45acp or 9mm

[bobcat93]

Good morning,
What is the general census with folks here?
Between 9mm & 45acp

Is any one still using the 45acp.
Ive always loved the way a 1911 lays in my hand.
No other pistol on the market like it. And i like the fact i can tune the gun and trigger.
Lately i see a huge push in 9mm..its becoming the rimfire of the center fire world price wise

So in 2025 is it possible to find a higher capacity 9mm style 1911 with the same trigger system of a 1911.? Is that what the 2011 pistol is all about? Im trying to catch up.
Would you buy such a gun or stick with 45acp.
Even if your a reloader is there much difference in price between making 9mm or 45acp ammo once brass is purchased.
All i see is that goofy striker fire stuff. It is not for my old bent fingers. The looooong take up and clicks seems rediculous, it jist isnt for me.
Why cant we have drop in trigger systems for pistols like we do rifles that would be awesome. Haha..
I want a 3lb trigger pull. Short take up with a nice wall before release ive only gotten that from Kimbers, and Colts 1911..
I know im jimping around a bit but it was an odd topic that feels like it has been answered 15yrs ago when i wasnt paying any attention.
So whats your opinion and what did you choose or would choose
Thanks

 

[357Mag]

Good morning,
What is the general census with folks here?
Between 9mm & 45acp

Is any one still using the 45acp.
Ive always loved the way a 1911 lays in my hand.
No other pistol on the market like it. And i like the fact i can tune the gun and trigger.
Lately i see a huge push in 9mm..its becoming the rimfire of the center fire world price wise

So in 2025 is it possible to find a higher capacity 9mm style 1911 with the same trigger system of a 1911.? Is that what the 2011 pistol is all about? Im trying to catch up.
Would you buy such a gun or stick with 45acp.
Even if your a reloader is there much difference in price between making 9mm or 45acp ammo once brass is purchased.
All i see is that goofy striker fire stuff. It is not for my old bent fingers. The looooong take up and clicks seems rediculous, it jist isnt for me.
Why cant we have drop in trigger systems for pistols like we do rifles that would be awesome. Haha..
I want a 3lb trigger pull. Short take up with a nice wall before release ive only gotten that from Kimbers, and Colts 1911..
I know im jimping around a bit but it was an odd topic that feels like it has been answered 15yrs ago when i wasnt paying any attention.
So whats your opinion and what did you choose or would choose
Thanks

Bobcat -

Howdy !

Calibre/cartridge-wise…..of the 2 you mentioned….. I vote for the .45ACP.

Looking back over things like “ one-shot-stop “ data, the most effective… proven defensive handgun cartridges churn out at least 420ft lb of energy. 9mm+P and things like that, are attempts to get a comparatively lower powered cartridge closer to a

 

[topclass2017]

I'm an 1911 45 acp guy. That's what I grew up shooting, and that's my preference now. I've shot 1911's in competition (2700's, CF Bullseye) and used them for EDC. I'm willing to trade off the capacity of a double stack 9mm for familiarity. I'm also not a fan of plastic firearms. I have at various times owned Kimbers, Springfield Armory, and Les Baer 1911's. All that being said, of the 9mm 's I have owned my favorite remains the Beretta 92 (M9) as its in-hand feel is the closest to a 1911 despite it being a double stack. My next purchase will likely be a Colt 1911 Model 70.

 

[SKWERLZ]

38 super!
Lol!
Love my 1911 in 45acp but manufacturers are getting a lot better at getting the 9mm to work well in a 1911.

 

[357Mag]

Bobcat -

OOops…. Touched transmit button in-error.

Again:
9mm+P and things like that, are attempts to get a comparatively lower powered
cartridge closer a more desireable energy threshold; that the highest rate cartridges already can provide.

Other:
Those 1911s are all welll & good, just.... be prepared to practice “ clearing “ drills like
“ tap/rack/bang “…. “ stove pipes “…. “ double-feeds “; et al. The 1911 was more responsible for the existence of those drills, than any other semi-auto ( IMHO ).

Custom barrel ? Special recoil buffer ? Arched main spring housing ? Pinned grip safety, or “ Beaver tale “ ? Ambidextrous slide release and magazine release ?
“ Ported “ ? Relieved ejection port ? Beveled mag well ?
Skeletonized hammer, trigger ? Stippled front trigger guard and front grip frame ?
The list goes on.

Best of luck with your ultimate decision.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[alf]

So in 2025 is it possible to find a higher capacity 9mm style 1911 with the same trigger system of a 1911.? Is that what the 2011 pistol is all about? Im trying to catch up.

Yes...... I scratched the itch a couple years ago with a Springfield Armory Prodigy.

I still have 9's & 45's in single stacks, but I love this gun.

