Thoughts on .45 Polymer pistols

15377 Views 100 Replies 49 Participants Last post by Jimmo952, Nov 22, 2019

markevanthomas

Discussion Starter · Mar 21, 2013

Okay guys.....been reading the comments and just curious about the consensus.....

I came from Kimber so I know a bit about .45s...but they are 1911. Give me your thoughts on the best, worst and needs of a .45 polymer pistol. Your favorite? What is the most, least you will spend?

Thanks
Mark

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Chadwick99

· #2 · Mar 21, 2013

There's a lot of top models out there. What exactly do you want to know? I owned a .45xd for years and never had a problem with it. Some people make a lot of fun of the XD's because they are made in Croatia but there are a lot of loyal XD fans out there. But Glock's models 21, 30, 36 are also exceptionally well built 45's.

imaoldfart

· #3 · Mar 21, 2013

I'd say build a 45, using a PPQ grip module and P99 AS trigger assembly. As for pricing, keep it in line with the curent P99 pricing....however, less is always better.

Heck S&W has already done the leg work....SW99 45 acp. These are available on GunBroker from time to time. Grab one and send it to your research facility for breakdown and inspection. This is too easy, and there seems to be a huge following for this caliber here in the good ole US of A.

Reactions: 2

chuckles

· #4 · Mar 21, 2013 (Edited)

They ae not for everyone but I would suggest any poly framed .45 be undertaken after close study of any of several H&K models. My 45C is a very nice pistol. Like I say, H&Ks aren't for everyone but they are outstanding pistols in my experience. I would like a 45C with your PPQ trigger but thats just me.

JMHO and YMMV And yes, as OF says, .45ACP has a huge following here. It shares EDC duties with 9MM at my location.

British Agent

· #5 · Mar 21, 2013 (Edited)

Yes please!!

What I'm looking for from Walther as far as .45 ACP goes is an HK45C that doesn't cost $1000+. Something more in the P99 price range.

I love my PPS and am not a huge fan of the XDs due to .45 out of such a little package.

I'd definitely prefer something with the similar grip size of the P99 (double-stack) but with a slightly longer barrel (being .45), possibly hammer fired, and with a partial-cocked trigger... although I'm sure others will want DA/SA and SAO w/thumb safety (a la 1911) too. So I guess offer it 3-4 configurations, but make the frames generally universal so one could switch between them if the market doesn't allow for finding the one you want.

PP45 DA/SA: like the P99.
PP45 SAO: like the PPQ, maybe with a 1911 thumb safety.
PP45 Partial-DA: like the PPX or PPS, with some sort of striker
indicator/hammer that can be covered by the thumb for safe holstering.

We really appreciate the support, Mark!

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UniversalExports

· #6 · Mar 21, 2013

My choice: SW99 — the .45-Caliber Walther

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Reactions: 1

imaoldfart

· #7 · Mar 21, 2013

UniversalExports said:
My choice: SW99 — the .45-Caliber Walther

That's what I'm talkin' about. I'm thinking a 45 acp could be put together using primarily off the shelf parts. Namely, a PPQ grip module with ambidextrous elongated magazine release as well as elongated ambidextrous slide stop. The trigger assembly could be a complete P99 AS assembly or a PPQ assembly. As for new parts, well you need a barrel, slide and recoil assembly. At least, that's the way I see it...but there could be more to it idk.

alt4852

· #8 · Mar 21, 2013

It's possibly blasphemy to say on this particular forum, but my favorite firearm is undoubtedly my full size H&K USP .45ACP. It balances well, points well, and the firm push-type recoil of the cartridge is more pleasant to manage for me than the sharper higher-pressure 9mm, 40S&W, or even .380ACP recoil. It's accurate, all of the controls are easy to manipulate, and I've put thousands of rounds through mine without a single malfunction.

