Grip comparison 645 vs 1911

[SmithMarine]

I have several 1911s and carried them on and off duty. My department was one of the very first to issue the 645 and I carried it every day for years and shot it a lot. It was very accurate and dependable and after thousands of rounds never once jammed failed to fire. That being said, when they went to glocks we were allowed to buy them and I passed. It is a heavier gun than the 1911. I am 6'4" and have real large hands. The grip is bigger, longer and the angle just never felt quite right. carries more rounds but you don't get something for nothing. If you are at your upper limit with the 1911, then you will never carry the full size 645 concealed, it will be a safe queen. I continued to carry the 1911 off duty and still do regular with CCW now after retiring. The smaller folk in the department had a hell of a time carrying it in the cruiser even with a sturdy duty holster, it rides up cause of length digging in the seat. Forget off-duty unless you like suspenders. I had none of those problems cause I'm and was glad to have it because our previous issue gun was a Model 15 with 38+P in a 125gr JSP.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

OP,

I would advise you to be very cautious concerning the 645. I have found it to be usable in my medium-to-small hands, but it is NOT as small as a 1911.

Great gun, BTW, but you probably shouldn't buy one without getting your hands on one first.

P.S. If it does fit and you do get one, you may need to Loctite the Phillips screw on the safety.

 

[ca survivor]

645 grip area is bigger wider, longer front to back, that a 1911

 

[josywales]

Agreed on the 645 grip being bigger. Do we think that the 645 and 4506 are bigger because S&W planned for the 10mm? It's a shame their frames and grips are bigger than the 1911. Folks might say, if you want a 1911, then get one. I have a few. But the S&W are sleeker looking in certain ways and their function is different. The CZ97 is very accurate and sleek as well, but again probably built for a 10mm. Am I wrong on that?

 

[dakota1911]

One thing is 1911s can be all over the map given different grips, grip safeties, mainspring housings, and triggers. Now there is also the rounded grip like S&W and SIG use. Below the PC Center Commander on the bottom has a different feel compared to the Colt Wiley Clapp Commander.



Also there is the bobbed frame which I think was started by Brown. Here on a DW Commander.

 

[Laketime]

I had a first year 645 back in the day.The problem I noticed with the grip was that it made the gun sit too high in the hand.The 1911 has a superior grip over the 645.Pachmeyers help the 645 a lot to fill the hand better,but you still have to get use to the unnatural high bore axis.Yet there might be some shooters who may not care about this at all.