I rented a .45 at a local gun shop and tried it out on their indoor range yesterday. WOW! The wife and I both shot it accurately and recoil was far less than what we expected. We took her Beretta Cheetah .380 and my Beretta 92FS to shoot and compare recoil to the .45. We were both pleasantly surprised. I'm sure now that I'm going to buy the Stoeger Cougar 8045 as I have the 8000F 9mm, the pistol fits me perfectly, and the .45 is $449 at Bass Pro Shop. By the way the .45 we rented was a Nighthawk but I don't remember the model for sure but I think it was a Talon II. The gun shop personnel told me the pistol sells new for around $2500.00. WOW!
Shot my first .45 yesterday!
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JTQ
Member
SSN Vet
Member
and you loved it didn't ya?
That would be about par for the course.
Too bad the 1911 is such an obsolete and unreliable platform. You'll have to leave them all for the nostalgic old dottards like me.
oasis618
Member
Man, my local range sure doesn't have any Nighthawks to rent! Now Glocks that have never been maintained in any way...that they can do.
possum
Member
congrats, the first time is sometimes the best times, and the most memorable. yeah the nighthawks are nice, and i actually saw one run a whole training course without failing, that was impressive for a 1911.
rd2007
Member
chalk up another one for the people that thought a .45 was too much gun.
If I didn't have the Mosquito and G19, my 1911 would be my wife's favorite and she can't stand the little ones.
If I didn't have the Mosquito and G19, my 1911 would be my wife's favorite and she can't stand the little ones.
Fishslayer
Member
.45ACP recoil is overrated, IMO. I shot both the 1911 & M9 in the military. When it was time for my own it was a no brainer.
In a stock 1911 with military ammo, yeah, the .45's a handful. In a hefty framed KP90 or something similar with commercial or even some of my fairly stout handloads, not so bad.
I've never fired a Glock but the big grip looks like it would distribute the force pretty well.
In a stock 1911 with military ammo, yeah, the .45's a handful. In a hefty framed KP90 or something similar with commercial or even some of my fairly stout handloads, not so bad.
I've never fired a Glock but the big grip looks like it would distribute the force pretty well.
DeepSouth
Random Guy
I have shot more 45's than I could possibly ever remember, I am an official 45 "fan boy." I have never shot one that I thought had bad recoil, I honestly don't know where the misconception comes from. My current carry piece is a PM45, it weighs 21oz fully loaded (17 empty) and I have shot it 225+ rounds in a day before, then had to stop and go to work, they just ain't that bad.
Glad you liked it, they are a ton of fun.
Glad you liked it, they are a ton of fun.
Big Boomer
Member
Me too! 45 is a low pressure round and it is the most pleasant gun to shoot even for my wife.
Now as for "never had bad recoil" try running a .45 185 grain pill at 1550fps out of a 1911 and you are well into 44 mag territory and the webbing of your hand gets pounded!
I remember my first .45.
It was a range rental 4506. First shot went right into the bullseye. The rest al clumped right near it. I still long for a 4506 or 4566. I just hate the .45acp price tag!!!!
Oh, and in my experience, the only people who complain about the .45acp recoil are the people who have yet to shoot it. I've never actually met a person who shot a .45 who thought the recoil was worth complaining about.
It was a range rental 4506. First shot went right into the bullseye. The rest al clumped right near it. I still long for a 4506 or 4566. I just hate the .45acp price tag!!!!
Oh, and in my experience, the only people who complain about the .45acp recoil are the people who have yet to shoot it. I've never actually met a person who shot a .45 who thought the recoil was worth complaining about.
P97
Member
I had a 9mm and didn't like the snappy recoil. I bought a .45 and gave the 9mm to my Wife. The first time she shot my .45, she said I want one like yours. I got her one, and she let our Son have the 9mm. The .45 is my favorite caliber, and hers also.
rd2007
Member
100% agree with you 19-3Ben. I also have yet to meet someone that actually shot a .45 ACP and had an issue with it. Even my 3" Defender 90 is butter smooth. I have yet to meet a subcompact 9mm or .380 that can say that, but I also haven't shot every one available..
Another .45 fan boy here also . I don't shoot mine as much as I'd like to because of how spendy the ammo is. I've always said I'd never buy a 9mm but I'm looking for one now because the ammo is half the cost and some of the +P rounds they have out now are pretty impressive. I'm thinking Ruger SR9c but I'll never get rid of my .45 it just feels satisfying to shoot it lol.
