jkh@jade.UUCP (06/10/86)
Article: 6:7 Article: 6:4 -- 9mm vs. .45 automatics (oh, goodie! here we go again!) >I am on the verge of purchasing my first handgun and I need >some advice. The models which seem the most appealing are the >Colt and S&W .45 automatics, and the Browning and Beritta 9mm >autos. Some of the information I am looking for includes: > >1) quality of handguns- (tendencies to jam, quality of > workmanship, ease of operation) I have a series 70 Colt Gov't Model that I purchased from a friend. It only had about 50 rounds through it when I got it (I got a great price, 'cause my friend couldn't hit anything with it). In the next 100 rounds, it jammed twice. Since then (5 years and ~5000 rounds) it hasn't jammed again. My G.M. feeds anything I give it (using Colt and Pachmayr magazines - I think good quality mags are important). I've tried (in addition to standard military 240 g. FMJ) Winchester Silvertips, truncated cones, Federal hollow points, lead and jacketed, and others I can't remember. No feeding problems and no need for ramp or throat work! It's satin nickel and the factory sights suck (they are small and shiny)! You really have to concentrate to get a good sight picture (I'm going to change the sights soon). It also has a wonderful FACTORY trigger (better than another friends 80 Gold Cup). It's the second best factory G.M. trigger I've seen(felt). I think the important thing is is check out the gun (trigger, fit, finish, etc.) and buy from a company and dealer that backs up their product (I even had to send my *Python* back to Colt for work!). A G.M. .45 ACP is simple elegance, 70+ years of war and development haven't changed John Browning's design much. Yes, yes, I know, his second try was the High Power! Both, I might add, single actions. If the government can teach millions of solders to use and care for a G.M., then anybody can. >2) relative performance between the .45 and 9mm > calibers Now into the religious stuff, performance! Either the 9mm or the .45 will do the job IF you can hit what you are aiming at (no easy feat in a high stress situation). The .45 ACP won't go through walls, except possibly for an apartment I lived in once. I happen to believe that all else being equal, the heavy big bullet will stop an argument more reliably than a small light bullet (after all the m16 went from the old 55 grain to the /new! improved!/ 70 grain). >3) pricing and future value-(i.e. is the Browning worth the price?) If you think the High Power is expensive, check the price on the Beritta! And anything that says COLT costs you! S&W, Colt, Browning, and Beritta ALL make high quality guns. I have lots of Smith revolvers and have had no trouble (I personally don't like double action autos so...). A Browning High Power is on my list (I guess eventually I'll have to get into 9mm) and probably a Beritta 92s-f, if they get cheaper. All my older Colts and S&Ws are worth more now than when I bought them, but that doesn't mean anything 'cause I'd never sell any of them. I mean, how could you sell an old friend? >4) cost and availability of ammo for these guns You can get .45 ACP ammo anywhere! You can get military surplus, you can get new factory ammo, commercial reloads, even generic ammo. Winchester Silvertips are about $22.00/box or 44 cents per shot! Rem 185g lead swc is $20.40 = 41 cents per shot. Commercial reload .45 ACP is $12.00/bag = 24 cents per shot. Generic (actually Winchester FMJ) $14/box = 28 cents per shot. If you reload, the brass lasts forever (almost). A pound of powder (~$12.) will power about 1400 rounds! Primers will cost about $13/thousand. Lead bullets can be obtained for $21 for 500. You can get new Winchester .45 ACP, unprimed brass for $11 for 50, buy 200 and reuse it. Once fired military brass can probably be found for < 10 cents each. Your cost for 1400 rounds is: 200 brass (new Winchester @ $11/50) $44.00 powder, 1 pound 12.00 Primers (1400 @ $13/1000) 18.20 Bullets (1400 @ $20/500) 58.80 ------ $133.00 divided by 1400 = 9.5 cents per shot! now that is cheep shooting!!! (Press, dies and misc. equipment runs from ~ $200 and up) I'm not (yet) a 9mm shooter, but once the military gets rolling on the nato 9mm, that ammo should get cheaper. Since the 9mm bullets are lighter, they SHOULD be cheaper. >I would like some help in choosing what might be a family heirloom. Good quality guns, properly cared for, will last several generations. More than one 'good shooter' has been retired because it was Dad's of Grandpaw's or because 'I shot my first rabbit with that'. Hope this helps! Gun controls is hitting what you aim at! larry church church@decwrl.dec.com