I honestly can't find anything to fault with it, and I'd have no reservations recommending a polymer .45 if you're interested in one. It's certainly not a good candidate for concealed carry, but 12+1 rounds of .45 makes for a great home defense weapon and a pleasure to use as a range gun. I'm sure full size and compact versions out of any of the major polymer manufacturers will serve you just as well since I've heard plenty of praise for Glock, S&W, XD, etc as well.

deciplesteve

· #9 · Mar 21, 2013

I would love a P99 or PPQ .45. I didn't include the PPX because I've not held one, so I don't know what it's like, I assume it is top quality like every other Walther.

markevanthomas

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 21, 2013

I love you guys.....already named it the PP45.....

Great comments and nothing too shocking....why would you buy a Polymer .45 over say a 1911 full metal?

HES

· #11 · Mar 21, 2013

I'd have to say my favorite polymer pistols in .45 would have to be the M&P .45. It just felt the best in my hands and while operating. So take a gander at that. As for the idea of scaling up the PPQ, I don't see how you could go wrong.

Reactions: 1

deciplesteve

· #12 · Mar 21, 2013

markevanthomas said:
I love you guys.....already named it the PP45.....

Great comments and nothing too shocking....why would you buy a Polymer .45 over say a 1911 full metal?

My point of view, if I want a 1911, there's, what, 800 different versions at any given gun store? All I can think of that you guys could innovate on that frame is potentially trigger stuff, which even that is throwing a wrench in machine that's been running for over a decade. A "PP45" would be different.

Rothenfluh

· #13 · Mar 21, 2013

HK USPc.

R

imaoldfart

· #14 · Mar 21, 2013

The PPQ grip is absolutely the best ergonomically designed pistol grip on the market today...PERIOD. Besides feeling good, it looks good too. I'd like a PPQ style pistol in almost any caliber...but for the time being, yeah, give me a 45 and a 22 conversioin for the PPQ 9mm/40 S&W. As for a 1911 full metal, they're ugly, heavy and their grip is designed after a plank.

UniversalExports

· #15 · Mar 21, 2013

markevanthomas said:
Great comments and nothing too shocking....why would you buy a Polymer .45 over say a 1911 full metal?

The 1911 was a great weapon in its day, but today we have lighter weapons with more rounds, double-action/single-action triggers, etc. I love my SW99 in .45 for all those reasons, and I also really like my Taurus 24/7 PT Pro DS for the added ability of carrying it cocked-and-locked (like the ol' 1911) in addition to decocking the striker and placing it back into double-action mode. And then, on top of all that, there's the 24/7's external safety (obviously, as you can carry cocked and locked) as yet another feature.

Now, if Walther could just improve upon the SW99 concept by getting the magazine round count to at least a dozen and you'd have a sure winner.

Reactions: 1

olsoul

· #16 · Mar 21, 2013

markevanthomas said:
I love you guys.....already named it the PP45.....

Great comments and nothing too shocking....why would you buy a Polymer .45 over say a 1911 full metal?

I sure will!

Milspec

· #17 · Mar 21, 2013

You wouldn't need to scale up the PPX. Just drop in the parts...

rifleshooter474

· #18 · Mar 21, 2013

Milspec said:
You wouldn't need to scale up the PPX. Just drop in the parts...

Myself if Walther wants to get into the .45acp game, it should be a Design and Engineering project from the ground up brand new. I still feel they did not do a real complete job when they just stuck a .40s&w bbl in a 9mm frame as with their PPQ. Again it should have been given a full Design and Engineering. Not implying the .40s&w is bad just it was rushed into production IMHO.

British Agent

· #19 · Mar 21, 2013

why would you buy a Polymer .45 over say a 1911 full metal?

Price and weight for me. I plan on owning a Sig P220 at some point in the future. Until then, I'd like a compact .45 in the $500 range that's small/sleek enough to conceal, but still shoots nicely, holds about 8-10 rounds. I'm sure I don't need to tell Walther about nice ergos and trigger and whatnot.

Reactions: 1

dennisg

· #20 · Mar 22, 2013

Weight, balance, ergo grip and the AS trigger system. Capacity 8-10 OK. Good review by design and engineering. Sounds like a 2 year project including testing?
If you build it they will shoot it.

DennisG

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