Need some advice:Looking to buy my first .45

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larry earl

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I've finally decided to buy my 1st .45ACP and i need some help. I'm a S&W freak (686-4,Model 29, 3904, and a .38 M&P hand-ejector/4th change) but i'm kinda torn right now between a Kimber Super Carry and a Colt Defender/New agent) -- can any of you .45 pro's out there let me know if there's a Smith out there that i'd be more happy with? ...as always, thanks a lot for your help. (P.S., i'm looking for a carry-gun with a 4" barrel at most).
 
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If you like the 3904 than you will probably like the 457. The great advantage of the 457 is that it is relatively light and conceals very easily. It is also very reliable. I prefer it to my Colt Series 70 that I have owned for 30+ years.

The 457/457S guns are no longer being manufactured but they are readily available used at very good prices considering how useful they are.

Bill

larry earl said:
I've finally decided to buy my 1st .45ACP and i need some help. I'm a S&W freak (686-4,Model 29, 3904, and a .38 M&P hand-ejector/4th change) but i'm kinda torn right now between a Kimber Super Carry and a Colt Defender/New agent) -- can any of you .45 pro's out there let me know if there's a Smith out there that i'd be more happy with? ...as always, thanks a lot for your help. (P.S., i'm looking for a carry-gun with a 4" barrel at most).
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The 457 has a lot going for it as a carry gun. It is accurate, reliable, inexpesive, and safe. I have one for carry. The DA 1st shot is no problem once you get used to it. I have been waiting for a cs45 for show up at gun shows, I think it is also a good choice.
 
Don't forget the 4516 if you want an all stainless gun. It has the same dimensions as the 457 but has a SS frame instead of aluminum. I love mine but will be shopping for a 457 in a couple of months for lighter carry. I think it saves around 8 ounces over the 4516.
 
The 457 is a nice gun.
The SIG P220 is also a nice gun with cheaper police trades to be had. I carry mine on occasion.
The Kimbers look good, shoot good out of the box, but have severe durability issues. And besides, it's a 1911.
 
The Smith 457 should be available with the same trigger system as your 3904, with about the same number of rounds per magazine. Ditto for the 4516 series. Reliability should be great.

The 1911's seem to work best with the original design 5" barrels. The short (less than 4" to 4 1/2") barrels apparently run into space problems with the room needed to feed and eject rounds. The short barrel 1911's can be setup properly, it just takes work. And remember - people have been CCWing 5" 1911's for generations. A great pistol, but not for everyone.

But no one handgun is for everyone, regardless of what some bureacrats say.
 
Ok, there will be everyone that owns a .45 will have a different opinion and their opinions will be honestly based on the .45 they own, even though it may well be the only .45 they ever owned or shot.

The final decision should be yours based on many things and one of those ought to be the way it shoots. Not many places will have guns that you want to compare available for shooting.

Here is my opinion and I have owned hundreds of hanguns, dozens of .45 cal guns and still own a few 1911 in .45acp.

My opinion is buy the gun that best suits your needs for that gun. A daily carry gun will be different from the one that has all the bells and whistles that you only use at the range and both guns will be different from the safe queen that only gets shown off.

Personally, after shooting many guns in .45 over the years, I fell in love with the S&W1911 full size. Since buying it and shooting it, I have bought another one like it and two of my three friends that have shot it also ordered them one as well. But what I came to love may not suit your needs at all.
 
larry earl said:
I've finally decided to buy my 1st .45ACP and i need some help. I'm a S&W freak (686-4,Model 29, 3904, and a .38 M&P hand-ejector/4th change) but i'm kinda torn right now between a Kimber Super Carry and a Colt Defender/New agent) -- can any of you .45 pro's out there let me know if there's a Smith out there that i'd be more happy with? ...as always, thanks a lot for your help. (P.S., i'm looking for a carry-gun with a 4" barrel at most).
Click to expand...

To answer the question accurately.... 1, you're looking for a S&W and 2, you want a 4" barrel or smaller and lastly you want something that compares to the Kimber super carry or Colt new agent... Ok that bring 3 guns to mind.. 1, a S&W 1911 Pro series sub compact, comes with a 3" barrel and bad to the bone, 7+1 for the shorter grip, better to conseal. 2, S&W 1911PD or ES, comes in various models and options with a scadmium frame for lighter weight with a 4.25" barrel also bad to the bone and 8+1 with the standard grip. The 1911ES comes with the shorter 7+1 grip I suggest these 2 because I just spent the last couple months looking for what you are looking for.. did my research and this is what I came up with, I've shot them all and all I can say is Wow!! Carried my 1911SC, (older version of the PD) yesterday, it was sweet.. was awsome in my new Desantis holster. Both of these guns can be had for under $1,000...

