Why the .45 Matters

Strategy Page ^ | Feb 1, 2006

[JCEccles]

I'm always awestruck to think that John M. Browning, eight years old when Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg address, designed the Model 1911.

My any fair measure the Model 1911A has got to rank in the top tier of works of genius. Not merely superbly functional and famously reliable, it is a timless work of art as well.

[yarddog]

My Great Grandpappy hit a yankee on the pinky finger at Chancellorsville. There was nothing left but hair and hide.

That was using a cornstalk. No telling how much damage he could have done with a gun.

[Hardastarboard]

90 years of experience demonstrated that you should not depend on a pistol in the heat of combat

A buddy of mine who used to be in Special Forces in Viet Nam told me once "If you're down to fighting with handguns, you're in deep sh!t." Hard to argue with him on that point.

[al baby]

fyi

[al baby]

little guys aim low!!!

[al baby]

[Petruchio]

Now your talkin'!!

[mad_as_he$$]

The Army and Marines are validating your love for M-14. They have put them back into service with "regular" troops in Iraqi. They designate the lucky guy as "unit marksman" and he usually is in a security position. As with all shooting, shot placement is key. But when I am being shot at I'll take any hit in return.

The 5.56 is OK in hollow or ballistic point if you get a good shot. I routinely pop coyotes with it in a 56 grain hollow point. Very few take a second shot.

My hunting rifle is a 7mm Rem Mag (0.284) and I usually shoot a 150 grain Nosler partition for deer and other smaller game. Elk take 175 grain. Over 150 yards I have never had a round exit a mule deer, but the damage is sufficient enough to not let the animal suffer.

[Yorlik803]

I had some of that Ammo once. I shot a clip of it and didn't have a problem. Only later did I find out it wasn't for Pistols.
9MM has been getting a bad rap.But if you look at what the Pistol was designed for, it was a great choice. A pistol is given to Officers, drivers, Pilots and other personnel who didn't have a need or space for a Rifle. The 45 is a manstopper{really a horse stopper, that was what the caliber was made for, killing horses}. I think it all depends on how it is loaded, who is shooting and shot placement. To each thier own...

[ozzymandus]

Ooohhh, a Singer! I'll give ya a hundred bucks for it!!
:>)

[ExSoldier]

Why our troops were forced to use another round is beyond me and common sense.

Multiple reasons, none of them valid, IMHO.

#1 Claims were made about difficult logistics with NATO "allies" who used the 9mm. Somebody figured it would speed resupply to have to carry just one handgun caliber. Musta been a frog.

#2 Claims were made that the 1911 was too much of a "kicker" for female soldiers. Well, sure. But I taught my daughter to shoot when she was 10. Today at 24 and married she has her very own Ruger SP101 357 magnum. She's a bullseye shooter with that gun at ten yards with a 3 inch barrel. Recoil can be overcome by proper instruction and practice.

#3 International Politics coupled with...

#4 Lots of money.

[labette]

It could use a cheek piece and a sling.

[calex59]

I use a .243 to hunt deer, so am familiar with small rounds and wounds. However the 5.56 is underpowered for service round IMO. I killed a deer at 425(measured) yards in Colorado several years back(2000 I believe, Unit 21) and hit it in the heart. It ran about 20 yards and fell over dead. The load was a 100 grn. Hornady and I forget what powder. The gun was a Ruger M77 with a 12 power Redfield variable scope and sighted in for 200 yards. One shot did it, BUT when I am shooting to save my life I want the biggest I can handle:)

[glock rocks]

Oh yah.

[Thunder90]

[festus]

Can it do my taxes, too?

No but it might keep the revenuers away for a while though. I mean it would take them a while to quit laughing anyway.

[StoneColdTaxHater]

I got to shott my buddy's S&W 500, 1 round was all I could handle. It kicked like a pissed off mule. He is 6'8" 350lbs, he handles it like a pop gun

[calex59]

In 1913 in Arkansas, Atkins actually, my grandmother(mom's mom) shot at a bum who had come to the house to beg and tried to steal, she had a .303 Savage lever action(pretty new rifle and round then) and shot holes in the corn but missed the bad guy. In those days people took care of themselves, men were gone so she handled it!

I understand, but only have heresay to go by, that he also tried to get fresh with her after she offered hospitality to him(food and drink).

[festus]

Now thats stopping power. And whiplash creator.

[stumpy]

I was acquainted with a guy in the early 60's that had been in the philiphines with the O.S.S. and while working his radio looked down to see about 2 foot of Jap bayounet sticking through his belly.

Said he turned and shot the jap with his .45, blowing the jap back, and in turn pulling the bayounet with him. He returned to tapping out his message and once again found the big sticker sticking through his belly and again shot the jap.

It happened a third time and then he shot the jap in the head. I asked how the jap had been able to get up and the guy told me that the particular jap sticking him had wrapped himself in a mat of small thin bamboo, which kept the exit wounds bound together, and that at that time they were usually doped up.

Should have been a head shot on the first one. In the 70's, I was aquainted with Jack Weaver (for you shooters, he is the guy that the "Weaver" stance is named for).

Jack could keep an empty beer can in the air with a gvt. model .45 (usually my beer can, cause Jack drank mickey wide mouth which is in a bottle).