moving to the dark side. can you help?

[gigag04]

What spurred this move?

[stevie_d_64]

I've carried my Para Ordnance 14.45 in the summer with shorts and (loose) tshirt. Conceals just fine so long as I have a quality gunbelt holding it up.

A Para 14.45 with two spare mags is 43 rounds of .45 ACP goodness, but it is also heavy and requires proper support: gunbelt and holster.

Don't forget the suspenders, weight-lifter's back brace, and a high-rise crane.

I thought you hated .45???

[bagman45]

I've got the old alloy framed Para 14-45 made in Canada. Don't quite need a crane, but she IS heavy. Too heavy for me to carry all the time. My P12-45, on the other hand, is pretty much my favorite .45, and I've got a few. It's officer size, but shoots ragged holes at CQB distance - feeds everything I've ever fed it. For me, a great gun. NOW, full disclosure: I just picked up an XD-s 45 that I've yet to wring out enough to trust for EDC, but so far; really good. Tiny gun (relatively), great trigger, accurate, hasn't choked on anything I've fed it yet, and recoil just a bit more stout than the P12 - probably as much due to the single stack grip as the actual "felt" recoil. To me, less practical recoil than a G27; the 40 is snappy, the 45 is more of a solid "shove".

That said; TAM gives sage advice here; 1911 style guns take work to master and are more complex than glocks and such. Love 'em to death, and would never sell one that I owned, BUT, the polymer guns are WAY easier to learn on. If you "need" a double stack 45, try a glock 30sf. Hope that helps.

[The Annoyed Man]

I've carried my Para Ordnance 14.45 in the summer with shorts and (loose) tshirt. Conceals just fine so long as I have a quality gunbelt holding it up.

A Para 14.45 with two spare mags is 43 rounds of .45 ACP goodness, but it is also heavy and requires proper support: gunbelt and holster.

Don't forget the suspenders, weight-lifter's back brace, and a high-rise crane.

I thought you hated .45???

I LOVE .45. I'm just poking fun at the idea a steel framed double stack 1911 with 14 rounds on board and a couple of backup mags for CCW. The gunbelt hasn't been made that will keep your pants up under that load.

[Abraham]

Don't overlook a rust resistance coated 1911...

In all the sweaty years I've carried my Glock 19, it hasn't shown a bit of rust and I don't wipe it down with a lightly oiled rag except when I clean it after shooting practice.

There are times when I carry it in a leather pack for hours and that pack gets exposed to rain when I'm out cycling.

I'm sure there are 1911 models (well, not completely sure, but I would guess...) that are made with some variation of a parkerized or tennifer type finish.

If not available with an anti-rust type coating, don't buy unless you're willing to be highly vigilant about rusting and willing to constantly maintain it's finish.

[rotor]

I seriously thought too of the dark side. And Sunday I went to Academy and bought a Glock 21 gen 4 because I picked it up and liked it. Pure impulse. $600 plus, shoots wonderfully, my wife can handle it and less "kick" than my 380 S&W BG, she shoots it better than I do too (damn). Ordered a tactical light and plan on making it my home defense gun. Carry? Too big for me to carry concealed but it's a Glock. It will work. It won't jam up and is not fussy about what I feed it. It's relatively cheap. It strips easily if you ever decide to clean it. Fits my hand perfectly without using the plastic inserts. Parts are everywhere. 45ACP is relatively plentiful. Try to find 9mm now. And if I ever sell it I will get top dollar ( I never sell my guns). I know some people hate Glock but my ancient Glock 26 has NEVER failed me and I don't expect that my 21 will fail either.

[gigag04]

What spurred this move?

[C-dub]

TAM, I don't know what belt you're using, but I recently bought one black one one tan Galco 1.75" reinforced nylon belts and they can carry that load. Before that, I carried a Glock 21SF and two spare mags with a Glaco 1.5" leather gun belt. I carried that way for about 8 months. I could feel it, but it was okay and didn't cause any problems. After about 8 months I was able to get the G30SF and switched to carrying it, but still carry the two spare 13 rounds mags with it.

[liberty2014]

Thank you for the input guys, i really appreciate it. The sig scorpion felt it was made for my hand, the trigger pull was smooth enough to make velvet jelous, the weight was almost non existent, the grip checkering was perfect, the gun being FDE was thr cherry on a sundae made of blue bell ice cream. After about 15 of holding the sig i gave it back to the guy behind the counter, in return he handed me a 4th gen glock 21. Nothing pretty just a big black gun that holds 13+1 rounds of 45 automatic Colt pistol. The glock 21 is only one of a few guns that i can wrap my hands around and not have a finger or two hanging off. Did i mention it holds 13+1 rounds of 45. Thats 10+3+1, its 7+6+1, its 5+7+1. 14 rounds of 45 acp. Go head and say what your mind is thinking "i bet he went with the 21, what a fan boy". You're right. After really thinking things over for about 21.14 seconds i knew i was picking up the 21. $65?.00 and an NICS check later i walked out with a HUGE smile on my face and a glock 21. Sorry for being a fan boy, but a gun that doesnt leave a couple of fingers hanging off and being able to hold 14 rounds sealed the deal for me. This is my first .45. When i buy my first 1911 im sure it will be the sig sauer scorpion.

[txbirddog]

Wilson Combat has a KZ-45 or 9 that you may find used if you can get someone to part with theirs. Great shooters.