[Mycroft Holmes]

I found the 1911 among the most pleasant of my pistols to shoot. With its fairly high mass and low velocity round I found it much easier to hit the target that with the Glock. Perceived recoil of the Glock was higher and with the changing mass of the gun the recoil increases with each shot.

Now I do have a derringer from Waco Arms in .45 APC that is really not fun to shoot at all, but that’s another story.

[TXnMA]

That derringer sounds like the Star PD that I shot. Cute little thing, but remove too much mass, and any .45 reaches recoil levels that even those like me, who actually "enjoy" recoil, find unpleasant. And too short a .45 barrel produces muzzle blast that literally slaps you in the face, and muzzle flash that would singe the hair off a hog...

I prefer something shorter than the stock 1911 for carry -- but you can easily go too far. Anyone considering a "concealable" .45 better try it before they buy it.