Any one of the numerous 1911's I own. Recoil is very different from person to person. What I feel has little recoil, other feel differently and vice versa. If I am not shooting my 1911's, the Sig P220 I own is also a nice shooting gun.

Smith & Wesson 4506 in stainless. Recoil about the same as a Colt Gov't model. I don't notice it too much because I cut my handgun teeth on .357 revolvers.

When it comes to a 45 ACP the only weapon that will do for me is a 1911. I have a few to choose from with my Gov. Frame Springfield being the favorite. It's the one I've had the longest and it's still my favorite. Holding that Springer is like picking up an old friend.

I'm kinda partial to my XD45c. Feels great, recoil is easily managed, 10+1 rounds for carry/13+1 for fun. I also have the Taurus 1911, fun to shoot, but, I'm more accurate with the XD (I think it has to do with those dern Heinie sights).

+1 for the XD.45c
I love it with the pierce grip extension on the 10 round magazine.

HK45 - I shoot it better than a 1911, for some reason. Recoil is not bad either.

S&W 4566, recoil about the same as a 40 S&W 4006 (managable) and just feels so much better to me than any of the 1911 variants, all stainless steel construction and durable as an M1 Abriams. But it is a personal preference issue.

Springfield double stack (13+1), had a trigger job done (3.5lbs), never leave home without it.

I have so many favorite .45 ACP pistols that I couldn't possibly answer your question about "which?".
The .45 recoils strongly, but not sharply. I have always found its soft-feeling recoil to be more manageable than any other self-defense cartridge, 9mm and .38 Special included. All you need to do is hang onto the gun as tightly as you can, and exercise some follow-through.

On second thought, I choose a slightly-modified M1911A1 as my favorite, closely followed by the AMT .45 Backup.

I have a Springfield Loaded Champion (Commander-sized 1911 clone) and an XD45, and I have owned a Kahr P-45. They are all great guns. The Champion is my favorite because it's pretty, feels very good in my hand, and may be slightly more accurate than the XD, due to having a match barrel and a couple other minor refinements.

But the XD is my go-to gun...the one I would pick up if I knew trouble was coming and I couldn't run away. It is absolutely reliable with any ammo, more accurate than I can really shoot, in normal circumstances, and holds 13+1. It is not beautiful, but it is a workhorse, and after a couple thousand rounds, it has a very sweet trigger.

The Kahr was a great gun, too, but I swapped it because the Champion was almost as easy to conceal, and much easier to shoot accurately.

.45 ACP is a great self-defense caliber because it packs a very serious punch, without beating the shooter up or putting undue strain on the gun. I can fire hundreds of rounds of .45, without feeling any more fatigued than I would after shooting a few hundred 9mm. It has more of a gentle push for a recoil, rather than the sharper muzzle flip that is common to high pressure chamberings.

SIG P220 ELite - no better 45 outta the box! No tweaking, break inperiod, spring change, mag problems, feed problems!

The badboy eats what daddy makes him eat and spits out the left-overs!

S&W 4506. Big, heavy, still fits my smallish hands, (so far) feeds any brand of ammo without jamming, can still be found in great condition at a very reasonable price. I paid $370 for mine a few months ago. I like it better than my Commander. Recoil is not a problem.

Glock 21, the best 45ACP I have used to date, no problem with recoil unless I up the powder to far!! Had no problems with it, takes any ammo and easy to clean.

I would say my fav .45 has to be the 1911, although there is no shortage of .45's, and I could easily list 10 that I would recommend to a friend. I also like HK's, Ruger P345, Beretta PX4, the list could go all day.

I, too, have a Champion ( loaded ) and a XD-45 4 ". A FNP-45 4 1/2" also. The work I've done and had done on my Champion has made it into the gun I knew it could be: RELIABLE, FAST, and ACCURATE.
Although it is a bit heavier than the XD, and felt recoil is a bit more noticeable, I carry the Champion.
The XD and FNP take turns sitting next to me, on the night-stand with light and laser on rail, at night.

Since I own only one...my favorite is my Springfiels XD45 tactical. 100% reliable, eats anything I feed it, and the recoil is very managable. But my favorite .45 that I have shot has been my friends Wilson 1911, boy is that a sweet shooting gun! Now all I need is 2 grand!

Favorite .45 cal ACP?

Well, there's really only one "ACP", and it just so happens to be my favorite.

When I get my XDM45 that will be my favorite, however, at present I really like my Llama 1911 look-a-like.

A S&W 4506 was my duty gun, with a S&W 6906 (9mm) as my off duty gun, so I know my S&W the best and really like it.

But Last year I bought a Kimber Pro DCP II with a Crimson Tide Laser sight and BOOM it was love at 1st shot.

I don't know if I like the Kimber the best or the laser sight the best - togeather they are wonderful.

I have two 1911's that I am very found of:

A. S&W-PD for carry.
B. Kimber Team Match II for the range.

Both are excllent shooters and have failed me.

Ed Brown - special Forces 1911

Originally Posted by beretta-neo

Ed Brown - special Forces 1911

I don't have a favorite .45 ACP- yet, still too inexperienced, but that's a sweet pistol

Baldy

Do you mean that both guns have never failed you?

My Beretta Cougar 8045F. It has a rotating barrel so it's very smooth for me to shoot.