The .45 AARP - Page 2

Mike Andrew · 07-30-2020, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RNajarian

Mine is a Veteran, she served in WW2, Korea and Vietnam. Made in 1943, Stamped UNITED STATES PROPERTY and US ARMY.

The current official issued firearm for officers is the 9mm Barretta. Personally I prefer the 1911.

Mine is a 1918 manufacture. Gramps dredged it off the bottom of Pearl, rebuilt it and carried it as his officer's sidearm for the duration. Inherited it, a belt holster and a shoulder holster. Certainly qualifies as an AARP gun

RNajarian · RNajarian's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

Mine is a 1918 manufacture. Gramps dredged it off the bottom of Pearl, rebuilt it and carried it as his officer's sidearm for the duration. Inherited it, a belt holster and a shoulder holster. Certainly qualifies as an AARP gun

If guns could talk . . . that would be one hellova story.

masraum · 07-30-2020, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RNajarian

Mine is a Veteran, she served in WW2, Korea and Vietnam. Made in 1943, Stamped UNITED STATES PROPERTY and US ARMY.

The current official issued firearm for officers is the 9mm Barretta. Personally I prefer the 1911.

That one and others like it are the Steve McQueens of the gun world (uber-cool). The date and history adds to it.

masraum · 07-30-2020, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

Mine is a 1918 manufacture. Gramps dredged it off the bottom of Pearl, rebuilt it and carried it as his officer's sidearm for the duration. Inherited it, a belt holster and a shoulder holster. Certainly qualifies as an AARP gun

Yours wins for sure!

aigel · aigel's Garage

LOL - that is funny!

I recall one of your kids bough one of those Ruger 57 ... that has to be the opposite side of the spectrum.

Plenty younger people that I know appreciate the .45 AARP. I was skeptical after only shooting it out of a compact Glock before. Out of a full size pistol it is a pleasure and very accurate to shoot. Also, living in CA, there is no great concern about magazine capacity with a bigger caliber handgun. It is all limited to 10 anyway.

G

Steve Carlton · 07-30-2020, 03:30 PM

10 big bullets > 10 medium bullets

Flat Six · Flat Six's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

. . . We've worked out an easy way to recover brass now as well - we simply lay out a 20 foot square tarp. Can't really do that at my club range, but it sure works great in the gravel pit.

Love this . . . .

Mike Andrew · 07-30-2020, 06:02 PM

No win. Just a great gun with some interesting history that I am fortunate and grateful to have for the time being. Likely pass to my youngest brother and then on to his son.
Considering it is 102 years old, it shoots pretty damn well.
Wish I had gotten the M1 carbine as well.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

We've worked out an easy way to recover brass now as well - we simply lay out a 20 foot square tarp.

In one or two Tom Clancy books the bad guys use steel case ammo, so they can wave a magnetic wand over the area afterwards and grab the spent casings very quickly and then disappear.

masraum · 07-30-2020, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

No win. Just a great gun with some interesting history that I am fortunate and grateful to have for the time being. Likely pass to my youngest brother and then on to his son.
Considering it is 102 years old, it shoots pretty damn well.
Wish I had gotten the M1 carbine as well.

By "win" I just meant the coolest story with the best personal context.

When I was born, by dad was a cop. He quit and went back into the military. When I was growing up, his old service revolver was supposed to eventually come to me. When I was about 13, our house was robbed and it was stolen. It won't be the same, but I'm eventually going to get a reasonable facsimile.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

I love my full size, Milspec Stainless Steel 1911A1. In Houston, Stainless is almost required.

I sent it in to a gun smith to be tighten up, trigger replaced and a ring hammer installed. It shoots better than I can. With all of the weight, hardly any recoil.

I need to remove the magazine safety and then send in my FN Hi-Power for similar treatment.

Jeff Higgins · 07-30-2020, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

In one or two Tom Clancy books the bad guys use steel case ammo, so they can wave a magnetic wand over the area afterwards and grab the spent casings very quickly and then disappear.

If only steel cases were reloadable...

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

A friend of mine who is only 40 carries a 45. Ask him 'why?' and he'll tell you because they don't make a 46.

911boost · 911boost's Garage

My 45 is getting checked tomorrow as luggage in a SKB case for my vacation on the east coast with my family.

I carried a 40 for work in the 90’s and have a few of those still but prefer the 45.

sc_rufctr · 07-31-2020, 07:54 AM

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

A friend of mine who is only 40 carries a 45. Ask him 'why?' and he'll tell you because they don't make a 46.

They DO make a .50!

Flat Six · Flat Six's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

I need to remove the magazine safety and then send in my FN Hi-Power for similar treatment.

Might want to try a drop-in trigger from Cylinder & Slide, eliminates the mag disconnect and makes the trigger pull soooo much smoother. Their sear and sear lever really sharpen up the break and reset, too.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Hmmmmmmmm. I may try that instead of a gunsmith. I use the Hi-Power as a carry pistol. I don't want the trigger too light. Crisp, yes.

Mike Andrew · 08-01-2020, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

They DO make a .50!

Yeah, fired a friend's Desert Eagle a few times. There is good reason it was only a few times

Jeff Higgins · 08-01-2020, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

They DO make a .50!

I've owned, or currently own, revolvers in three out of four of those calibers - .44 mag, .454 Casull, and .475 Linebaugh. I've fired the other two on many occasions from various shooting buddies' revolvers. The only one I still own is the .44 mag.

I've mentioned this before, but I repeat it here - I firmly believe that there is a practical upper limit in handgun power wherein we still retain some level of real handgun utility and effectiveness. For me, personally, I have found that limit (in hunting handguns at least) to be somewhere around a heavy .44 mag or .45 Colt load. These utilize 300 grain bullets at around 1,300 fps or so. I've lost track of how many big game animals I've taken with these loads, and each and every time - with only one exception - the bullets exited, achieving full penetration. So, obviously, any more "power" simply digs a deeper hole in the dirt on the other side of them.

That damn .475 Linebaugh was probably my single worst handgunning experience. Way, way over the top, with recoil in my converted Ruger Bisley being not just unpleasant, but having the real potential of doing actual physical harm. And for what? To dig a deeper hole in the dirt behind the animal...

This is where the grand old .45 AARP really shines. It occupies that magic spot of "enough" without approaching "too much". Not too much recoil, not too much blast for most of us to handle in a defensive situation. Yet, practically speaking, enough "stopping power" to get the job done. Just a very well balanced package.