Smallest single stack .45?

[tok]

Can someone give me the lowdown/links on small single stack .45's?
I did a search and came up with the Para Ordinance P-10, which has a small frame, but is a double stack. I'd much prefer a single stack gun, even if it's only 5+1.
There are a number of different companies claiming to have the smallest .45 ACP, and quite a few custom 1911 shops making the same claim. Some of these dated as far back as 1998.

Thanks!

 

[George Hill]

Detonics Combat Master.

 

[Dave T]

The smallest I know of (size and weight) is the alloy framed Kimber Ultra Carrys. Interestingly with the right magazine it will hold as many as the original 1911 (7+1) yet it weighs a mear 25 oz.

I think Springfield makes a similar size gun but I don't know off the top of my head if it is available with an alloy frame.

 

[VG]

The Smith & Wesson Chief's Special .45 is pretty small, light, accurate and reliable. It may not be the smallest or lightest, but I'd be sure and handle whatever you get first.

I have a CS9, like it a lot.

 

[Erich]

I might be wrong, but I believe the Cylinder & Slide Adventurer is smaller than all those mentioned thus far. (C&S can easily be found on Google.)

 

[Zundfolge]

Para Ordnance C6-45 is pretty tiny ... otherwise I'd say the Ogre is probably correct.


The seem to be calling it something else, but the two at the bottom of this page are it
http://www.paraord.com/pages/lda_single_carry.html

Here's the C6-45 (its last year's model I guess)
http://www.paraord.com/pages/carry.html

 

[November]

Cobra (Republic Arms) Patriot .45. I think it's 20 ozs (? maybe more). It can use all sizes of 1911 mags. Mine's been trouble-free.

 

[happyguy]

AMT .45 acp Backkup.

Much maligned and no longer manufactured.

Regards,
Happyguy

 

[tc300mag1]

THe glock i was looking at today was pretty dang small and a single stack dont rember the # and a kimber has a small one out there.

 

[RealGun]

Possibilities

STI Ranger is a chopped 1911.

STI link

I suspect that the S&W CS45 would be the lightest among new guns. It would be TDA, not SA. Nice gun on paper. Never fired one.

 

[wally]

Yup AMT 45 backup is the smallest 45 autolaoder I'm aware of. Its smaller than the Kimber Ultra Carry but a bit heavier. Its 5+1 single stack, but a bit thicker than you might hope for.

Trigger is mediocre at best, sights simpley suck, but I carried it for a long time until I got my Kimber UC.

Quality was spotty, but if you got a good one it was a great gun.

--wally.

 

[dsgrntldPW]

The smallest I've looked at, but not used, are the CS45 and the Para Carry LDA .45 C645.

 

[longeyes]

The Glock 36 weighs 27 oz. with a loaded magazine.

 

[wally]

Para Carry (6+1) is about same size as Kimber Ultra Carry both are a bit larger overall than the AMT Backup 45. See the photo, these are all small guns we're starting to split hairs.

Never seen the Cylinder & Slide Adventurer. Is it a production gun or made to order custom job?

--wally.

Left to Right: Kahr PM40, AMT 45 Backup, Para P10, Kimber Ultra Carry.
P10 is the thickest by quite a lot but its 10+1.

 

[tok]

Thanks for a lot of leads! I have some research to do.
Wally, thanks for the picture. That really helps a ton because I have a PM-9, giving me a direct comparison to the small .45's. The Para Carry is about what I was looking for. Are you happy with yours?

 

[gbelleh]

The Springfield Micro Compact does have an alloy frame. I like mine a lot.

 

[wally]

Mine's the Kimber Ultra Carry (pre series II). I wasn't fond of the LDA on the Para Carry, and the Kimber was a tad lighter, price was better too. A single stack 5+1 version of the P10 would rock!

Kimber UC is my first choice carry gun, but its just too big about 8 months of the year around here, Kimber season is over now. PM40 or SC360 scandium .357 is what I usually carry now that its hot again.

--wally.

 

[tok]

I bought the PM-9 because I had difficulty comfortably carrying a Glock 26 (double stack sub compact) in warm weather. In the interim, I've purchased a Springfield Mil Spec and that really has me itching for a smaller .45. I'll look at the Kimbers along with the other recommendations.

I went to look at the STI Ranger that RealGun linked. They have pictures of the Ranger II, which is full sized. The Ranger said the page is unavailable. Is this gun not being made anymore or is it just a problem with the STI page? The LS is cool, but they only show it in 9mm and 40.

 

[Hawk]

STI looks to have killed the Ranger for the Ranger II.

My old Ranger has a chopped frame that makes it easier to conceal than my Ultra sized Kimber. The Ranger does weigh more than the alloy Kimber, though.

 

[RealGun]

STI Ranger

This is the gun, but I don't know what to say about availability. They have other small ones like the LS.

 

[22/22mag]

Look up the Para Warthog .45 24oz without mag.(10+1 rounds ) Alloy body smaller then the Kimber Ultra 10 11 with plastic body.

 

[natedog]

http://www.amderringer.com/lms.html

 

[SouthpawShootr]

Smallest I've seen is the Kimber RCP II. It was introduced last year as one of those limited Custom Shop items, but I think they're still making it. It doesn't have sights (uses a gutter alignment as a replacment). Got a bobbed hammer and bobbed grip safety. I like it, but, at about $1000 per copy, I don't think I'll get one. It's only a little smaller than the Ultra Carry guns (I read over at www.1911forum.com where I guy put the bobbed hammer and grip safety on his Ultra Carry and basically had the same gun with sights).

 

[Gunmeister]

I know of several people who have had numerous FTE's with their Para P-10's which may be one of the reasons Para no longer makes them.

 

[wally]

The extractor in my P10 is not top notch.

I started getting failures to extract after a few hundred rounds, so I bent (adjusted) the extractor to increase its tension. Seems to have cured the problem. If it returns I'll replace the extractor.

I also had to replace the extractor on my Kimber Ultra Carry, so PO is not the only ones using poor parts.

Be a shame to quite making a nice gun because they couldn't get a $25 part right.

I think the real reason its discontinued is for many poeple its just too small, so small that smaller hands probably work better with it than do large mitts. I get two fingers on the grips. Someone with a large hand may only get one. Without a good grip on it, its hard not to have "limp wrist" failures. The P10 is a gun that will never be reliable in some hands. Probably why they quit making them. But I think they are back with an alledgedly improved "PXT extractor" as the 10+1 Para Warthog, bit lighter too with alloy frame.

Small as it is, it'd conceal much better as a 5+1 single stack, this is what I'd like to see or a Kahr PM45

--wally.