recommendations for 45 acp carry pistol

.,My current carry .45 is not Mass compliant (meaning you can't buy one from a dealer) but my previous one was: Ruger SR 1911 Commander Size. I cannot say enough great things about it. If you are willing to learn the manual of arms and practice, practice, practice I think you could have a really excellent choice in a 1911 platform without spending a whole lot of money.

That being said, an M&P 45 ( which I have also carried) is hard to beat. Economical and ergonomic. Get a trigger job or an Apex kit and you are all set.
 
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The 3 Kimber carries easily and functions flawlessly for me, as does the Glock 30s. At this time of year, I often transition to 4", 1911, commander size.
 
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I,carry my SW 1911 full size, I'm just used to carrying it. There are some many handgun holster combos you need to see what works for you best.
 
I would first decide what type action you want, SA, DA/SA, DA or Striker fired. From all the research I've done there are a lot of nice 1911 compacts out there and then there's the Sig 220.
 
BillO said:
Single stack Glock 36. Look around; they are out there.
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Personally for the size of the gun your better off getting a xds and the plus one mags . The glock is like a brick compared to it .
Colddayinhell will back me up on this and is the reason he switched to a xds .
Or go with glock 30 to make the blocky grip worth wild.
 
so after looking around my first choice was the xds, my buddy is a detective and swat team leader close to boston and a shop that he uses exclusively. he called about the xds and was told they are not ma compliant and that he can't even get one being a cop. so where is everyone getting them from? honestly that right now is my first choice with one of the glocks or kahr being second.

to the 9mm comments, I had a 9mm ccw, still have a 9mm full size long with my 45 full size and the more I shoot the more I see I'm better with the 45. I will most likely get another 9mm but right now I want a 45.
 
I carried a S&W SW1911 (FS) IWB, Milt Sparks Summer Special 2 for >2 years. No issues. That would be my first choice (or Ruger, etc. equivalent).

2nd choice would be the S&W M&P 45 variant (I have FS, a bit big) with a Milt Sparks VMII IWB holster.

You have to dress around the gun.

Yes even LEOs aren't supposed to be able to buy guns that aren't on the EOPS Roster. That said, there are ways around that but we don't discuss that here or in public as a few dealers have faced felonies (one convicted, other currently indicted) for bragging about doing that and the AG is more than happy to shut down FFLs. However buying one privately from any MA resident with a LTC (regardless of how they got it) has ALWAYS been legal!!
 
additionalmc said:
avoid 3" 1911's
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Have to disagree with this. Carry my Colt Defender in an White Hat IWB Tuckable Holster with no issue what-so-ever. Many rounds down range with no problems. Though I will say I shoot my Glock 30SF a little better. The down side is it's thicker, heavier and not as easy to conceal for me. Again this is just my results. Others may vary.
 
tbeaton said:
and those with the xds, 3.3 or 4?
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Mines 3.3 there wasn't a 4 at the time I got mine . I like it the way it is since I can pocket carry it .
J-glock said:
Love my G36. Don't understand why there isn't more love for them, especially with all the 42-43 hype.
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Compare the grip to other sub compact 45 single stacks . It's a brick .
 
Len-2A Training said:
I carried a S&W SW1911 (FS) IWB, Milt Sparks Summer Special 2 for >2 years. No issues. That would be my first choice (or Ruger, etc. equivalent).

2nd choice would be the S&W M&P 45 variant (I have FS, a bit big) with a Milt Sparks VMII IWB holster.

You have to dress around the gun.

Yes even LEOs aren't supposed to be able to buy guns that aren't on the EOPS Roster. That said, there are ways around that but we don't discuss that here or in public as a few dealers have faced felonies (one convicted, other currently indicted) for bragging about doing that and the AG is more than happy to shut down FFLs. However buying one privately from any MA resident with a LTC (regardless of how they got it) has ALWAYS been legal!!
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ya I missed this comment originally
 
Glock 30S all day long.
the slide is super thin.
why glock continues to make the G30 gen 4 with thickass slide is beyond my understanding

XDS 45 in 3.3 or 4" barrel are sweet too.
 
Squib308 said:
Glock 30S all day long.
the slide is super thin.
why glock continues to make the G30 gen 4 with thickass slide is beyond my understanding
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Because it's a better gun, that's why. I bet anything the 30S and the 36 are more sensitive to limpwristing and differences in ammunition, and have different recoil characteristics.

I guess I'm just partial to the fatheads because that's the way the gun is supposed to be. [laugh] I did contemplate picking up a 41, though...

-Mike
 
drgrant said:
Because it's a better gun, that's why. I bet anything the 30S and the 36 are more sensitive to limpwristing and differences in ammunition, and have different recoil characteristics.

I guess I'm just partial to the fatheads because that's the way the gun is supposed to be. [laugh] I did contemplate picking up a 41, though...

-Mike
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My wife shoots the 30S with no issues. If anyone can limp wrist a glock its her. The 41 slide is substantially lighter than the 21 But seems irrelevant WRT function.

my 30S feeds anything. No malfunctions in 800+ rds everything from shit steel to HST +P
 
Squib308 said:
My wife shoots the 30S with no issues. If anyone can limp wrist a glock its her. The 41 slide is substantially lighter than the 21
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I never had any trouble shooting one either (and I fired it before it was even made, I ran Adam @ Acme's "G66' which is the same deal, G36 slide on a 30 frame... but at some point or another an engineer thought that the thicker, heavier slide was a good idea. Maybe it's because they never bothered to downscale the external dimension's from the G29's slide.... I'm just reluctant to believe that there isn't a difference in operating overhead margin from one to the other.

-Mike
 

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