Replies

"... I am a small woman with small hands and I prefer a colt 45 with a short barrel(officer's) and short trigger."

My kinda gal.

Carol, leave the 9mms alone and get the .45 ACP model of whatever you prefer. The Sig you tested is going to be hard to beat, I think. Sigs have the best stock sight-picture and natural 'pointability' out of the box over any other pistol.

Like hd5574, I have a M1911-A1 Government clone. It's a 1990-vintage Springfield Armory with no modifications on it except for a 3.5 pound trigger and the 1911 original-style (straight-backed) mainspring housing.

However, if I were to buy another pistol now to *replace* my 1911-A1, it would certainly be a Sig-Sauer .45 ACP.

As far as throwing knives are concerned, I can't recommend them. I *do* have some well-balanced throwing bricks for sale that are quite a lot more effective.

Become and expert with them, and 'one-shot-stops' are commonplace, particularly from behind.

I started with a standard Colt 1911 WWII government issue and quickly changed to the short barrel model. The longer barrel just gives me so much more slide slap. I also have a Springfield Armory 45 also, but it is the V-10 has a recoil more like a Colt Woodsman. I can get off backup shots off a lot quicker with that one. I don't notice any difference in the recoil between a Colt Officer's and a Para P-10 in steel frame or alloy frame, which I found interesting and unexpected. I love Para their guns have functioned very well right out of the box.

I do use an oversize slide release on all my 45's as with my small hands I have found that much easier. I tried some beautiful smooth rosewood grips but found that they made the gun slip in my hand and pulled my shots to the left, so I put the old checkered ones back on.(sob) I am small about 5'2" and 100 lbs so if I can handle a 45 most people can.

I have been shooting for well over 40 years, the last ten of those mostly point shooting and have tried most of caliburs (22,25,32,38,380,357,40 in a mix of semis and wheel guns) but 45 will be always be my baby. The only wheel gun I ever found that truly fits my little hands in the Ruger Bearcat and that just doesn't have enought knock down punch. I have found that all of the Colt's based on Browning's Designs are great for women with small hands.