.45 ACP: What is it good for? Absolutely nothing?

[scotthickoryky]

i like my 45s especially my new shield 2.0,,,, same weight as my 9mm shield 2,0 even though its 2 rds less,,,, i like shooting the 45 with my loads since i load them very mildly

 

[ezrider9]

With ball ammo true, 45 all day. With good jhp vs 45 ball, 9mm all day. I love the 45acp, more for the 1911 than the caliber but with ball ammo only, a clear winner. The issue is most of us that ccw wont carry something as large & heavy as a 1911. One of my fav is still my 1911PD, light, slim, 8+1 w/ a spare mag, good jhp, probably doesn't get much better. Though I will place faster, better hits with my G26 & 10+1 is a bonus.

Why would one carry ball when JHP is available. Now compare 9vs.45. At the minimum the .45 makes a big hole. The current crop of .45 guns will all handle JHP. There is no need to carry full size 1911. The 1911 design comes in two smaller sizes. If I remember correctly PareOrdance made large capacity pistols. Once you leave the 1911 there are lighter designs.

 

[AJ]

Hardball has better penetration than JHP.
Paraord P-14 was a full sized M1911 design, just had a wider frame.
Yes, there are smaller designs. but they usually come with more recoil.

 

[dogdoc]

It’s simple, Real Americans use 45s. Kinda like baseball and apple pie.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Why FMJ ?
Live in NJ , or other jurisdictions that restrict HP .
Dual purpose if potentially dealing with large critters, but still reasonably effective for human felons .

Or as default peace of mind . If you use 9x19 , your ammo has to reliably expand to have the effectiveness you expect/ require . With .45acp even off brand/ on sale/ new to market w/o track record yet/ etc JHP will still be at least as good as Ball .

The above won't be persuasive to convert a dedicated 9x19 true believer , but hopefully show that the discussion of .45acp Ball isn't total silliness .

 

[Echo40]

I still can't believe that New Jersey continues to uphold a law which bans the use of hollow point ammunition because apparently it's just too dangerous, unlike FMJ which will almost certainly over-penetrate in any caliber, potentially resulting in collateral damage which is a worst case scenario could result in the death of innocent bystanders in an otherwise legally justifiable case of self-defense.

Oh, but I suppose that if NJ Lawmakers were aware of that then they'd just ban FMJ as well, leaving civilians with the "safer" option of using Shotshells loaded with Flechettes and Dragon's Breath for self-defense.

Fortunately, the development of new bullet designs such as the Polycase/Ruger ARX Inceptor and Lehigh/Underwood Extreme Defender seem to replicate the performance of JHP ammo with a solid projectile, so unless NJ lawmakers decide to ban FMJ as well, those bullets remain an option for citizens of New Jersey.

 

[NAM68]

45 ACP Round

I agree with just about everything I read from everyone so,I really did'nt have to type much. I Only load 45 Acp.

 

[V0OBWxZS16]

Why FMJ ?
Or as default peace of mind . If you use 9x19 , your ammo has to reliably expand to have the effectiveness you expect/ require . With .45acp even off brand/ on sale/ new to market w/o track record yet/ etc JHP will still be at least as good as Ball.

I require effectiveness equal to the phaser from Star Trek or the Zat gun from Stargate SG1.

Since even I don't believe that 9mm, with or without JHP, is capable of that performance I must cede the crown of Ultimate 9mm Fanboy to you.

Fortunately, the development of new bullet designs such as the Polycase/Ruger ARX Inceptor and Lehigh/Underwood Extreme Defender seem to replicate the performance of JHP ammo with a solid projectile, so unless NJ lawmakers decide to ban FMJ as well, those bullets remain an option for citizens of New Jersey.

Devel, THV, ARX, LeHigh, etc. bullets do not replicate the performance of quality JHP.

 

[Biggfoot44]

I've never been accused of that before

Added - For the record , the full power 125gr .357mag id the absolute ultimate period . All the rest of the debate id arguing over second place

Brief bit of humor aside , the best loads in let's say .357, the other .357, 10mm, .45acp are close enough to " as good as can be expected from any handgun " , that any incremental differences between them is far less important than a dozen other factors m

The middling loads in the above named cals , plus the top loads in the other popular duty/ defensive cals down to .38 +P( but NOT .380 ) , are reasonably adaquate for intended purposes , and the incremental differences within that tier are less important than a buncha other factors .

 

[rwsmith]

Then there's......

"Sometimes big, fat, and slow is just what you need." Not sure who said that.

Then there is hope for me.

 

[686-380]

The dismissed safety factor

Where it shines? Suppressing...

If I ever purchase a .45 caliber pistol, you better believe it'll have a threaded barrel.

The main reason why I acquired my "silencer" is due to several old hands on this forum cautioning about discharging a .357 magnum in the home.

.45 is THE indigineous subsonic caliber, just begging to be suppressed.

 

[RoninPhx]

one of these things that cosistently amaze me.
i just got in some 9mm ranger T ammo in 147grain.
it's running about 950fps with that projectile, 9mm being .355 in diameter.

Now lets see,
i can load a similar weight bullet at .357 at approximately the same velocity in a 38special.
So, the new military m17 is really with the 147 gr bullet a 21 round 38special balistically.
9mm has new bullets which make it more efficient so does the .45.
that's assuming that jacketed hollow point doens't plug up.
a 45fmj isn't going to plug up, it's already plugged.
Everything being equal a 9mm handgun will hold more rounds, easier to shoot and penetrate better than a 45, but there is still a good reason why a lot of professionals prefer to use a 45. It's like a exfriend of mine telling me a 45.70 is an obsolete round. Yeah, right.

