Which Conceal Carry .45 ACP?

[C-dub]

I finally decided on the Glock 30SF and am picking it up tomorrow!

Now I need to figure out the best personal defense ammo for it and a good holster---looking at both inside the waistband and outside the waistband holsters.

I picked the Glock 30SF because:

I already have a Glock 26 and am familiar with the platform, takedown, cleaning, etc.

I really wanted at least a 10 round magazine.

The 230 grain hollow-point is well-known for its effective stopping power.

Thanks for all the ideas folks! As time goes on and money permits I will certainly seriously look at the other suggested handguns too!

I bought one yesterday...can't wait to take it to the range. I'm already looking at night sights for it.

The Trijicon HD series with a U shaped rear notch and a huge colored circle surrounding the tritium lamp in the front sight is awesome. As you draw it and bring it up to eye level, that front sight just locks your eye onto it. It's on all my regularly carried guns now.

I have these sights on my 30SF and 21SF with the orange around the tritium. They've been great.

[txglock21]

I finally decided on the Glock 30SF and am picking it up tomorrow!

Now I need to figure out the best personal defense ammo for it and a good holster---looking at both inside the waistband and outside the waistband holsters.

I picked the Glock 30SF because:

I already have a Glock 26 and am familiar with the platform, takedown, cleaning, etc.

I really wanted at least a 10 round magazine.

The 230 grain hollow-point is well-known for its effective stopping power.

Thanks for all the ideas folks! As time goes on and money permits I will certainly seriously look at the other suggested handguns too!

I bought one yesterday...can't wait to take it to the range. I'm already looking at night sights for it.

The Trijicon HD series with a U shaped rear notch and a huge colored circle surrounding the tritium lamp in the front sight is awesome. As you draw it and bring it up to eye level, that front sight just locks your eye onto it. It's on all my regularly carried guns now.

I have these sights on my 30SF and 21SF with the orange around the tritium. They've been great.

Thank you both for the recommendation. I will definitely look into this.

[C-dub]

I've also heard good things about the XS Big Dot sights and might have chosen those if they also came with orange around the front sight. I liked the orange for daylight shooting.

[carlson1]

I've also heard good things about the XS Big Dot sights and might have chosen those if they also came with orange around the front sight. I liked the orange for daylight shooting.

I use XS on everything including my AR's. I don't have them in my 1911's, but I am working on those one at a time. Great quick sight picture. They are meant for self defense not precise target shooting. That said however there is a video on YouTube that James Yeager deomomagrates thise sights. He uses them I believe at 100 yards to prove they can be precise.

[Smokey613]

I have to say something further on the Shield 45. I am scheduled to go through a firearms instructor course to re-certify for my firearms instructor status with TCOLE. I had let it lapse and now the requirements have changed since I originally did it in 1988 at the DPS academy range, so I have to go through the new course. I have been practicing the courses of fire which includes semi-auto pistol, revolver, shotgun and patrol rifle. I originally planed to use my department issued Glock 22. After several attempts I kept missing the required 90% scoring at the 25 yard line by 1-2 points. I even tried using my wife's Gen 4 Glock 22, still no go. Friday I decided WTH I will give the Shield 45 a try. Smoked the course on the first try so..... guess I will be using the Shield 45 for the course. I am sure I will be the ONLY non Glock on the range those 4 - 10 hour days. A funny thing happened while we were there. We were using the S.O. range as it's nicer than the PD range and less crowded. One of the young S.O. Deputies showed up to shoot some new pistols. We got to talking, my wife works for the S.O., and he mentioned he had never even held a revolver let alone shot one. Well, I proceeded to correct that oversight in his firearms education and got out the S&W Model 19 4" nickel (pinned and recessed) along with the holster and speed loaders. I had to give him a short lesson on how a revolver functions. I loaded 6 38 spl rounds and let him have fun. He was impressed it shot as good as it did. Anyway, back to the subject.... it will be interesting shooting the semi-auto course with the Shield 45. My only issue will be keeping the mags loaded as the course is designed for high capacity firearms, but I have a game plan on that. I am getting extra mags and load them all up and just reload as needed. After the course my next goal is to get my boss to allow me to carry my Shield on duty or maybe an M&P 40. They just fit my hand much better than any Glock does.

[Excaliber]

I have to say something further on the Shield 45. I am scheduled to go through a firearms instructor course to re-certify for my firearms instructor status with TCOLE. I had let it lapse and now the requirements have changed since I originally did it in 1988 at the DPS academy range, so I have to go through the new course. I have been practicing the courses of fire which includes semi-auto pistol, revolver, shotgun and patrol rifle. I originally planed to use my department issued Glock 22. After several attempts I kept missing the required 90% scoring at the 25 yard line by 1-2 points. I even tried using my wife's Gen 4 Glock 22, still no go. Friday I decided WTH I will give the Shield 45 a try. Smoked the course on the first try so..... guess I will be using the Shield 45 for the course. I am sure I will be the ONLY non Glock on the range those 4 - 10 hour days. A funny thing happened while we were there. We were using the S.O. range as it's nicer than the PD range and less crowded. One of the young S.O. Deputies showed up to shoot some new pistols. We got to talking, my wife works for the S.O., and he mentioned he had never even held a revolver let alone shot one. Well, I proceeded to correct that oversight in his firearms education and got out the S&W Model 19 4" nickel (pinned and recessed) along with the holster and speed loaders. I had to give him a short lesson on how a revolver functions. I loaded 6 38 spl rounds and let him have fun. He was impressed it shot as good as it did. Anyway, back to the subject.... it will be interesting shooting the semi-auto course with the Shield 45. My only issue will be keeping the mags loaded as the course is designed for high capacity firearms, but I have a game plan on that. I am getting extra mags and load them all up and just reload as needed. After the course my next goal is to get my boss to allow me to carry my Shield on duty or maybe an M&P 40. They just fit my hand much better than any Glock does.

