Looking for a decent .45 on a budget

[Eric]

Just looking for opinions here, im looking to get a decent .45 for 600.00 tops (less is always better). Own a glock19 and doubt ill buy another one, nothing major but I have had some small issues with it that have me questioning its reliability. Looking for something reasonably concealable, maybe a springfield. Has here anyone had a great run with one of the "budget" handguns?

[FunkyPertwee]

I have a XD-45 Tactical bitone (stainless slide) and love it. I don't know what kind of guns you like to shoot, but $600 isn't really budget. You can find a good springfield XD-45 for around $500 all day. Thats my two cents.

[Richard Simmons]

Some of my coworkers own and are quite happy with Rock Island Armory (under $400) and Taurus .45 autos (around $550ish) in the 1911 category. Taurus also has it's Millenium series of pistols that seem to be OK if you want something that's not a 1911 clone.

[Helen Keller]

I'd roll with the RIA's I never had an issue at all.

[mriddick]

Between my son and I we have 3 RIA's, for a $400 1911 we are very happy. Too bad you don't like the G19, my new G30 is becoming a favorite of mine.

[Helen Keller]

Between my son and I we have 3 RIA's, for a $400 1911 we are very happy. Too bad you don't like the G19, my new G30 is becoming a favorite of mine.

I've been shootin steel lately with my G30, helps alot learning to correct each shot VS examining paper.

[arcangel]

I'd personally opt for a XD .45, you wont go over your budget leaving more cash for maybe some mags or ammo, and its comforting knowing there's a lifetime warranty that comes with the pistol for as long as you own it. You get the benefit of having more rounds than a 1911 and still remaining somewhat compact, with similar mechanical operation as your Glock. Good luck in whichever you choose.

[ltorlo64]

If you want a 1911, the Springfield Armory GI Issue. It is a barebones 1911. I have really enjoyed mine. Reliable and pretty accurate for a barebones pistol.

[alismith]

I have an ATI .45 and it was right around $500, new. I love mine.

[Lysander]

G21, RIA 1911, or M&P 45

The XD was a great pistol back when it was a $300 Croat import. I wouldn't pay more than that for a "new" one just because it had SA rollmarks on it.

I'd be very interested to hear further details on your reliability issues with your G19.

Did you by this weapon new or used? What were the issues specifically? What non-factory parts do you have in it? How many rounds have been shot through this weapon?

[FunkyPertwee]

Here is a good looking Philippino 1911 from AIM for $399.



Here is my XD-45. I paid $500 and I promise its worth $200 more than an old HS2000 import.

[Penguin]

If it was me I would get the Rock Island 1911 or better yet a springfield 1911 if you can find one in that price range. I am partial to 1911's though. Perhaps the auto ordanace one. That is a bare bones 1911 but, I hardly ever see them around here so I don't know what they are running.

[O.S.O.K.]

This: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id=56531



$469 Shipped to your dealer - and Bud's has a great "dealer finder".

[sniper_n_training]

I would stay away from the RIA 1911 Compact CS pistol. Mine had every major issue a pistol could have. After fighting with RIA for over 2 months to fix the gun (lots of unanswered emails/phone calls and horrible customer service when I did get someone on the phone), they returned the piece of shit to me un-fixed and more problematic than when I sent it in.
I took the pile of junk back J&Gs and got my money back, then used that money to buy a Glock 30SF (far left pistol pictured below) which has over 300rds through it with all different kinds of ammo and not one single malfunction.

[Eric]

I'd be very interested to hear further details on your reliability issues with your G19.

Did you by this weapon new or used? What were the issues specifically? What non-factory parts do you have in it? How many rounds have been shot through this weapon?

It's the compensated model I bought it new in April this year, I have fired about 800 rounds though it now. All factory parts and shoot only standard factory ammo. Within the first 100 rounds it jammed on me at least 12 times no exaggeration. Well I am new to semi autos so I can accept the fact that that was a learning curve with my grip technique and break in period of the new handgun. Hasn't jammed since though so that's a good sign.