Ok... bet you are wondering what the 3rd guns is.... :) I bought this one before the 1911 Pro sub-compact became legal in Mass... yep, I live in Mass, home of S&W 10 minutes from my house.. I saw the Pro, but it wasn't legal in mass yet, then one day at S&W shooting range and store, I saw the Performance Center 945 with a 3" barrel.. took it out of the case and held it... it was like having xxx for the first time.. had to have it, the price tag was steep but I bought it.. love the gun. A week later the Pro series 3" became legal $800 cheaper... but that's ok, I'll get that Pro someday, but for now.... I get to choose between my SC and 945.. when I want to carry a 1911.. one more thing, the 945 is not exactly a 1911, but to the novice, would think it is. It is S&W's performance gun.. hope this helps.
 
Thank you!

Thanks to everybody for your advice and information -- i knew i could count on you guys in the S&W forum. I'll let you all know what i finally get after I do a little searching around.
 
Everyone probably will suggest what they have - like I'm gonna do. I have and like VERY MUCH their CS45. I can even pocket carry it in a few of my pants (just a few). I have it on Uncle Mike Soft size 15 IWB on right side now - about 2:30 position. Wearing a somewhat calm "tourist" looking short sleeve shirt.

VERY accurate. Last shoot session I was amazed at it's performance at the 17 yard line.
 
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I just bought the 1911 Pro Series and really like it. I have only taken it to the range two times and during the second outing hit a 4" plate at 20 yards with all seven shots. I was not shooting rapid fire but also did not allow the plate to stop swinging before I fired the next shots. My Novak front night site is on order and I like the gun enough that I am going to buy another one next week. Hope this helps.
 
My pro series sub-compact had a little problem with the grip safety and feeding Gold Dots..Trip back to the factory cured that right up ..Great pistol that I am sure you will enjoy..Just waiting on my rosewood grips now
 
There have been some good suggestions made here. I also wanted to mention that you should take a look at the S & W M & P 45C .45 ACP. S & W got this handgun right. I have several of the M & P 45's and I am extremely pleased with them.
 
RABULL said:
There have been some good suggestions made here. I also wanted to mention that you should take a look at the S & W M & P 45C .45 ACP. S & W got this handgun right. I have several of the M & P 45's and I am extremely pleased with them.
Click to expand...

Ditto on that... I also have the M&P45.... really a great, flawless gun!!
 
I am surprised no one has mentioned the 4566TSW. They have a 4", or is it a 4.25" barrel. Pretty accurate, very reliable, easy to shoot. Available on the used market in near new condition for around $400-450, these were pretty expensive guns when they were current production. I bought one recently and have almost come to prefer it to my Kimber Pro Carry. Just something else to ponder.
 
The Rabbi said:
The 457 is a nice gun.
The SIG P220 is also a nice gun with cheaper police trades to be had. I carry mine on occasion.
The Kimbers look good, shoot good out of the box, but have severe durability issues. And besides, it's a 1911.
Click to expand...

The Kimbers have no durability issues, much less severe ones.
The Tacoma, WA PD uses the Pro Carry and the LA PD SWAT just switched over to Kimber. There are many more LE org.s using the Kimber as the issue weapon. I have thousands of rounds through the 3 that I own and have NEVER had an issue, even with the Ultra Carry (my edc gun for 3 yrs now).
I will say that Kimber's black finish wears relatively quickly when holstered every day. The stainless wears exceptionally well.
The compact M&P is a fantastic weapon & I have one in .40. 10 rounds, a decent trigger, and superior accuracy, plus the after market support is great. The .45 compact really isn't compact and I do not carry my M&P because it so thick. If you truly do carry a handgun everyday the size will become a concern. My 4513TSW is thinner than the M&P. The 1911 style guns are generally noticeably thinner than the polymer guns and again the after market is phenomenal for 1911 pattern guns.
 
My vote is the 4513. The PC version, Shorty 45, if you can find one. The TSW is fine as well.

Perfect size, reliable, durable and accurate. Great trigger. Well built pistol with very nice fit and finish.

Personally, I've no use for Kimbers or the "M&P". Had three Kimbers, won't have any more. Unreliable in my experience, with any mag or ammo used.

Shot enough "M&P" pistols to know I'm unimpressed with them. Won't be buying any of those either. My 0.02 Regards 18DAI.
 
This one:



I agree with 18DAI. Everything he says about the piece is true. The first eight shots fired with mine went into a group that hid completley behind a quarter. At twenty yards. Yet it will feed an empty case from the mag every time.

They ain't easy to find that's true too. But worth it. There is no other pistol that does what that one can.


Cat
 
The only thing no one, including me, has mentioned is that you need to buy the gun that fits your hand best. All of our hands are different in size. There are many quality guns on the market. You need to find the one that fits your; hand width, finger length, finger strength, and pitch of your palm properly. If the gun fits your hand properly, when you punch it away from you, towards the target, the slide should basically be parallel with the top of your forearm. The front site should also impede the target, without having to adjust or look for it.
Please keep in mind, I am not trying to offend anyone, as I also made a recommendation, without asking the above mentioned questions, in an earlier post.
When I or any of my instructors buy a new gun or consult others during their search we always follow the criteria mentioned above. Find a high quality gun that fits your hand width, finger length, finger strength, and pitch of your palm. Hope this helps.

Scott Jens
Check Six Training LLC
Home_Page
C.H.P.D. (ret.)
 
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