 

[Canuckienns]

Thats an age old debate. Most of our agency carried 45's. Other agencies around us carried 9MM's. +
Hospital duty overtime paid big money. I would do it time to time when. Criminals shot by a 9MM were usually walking around after a while, hooked up to plastic with bags, Criminals shot by out 45's were in the MORGUE. That says it all.

 

[joshb]

I like the 1911 for fun shooting. I like the little Sig 365 9mm for carrying around.

 

[Knotwild]

Thats an age old debate. Most of our agency carried 45's. Other agencies around us carried 9MM's. +
Hospital duty overtime paid big money. I would do it time to time when. Criminals shot by a 9MM were usually walking around after a while, hooked up to plastic with bags, Criminals shot by out 45's were in the MORGUE. That says it all.

A good friend of mine has a close friend who was an emergency room doctor and he said the exact same thing.

 

[WyleWD]

1911 and the Beretta M9 and especially the M9A4.

 

[Forum Boss]

Get both.

I much prefer the .45 ACP for handloading and slow fire on paper targets. The .45 Caliber holes are much easier to see. And you can get great accuracy at relatively low velocities. I was loading 200-grainers at about 750 fps.

Here are five shots I made with my SW 1911 (great pistol!) using N320 and coated semi-wadcutters at 10 yards:



I like 9mm for high volume shooting. There are good ammo prices. You can get 50 rounds of brass-cased American-made ammo for under $11.00 right now. Here's the current deal at Palmetto State Armory -- CCI Blazer FMJ for $10.49 -- that's just $0.21 per round. :



And a dual-stack 9mm double-action has some advantages for a defensive weapon.

 

[mongo chicago]

There is an old saying that I believe in and seems to have been proven to me through the years on the C.P.D. including my own experience. " You can never make up in velocity or bullet design for what you lose in caliber."

 

[AccelR8]

There is an old saying that I believe in and seems to have been proven to me through the years on the C.P.D. including my own experience. " You can never make up in velocity or bullet design for what you lose in caliber."

Like the racers used to say, There's no replacement for displacement!

 

[bpd459]

I carried a 1911 .45acp for 33 of 36yrs in uniform. Shot weekly, competed in both Bullseye, and the action games. The .45 1911 is Gods gun. But… modern pistol advances, red dot sights and ammo performance brings the 9mm up to task. I have carried the same 9mm RDS equipped G19 for almost 11yrs. It fits my bill perfectly.

 

[mike mccormick]

I like the. 45, but carry a 1911 in 10mm.

 

[lb-ft]

I love them all. 9mm, 45, etc. But I’m inherently lazy. For me, the more capable the gun, the more planning and dedication I have to put into carrying it. Therefore the pocket 380 usually wins out. I know, it’s crap compared to pretty much anything else.

Range time, 45 is in a league of its own. Nothing else like punching those crisp holes in paper with an all steel 1911.

I will say, if you’re into custom 1911 budget territory, for 9mm target and range fun check out the Sig P210 Target. It’s incredible.

 

[rockhound78]

I like to go out to the range and shoot my 9mm's in the 1911 platform but when traveling, the 1911 I carry has a lot bigger hole in the end of the barrel!!

 

[AccelR8]

Even if your a reloader is there much difference in price between making 9mm or 45acp ammo once brass is purchased.

I reload both although when I crunch the numbers I wonder why I do. The answer is, I just like to reload.
But to answer your question, at the prices I pay for components which are the cheapest I can find:

it costs 23.55 per hundred for 9mm and 29.20 for 45 ACP. So 45 cost 24% more.

Factory new range ammo costs me 23.98/100 for 9mm and 39.99/100 45. Reloading 9mm saves me 43 cents and reloading 45 saves me 10.79 per hundred.

Factory new 45 ACP is 16.01 (67%) per hundred more than factory new 9mm.

In terms of cost it makes no sense to reload 9mm and some sense to reload 45. If one doesn't reload, they can shoot a lot more 9mm than 45 for the money.

edit to add: I did just buy a new 45 bullet mold so there's a whole 'nother aspect to it!

 

[TIMO]

I prefer the 45 ACP in various platforms but, prefer it in a 1911.
(1911, SIG, HK) (45acp x6, 10mm, 40S&W, 9x23mm, 38 Super) (I need a revolver to round things out), I leave a little room for a 9mm & 40 S&W (Hi-Power) & Beretta 92Xi. Oh, also a 9mm carbine for additional fun (32 rounds can go fast)
Both are easy to load for, I can my own bullets so that gives me additional options on loads and costs.

Enjoy what you like and have fun shooting them.

Just my .02

Tim

 

[SSL]

.45 ACP all the way. Mostly 1911 style, but also carry a Kahr CW45 for convenience.