Any Gun People out there?

[Droxor]

I'm trying to hunt down a Chrome 1911 model .45 pistol just to get an idea on how much it cost to get one, and see if it's in the budget. I tried Ebay but couldn't find anything. Anyone know a price range or where I could find a selection?

[rhonnin]

Depends on the manufacturer, For instance Sig makes a really nice 1911 that starts at about 500.00, a friend of mine designed it for them so I got to do a lot of shooting with it during the testing phases.
A colt would likely be around the same range but to be honest the quality of Colt has gone way down hill the past few years. These prices are for new and without chroming which would add quite a bit to the price.
A word of advise, chrome is a lot of maintenance so I wouldn't advise it for a carry piece or something that will see regular use, most people don't want chrome so expect it to be hard to find.

[FloobieDoobie]

Chrome is for the movies, that's it.

[Gunther]

Before purchasing a firearm, you must think about why you want to buy the firearm. The higher caliber weapons generally cost more for ammunition. Once I bought a .358 cal Browning Lever Action Rifle. Why did I do that? It was stupid for me to do it. I did not hunt. This rifle was an excellent brush gun for hunting deer in states that allow you to hunt with a rifle. Massachusetts restricts hunters to the use of a shotgun. One 20-round box of ammunition cost $21.95. The only thing I ever shot at was paper. So $1.05 went down the barrel every time I pulled the trigger.

Eventually I sold that rifle and bought an AR-15 which uses .223 cal or 5.56mm ammunition. Those bullets go for about 25 or 35 cents a piece. Since I was only shooting at paper, it made much more sense to buy the smaller caliber weapon.

Now if someone has threatened your life and you are in serious jeopardy of being killed, then a high caliber weapon like the M1911 .45 cal ACP would be a worthwhile investment. You hit someone with one of those, they will not be getting up again. But unless you plan on spending the rest of your life in jail for murder, you better have a damn good reason for killing someone.

[FloobieDoobie]

The .45acp round is a great round but you have to be carefull of it as a conceal carry piece because of the penetration factor of the round. It will easily penetrate a body and still be lethal. It can also penetrate many hard covers such as car door and body panels.
So in an urban setting the problem becomes the lethality of the round to those not aggressing you. It's why the better rounds for a carry gun is the .380, 9mm or .40. The .40 is a good mix of power, accuracy anda safety in a non rural setting.
The whole argument of the 9mm and .380 don't have enough stopping power is crap in my mind since you have more than 1 round to put someone down is needed. And if you aim correctly they will be in too much pain to continue (or dead).

[rhonnin]

Actually, if you're worried about penetration the 9mm is more of a hazard than the .45, .45 is a much lower velocity round, it's designed for shock/stopping and is more likely to break up on impact than to pass through, another issue with the 9mm that you don't get with the .45 is deflection, 9mm have a much greater tendency to deflect off things like windshields and other angular surfaces. I've owned both and would always take a .45 over a 9mm for my carry piece, I do love the .40 though and you can get them in both semi auto and revolver flavors now, not to mention, they are a cheap alternative for plinking if you own a .44mag like me because you can put them through the same weapon.
These days though, when I do carry, it's my .38 derringer because it's easier for me to conceal and is light enough that I'm not always worried about it pulling my pants down.
If I were to get back into some semblance of good health though I'd probably go back to my .45 or get a smaller frame one than the 1911.

[rhonnin]

The whole argument of the 9mm and .380 don't have enough stopping power is crap in my mind since you have more than 1 round to put someone down is needed. And if you aim correctly they will be in too much pain to continue (or dead).

This is why I always said the 9mm is for shooting over your shoulder while you're running away.

[Droxor]

So. . .any idea where I could look for a 45? Even if it's not chrome. . .which would still be nice

[Gunther]

These days though, when I do carry, it's my .38 derringer because it's easier for me to conceal and is light enough that I'm not always worried about it pulling my pants down.

S&W M10 .38 Revolver is my weapon of choice. I can hit a bullseye at 50 yards with that sucker and once I hit it at 100 yards. I had to aim about 2 feet above what I was shooting at to get it.

[FloobieDoobie]

Dorxor, you're going to want to take a look at the gun sellers in your area. Depending on the laws in your state you may or may not need to complete a waiting period. Most states waive the waiting period if you hold a conceal carry permit. Buying a gun is not something to do online.