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I am wondering if anyone has recently switched from carrying a 45ACP to a 40 cal?
And if it was difficult to leave the 45 behind for 40.
I have been a 45 acp guy for 40 yrs and recently due to some hip problems from carrying 3 lbs of steel around has just caught up to me.
So I was looking into a glock 23 in 40 cal for carry.
But it's like 45 is an old friend. Sounds kind a weird I know but how can you trust a 40 cal when you have trusted a 45 for for a life time?
There are many .45s out there that are not 1911s.
Take a look at a Hk45Compact, if offers the same capacity in a smaller, lighter package that still allows for Cocked and Locked carry.
Of course there's always the Smith & Wesson M&P45 compact and Glock30 that are both smaller and lighter than a 1911 with the same or more capacity. The M&P can also be had with the thumb safety if that is a feature you'd like to retain.
As for the caliber end of things. There's nothing a .45 can do that a .40 can't and that's true the other way around too.
Neither will do the job better than the other but I do find that I like the way .45s shoot better than .40s.
No need to change Caliber, just get a Plastic Fantastic. I carry M&P45's which are not much heavier than an M&P40 (24.2 vs 27 ounces). Either M&P will be lighter than your 1911 and with a little trigger work via Apex parts will shoot very nicely.
A Glock 23 will be 2 or 3 oz. lighter but it doesn't agree with my hand. YMMV.
I am getting up in age myself and find the 45 recoil to be easier on my wrists than 40 in equal weight guns.
Edit: I forgot to mention, I switched from M&P40 to M&P45 because of my wrists. The M&P45C has become my favorite and EDC.
I was just cking out the sig p220 combat comes in about 14 to 16 oz's lighter than what i carry
now. I like the trigger 3.9 lbs SA and 8.8 lbs DA.
Belongs to a friend that used to carry 1911's.
I'm taking it to the range tomorrow. I have sigs now but they are all stainless steel so come inat about 42 oz's. Great shooting guns just getting heavy these days.
Also got a family member with an HK coming along to ck that out.
Well just got back from the range, I think I am going to need to stay with a 45 cal for a carry gun.
I am sort of looking at a commander size 1911 with a lighter alloy frame or a sig
p220 compact or one with an alloy frame.
These with come in lighter then what I have been carrying.
Also maybe a different way of carrying will help.
I have always carried owb well yesterday I had the opportunity to try a Remora holster boy does that take the weight off makes the gun fell a lot lighter.
Anyone have experience with those holsters? Clipless IWB holsters (Remora).
I have sixteen pistols, eleven 45's, three 40's, a 9mm, and a 380, so I guess my preference is showing. Five of the 45's are 1911's and the others are a SIG, a Kahr, two HK's and two 3rd gen S&W's. The 40's are two Kahrs and an HK USP. The 9mm and 380 are pocket guns for hot weather when I can't cover a belt holster. All except for two 1911's have been problem free and those two are now fixed. Oddly enough, my favorite carry pistol is almost my cheapest, a Kahr CW45.
I guess I need to ask, with all the light weight 45's around, why are you dropping back to a 40. My 45's range from seventeen to thirty-two ozs, the lightest being the Kahr CW45 and the heaviest a Detonics CM 1911 at 32 ozs. The rest are from 22 to 30 ozs empty, and all are far from three pounds when fully loaded.
The only reason I was thinking of dropping to 40 cal is to get smaller lighter with a higher cap.Quote:
Originally Posted by Viper
However the higher cap doesn't mean much and the smaller package I am finding doesn't feel natural in my hands so I am now leaning towards another sig other than stainless steel and maybe a commander size 1911 tat way I will be right at home. I'm not real fond of striker fired pistol any way.
If you go with an aluminum 1911,make sure you only use plastic followers or a captured design I believe McCormic has,a steel follower will doink up your feedramp.It's not generally something that will hinder feeding if light,but it will bug you if it happens.
I like HK so a compact would be my choice since it has alot of 1911 influence.I've never handled an M&P so I can't go there.The XD doesn't feel right to me,and I hate Glock for a few reasons.Sticks me with an HK but it was my first choice when I broke down to try plastic anyway.They have always been top shelf,so unless FN or the M&P can dethrone them I don't see going elsewhere.They aren't expensive like everyone complains about,you have to pay for quality in anything,and a good 1911 costs more.
Good luck in the hunt,try everything you can to see what fits.Oh,the 40 is just a loud and snappy 45 to me so I see no need to change.For a civilian I figure 8 rounds and a spare in my Commander is plenty,or go to the HK for 12.If I need more than that the pistol is not the primary gun any more.
Eight years ago after cancer treatments i was fighting with the Colt1911 at the range. I figured it was just from being out of shape.(the weight of the firearm) So i went to my XD40S&W it was a little eraser for me to handle for some reason. Now i just up graded to a G29 and love it. At least i did not give up. Can't be a fighter with out fighting at times.
I'm glad things worked out for you. I have to agree I like 10mm it's a great rd. SO is the 29 your carry now?Quote:
Originally Posted by AK_Maine_Iac
I have a colt delta elite really enjoy that gun do carry that once in awhile.
Thank you... Yes the G29 is my main carry now.Quote:
Originally Posted by jassie
I don't often carry a .45 for concealed carry.
But when I do it's my Sig P220 Compact
http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/IMG_1619.jpg
This is an amazingly accurate gun.
I never carry a .40 - I own some, but do not care for the round .
:smt1099
Quote:
Originally Posted by dondavis3
I wonder if you can still order those? They are a discontinued model. But they are the perfect size gun for carry. And the weight is really sweet. I shot one just last week that a friend has. the same one as your's.
It is really a sweet gun.
@ jassie
I don't know about new, but you can pretty easily find them at gun shows.
I bought mine used from a LGS and it was SA only and all black
http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/IMG_1590.jpg
I had my gun smith convert it to DA/SA (which I prefer) and bead blasted the slide.
:smt1099