carry when my wife presented me with a Sig P239 in 357Sig. A couple of years ago I replaced the Sig with a Kimber Pro Carry II 45acp.