I've been going around and around on this.
I want a lighter gun for every day carry. My full sized .45's - even my 9x23 are too heavy to be comfortable.
I've thought about using my PPK but .380 just doesn't fill me with confidence. I've looked at a number of pocket 9's like the Kahr P9, or the Ruger LC9. Which I think would do the job, but I don't own a 9mm, and I got rid of my .40S&W's.
Ideally I'd like to build a commander size 9x23 on a titanium frame, which I can do - using a Caspian Recon Titanium frame, and a 4.25" slide. Probably a ramped barrel - although my 5" Burns 9x23 doesn't use one. Why 9x23? Easy, I get 10 rounds in a single stack - I don't like fat guns in general (small hands). The ammo is lighter, and it's got the stopping power of a .357Mag which is every bit as good as a .45 ACP. I've been thinking about building it myself but if I screw up, the frame is about $630 (with options), the slide is another $300 (with options), about $250 for the barrel. And then there's all the little parts like the bobtail mainspring housing, grip safety, safety, slide release, etc. All said and done - if I do it all myself with out screwing anything up I'm looking at close to $1400.00. If I have a smith do it - well OUCH.
Or I can suck up the bit of extra weight (not much) and go with a Smith & Wesson SW1911SC Like this - SWEET Except, for some reason - NO ONE has these - you'd think S&W had given up making - Did they?
I considered a Kimber Ultra Carry Pro but, I've not been all that happy with the last couple of Kimbers I had, every one of them needed work. Think I'd rather have a Ruger LC9.
Take a look at the Springfield ultra-compacts. Again, kind of pricey, but another option.
ReplyDeleteIf you're open to something other than a 1911 style .45, my carry piece is a CZ-82. It's not a huge gun, weighs about 1/2 of my 1911, and does have a double-stack magazine. I'm confident enough of my shot placement that I'm not bothered that it's not a .45. The Makarov round is quite a bit zippier than the .380.
Odysseus has a Bersa Thunder 9mm compact for his everyday carry. He just bought a full size for cooler weather--a CZ P-07 Duty--and it actually weighs less than the Bersa.
I do sometimes carry my 1911, but it's not easy concealing a five-inch barrel on a less-than-five-foot person. I'm less confident with shot placement with my .45, because I don't have nearly the same time in front of a target with it.