Traditional Double Action .45ACP

[Colton White]

Friends of THR,
I am a (prepare yourself) big fan of traditional double action pistols or DA/SA as its also called. I like the decocker! I know that it is not popular anymore or ever lol and some of you are totally against them but i like them for their extra degree of safety and function and most importantly PERSONAL PREFERENCE. To the question in mind i have single action 1911s striker DAO pistols like the XD but my to favorites are my Beretta M9A1 and my ruger p95 both have the traditional action with the decocker and both are 9mm.

I want one in .45 i have looked and found the following please tell me if i missed any and give me your recomendations and thoughts about guns on the list. This is in no particular order.

CZ-97 BD
Ruger P90
IWI Jericho 941 (baby eagle)
Sig P220
Bersa Thunder 45
Beretta PX4 Storm 45
HK45
EAA Whitness 45
FNP45

Thank yall

 

[9mmepiphany]

i think you missed the HK45...it has a polymer frame, but it does have a hammer and is DA/SA

of the one's you've listed, i think the class of the bunch is the Sig 220. it is both accurate and durable.

my 2nd choice would be the CZ, which could fit your hand better with it's smaller grip. the one's i've shot have had rougher triggers, but i know they clean up well.

the Beretta is a quality piece, better finish than the CZ...it depends on how you feel about it's rotating barrel

 

[steveracer]

Go out and find a nice lightly used Smith and Wesson 4566 for about $450 and call it done. I have one and LOVE it. Some (like mine) are de-cock only. Very nice.

 

[Colton White]

9mm phany lol i did miss the HK (what was i thinking) il edit

and steveracer i do love thoses smith but i would prefer a new pistol thanks

 

[nalioth]

You missed the EAA Witness.

Apart from the others, it has the ability to change cartridges easily (9mm, 40S&W, 45 ACP and 10mm)

 

[Colton White]

and the witness although i guess u could through the witness, CZ, and baby eagle all in the same basket lol

 

[kanook]

Ruger P90 or the Sig P220 would be (and is ) my choice.

 

[wditto]

why leave out the FNP.45 ? it is rapidly becoming my favorite by far

 

[Colton White]

does the FN have a decocker?

 

[DasFriek]

Kahr makes a few models in .45 with DAO.
Para Ordnance does as well.
Altho they aren't Autos,ive seen several makes of revolvers that shoot .45acp in DAO.
Taurus and S&W i think may have those,im not sure tho as im no revolver guy.

 

[Colton White]

thanks friek but im looking for DA/SA .45 not DOA

 

[Slim Pickens]

The FNP45 is DA/SA, with controls almost identical to the HK45. The FNP would be high on my list if I was looking for a gun fitting your description.

The Baby Eagle 45 is an excellent pistol, the only thing I have against it is weight - almost 40 oz empty. If you want a heavy, steel-framed DA/SA 45, the BE is the way to go.

 

[Colton White]

ok pickens il add the FNP45 to the list thanks and fyi this would be a bedside, truck, SHTF, range whatever gun but not to carry so steel is a plus

on the same note im not against carrying one i just havent found one small enough

 

[DasFriek]

thanks friek but im looking for DA/SA .45 not DOA

Crap,my bad.I better learn to read and comprehend better. GOOD LUCK!

In that case tho Taurus makes a few DA/SA,the metal frames ones and the new OSS pistols have decockers.

 

[Blueduck]

Though pretty much discontinued (they may be making runs for large department replacment orders) the S/W 4566 and 4506 were/are awesome guns. When I was looking into a "45 Super Conversion" I asked the Smith I was considering if a 4506 was strong enough, he said that was his "test" model for all his ammo as there was not a stronger 45 ACP made. Selling my 4566 and 4506 when I was "Glock standardizing" is my single biggest gun trading regret.

Price wise both models are all over the park, sometimes you can find police trade in or overun NIB models for a song, other times you see used but VG condition modells running MUCH higher.

Keep your eyes open, these were expecetionally well made and expensive guns to manufacture. There kind will not be seen in the mass market again.

 

[JTQ]

Ruger P345.

Edited: It would be the closest to your P95.

 

[PO2Hammer]

I have the HK 45 and love it, much more ergonomic than the previous USP series. HK's have also been the most reliable for me, followed closely by Sigs.

I've owned a few Sigs, and liked them as well. I think the Sig decocker is a little better design, that is you can gently lower the hammer with the decock lever.
On the Hk's engaging the decocker drops the hammer on a block, so I like to ease it down with my thumb, so it doesn't 'clack'.

I don't like the slide mounted decocker/upside down safety levers on some designs, so no experience with them.

 

[nalioth]

and the witness although i guess u could through the witness, CZ, and baby eagle all in the same basket lol

. . not for the past two odd years, no sir.

Tangfolio designed a completely new gun, and has been marketing it for the past couple of years as the "Witness". It comes in 10mm, 45 ACP, 40 S&W and 9mm and it is a "one-size-fits-all-calibers" design. Since it has to accept double stack 10mm and 45 ACP mags, it uses mag blocks in it's mag well when it's set up for 9mm or 40 S&W. You can also change calibers just by changing the slide assembly and magazine.

No part of it will interchange with a Cz75 or other Cz75 clone (including the original Witness).

 

[HisSoldier]

When it comes to semi auto pistols DA is not what I'd call traditional. Almost all early autos were single action. DA could be called "modern" by that standard, since they came along later.
No one has made a better .45 handgun than JMB almost 100 years ago, in my opinion.

 

[9mmepiphany]

DA could be called "modern" by that standard, since they came along later.

i would think variations of the Glock "Safe Action" (striker fired...XD, MP, Kahr) would be "modern"....especially with polymer frames...which would make the DA/SA a traditional design.

while i think the 1911 design might well be a great .45 calibre fighting gun, it has surely been surpassed, as a general issue working gun by many newer designs which are less maintenance intensive

 

[AKElroy]

SW 4506, Para LDA (although it is partially cocked when racked)

 

[ants]

S&W 4506 (and 4566)

As mentioned above, this is a solid workhorse pistol. Duty gun for thousands of law enforcement organizations for decades. Perhaps you can shoot one.

The only drawback in my experience is 2 broken extractors. You cannot buy a new one from S&W: Their corporate policy is to install them themselves, you have to ship the pistol to them for installation. I found used extractors from Numrich, and installed them myself in 10 minutes.

 

[kw11b2p]

Give Taurus a chance

Check out the Taurus Pt-845. It's a 12+1 DA/SA with the decocker, ambi controls, rail, and is extremely accurate (nail driver) and ergonomically my favorite gun. Figure spending $520.

 

[Colton White]

hey Hisoldier a gun that is DA/SA is called "traditional double action" by people in the industry who know what their talking about. there are new DAO (double action only) pistols that are yes NEW and double action... then there are OLDER double action pistols with a stiff first round trigger pull and a decocker or manual safety that alot of young gunners dont like. HOW TRADITIONAL.

Read 9mmepiphany post he knows what he is talking about

 

[belus]

my 2nd choice would be the CZ, which could fit your hand better with it's smaller grip. the one's i've shot have had rougher triggers, but i know they clean up well.

Are you sure you shot the CZ-97?

I ask because it's enormous: much larger than the CZ-75 and Jericho Baby Eagle. Also larger than the CZ-75 TS and Sig P220.
It may even be larger than the EAA large frames, but I'm not as sure about that.

Look at some grip circumference pictures here:
http://averagejoeshandgunreviews.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive.html

edit: give the OP's list my first choice would be the Sig P220, but that's mostly because I have smaller hands and would find the single stack more comfortable.