I was over it until the last time I was at the hunting camp and put just 50 rounds though it, and the slide just started locking back in a stuck position with the slide lock in its normal position (hope that makes sense). The only way to get the slide back to its regular position was to physically hit the back of the slide forward. After further inspection, it appears that where the ports are had gunked up the top of the slide on the inside and was causing it to catch on the barrel. I have always cleaned it with hoppes#9 and lightly lubed the rails and barrel with remoil after shooting it. Still not denying that some of this could be user error, but its hard for me to trust this weapon now.


Going to check out the 1911 suggestions now, thanks for the feedback everyone.

[NAPOTS]

Are they still selling the Springfield Armory Milspec? They were well under $600 a while back.


Save a little more and get one of these

[cevulirn]

I love my XD .45ACP tactical.

[nfa1934]

This: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id=56531



$469 Shipped to your dealer - and Bud's has a great "dealer finder".

+1 Own four Paras. Love 'em. One thing though, their pistols are great, mags are not so great. My C6.45 has problems with factory Para mags, but runs flawlessly with Wilsons. The double-stack mags are problematic fully-loaded until they are broken in, initially they cause jamming if they are loaded to full capacity (which is damn hard to do at first, it's hard to get more than 12 rounds in a 14 round mag when they are new). They run fine with ten or fewer rounds until broken in. You just have to be patient.

My advice is to buy the GI Expert as O.S.O.K. suggested, then add a couple of Wilson mags whenever you've got some spare cash (if Para's single stack mags have improved in the last few years, disregard my criticism of them and run with the factory mags).

[NAPOTS]

+1 on the Wilson mags

[Schuetzenman]

It's the compensated model I bought it new in April this year, I have fired about 800 rounds though it now. All factory parts and shoot only standard factory ammo. Within the first 100 rounds it jammed on me at least 12 times no exaggeration. Well I am new to semi autos so I can accept the fact that that was a learning curve with my grip technique and break in period of the new handgun. Hasn't jammed since though so that's a good sign.

I was over it until the last time I was at the hunting camp and put just 50 rounds though it, and the slide just started locking back in a stuck position with the slide lock in its normal position (hope that makes sense). The only way to get the slide back to its regular position was to physically hit the back of the slide forward. After further inspection, it appears that where the ports are had gunked up the top of the slide on the inside and was causing it to catch on the barrel. I have always cleaned it with hoppes#9 and lightly lubed the rails and barrel with remoil after shooting it. Still not denying that some of this could be user error, but its hard for me to trust this weapon now.


Going to check out the 1911 suggestions now, thanks for the feedback everyone.

I have to say I think you're the only guy in 12 years of surfing the interent gun forums that ever had an issue with a Glock 19. Your first jams were probably from limp wristing the weapon. They flex enough that with a limp wrist the slide looses speed and won't cycle the weapon fully. As to the ported slide models, never purchased one as I don't think they need porting that bad. Carbon build up stalling the slide movement on only 50 rounds is hard to believe.

My first handgun was a Colt series 70 1911 Gov. model. It was a picky eater and jammed a lot unless you gave it what it wanted. My next 1911 was a Colt Series 80 Gov. Model. It is a little better than the series 70 was for ammo but it too is a picky eater compared to my Glock 21 in .45 ACP. I'm not going to talk about my Glock 19 as the topic is .45 auto pistols, though I will say they've been flawless. The 21 I have has cycled every type of factory round I've fed it from 230 gr. FMJ to 117 gr. Aguila IQ rounds and every thing in between. Never failed to feed, extract, cycle or lock back on the empty mag.

Which brings me to ask, on your reported slide locking back issue, you sure you're not brushing the slide stop with your thumb under recoil and actually locking it open that way? There is a small wire spring on the slide stop and if the part is installed wrong you won't have any spring tension to keep the slide stop down so it won't engage the detent notch.