Author Topic: Semi-Auto 40s&w or 45acp for $500 or under (Read 595 times)

tjf76 · « **on:** March 18, 2004, 01:28:15 PM »

Looking for the best bang for the buck. Want to spend $500 or less
what would be my best choice or choices?

DoubleA · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2004, 04:15:24 PM »

TJF,
I think you're gonna have to tell us what you want it for. Is it for cc, home protection, car gun, plinking or all of the above. What features do you want most?

tjf76 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2004, 03:09:45 AM »

its use would be a pack gun for hunting/fishing ect... needs to be a smaller and lighter frame then most. I have looked at the glock 23,walther
p99 and a few EAA semis. wanted the best bang for the buck. :-)

Mikey · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2004, 03:36:08 AM »

tjf76: If you want something to take along with you while you are hunting or fishing and might encounter something undesireable in the 4, or even 2 legged variety, I would opt for another caliber choice for either of the selections you mentioned - I would go for a 10mm first, and the 45 (ACP)second. Just my 2 cents worth. Mikey.

New Hampshire · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2004, 06:09:21 AM »

If you are looking for a good gun to carry along "In case" then I would go with a .357 Revolver. The .357 will give you a lot more pucnh than the .45 if you get attacked by something bigger than a coyote. Not that a .45 Autoloader is not a good weapon for your intended purposes. A .357 Revolver is just gonna be better in the long run. Ruger makes the GP 100 and Sp101. Smith makes some fine packing "hiking" guns. I would go with a 4" bbl simply because its the best "do all" compromise length for revolvers. Plus its still light enough so as not to feel like you got a brick dragging behind you (though the GP-100 is still pretty heavy itself, which is why the SP101 would be a better toting gun.) If you ARE dead set on an autoloader then I would go with the Walther. But between my $750 Sig .45 or my 6" GP100, the GP100 is in the woods with me a hell of a lot more than the Sig.
Brian M.

tjf76 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2004, 09:29:50 AM »

I have a sp101 357 but its only a 5 shot.
10 is better the 5 and with hicaps 13 is better then ten.
I can shoot a 40 alot better because of the less recoil. I think Iam looking towards the glock 23. keep ya posted and thanks. tjf76

357mag · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2004, 10:15:01 AM »

I have a Taurus Tracker in 357mag with a 4"bbl. Very light to carry, I carry when hunting or fishing and don't even notice it. I holds seven round and is very accurate. Trigger leaves a little to be desired, but not bad either just not a target trigger. Definetely could use a little polishing though. If your carrying it for hunting and fishing I don't really see the need for 13 rounds unless you hunt or fish in Crypt or Blood territory.

papajohn428 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2004, 02:16:52 PM »

What is your impression of the EAA guns you have handled? I bought a 40 Witness in 1991, and have put over 17,000 rounds thru it. The silly thing isn't a match gun, but it feeds everything I put into it, stuff with varying OAL's and powder charges ranging from pussycat to full-blown tiger, and it just perks along with everything. I bet it would feed rocks, if you could get them in the mag. The finish is worn on the grip (I also do a LOT of dry-firing) but it's as tight as the day I bought it. I have heard some horror stories about EAA, but the gun I got is a winner, and my number one "Go To" gun if the smelly stuff strikes the rotating oscillator.
Good luck with whatever you choose, just make sure you practice with it until you're confident in its abilities.
PJ

tjf76 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2004, 04:55:06 PM »

papajohn,
I have looked at alot of them but not sure on the models. they all felt good in my hand and that means alot (I have small hands). I just havent
seen or heard enough reviews on the to buy one.
tjf76

papajohn428 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2004, 02:30:21 PM »

The grip on the Witness is one of the things that sold me on it, I also have small hands (size 7 glove) but the Witness just snugs down and purrs like a kitten. One of my basic rules about handguns is that if your hand doesn't like it, you will NOT shoot it well. I have looked at the Witness Compact lately, it has some appeal, but I really like my full-size Witness, with a steel frame. It balances well, doesn't kick much (to me, anyway), and speaks with authority. With pre-ban mags it holds 13 rounds of 40SW, and that beats seven rounds of 45, in my book. Better to have and not need, than need and not have, as they say.
Reliability is still the biggest factor in picking my Ohcrap Gun, and this one is. It handles bullet weights from 135 to 200 grains, and that covers velocities from 1300 down to about 850 fps, the latter of which pretty much duplicates 45ACP ballistics. Hope this helps.
PJ