Which is better, the Colt .45, or the 9mm Beretta?

[Loki]

The enternal debate continues...

The Colt .45, with its lovable/ reliable system (that's over a century old.) and the huge ACP rounds (for a pistol) it is a respected pistol.

And the other side of the ring...

The 9mm Beretta, with its large ammo carry (15 rounds) and the low recoil, it is a modern choice for the US Millitary.

Put down your likes and dislikes about the two guns, if own one, and your thoughts/ research on them.

[McCoy]

Congratulations! You've just opened a huge can of worms.

You will hear a lot from both camps n' they'll never meet.

Both guns do their job n' in the end it's up to the shooter to aim.

[Bass_Man86]

I have used both weapons, they are both good pistols; I would have to say that in the end it's simply a matter of taste.

[madmike]

The 45 and the 9mm are both very good cartridges.The 1911 in any form is very good along withthe Sigs and Glocks.The Beretta is garbage it cant hold up to a S&W,Sig,Browning Hi-power or Glock.

[Freightshaker]

Why use 15 rounds when 8 will do?

[Ogukuo72]

How about this:


It's a 1911, and it can fire 9mm rounds, and its mag can hold about 17 rounds. Best of three worlds!

[the_redstar_swl]

Originally Posted by freightshaker

Why use 15 rounds when 8 will do?

Well, Assuming two shots center of mass and one to the head to kill somebody, You can dispatch more people with the M9 than with the M1911.

[Capt AFB]

I agree with McCoy, we have an open can of worms here.

I have fired both. I like the punch of the .45, but I rather carry more ammo than less, and 9mm does the job against its target.

[Scout32]

Colt .45 forever

[Cole Thornton]

The Beretta 92F (M9 for mil.) is an OK handgun, though I have been using the 1911 for a much longer time, and am more partial to it.

For CCW purposes, both are large and I don't carry either concealed. However, one can carry a Colt Officer if they so desire, which has a shortened frame and barrel.

The basic argument that the Beretta has more rounds in it's magazine compared to the larger bullet diameter that a 1911 is chambered for can be debated forever. It depends on the situation.

I would rather have a 1911 pointed at someone breaking in my door, but there are also scenarios where the larger mag. capacity is desired of the Beretta.

[Ogukuo72]

Originally Posted by Cole Thornton

The Beretta 92F (M9 for mil.) is an OK handgun, though I have been using the 1911 for a much longer time, and am more partial to it.

For CCW purposes, both are large and I don't carry either concealed. However, one can carry a Colt Officer if they so desire, which has a shortened frame and barrel.

The basic argument that the Beretta has more rounds in it's magazine compared to the larger bullet diameter that a 1911 is chambered for can be debated forever. It depends on the situation.

I would rather have a 1911 pointed at someone breaking in my door, but there are also scenarios where the larger mag. capacity is desired of the Beretta.

It's probably easier to keep a 1911 concealed than a Beretta 92F.

[Cole Thornton]

Originally Posted by Ogukuo72

It's probably easier to keep a 1911 concealed than a Beretta 92F.

A 1911 has a thin profile. Like I said, the Officer is short and slim, but generally speaking with the 1911's slim profile they are easier to fit on you. I used a shoulder harness for my Officer when I used to carry a 1911, but since then have carried S&W 442 and Kahr's.

Kahr's specialize in very thin guns, and are good to have as a backup conceal carry gun.

[Kendoka Girl]

For me, it comes down to shot placement. Unlike a rifle round, you won't get the shockwave damage from the high velocities, so you have to put the round in a vital spot.

I began with a SiG P228 9mm and loved it. Accurate, light recoil, low maintenance, lots of rounds in the magazines, slick mags made for blazing fast mag exchanges. The downside, it was heavy when fully loaded, seemed to corrode quickly in a tropical environment, frame rails would crack.

I've also fired the Colt, Kimber, and Springfield Arms M1911A and all were beautiful. The trigger was tight and a joy to pull. The slender profile fit my hand better. The Kimber's barrel was so long, the muzzle was nearly at the target. The downside, 8 rounds in the mag, mags kind of sticky, high maintenance. I was surprised that the recoil was very comperable to lower caliber pistols and I never had a problem with the .45 ACP.

[Ogukuo72]

Originally Posted by Cole Thornton

A 1911 has a thin profile. Like I said, the Officer is short and slim, but generally speaking with the 1911's slim profile they are easier to fit on you. I used a shoulder harness for my Officer when I used to carry a 1911, but since then have carried S&W 442 and Kahr's.

Kahr's specialize in very thin guns, and are good to have as a backup conceal carry gun.

The Glock series of pistols are also pretty slim. Probably all good choices.

[Cole Thornton]

Originally Posted by Ogukuo72

The Glock series of pistols are also pretty slim. Probably all good choices.

Depends where you carry. It is easy to fit a full size combat handgun in a shoulder holster. You cannot fit one on your ankle, and I would like to see you try to carry a 1911 or Glock on your waist somewhere during the summer months. It is uncomfortable, and no fun to carry that bulky weapon.

If you want to actually measure they are not. Glock's have a wider handgrip than most standard factory 1911's. The 1911 overall has a much thinner profile than a Glock.

A Kahr has about the thinnest for DA/SA traditional handguns that fire a large caliber round. There are small frame semi-auto's such as a PPK, etc., but then you are going to be firing a weak .380 Auto, etc.