 

[ladder13]

The venerable .45ACP has long been called "America's cartridge". Cool, right?

There you go, the main advantage of the .45ACP.

Hey, I'm a longtime .45ACP shooter. I still own 9 pistols chambered in .45ACP, and I only own 10 pistols combined chambered in 9 & .40.

I carried a couple issued .45's on-duty over the years, but also carried issued 9's and .40's, and more of them over the years since I carried an issued revolver.

I like my .45's. A lot. Always have.

I own a Blackhawk Convertible with .45ACP & .45Colt cylinders. (I prefer shooting it with the .45Colt cylinder, as the .45Colt has a lot more potential for loadings, going back to my handloader days.) Shooting the Blackhawk with the ACP cylinder seems a little anticlimactic, by comparison.

The .45ACP's recoil is more of a slower push and mild muzzle whip, but it's more than many shooters care to shoot, especially trying to control it in rapid fire situations. Newtonian physics wins out in such things.

The pistols made for .45ACP can become a bit less tolerant of both shooter and ammunition influences the smaller they become, too. This can cause some frustration for some shooters when it leads to an increased potential for some types of functioning issues.

The older a .45ACP shooter may become, the more annoying or painful the .45's heavier (albeit slower dwell time) recoil may become, especially if repetitive stress injuries like "tennis elbow" may be involved, or even arthritis. It's not exactly uncommon for aging heavy caliber revolver and pistol shooters to discover they can shoot 9's more easily and with less aggravation and pain. I've heard my fair share of longtime .45ACP aficionados acknowledge they've changed over to shooting more 9's than their beloved .45's because of the reduced recoil and lessened pain.

Hey, some enthusiasts just like to look at the chunky fat .45ACP bullets and think they "look effective". (I kid you not.)

As far as the increased momentum of the mighty .45ACP slapping small steel plates or bowling pins off a table? Uh, walk up and gently slap one of them with the palm of your hand and watch them fly off the table even faster and farther. People may indeed fall down for some gunshot wounds, but not because of "knock down power".

I like .45's, but I don't carry them quite as often anymore. Why? Because they're generally larger, thicker and heavier than my 9's, .40's or .38SPL's, and sometimes that matters to me as I go about my various activities.

Suit yourself.

Oh yeah, when the .45ACP became an option for the guys and gals to carry at my former agency, it was chosen by close to 70% of the people (the other option was initially, .40, and then 9mm was added back into the mix).

Once those guys and gals started having to shoot and qualify with the .45's, a line started forming of people wanting to trade the .45's for lighter recoiling and more easily controllable calibers. The demand for 9's started to increase ... even among some of the longtime instructor staff who were .45ACP enthusiasts and shooters. Why? Because the 9's were lighter and a bit thinner on the belt, easier and faster to control in shot strings and they could carry more rounds for the same number of magazines. As a piece of LE safety/work equipment (meaning duty weapon), the 9 has some nice attributes.

Fastbolt, ever the voice of reason on this forum.

 

[wetdog1911]

For me, the .45ACP is kinda like a Harley.

Slow...Loud...proud ... and ALL AMERICAN!

Got my first 1911 at age 13 (Jr NRA and DCM), in 1962 and I've had at least one ever since. I'll be 71 in a few weeks.

Wet

 

[dogdoc]

Bigger hole is always better than smaller.
Baseball, apple pie, and 1911 45s. Enough said

 

[cfreger]

I think .45 ACP and 9mm each have their place; the odd man out is the .40 S&W. Check the recent price drops in pistols chambered in .40 cal to see what I mean.

 

[Echo40]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, .40 S&W pistols aren't any cheaper/less popular in my State, so I can only presume that either local law enforcement is still using .40 S&W or citizens in my state are less sheepish.

Honestly, I wish that .40 S&W were unpopular here because I would love to have a chance to snag a cheap .40cal pistol, but unfortunately they cost just as much as their 9mm Luger counterparts and once you factor in Shipping/Transfer Fees, shopping online for out-of-state deals on .40s is completely pointless since I'd pay just as much to buy one locally.

In fact, just for the heck of it, I looked up the prices of brand new M&P pistols on Bud's, cheapest M&P9 was $415, cheapest M&P40 was $411. Outstanding savings right there, a whole $4.

 

[n c rod]

45 acp what is it good for ?

# 1 Peace of mind , why .45. because there's no 46. Capacities have changed so those who want can spray and pray.45 acp is inherently accurate even with some bulk ammunition. I rarely shoot bulk ammunition in self defense pistols, it's just too important. I find the defense load the pistol likes and purchase case quantities to practice with what I carry. It's not cost effective but the people I keep secure are worth it. Federal HST and HydroShock shoot well in most all my 45acp's I have been fortunate to have taken multiple hunting trips to Africa and learned quite a bit of terminal ballistics from some of the finest Professional Hunters. Most all are believers in heavy for caliber bullets which I equate to "stopping power" They even call these guns "stopping guns" Many fireside stories refer to these rifles ability to stop the threat of an adrenaline charged big game animal. .45acp. " What is it good for?" Stopping the threat!!

 

[mauserfan]

I believe it's good for the M45-A1. Gosh...I wonder why Colt was commissioned to develop this arm?.......Darrel

 

[rich5674]

My Simmple 2c

with my one simple Colt Series 70, by changing a couple parts I can do everything from punching holes with powder puff loads, plenty of commercial personal defense loads. With 45 Super or 45 SMC loads I could take deer at my usual hunting distance (under 50yds). I live in 10 round capacity state so capacity is not a problem. Simply does everything I need a pistol to do