. I don't shoot mine as much as I'd like to because of how spendy the ammo is. I've always said I'd never buy a 9mm but I'm looking for one now because the ammo is half the cost and some of the +P rounds they have out now are pretty impressive. I'm thinking Ruger SR9c but I'll never get rid of my .45 it just feels satisfying to shoot it lol.
DeepSouth
Random Guy
Been close, and it wasn't that bad, I did about 200 rounds of mixed 230gr and 185gr +P ammo in about 2 or 3 hours, doubt any of it reached 1550fps. I will agree it was much worse than standard press ball ammo, but still not that bad. My wifes SCXD 40 has worse recoil than and 45 load I have ever shot, and it isn't all that bad, but it will give you the shakes after 100 or so rounds if they are pretty fast.
LiveLife
Member
I remember my first encounter with a 1911 ... love at first grip. Ahhhh, fond memories.
mesinge2
Member
My first 45 was my Pop's old Combat Commander that he carried.
I still shoot it and carry it.
I still shoot it and carry it.
I recently shot an XD45, as much as I want to hate the .45, I really enjoyed shooting it, it really does have that characteristic "push" rather than the .40 or 9's "snap" that people talk about. I just wonder how the loads I would run out of it would feel (200-230gr +p) compared to the plinking crap I was shooting.
When I get the money and/or start reloading I'll probably get one, but for now my 10mm keeps me feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
When I get the money and/or start reloading I'll probably get one, but for now my 10mm keeps me feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
LiveLife
Member
Like a small self-loading hand canon that goes BOOM - puts a happy smile on my face. Long live the 45ACP!
orionengnr
Member
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Just don't expect that Stoeger to be anything like that Nighthawk.
You done spoiled yourself there--nothing else is going to measure up to that for a while. Kind of like drinking a bottle of Dom Perignon in Vegas, then going home and buying a bottle of Boone's Farm
[thread drift]
Feel free to reply by PM
[/thread drift]
Yeah, 1911s are an acquired taste, but an addicting one.
You done spoiled yourself there--nothing else is going to measure up to that for a while. Kind of like drinking a bottle of Dom Perignon in Vegas, then going home and buying a bottle of Boone's Farm
[thread drift]
Umm...what? Even .45 Super puts a 185 at about 1300 fps. Are you talking .460 Rowland or what? Where do you get a 1550 fps 45acp? Not that I want to try it...
Feel free to reply by PM
[/thread drift]
Yeah, 1911s are an acquired taste, but an addicting one.
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stevehenry1
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.45 acp recoil
This thread reminds me of a recent trip I had to the range. there was a young couple next to me with some type of a compact polymer .45. That thing was bettering the daylites out of both of them. I was shooting mt S&W model 25 .45 acp target revolver. Since we were both shooting .45 I offered to let them try the #25. their first comment was "hell, this thing don't kick AT ALL!" I pointed out that it was all steel and better balanced, and that makes a world of difference.
The WORST KICKING handgun I ever fired was an alloy framed FEG PA63, 9mm Mak.If you hold it with your hand up high the beavertail will play havoc with the webbing between youy thumb and forefinger. I've heard tales about the bad ergonomics of that gun, and you'd better believe it. keep your hand low on the grip and it's ok.
This thread reminds me of a recent trip I had to the range. there was a young couple next to me with some type of a compact polymer .45. That thing was bettering the daylites out of both of them. I was shooting mt S&W model 25 .45 acp target revolver. Since we were both shooting .45 I offered to let them try the #25. their first comment was "hell, this thing don't kick AT ALL!" I pointed out that it was all steel and better balanced, and that makes a world of difference.
The WORST KICKING handgun I ever fired was an alloy framed FEG PA63, 9mm Mak.If you hold it with your hand up high the beavertail will play havoc with the webbing between youy thumb and forefinger. I've heard tales about the bad ergonomics of that gun, and you'd better believe it. keep your hand low on the grip and it's ok.
Well I'm committed! Bought 150 rounds of .45 at Wally World today and ordered 500 more from MidwayUSA. Hopefully the Stoeger Cougar .45 will be as accurate as my Stoeger Cougar 9mm. I shoot it almost as good as I do my Beretta 92FS so here hoping! I've been buying .380 ammo all this year so I've gotten use to the higher prices of ammo compared to the cost of 9mm. As far as the cost of a Nighthawk goes, I'll have to stick to renting one for $5.00 at the range and have a cold beer afterwards! Big dollar difference between the $449 Cougar and the $2500 Nighthawk.
LiveLife
Member
For around $1000, STI Trojan should give you accuracy with a lot less money.
The Lone Haranguer
Member
Agreed. I think a lot of its reputation comes from people who've never actually shot one. I actually like its "sharp push" recoil better than the .40's "snap."
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