You might take a look at the M&P .45 as well. It's a sweet shooting high cap .45, and an Apex trigger kit gives it a trigger that to me feels close to a 1911 with just a longer pull. It's a sweet shooting gun and as you noted, fits the hand much better than a Block, uh, Glock. The Glocks are beautifully engineered and reliable guns, but their ergonomics are about 40 years behind the state of the art.

[C-dub]

I have to say something further on the Shield 45. I am scheduled to go through a firearms instructor course to re-certify for my firearms instructor status with TCOLE. I had let it lapse and now the requirements have changed since I originally did it in 1988 at the DPS academy range, so I have to go through the new course. I have been practicing the courses of fire which includes semi-auto pistol, revolver, shotgun and patrol rifle. I originally planed to use my department issued Glock 22. After several attempts I kept missing the required 90% scoring at the 25 yard line by 1-2 points. I even tried using my wife's Gen 4 Glock 22, still no go. Friday I decided WTH I will give the Shield 45 a try. Smoked the course on the first try so..... guess I will be using the Shield 45 for the course. I am sure I will be the ONLY non Glock on the range those 4 - 10 hour days. A funny thing happened while we were there. We were using the S.O. range as it's nicer than the PD range and less crowded. One of the young S.O. Deputies showed up to shoot some new pistols. We got to talking, my wife works for the S.O., and he mentioned he had never even held a revolver let alone shot one. Well, I proceeded to correct that oversight in his firearms education and got out the S&W Model 19 4" nickel (pinned and recessed) along with the holster and speed loaders. I had to give him a short lesson on how a revolver functions. I loaded 6 38 spl rounds and let him have fun. He was impressed it shot as good as it did. Anyway, back to the subject.... it will be interesting shooting the semi-auto course with the Shield 45. My only issue will be keeping the mags loaded as the course is designed for high capacity firearms, but I have a game plan on that. I am getting extra mags and load them all up and just reload as needed. After the course my next goal is to get my boss to allow me to carry my Shield on duty or maybe an M&P 40. They just fit my hand much better than any Glock does.

I will point out that you went from .40S&W to .45ACP. I had the same experience you did the very first day I shot my brand new 21SF after having my 22 for about 10 years. The .45 out shot the .40 easily. I point this out to say that your issue may not have been the platform, but rather the caliber. Many people find follow up shots with the .40 much more difficult than the .45 and 9mm.

[Smokey613]

I shot a model 21 years ago and it was really not an ergonomic pistol for me. The 22 is better but still too brick like. I have yet to shoot an SF frame but have doubt it would make a difference. I will admit to a 1911 bias, having carried one for most of my 30 years in LE. I also realize the new striker fired pistols are the way of the future but... that does not mean it has to be a Glock. I even looked into a company that reduces the Glock grip and makes is more 1911 like but that is way too much money.

[C-dub]

I shot a model 21 years ago and it was really not an ergonomic pistol for me. The 22 is better but still too brick like. I have yet to shoot an SF frame but have doubt it would make a difference. I will admit to a 1911 bias, having carried one for most of my 30 years in LE. I also realize the new striker fired pistols are the way of the future but... that does not mean it has to be a Glock. I even looked into a company that reduces the Glock grip and makes is more 1911 like but that is way too much money.

Ergonomics is the other huge difference between the two handguns you went from and to and the ergos between the 21, 21SF, and 22 are exactly the same with only the grip circumference and recoil being the differences. There's just no way around it, though, some folks don't shoot one or the other platform well because of ergonomics.

[Smokey613]

Also for clarification, this is what I normally carry in 45 ACP for defense loads. They do have some snap out of the Shield but nothing that cannot be managed.

http://www.doubletapammo.net/index.php? ... uct_id=299

[dlh]

Went to my range today with my new Glock 30 SF!

Just a light workout to make sure it worked---20 shots at a pie-plate sized target from 10 yards away. All but one hit inside the plate. As I have more time I will practice more and tighten the groups.

I hardly noticed the recoil---certainly not a "snappy" gun. I shot Monarch Branch 230 grain brass FMJ. Will use Gold Dot hollow-points for every-day carry. One of my friends recommended 185 grain over 230 to "get the velocity on up there" and I will certainly look into that.

I shoot left-handed and noticed the mag. release located on the left side is somewhat aggressive (sticks out a bit) but it was not uncomfortable. I understand the mag. release is reversible to the right side so may look into that at some point as well as adding the night-sights some have recommended. The SF grip is very comfortable and fits my average-sized hands well.

Overall very happy with this new handgun! As soon as I clean and lube it later today then fill it with some Gold-Dots it will be my every day carry! Still good to have the Glock 26 as a backup.

I never sell or trade my guns. My guns are in the church of "once saved always saved."